Deck 43: The Biosphere

Question 1

Major air masses rise from Earth's surface at ____.

A)the equator and 30^o latitude
B)30^o and 60^o latitudes
C)the equator and 60^o latitude
D)30^o latitude and the poles
E)the poles

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Permafrost and low rainfall are characteristic of which biome?

A)boreal forest
B)montane coniferous forest
C)arctic tundra
D)desert
E)chaparral

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What symbiotic organisms do corals lose during bleaching?

A)coralline algae
B)dinoflagellates
C)diatoms
D)green algae
E)red algae

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What is characteristic of a mudflat?

A)present on the ocean floor
B)present at the bottom of eutrophic lakes
C)found in estuaries
D)lack bacterial biofilms
E)low salt content

Question 5

Warm air rises at the equator. At what other latitude does air rise?

A)10^o
B)30^o
C)40^o
D)60^o
E)75^o

Question 6

In the continental interior of Asia, north-blowing wind delivers heavy rain during the hot summer months, and south-blowing wind causes seasonal drought during the cool winter months. What weather pattern does this illustrate?

A)typhoon
B)hurricane
C)monsoon
D)tsunami
E)cyclone

Question 7

Some chaparral plants have ____ seeds that only sprout after being exposed to fire.

A)inedible
B)fire-resistant
C)aromatic
D)flammable
E)drought-resistant

Question 8

Four of the five answers listed below are related by a common biome. Select the exception.

A)no trees
B)permafrost
C)short growing seasons
D)found in the rain shadows
E)found above the Arctic Circle

Question 9

Which biome is covered with conifers that are able to withstand cold temperatures and poor soil conditions?

A)tundra
B)boreal forest
C)chaparral
D)savanna
E)deciduous forest

Question 10

Freshwater lakes will turn over in ____.

A)the fall only
B)the winter
C)the spring only
D)the summer
E)both the fall and spring

Question 11

A tropical biome dominated by grasses with a few scattered shrubs and trees is known as a ____.

A)warm desert
B)savanna
C)tundra
D)taiga
E)chaparral

Question 12

The region where freshwater from a river and saltwater mix is a(n) ____.

A)limnetic zone
B)estuary
C)intertidal zone
D)upper littoral zone
E)profundal zone

Question 13

Thorough mixing of oxygen and nutrients within a lake occurs in ____.

A)winter and summer
B)winter and spring
C)spring and summer
D)spring and autumn
E)summer and autumn

Question 14

A wind system that influences large climatic regions and reverses direction seasonally, producing dry and wet seasons, is referred to as a(n) ____.

A)tsunami
B)upwelling
C)taiga
D)monsoon
E)hurricane

Question 15

​Four of the five answers listed below are characteristic of temperate grasslands. Select the exception.

A)​dominant plants tolerate intervals of drought
B)​photosynthesis continues year-round
C)​possess a deep layer of topsoil
D)​form in the interior of continents
E)​summers are hot and winters are cold and snowy

Question 16

The deepest, most fertile topsoil is usually found in ____.

A)deserts
B)savannas
C)grasslands
D)temperate forests
E)tropical rain forests

Question 17

Similarities between organisms in biomes that are widely separated on the planet are an indication of ____.

A)coevolved traits
B)convergent evolution
C)recombinant DNA
D)common ancestry
E)founder effects

Question 18

What is the structural component of coral reefs?

A)calcium phosphate secretions by coral polyps
B)calcium carbonate secretions by coral polyps
C)calcium-rich bodies of dinoflagellate
D)calcium phosphate secretions by dinoflagellates
E)calcium carbonate secretions by dinoflagellates

Question 19

The boreal forest could best be described as what type of forest?

A)deciduous
B)thorn
C)coniferous
D)broad-leaf
E)shrub

Question 20

Four of the five answers listed below are characteristics of the tropical rain forest. Select the exception.

A)vines and epiphytes
B)large diversity
C)structurally complex
D)nutrient poor soil
E)large herds of herbivores

Question 21

CAM plants, such as cacti and agaves, use a different carbon-fixing pathway than most other plants, allowing them to ____.

A)keep their stomata open all day and night to increase the efficiency of photosynthesis
B)keep their stomata closed all day and night to decrease the amount of CO₂ absorbed
C)open their stomata only during the day to increase the amount of CO₂ absorbed
D)close their stomata only at night to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation
E)open their stomata only at night to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation

Question 22

Which biome is found between the polar ice cap and northern boreal forests?

A)chaparral
B)taiga
C)desert
D)grassland
E)tundra

Question 23

The profundal zone is characterized by ____.

A)phytoplankton only
B)producers and consumers
C)plants and animals
D)decomposer only
E)decomposers and detritivores

Question 24

Surface currents generally circulate ____.

A)clockwise in the Pacific Ocean and counterclockwise in the Atlantic Ocean
B)clockwise during the spring and summer and counterclockwise during the fall and winter in the Northern Hemisphere
C)counterclockwise during the spring and summer and clockwise during the fall and winter in the Northern Hemisphere
D)counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere
E)clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

Question 25

Mangroves are woody plants that have adapted to living in what soil conditions?

A)water-parched, oxygen-poor, high salt
B)water-parched, oxygen-rich, low salt
C)water-logged, oxygen-poor, low salt
D)water-logged, oxygen-poor, high salt
E)water-logged, oxygen-rich, high salt

Question 26

Rosy periwinkle, a low-growing plant native to Madagascar's rain forests, has proven useful for fighting ____.

A)malaria
B)influenza
C)HIV
D)heart disease
E)cancer

Question 27

Which province of the ocean is found above the continental shelf?

A)abyssal
B)benthic
C)pelagic
D)neritic
E)oceanic

Question 28

Which area of an intertidal zone is typically covered by water at high tide, but is dry at low tide?

A)upper littoral zone
B)midlittoral zone
C)lower littoral zone
D)limnetic zone
E)profundal zone

Question 29

In summer, the upper and lower levels of a lake are separated by the ____.

A)limnetic zone
B)thermocline
C)littoral zone
D)lentic zone
E)eutrophic zone

Question 30

Descending air around ____ degrees latitude causes the formation of deserts.

A)0
B)15
C)30
D)45
E)60

Question 31

The organisms that occupy the first trophic level near hydrothermal vents are ____.

A)detritivores
B)chemoautotrophic bacteria
C)decomposers
D)photosynthetic bacteria
E)photosynthetic algae

Question 32

What is characteristic of the chaparral biome?

A)cool, wet winters followed by hot, dry summers
B)abundant primary production throughout the year
C)cool temperatures prevailing throughout the yea
D)mild winters and wet summers
E)uniform precipitation throughout the year

Question 33

Which biome is characterized by plants whose leaves drop off in the wintertime?

A)coniferous forest
B)tundra
C)temperate deciduous forest
D)tropical rain forest
E)boreal forest

Question 34

The largest coral reef system in the world is off the coast of ____.

A)Australia
B)Belize
C)Hawaii
D)Mexico
E)Mozambique

Question 35

Cold, fast-moving freshwater holds ____ than still, warm water.

A)more oxygen
B)less oxygen
C)more carbon dioxide
D)fewer nutrients
E)more nutrients

Question 36

The biome with the greatest range of daily temperature extremes is the ____.

A)tundra
B)taiga
C)tropical rain forest
D)desert
E)grassland

Question 37

What occurs when the Northern Hemisphere is most tilted away from the sun and has its shortest day?

A)winter solstice
B)summer solstice
C)spring equinox
D)autumn equinox
E)both solstices

Question 38

Which characteristic applies to tropical rain forests?

A)little sunlight reaches the forest floor
B)diversity is limited because the tall forest canopy shuts out most of the incoming light
C)conditions are extremely favorable for growing luxuriant food crops
D)competition for resources is extremely low
E)daily temperatures vary greatly

Question 39

Which animals serve as a reservoir for cholera-causing bacteria?

A)aquatic birds
B)copepods
C)fish
D)humans
E)marine mammals

Question 40

The biome most closely adapted to fire is the ____.

A)desert
B)tropical rain forest
C)chaparral
D)temperate deciduous forest
E)boreal forest

Question 41

Match the biome with its correct location.
a.chaparrals
b.temperate deciduous forests
c.grasslands
d.deserts
e.savannas
f.tundras
g.rain forests
extend between the ice cap of the North Pole and the belts of boreal forests in the Northern Hemisphere

Question 42

Match the plant adaptation with the conditions for which they are adapted.
a.year-round warmth, sun, and rainfall
b.very low rainfall
c.cold winters
d.fire
e.strong winds, sparse and infrequent rain, and intervals of drought.f.harsh conditions, snow for most of the year, low precipitation
broadleaf trees, lose their leaves in fall before becoming dormant

Question 43

Match the biome with its correct location.
a.chaparrals
b.temperate deciduous forests
c.grasslands
d.deserts
e.savannas
f.tundras
g.rain forests
many located at about 30^o north and south latitudes

Question 44

Match the biome with its correct location.
a.chaparrals
b.temperate deciduous forests
c.grasslands
d.deserts
e.savannas
f.tundras
g.rain forests
form in the interior of continents between deserts and temperate forests

Question 45

Four of the five answers listed below are characteristic of desert crusts. Select the exception.

A)​form at the surface of desert soil
B)​made up of living organisms, including cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, and fungi
C)​secrete organic molecules that are harmful to most other desert organisms
D)​perform nitrogen fixation, making this nutrient available to plants
E)​hold soil particles in place

Question 46

Match the biome with its correct location.
a.chaparrals
b.temperate deciduous forests
c.grasslands
d.deserts
e.savannas
f.tundras
g.rain forests
found along the western coast of continents, between 30^o and 40^o degrees north or south latitude

Question 47

Which biome or biomes have precipitation that falls all year?

A)tropical rain forest only
B)chaparral only
C)temperate deciduous forest only
D)tropical rain forest and chaparral
E)tropical rain forest and temperate deciduous forest

Question 48

Match the plant adaptation with the conditions for which they are adapted.
a.year-round warmth, sun, and rainfall
b.very low rainfall
c.cold winters
d.fire
e.strong winds, sparse and infrequent rain, and intervals of drought.f.harsh conditions, snow for most of the year, low precipitation
evergreen broadleaf trees

Question 49

Eutrophication refers to what kind of change in a lake?

A)an increase in depth
B)an increase in nutrient concentrations
C)an increase in species diversity
D)a decrease in nutrient concentrations
E)an increase in oxygen levels

Question 50

Match the biome with its correct location.
a.chaparrals
b.temperate deciduous forests
c.grasslands
d.deserts
e.savannas
f.tundras
g.rain forests
lie between the tropical forests and hot deserts of Africa, India, and Australia

Question 51

Match the biome with its correct location.
a.chaparrals
b.temperate deciduous forests
c.grasslands
d.deserts
e.savannas
f.tundras
g.rain forests
limited to the Northern hemisphere

Question 52

Intertidal tropical wetlands often have forests of ____.

A)corals
B)mangroves
C)oaks
D)palms
E)sea oats

Question 53

In a lake, the open sunlit water with its suspended phytoplankton is referred to as which zone?

A)pelagic
B)limnetic
C)littoral
D)profundal
E)benthic

Question 54

Match the plant adaptation with the conditions for which they are adapted.
a.year-round warmth, sun, and rainfall
b.very low rainfall
c.cold winters
d.fire
e.strong winds, sparse and infrequent rain, and intervals of drought.f.harsh conditions, snow for most of the year, low precipitation
plants with spines or fuzz at their surface to trap water

Question 55

A rain shadow is a ____ region on the ____slope(s) of a mountain range.

A)dry; windward
B)wet; windward
C)dry; leeward
D)wet; leeward
E)dry; windward and leeward

Question 56

Outbreaks of what disease often occur during an El Niño?

A)cholera
B)diphtheria
C)AIDS
D)polio
E)measles

Question 57

Match the plant adaptation with the conditions for which they are adapted.
a.year-round warmth, sun, and rainfall
b.very low rainfall
c.cold winters
d.fire
e.strong winds, sparse and infrequent rain, and intervals of drought.f.harsh conditions, snow for most of the year, low precipitation
plants with fire-resistant seeds

Question 58

Four of the five answers listed below are related by a similar area of the ocean. Select the exception.

A)sea mounts
B)pelagic province
C)benthic province
D)continental shelves
E)hydrothermal vents

Question 59

Which soil type is usually high in salt content but low in organic matter?

A)desert
B)savanna
C)temperate grassland
D)temperate forest
E)tropical rain forest

Question 60

Match the biome with its correct location.
a.chaparrals
b.temperate deciduous forests
c.grasslands
d.deserts
e.savannas
f.tundras
g.rain forests
form mainly between latitudes 10^o north and south in equatorial Africa, the East Indies, Southeast Asia, South America, and Central America

Question 61

A hydrothermal vent ecosystem does not run on energy from the sun. Describe the source of its energy.

Question 62

In an El Niño year, what would we expect to see in deserts in the western United States and in coastal Mexico deserts such as Baja California?

Question 63

What is a biome, and what principal factors influence biome types?

Question 64

Describe some key features that make tropical rain forests the most productive biome.

Question 65

​Match each term to the most appropriate description. Terms may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
a.​westerly
b.​easterly
c.​leeward
d.​windward
e.​monsoon
f.​thermocline
g.​overturn
​winds that change direction seasonally

Question 66

What contributes to the low humidity, large daily temperature shifts, and salty soil of deserts?

Question 67

​Match each term to the most appropriate description. Terms may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
a.​westerly
b.​easterly
c.​leeward
d.​windward
e.​monsoon
f.​thermocline
g.​overturn
​the side of a mountain facing away from the wind

Question 68

What is the cause of coastal breezes?

Question 69

Match the plant adaptation with the conditions for which they are adapted.
a.year-round warmth, sun, and rainfall
b.very low rainfall
c.cold winters
d.fire
e.strong winds, sparse and infrequent rain, and intervals of drought.f.harsh conditions, snow for most of the year, low precipitation
fast-growing lichens and shallow-rooted, low-growing plants

Question 70

Match the plant adaptation with the conditions for which they are adapted.
a.year-round warmth, sun, and rainfall
b.very low rainfall
c.cold winters
d.fire
e.strong winds, sparse and infrequent rain, and intervals of drought.f.harsh conditions, snow for most of the year, low precipitation
low-growing grasses that tolerate drought

Question 71

Why do rain shadows form?

Question 72

What is permafrost? How does it relate to carbon stores?

Question 73

​Match each term to the most appropriate description. Terms may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
a.​westerly
b.​easterly
c.​leeward
d.​windward
e.​monsoon
f.​thermocline
g.​overturn
​vertical mixing of waters in temperate zone lakes during spring and fall

Question 74

​Match each term to the most appropriate description. Terms may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
a.​westerly
b.​easterly
c.​leeward
d.​windward
e.​monsoon
f.​thermocline
g.​overturn
​prevailing winds in the United States; blow from west to east