Deck 30: Earths Diverse Ecosystems

Question 1

A rain shadow is caused by

A) ocean currents that heat and cool more slowly than do air or landmasses.
B) large mountain masses in the center of continents that restrict air flow.
C) ocean currents that heat and cool more quickly than do air or landmasses.
D) cool, dry air that warms as it moves down over a mountain, picking up moisture.
E) warm, moist air that cools as it moves down over a mountain, releasing moisture.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

_________are large areas that have similar environmental conditions and characteristic plant communities.

A) Climatic zones
B) Ecosystems
C) Biomes
D) Climax communities
E) Biospheres

Answer 2

Biomes

Question 3

In the fall, the trees in a temperate deciduous forest lose their leaves primarily as an adaptation to

A) excess rainfall.
B) lack of accessible nutrients.
C) changing light.
D) lack of available water.
E) cooler temperatures.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A(n)_________ is an area that is very dry because the air in that region has passed over a mountain and lost most of its moisture.

A) chaparral
B) tropical desert
C) rain shadow
D) basin
E) adiabat

Question 5

Which of the following North American biomes has been almost completely destroyed by agricultural use?

A) Temperate deciduous forest
B) Grassland
C) Tundra
D) Desert
E) Northern coniferous forest

Question 6

The ozone hole over Antarctica and the general lowering of ozone levels elsewhere in the stratosphere have been attributed to the ozone-destroying properties of

A) sulfur dioxide.
B) carbon dioxide and methane.
C) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
D) nitrogen oxides.
E) endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Question 7

The greatest diversity of plants and animals is found in

A) chaparrals.
B) savannas.
C) tropical rain forests.
D) northern coniferous forests.
E) temperate deciduous forests.

Question 8

The thick, green stems and spike-like leaves of cacti and other drought-resistant bushes are adaptations to

A) take up atmospheric nitrogen in nutrient-poor environments.
B) increase gas exchange in oxygen-poor environments.
C) collect light in environments that have limited amounts of light.
D) conserve water in dry environments.
E) speed up heating and cooling in environments that have little temperature fluctuation.

Question 9

In a tropical rain forest, the majority of animals are found

A) in the cleared areas.
B) in the soil.
C) on the forest floor.
D) in the towering treetops.
E) in the shorter trees.

Question 10

What are the fundamental resources required to support life?

A) Oxygen, water, energy, carbon
B) Nutrients, oxygen, sugar, appropriate temperatures
C) Water, nutrients, energy, appropriate temperatures
D) Oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, water
E) Water, energy, oxygen, nutrients

Question 11

The primary driving force behind winds, ocean currents, and the global water cycle is

A) Earthʹs magnetic field.
B) geothermal heating from beneath Earthʹs surface.
C) heat produced by the sun.
D) Earthʹs rotation.
E) the gravitational pull of the moon.

Question 12

The destruction of the ozone layer is caused by a chemical reaction between UV light and

A) methane.
B) nitrogen.
C) hydrogen sulfide.
D) helium.
E) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Question 13

Why do higher-latitude ecosystems experience more pronounced seasons than ecosystems at equatorial latitudes?

A) The mass of the continents is greater at the equator, which evens out temperature variations in ocean circulation.
B) Earth is tilted on its axis as it orbits the sun annually.
C) Heated air rises at the equator and falls at mid-latitudes.
D) Air currents generated by Earthʹs rotation have stronger effects at higher latitudes.
E) Ocean currents moderate near-shore environments.

Question 14

Earthʹs ozone layer is extremely important because it

A) traps heat so that Earthʹs temperature does not fall too much.
B) blocks incoming UV radiation, which is damaging to animals and reduces photosynthesis in plants and algae.
C) maintains high carbon dioxide concentrations so that photosynthesis can occur.
D) blocks incoming visible light to protect Earth against the greenhouse effect.
E) traps harmful infrared rays.

Question 15

The prevailing winds in the Glacier National Park area of Montana are from the west. Which side of this mountainous region receives the most rain and snow?

A) East
B) West
C) South
D) North
E) It depends on the season.

Question 16

Maintaining the ozone layer is crucial for life because ozone

A) absorbs low-energy UV radiation.
B) absorbs visible light.
C) absorbs high-energy UV radiation.
D) blocks low-energy infrared radiation.
E) blocks high-energy infrared radiation.

Question 17

What is the role of the ozone layer?

A) It increases the levels of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the upper atmosphere.
B) It increases the gyres.
C) It increases the amount of sunlight that reaches the poles.
D) It reduces the amount of UV light that reaches Earthʹs surface.
E) It increases photosynthesis in Antarctic phytoplankton.

Question 18

Why do most of the flowers in a temperate deciduous forest bloom in the spring?

A) In the spring, the trees do not block the wind and thus do not prevent wind pollination.
B) The spring is the dry season; most of the rain falls during the cool, wet winters.
C) The leaves of deciduous trees do not block the light in the spring; therefore, sunlight reaches the forest floor.
D) The largest number of insect pollinators is available in the spring.
E) Nutrients are most available in the spring.

Question 19

The temperatures at the equator remain warm year round because

A) sunlight strikes the equator relatively directly with little seasonal variation.
B) the sun shines longer over the equator than it does over other parts of Earth.
C) there are large oceans near the equator that absorb large amounts of heat.
D) Earthʹs rotation on a tilted axis creates more atmospheric friction at the equator.
E) Earthʹs natural curvature places the equator nearer to the sun.

Question 20

A(n)_________ is a cold region with evergreen coniferous trees as the dominant vegetation.

A) savanna
B) chaparral
C) tundra
D) arctic
E) northern coniferous forest

Question 21

The _________is the zone near the shore of a lake where a diverse group of organisms lives and where light and nutrients are abundant.

A) limnetic
B) phytoplankton
C) profundal
D) littoral
E) stratification

Question 22

The vast treeless region near the Arctic Ocean is the

A) grassland.
B) savanna.
C) permafrost.
D) tundra.
E) northern coniferous forest.

Question 23

Pronounced wet and dry seasons and warm year -round temperatures are characteristic of

A) tundras.
B) tropical rain forests.
C) tropical deciduous forests.
D) chaparrals.
E) deserts.

Question 24

Which biome is rapidly expanding into the African Sahel?

A) Tropical rain forest
B) Savanna
C) Desert
D) Chaparral
E) Tropical deciduous forest

Question 25

Multiple layers of vegetation, ranging from shade-tolerant undergrowth to towering sun-loving canopy trees, are characteristic of

A) tropical rain forests.
B) chaparrals.
C) savannas.
D) tallgrass prairies.
E) deserts.

Question 26

Oligotrophic lakes are characterized by

A) high nutrient levels, murky water, and shallow penetration of light.
B) low nutrient levels, and clear water with deep penetration of light.
C) dense ʺbloomsʺ of algae.
D) the largest number and diversity of organisms.
E) low oxygen concentrations.

Question 27

Native Americans were able to prevent the encroachment of trees and maintain the tallgrass prairies by

A) establishing an extensive irrigation system to increase soil moisture, thus favoring grasses.
B) restricting the migrations of bison, which caused the bison to browse heavily on tree seedlings and thus kill them.
C) setting fires periodically to kill the trees.
D) plowing much of the land for agriculture.
E) clear-cutting the forests for timber and fuel.

Question 28

Plants in this biome have small leaves coated with protective waxes to reduce evaporation, and they can survive a fire.

A) Chaparral
B) Tropical rain forest
C) Tropical deciduous forest
D) Savanna
E) Desert

Question 29

The northern coniferous forest is characterized by

A) tallgrass.
B) long and cold winters, short growing seasons, and conifers.
C) fire-adapted plants.
D) dry soils that lack vegetation.
E) few grasses, moist soils, and trees that drop their leaves in the winter.

Question 30

What are the major limiting factors that determine the distribution of organisms in aquatic ecosystems?

A) Appropriate temperatures and excess water
B) Light and nutrients
C) Excess water and nutrients
D) Light and excess water
E) Availability of water and appropriate temperatures

Question 31

What is the dominant vegetation of the savanna?

A) Trees with waxy needles
B) Cocoa
C) Grasses
D) Trees that lose their leaves
E) Lichens and scrub willows

Question 32

Which biome is characterized by widely spaced trees surrounded by grasses?

A) Chaparral
B) Tropical deciduous forest
C) Savanna
D) Tropical rain forest
E) Desert

Question 33

Which biome probably contains the largest number and most diverse group of large mammals?

A) Desert
B) Tropical rain forest
C) Tropical deciduous forest
D) Savanna
E) Chaparral

Question 34

The striking dissimilarities in plant communities among different biomes that have the same average yearly amount of rainfall can be explained by the fact that

A) temperature and rainfall interact to influence plant communities.
B) plant communities are not influenced by rainfall.
C) plant communities are influenced more by the acidity of rain than by the amount of rainfall.
D) plant communities evolve more slowly than changes in weather patterns.
E) plant communities occur randomly, depending on where seeds are blown or carried.

Question 35

If global warming makes the southeastern United States warmer but does not change the amount of rainfall, we might expect to see a shift from the present temperate deciduous forest biome to

A) northern coniferous forest.
B) tropical deciduous forest.
C) chaparral.
D) alpine tundra.
E) tropical rain forest.

Question 36

In aquatic ecosystems, the highest nutrients levels are found in areas that have the

A) highest temperatures.
B) lowest light levels.
C) highest elevation.
D) fewest sediments.
E) highest light levels.

Question 37

Permafrost is associated with which of these biomes?

A) Tundra
B) Grassland
C) Temperate deciduous forest
D) Littoral
E) Northern coniferous forest

Question 38

Which biome receives the lowest annual rainfall?

A) Savanna
B) Chaparral
C) Tropical rain forest
D) Desert
E) Tropical deciduous forest

Question 39

In which biome would you expect to find large numbers of black bears, snowshoe hares, moose, lynx, wolves, and deer?

A) Northern coniferous forest
B) Savanna
C) Chaparral
D) Tropical rain forest
E) Desert

Question 40

Thick, water-storing leaves and stems and shallow, spreading roots are adaptations to

A) tropical rain forests.
B) northern coniferous forests.
C) tropical scrub forests.
D) temperate deciduous forests.
E) deserts.

Question 41

The producers in hydrothermal vent communities are

A) sulfur bacteria.
B) zooplankton.
C) kelp.
D) phytoplankton.
E) coral.

Question 42

The profundal zone is home to organisms that are

A) photosynthetic.
B) intertidal.
C) decomposers and detritivores.
D) eutrophic.
E) adapted to high levels of light.

Question 43

Seasonal variations in temperature are due to the tilt of Earth on its axis.

Question 44

Which area contains aquatic organisms that can tolerate exposure to air?

A) Twilight region
B) Coral reefs
C) Aphotic zone
D) Intertidal zone
E) Ocean floor

Question 45

Why do areas of upwelling tend to have large and diverse populations of organisms?

A) Upwelling lowers the level of oxygen in the water.
B) Upwelling mixes deep-ocean fresh water with salt water from rivers.
C) Upwelling brings nutrient-rich water up from the ocean depths.
D) Upwelling moves dinoflagellates to the aphotic zone.
E) Upwelling brings aphotic organisms to the ocean surface.

Question 46

Which zone is inhabited by bottom-feeding catfish, crayfish, aquatic worms, clams, and bacteria?

A) Intertidal
B) Pelagic
C) Profundal
D) Limnetic
E) Benthic

Question 47

Oligotrophic lakes

A) depend on sulfur bacteria as the primary producers.
B) provide breeding grounds for many fish and crustacean species.
C) support dense plant communities.
D) remove nutrient-rich sediments from field runoff.
E) have low levels of nutrients and few organisms.

Question 48

The windward side of a mountain range has the drier climate because of the rain shadow.

Question 49

The Atlantic cod population decreased dramatically during the 1900s due to overfishing. What conservation measure, presently being applied, is most likely to help this fish population recover?

A) Fertilizing the ocean with raw sewage to cause eutrophication, thus increasing productivity
B) Spreading silt in the water to reduce UV radiation damage to sensitive cod eggs
C) Establishing marine reserves in the area that prohibit fishing until stocks recover
D) Encouraging selective fishing on haddock, turbot, and other species that compete with cod for food
E) Putting a bounty on sharks and tuna in the area that would otherwise eat the cod

Question 50

Plants with small leaves and thick stems that store water are more likely to be found growing in a rain shadow.

Question 51

Patterns of temperature and precipitation that prevail over years are referred to as weather.

Question 52

One consequence of global warming is the melting of the glaciers and the resulting rise in sea levels. What will likely be the direct effect of this increase in sea levels on coral reefs?

A) Coral reefs in deeper waters will die because insufficient light reaches them for photosynthesis.
B) Coral reefs in shallow waters will grow more rapidly due to added protection against harmful UV radiation.
C) Productivity will increase as the pure water from the glaciers dilutes the nutrients in the sea.
D) Coral reefs will be stimulated to grow faster due to the dilution of the seawaterʹs salt content.
E) Productivity will decrease as nutrients trapped in the glacial ice are released and spread throughout the oceans by currents.

Question 53

The most heat-tolerant organisms presently known come from

A) tropical rain forests.
B) tundras.
C) deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
D) tropical deciduous forests.
E) chaparrals.

Question 54

The major concentrations of life in the oceans are found in

A) deep, large oceans due to high nutrient concentrations.
B) the oligotrophic zone due to clear and clean water.
C) the anoxic zone.
D) the aphotic zone due to high light levels.
E) regions of upwelling and in shallow coastal waters.

Question 55

In hydrothermal vent communities, primary productivity is based on

A) herbivory.
B) detritivores
C) bacterial decomposition.
D) chemosynthesis.
E) photosynthesis.

Question 56

Coral reefs have formed as the result of

A) cool water settling over warmer water.
B) rising ocean levels.
C) seafloor settling.
D) volcanic activity in warm tropical waters.
E) skeletons from some types of Cnidarians and algae.

Question 57

What is the ecological significance of shallow bays and coastal wetlands such as estuaries and salt marshes?

A) They are the breeding grounds for a wide variety of sea-dwelling animals.
B) They serve as the habitat for many endangered species.
C) Coral reefs occur in these areas.
D) They are an important source of crude oil.
E) They are safe from most human impact because humans do not live there.

Question 58

In the unique seafloor vent community, the primary producers are

A) phytoplankton.
B) plants.
C) giant snails.
D) sulfur bacteria.
E) tube worms.

Question 59

Why is the human-caused damage to coral reefs of particular concern?

A) Reefs are not particularly sensitive to human-caused disturbance.
B) Reefs function in the detoxification of marine pollutants.
C) The physical structure of reefs has an important influence on the movement of ocean currents.
D) Reefs provide food and shelter for the worldʹs most diverse collection of marine invertebrates and fish.
E) Reefs represent unique ecosystems that obtain energy through chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis.

Question 60

The Atlantic Ocean gyre moderates the climate of the eastern coast of North America by bringing in warm currents from the equator.

Question 61

Wetlands remove toxins, pesticides, and sediments from water, acting as a natural water purifier.

Question 62

The highest biodiversity is found in temperate deciduous forests.)

Question 63

Plant life in the different biomes is limited only by the amount of sunlight.

Question 64

The loss of native vegetation to overgrazing, overharvesting, and overuse of groundwater to grow crops can lead to desertification.

Question 65

Savannas are tropical regions characterized by scant, seasonal rainfall that supports grasses and a few drought-resistant trees.

Question 66

In the Southern Hemisphere, gyres rotate in the _________direction.

Question 67

Estuaries have very low bioproductivity and diversity.

Question 68

A_________ is a circular ocean current caused by wind and the presence of continents.

Question 69

Eutrophic lakes have high nutrient levels and dense plant communities.

Question 70

As air travels over a mountain range, it warms on the far side and absorbs water from the land, creating a local dry area called a_________ .

Question 71

During summer, the Northern Hemisphere tilts_________ the sun because of Earth?s curvature and tilted axis.

Question 72

Channeling rivers improves their productivity and decreases erosion.

Question 73

Northern coniferous forests, characterized by long, cold winters and conifers with short needles, are the largest terrestrial biome.

Question 74

In temperate deciduous forests, trees drop their leaves in response to reduced sunlight.

Question 75

The defining characteristic of a desert is the high temperature.

Question 76

Desert wildflowers typically bloom in late summer.

Question 77

The deep ocean floor doesnʹt have enough light to support any producers.

Question 78

In the temperate rain forest, the establishment of new tree seedlings is limited by the lack of light reaching the forest floor.

Question 79

Rain-forest soils store large amounts of nutrients, which makes them ideal for farming.

Question 80

The destruction of the_________ layer increases the amount of damaging UV light that reaches Earth?s surface.