Deck 7: Climate and Biodiversity

Question 1

On the evening news, there is a forecast of sunny weather for the next day with a high temperature 10°F warmer than today. This is an example of climate.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A connected loop of deep and shallow ocean currents transports warm and cool water to various parts of the earth.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Net primary productivity (NPP) is quite low in the open sea except in upwelling areas where currents bring up nutrients from the ocean bottom.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Deserts are always hot places.

Question 5

Temperate deciduous forests typically have ____.

A) cool summers, warm winters, and abundant precipitation
B) warm summers, cold winters, and abundant precipitation
C) dry summers and rainy winters
D) cool summers, cold winters, and little precipitation
E) warm summers and dry winters

Question 6

Intense solar radiation input typically results in higher precipitation in all of the tropical regions of the earth, ranging from deserts to forests.

Question 7

Temperate deciduous forests typically have very low precipitation.

Question 8

Many inland wetlands have been drained or filled to grow crops or have been covered with concrete, asphalt, and buildings.

Question 9

A mountain lake is crystal clear, with no organic material blocking the view to the bottom. This is an example of an oligotrophic lake.

Question 10

Based on the information in the text about efforts to conserve elephants in Cambodia, it is apparent that development may cause humans to kill wildlife because ____.

A) most animals are attracted to roads and lights in urban areas
B) farmers deliberately plant crops that attract wildlife, allowing them to kill wildlife for food
C) development reduces the risk of introduced invasive species that may compete with native species
D) animals may move into developed areas, including farmland, to find food as their habitat is destroyed
E) ecotourism attracts poachers and others interested in harming wildlife

Question 11

Taigas are found in scattered coastal temperate areas with ample rainfall and moisture from dense ocean fogs.

Question 12

The Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans are actually a single and continuous body of saltwater.

Question 13

Microclimates can be created anywhere that localized conditions are different from the larger environment, such as in heat islands in cities.

Question 14

The abyssal zone of the ocean is characterized by ____.

A) abundant living organisms despite the lack of sunlight for photosynthesis
B) having almost no living organisms
C) being warm and brightly lit
D) having high concentrations of dissolved oxygen
E) an abundance of plants, animals, and other species

Question 15

Desert ecosystems are fragile because they have slow plant growth, low species diversity, slow nutrient cycling, and very little water.

Question 16

Overgrazing is a type of human activity that has a major impact human on grassland ecosystems.

Question 17

One ecosystem service provided by oceans is that they help to moderate global climate.

Question 18

Coral reefs are an important type of coastal wetland.

Question 19

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is an interaction between the oceans and the atmosphere that affects the temperature of surface waters in the Atlantic Ocean.

Question 20

Biomes are uniform, with sharp boundaries separating them.

Question 21

There are ____ separate Hadley cells in which warm air rises and cools, then falls and heats up again in great rolling patterns.

A) two
B) four
C) six
D) eight
E) ten

Question 22

A grassland with widely scattered clumps of trees located near the equator would be called a ____.

A) coastal coniferous grassland
B) prairie
C) savanna
D) tundra
E) warm grassland

Question 23

Large terrestrial regions characterized by a particular type of climate and a certain combination of dominant plant life are called ____.

A) biozones
B) communities
C) populations
D) biomes
E) niches

Question 24

The mass movements of surface water ocean water are called ____.

A) upwelling
B) rotational movement
C) downturns
D) ocean currents
E) gravitational currents

Question 25

In tropical rainforests, vegetation layers are structured according to ____.

A) how deep the rainfall penetrates into the forest
B) the plants' needs for sunlight
C) how well each plant handles predation by herbivores
D) nutrient availability and uptake by plant roots
E) sensitivity to temperature changes

Question 26

____ is characterized by permafrost.

A) Tropical savanna
B) Arctic tundra
C) Cold desert
D) Thorn woodland
E) Deciduous forest

Question 27

Some animals living in tropical rainforests have stratified niches that are ____ to ____ competition for resources.

A) specialized; increase
B) specialized; minimize
C) generalized; increase
D) generalized; minimize
E) similar; facilitate

Question 28

A forest that is known for its year-round uniformly warm temperature is the ____.

A) temperate deciduous forest
B) taiga
C) tropical rainforest
D) boreal forest
E) sub-alpine forest

Question 29

Much of which biome has disappeared from the earth because it has been converted to farmland for growing crops and grazing cattle?

A) Temperate grassland
B) Temperate forest
C) Tropical grassland
D) Cold grassland
E) Cold desert

Question 30

In the western United States, an area called the Great Basin contains many mountain ranges that are separated from each other by high desert. Because these mountain ranges provide sanctuary for some species, they could be called ____.

A) taiga reserves
B) islands of biodiversity
C) broadleaf deciduous reserves
D) grazing animal reserves
E) island reserves

Question 31

Which of the following are examples of greenhouse gases?

A) Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and methane
B) Water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide
C) Sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and silicon dioxide
D) Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen
E) Argon, chlorine, and hydrogen sulfide

Question 32

Succulent plants are most likely to be found in ____.

A) freshwater aquatic habitats
B) cold ecosystems in the Arctic and Antarctic
C) cool conditions, such as those at high elevations
D) dry conditions, such as those in temperate deserts
E) coastal ecosystems

Question 33

The rain shadow effect refers to ____.

A) more light on the windward side of mountain ranges
B) more light on the leeward (facing away from the wind) side of mountain ranges
C) drier conditions on the windward side of mountain ranges
D) drier conditions on the leeward (facing away from the wind) side of mountain ranges
E) reduced sunlight below rain clouds

Question 34

The transition zone between two ecosystems or biomes is called a(n) ____.

A) bioline
B) interbiome
C) buffer
D) bio-boundary
E) ecotone

Question 35

Lizards that live in the desert have tough, scaly skin that helps them to ____.

A) identify prey items
B) conserve water
C) consume more water
D) live at high altitudes
E) keep cool within burrows

Question 36

Ocean currents are most significantly affected by ____.

A) variations in air temperature from one day to another
B) the amount of rainfall over the ocean
C) variation in winds over the ocean and changes in the shapes of land masses
D) the activity of marine animals near the surface of the open ocean
E) the amount of runoff going into the ocean from land

Question 37

Which of the plants below is probably found in deserts?

A) A large plant with broad, flat leaves
B) A carnivorous plant that can consume insects
C) A plant with large leaves that are cryptic
D) A fleshy plant with spines and a waxy covering
E) A plant that usually opens its pores during the day to allow in carbon dioxide

Question 38

During El Niño conditions, ____.

A) ocean currents accelerate in the Pacific Ocean, bringing warmer weather to Japan
B) ocean currents slow in the Atlantic Ocean, bringing cooler weather to Europe
C) the thermocline throughout the Pacific Ocean deepens
D) the thermocline in the central Atlantic Ocean rises, bringing cold, deep water to the surface
E) the thermocline in the eastern Pacific Ocean deepens, disrupting upwelling

Question 39

The equator is warmer than the poles because ____.

A) the sun's rays strike directly at the equator
B) cooler air is less dense
C) the Coriolis effect pulls cold air north and south
D) polar ice sheets cool the atmosphere
E) the sun exerts a gravitational pull on the warm air

Question 40

One explanation for why polar regions are colder than equatorial regions is that ____.

A) the sun never reaches these areas because of the tilt of Earth on its axis
B) sunlight strikes the polar regions at an angle and spreads out over a much larger area
C) sunlight is more intense at the poles
D) the earth is spinning slower at the poles
E) the earth is spinning slower and the precipitation is more intense at the poles

Question 41

Tropical rain forests are dominated by ____.

A) succulent plants
B) broadleaf evergreen plants
C) broadleaf deciduous plants
D) coniferous evergreen plants
E) saltwater-adapted plants

Question 42

The well-lit, uppermost zone of the sea, which contains large quantities of phytoplankton, is called the ____.

A) euphotic zone
B) abyssal zone
C) bathyal zone
D) coastal zone
E) pelagic zone

Question 43

About 40% of the earth's photosynthetic activity occurs in the ____ of the open ocean.

A) euphotic zone
B) abyssal zone
C) bathyal zone
D) coastal zone
E) benthic zone

Question 44

When the algae in coral reefs die off due to environmental stresses, the coral subsequently dies because of lack of food. This process is referred to as ____.

A) coral acidification
B) algal blooming
C) erosion
D) coral bleaching
E) parasitism

Question 45

Examples of economic services that oceans provide are ____.

A) food
B) waste treatment
C) drinking water
D) timber
E) groundwater recharge

Question 46

Marine snow refers to ____.

A) appearance of the water during freezing weather
B) animal and plant plankton that die and drift downward
C) white sand beaches
D) algal blooms
E) weather over the Arctic that contributes to the ice pack

Question 47

Which of the following trees is characteristic of tropical coastal wetlands?

A) Cypress
B) Coconut
C) Mangrove
D) Palm
E) Live oak

Question 48

A forest in northern Canada would be an example of ____.

A) a temperate deciduous forest
B) a broadleaf forest
C) a boreal forest
D) a coastal coniferous forest
E) a temperate coniferous forest

Question 49

Aquatic life zones are the aquatic equivalents of ____ on land.

A) lakes
B) rivers
C) biomes
D) mountains
E) forests

Question 50

Humans have which of the following major impacts on mountain biomes?

A) Plowing and conversion to cropland
B) Depletion of groundwater
C) Overgrazing by livestock
D) Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs
E) Conversion of diverse forests to tree plantations

Question 51

The ocean covers ____ of the earth's surface.

A) 15%
B) 30%
C) 50%
D) 71%
E) 97%

Question 52

At least half of the known species of terrestrial plants and animals are found ____.

A) in both temperate and tropical rainforests
B) only in temperate rainforests
C) only in tropical rainforests
D) in deciduous forests
E) evenly distributed amongst the biomes of the earth

Question 53

Mountains ____.

A) have deep, rich soils
B) recover quickly from vegetation loss
C) do not affect climate
D) have little biodiversity
E) serve as sanctuaries for animals that are driven from lowland areas

Question 54

Coral reefs occupy about ____ of the ocean floor.

A) 0.2%
B) 14%
C) 27%
D) 46%
E) 68%

Question 55

Coral bleaching occurs ____.

A) when excessive runoff allows household bleach to enter coral reefs
B) when reefs become pale because algae leave and polyps die
C) when the water becomes too alkaline and polyps overgrow
D) when the calcium carbonate skeleton of a reef becomes overgrown
E) When there is an overgrowth of phytoplankton within the coral reef

Question 56

A(n) ____ is a partially enclosed body of water where seawater mixes with freshwater from a river.

A) benthic zone
B) littoral zone
C) sea
D) estuary
E) coral reef

Question 57

Cone-bearing trees are characteristic of the ____.

A) taiga or boreal forest
B) tropical rain forest
C) temperate deciduous forest
D) savanna
E) desert

Question 58

Water temperature drops rapidly between the euphotic zone and the abyssal zone of the ocean. This transition layer is called the ____.

A) thermocline
B) thermosphere
C) estuary
D) continental shelf decline
E) hydrocline

Question 59

Cultural eutrophication occurs when humans ____.

A) clear forest land for urban expansion and agricultural use
B) alter marine food webs by overfishing throughout the ocean
C) Accept the degraded condition of aquatic ecosystems
D) allow excessive nutrients from urban and agricultural areas to enter lakes
E) disconnect people from their environment

Question 60

Oak, hickory, maple, poplar, and birch are typical tree species in the ____.

A) boreal forest
B) tropical rainforest
C) temperate rainforest
D) temperate deciduous forest
E) coastal coniferous forest

Question 61

The tops of trees in tropical rain forests form a dense ____________________ that blocks most light from reaching the forest floor.

Question 63

Which zone that a stream flows through contains its headwater streams?

A) Transition zone
B) Source zone
C) Floodplain zone
D) Delta zone
E) Meander zone

Question 64

Assume for the sake of discussion that you had been considering the purchase of an off-road vehicle for recreational use. Now that you have studied this chapter and are familiar with some of the issues of human disturbance of ecosystems, will this change your thinking? Explain why or why not.

Question 65

The second graph above shows temperature and precipitation in a cold desert. Wildflowers in temperate deserts typically bloom in March or April. What month of the year would you expect to see flowers bloom in the cold desert?

Question 66

Some desert plants reduce evaporation by closing their pores during the day and opening them at night to take up ____________________.

Question 67

____________________ occur primarily in the interiors of continents in areas that are too moist for deserts to form and too dry for forests to grow.

Question 68

____________________ is the general pattern of atmospheric conditions in a given area over periods ranging from at least three decades to thousands of years.

Question 69

____________________ are the result of a mutually beneficial relationship between polyps and tiny single-celled algae called zooxanthellae that live in the tissues of the polyps.

Question 70

When air moving inland rises as it is forced upward and over a mountain, rain falls on the ____________________slope of the mountain.

Question 71

When water temperature changes rapidly between two layers, that region of water is called a(n) ____________________.

Question 72

The open sea can be divided into three zones: the euphotic zone, ____________________ zone, and abyssal zone.

Question 73

A lake with a large supply of nutrients is called a(n) ____________________ lake.

Question 74

Wetlands used to be considered a problem because they restricted development. As a result, people tried to find ways to convert them in ways that the land could be used for building and agriculture. We now know that wetlands are very important and need to be preserved. Why are wetlands so important?

Question 75

Marshes, swamps, and prairie potholes are all examples of ____________________.

Question 76

Climate and vegetation vary with changes in latitude and with changes in ____________________.

Question 77

Scientists note that there is a high density of species that live at the border between a forest and a prairie. This pattern of species distribution where ecosystems meet is called the______________________________.

Question 78

____________________ is a set of physical conditions of the lower atmosphere, including temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover, and other facts, in a given area of a period of hours or days.

Question 79

Carbon dioxide and methane are _________________________ released by human activities such as the production and burning of fossil fuels, clearing of forests, and production of crops.

Question 80

Delta wetlands can help to protect human development from hurricanes because ____.

A) they contain a wide variety of living species
B) they provide an elevated barrier, much like a levee
C) they are impenetrable to hurricane damage
D) they intensify the hurricane, letting it use up its energy before reaching developed areas
E) they slow the movement of floodwaters