Deck 30: Earths Diverse Ecosystems

Question 1

A rain shadow is caused by

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

Answer 1

E

Question 2

The temperatures at the equator remain warm year round because

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

Answer 2

C

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

B

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

Question 5

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

Question 6

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

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

Question 7

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

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

Question 8

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

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

Question 9

Maintaining the ozone layer is crucial for life because ozone

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

Question 10

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

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

Question 11

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

Question 12

What are the fundamental resources required to support life?

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

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

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

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

Question 15

The greatest diversity of plants and animals is found in

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

Question 16

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

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

Question 17

What is the role of the ozone layer?

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

Question 18

Earth's ozone layer is extremely important because it

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

Question 19

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

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

Question 20

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

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

Question 21

What is the dominant vegetation of the savanna?

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

Question 22

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) plowing much of the land for agriculture.
C) restricting the migrations of bison, which caused the bison to browse heavily on tree seedlings and thus kill them.
D) setting fires periodically to kill the trees.
E) clear- cutting the forests for timber and fuel.

Question 23

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

Question 24

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) Chaparral
C) Savanna
D) Tropical rain forest
E) Desert

Question 25

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) stratification
C) profundal
D) littoral
E) phytoplankton

Question 26

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

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

Question 27

The northern coniferous forest is characterized by

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

Question 28

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

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

Question 29

Which biome is rapidly expanding into the African Sahel?

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

Question 30

Which biome receives the lowest annual rainfall?

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

Question 31

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

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

Question 32

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

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

Question 33

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

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

Question 34

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

Question 35

Oligotrophic lakes are characterized by

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

Question 36

Permafrost is associated with which of these biomes?

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

Question 37

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

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

Question 38

The vast treeless region near the Arctic Ocean is the

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

Question 39

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

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

Question 40

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

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

Question 41

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

Question 42

The producers in hydrothermal vent communities are

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

Question 43

Coral reefs have formed as the result of

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

Question 44

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

Question 45

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

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

Question 46

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

Question 47

The major concentrations of life in the oceans are found in

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

Question 48

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

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

Question 49

In the unique seafloor vent community, the primary producers are

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

Question 50

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

Question 51

The profundal zone is home to organisms that are

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

Question 52

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

Question 53

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

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

Question 54

The most heat- tolerant organisms presently known come from

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

Question 55

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) Establishing marine reserves in the area that prohibit fishing until stocks recover
C) Spreading silt in the water to reduce UV radiation damage to sensitive cod eggs
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 56

In hydrothermal vent communities, primary productivity is based on

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

Question 57

Oligotrophic lakes

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

Question 58

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 aphotic organisms to the ocean surface.
D) Upwelling brings nutrient- rich water up from the ocean depths.
E) Upwelling moves dinoflagellates to the aphotic zone.

Question 59

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

Question 60

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

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

Question 61

The deep ocean floor doesn't have enough light to support any producers.

Question 62

In the Southern Hemisphere, gyres rotate in the _ direction.

Question 63

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

Question 64

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

Question 65

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

Question 66

The defining characteristic of a desert is the high temperature.

Question 67

During summer, the Northern Hemisphere tilts _ the sun because of Earth's curvature and tilted axis.

Question 68

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

Question 69

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

Question 70

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

Question 71

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

Question 72

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

Question 73

Estuaries have very low bioproductivity and diversity.

Question 74

Eutrophic lakes have high nutrient levels and dense plant communities.

Question 75

Channeling rivers improves their productivity and decreases erosion.

Question 76

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

Question 77

Desert wildflowers typically bloom in late summer.

Question 78

The highest biodiversity is found in temperate deciduous forests.

Question 79

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 80

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