Deck 20: Terrestrial Biomes

Question 1

A biome is

A)an ecosystem characterized by related animal populations.
B)a large,stable terrestrial ecosystem or aquatic ecosystem.
C)the smallest local designation of a community.
D)a natural community that is unaffected by human activity.
E)a self-sustaining association of land-based plants and animals.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Ecotones are

A)usually wide transition zones with shared traits.
B)zones of exclusive,non-overlapping traits.
C)always sharply defined.
D)zones with clearly defined borders surrounded by species gaps.
E)areas if increasing biodiversity from the centre outward.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is correct regarding biogeographic realms?

A)they are based on only one biome or ecosystem.
B)they generally correspond to countries.
C)they are composed only of plants.
D)there are only zoogeographic realms.
E)they are composed of three ecosystems.

Answer 3

they are based on only one biome or ecosystem.

Question 4

Which of the following is incorrectly matched?

A)community - interplay between communities and the physical environment
B)ecosystems - interacting populations of plants and animals
C)life-form - outward physical properties of plants
D)biome - boundary zone between ecosystems
E)formation class - first level of succession in an ecosystem

Question 5

The canopy of the rain forest

A)consists of one solid layer of dense leaves.
B)is thickest in an upper canopy and thinnest in a lower canopy.
C)includes an upper level that is not continuous,with tall trees rising above a more solid middle canopy.
D)typically has only two canopies.
E)is composed dominantly of needleleaf trees.

Question 6

Geographic regions of plants and animals where groups of species evolved are termed

A)ecosystems.
B)communities.
C)evolution places.
D)biogeographical realms.
E)niches.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of biomes?

A)biomes are subdivisions of ecosystems.
B)the term "biome" applies only to marine associations of animals.
C)biomes are named for the smallest vegetation species found in them.
D)biomes can be divided into units called formation classes.
E)biomes exist in three broad groups.

Question 8

Which of the following is true of life-form designations?

A)they include trees,and herbs only.
B)they include only plants that root in the soil.
C)they are based on the physical characteristics of individual plants.
D)they are based on the dominant form of vegetation in an ecosystem.
E)they are based on the biological processes that occur within the plant system.

Question 9

Which of the following is correct regarding biomes?

A)they are characterized by a specific plant or animal.
B)they are usually named on the basis of their dominant vegetation.
C)the term "biome" applies only to terrestrial associations of plants and animals.
D)they are usually named for the specific climatic zone in which they occur.
E)there are four broad groups of biomes.

Question 10

Which of the following is not correctly matched?

A)forest,savanna,grassland,shrubland,desert,tundra - life-form designations
B)trees,lianas,shrubs,herbs,epiphytes,thallophytes - biomes
C)several ecosystems - one community
D)large,stable ecosystem - a biome
E)boreal - life-form designation

Question 11

In isolated island ecosystems

A)invasive species can devastate biodiversity because non native species can outcompete native species for resources.
B)invasive species are never a problem because of the isolation.
C)invasive species are beneficial to ecosystems as they cause welcome disturbance.
D)invasive species are quickly subdued by the native flora and fauna.
E)deforestation is occurring very slowly.

Question 12

Australia has a unique flora and fauna because

A)the aborigines selectively bred many of the plant and animal species now found there.
B)Australia has been isolated from other continents for tens of millions of years and,because of this,life has developed along different evolutionary paths.
C)as sea levels have risen and fallen it has had a land bridge connecting it to the mainland off and on.
D)unlike other continents it has only one climate.
E)it has not experienced any invasive species crises.

Question 13

The most diverse body of plants and animals in the world are in the biome designated

A)equatorial and tropical rain forest.
B)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest.
C)tropical savanna.
D)midlatitude grasslands.
E)warm desert and semi-desert

Question 14

Which of the following is correctly matched?

A)herbs - smaller woody plants with branching stems at the ground
B)epiphytes - plants growing above the ground on other plants,using them for support
C)lianas - bacteria,fungi,algae,lichens
D)shrubs - small plants without woody stems
E)trees - woody climbers and vines that reach 3 m or more.

Question 15

Biogeographic realms are

A)geographic regions where groups of plant and animal species evolved.
B)composed of only the biotic ecosystem components.
C)based entirely on climate.
D)named after their discoverers.
E)natural kingdoms.

Question 16

Which of the following is true of the tropical rain forest?

A)only about 35 percent of sunlight received at the top of the forest canopy reaches the forest floor.
B)relative to the forest canopy,few life forms live on the forest floor.
C)pollination is usually by wind.
D)the wood of many tree species is very soft and porous.
E)there are few branches on the lower fifth of most trees.

Question 17

A formation class refers to

A)soil-forming factors in an ecosystem.
B)the dominant class of animals in an ecosystem.
C)the structure and appearance of dominant plants in a terrestrial ecosystem.
D)the type of rock formations that occur in an area and the associated class of weathering processes which act on them.
E)the successional sequence of plants in an area.

Question 18

Why are tropical rain forests the richest terrestrial ecosystems in terms of plant and animal diversity?

A)cold is a limiting factor.
B)water is a limiting factor.
C)because of the lack of environmental constraints,many evolutionary varieties can survive and reproduce.
D)soil depth is a limiting factor.
E)the tropical rain forests are not the richest terrestrial ecosystems

Question 19

A structural classification of plants based on the outward physical properties of individual plants,or the general form of a vegetation cover (tree,shrub,herb,thallophyte,etc. )is called

A)formation class.
B)biome.
C)plant life-form designation.
D)ecosystem.
E)biogeographic realm

Question 20

Which of the following is true of the tropical rain forests?

A)they are home to one tenth of Earth's forests.
B)half of Earth's original rain forests have been cut.
C)their soils retain fertility long after the forest cover is removed.
D)rain forest logging accounts for 10% of Earth's extinctions.
E)at the present rate of destruction,Brazilian rain forest will be totally cut,except for preserves,by 2125.

Question 21

The physical adaptations that characterize plants in the tropical savanna biome serve to protect the plants from

A)cold.
B)moisture surpluses.
C)high pH soils.
D)dryness.
E)water saturation.

Question 22

Trees in the tropical rain forest have ________ root systems because ________.

A)deep most of the nutrients lie at great depths because of leaching by heavy rains
B)deep water near the soil surface is often too acidic for the trees to tolerate
C)shallow most of the nutrients occur in the shallow surface layer that contains rapidly decaying organic matter
D)shallow there is intense competition for moisture,which occurs only near the surface because rapid evaporation prevents water from penetrating the soil to a significant degree
E)deep trees need to be anchored deeply in the soil to prevent blow down by strong tropical winds.

Question 23

Savannas covered more than ________ of Earth's land surface before human intervention,but have been extensively modified by human-caused fire.

A)5 percent
B)10 percent
C)40 percent
D)60 percent
E)90 percent

Question 24

The tropical seasonal forest and scrub biome experiences a wet season when ________ and a dry season when ________.

A)the ITCZ is overhead the subtropical high is overhead
B)the subtropical high is overhead the ITCZ is overhead
C)the subtropical high is overhead the equatorial low is overhead
D)the ITCZ is overhead the equatorial low is overhead

Question 25

The best time for fires in the tropical savanna is ________ because ________.

A)early in the dry season the fires usually do not burn too hot at this time of the year
B)early in the dry season fewer animals inhabit the region at this time of the year
C)late in the dry season they supply nutrients for the coming spring growing season
D)late in the dry season the fires do a better job of recycling nutrients at this time of the year

Question 26

Which of the following is a characteristic of much of the vegetation in the tropical savanna?

A)broad thin leaves
B)thin bark
C)large leaves
D)hairy leaves
E)smooth bark

Question 27

Which of the following lists gives the correct sequence of vegetation changes from the tropical rain forest to the tropical savanna?

A)monsoonal forests,to scrub woodland,to thorn forests,to open woodlands,to drought-resistant scrub
B)scrub woodland,to monsoonal forests,to thorn forest,to open woodland,to drought-resistant scrub
C)monsoonal forests,to open woodland,to scrub woodland,to thorn forests,to drought-resistant scrub
D)open woodlands,to monsoonal forests,to thorn woodlands,to scrub woodlands to drought-resistant scrub
E)scrub woodland,to drought-resistant scrub,to open woodland,to monsoonal forest.

Question 28

The tropical savanna experiences its wettest period when ________,and it experiences its driest period when ________.

A)the ITCZ is overhead the subtropical high is overhead
B)the subtropical high is overhead the ITCZ is overhead
C)the subtropical high is overhead the equatorial low is overhead
D)the ITCZ is overhead the equatorial low is overhead

Question 29

Which climate classifications apply to the tropical seasonal forest and scrub biome?

A)monsoon and savanna
B)rain forest and savanna
C)monsoon and rain forest
D)monsoon and steppe
E)tropical semi-arid

Question 30

The region of Africa in which zebras,elephants,wildebeests,antelope,and other large animals live is known as the

A)taiga.
B)tropical savanna.
C)tropical rain forest.
D)midlatitude steppe.
E)broadleaf and mixed forest.

Question 31

Many trees in a tropical rain forest have ________ because ________.

A)buttressed bases the soils are so wet
B)buttressed bases of the need for structural support necessitated by the shallow root systems they possess
C)deep root systems a large percentage of soil nutrients lies at great depths as a result of having been flushed there by heavy rains
D)deep root systems water near the soil surface is often too acidic for the trees to tolerate
E)thick,rough bark tropical animals try to burrow into the wood.

Question 32

Soils in a tropical rain forest are

A)heavily leached.
B)subject to the calcification process.
C)nutrient rich.
D)water -logged.
E)indurated.

Question 33

Which of the following characterizes the floor of a tropical rain forest?

A)small seedlings,dense growth in a bright environment
B)dappled shade and somewhat open
C)vines and thick branches dropping down from above
D)smooth,slender trunks with angular buttresses forming open enclosures
E)a concentration of specific tree species that makes logging easy

Question 34

Local names for tropical seasonal forest and scrub vary worldwide and include

A)maquis.
B)patanaal.
C)caatinga.
D)chaparral.
E)mallee scrub.

Question 35

A transitional biome between rain forests and tropical grasslands is the

A)tropical rain forest.
B)area of steppe climates.
C)tropical seasonal forest and scrub.
D)midlatitude grasslands.
E)savanna

Question 36

Longleaf,shortleaf,pitch,loblolly,red pines,and eastern hemlock are characteristic of which biome in North America?

A)tropical rain forest
B)northern needleleaf forest and montane forest
C)temperate rain forest
D)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
E)needleleaf forest

Question 37

Compared to rain forest soils,the tropical savanna soils are ________ for agriculture because ________.

A)better they have more humus and are better drained
B)better they are better at retaining moisture
C)worse they are less fertile
D)worse they have a prolonged period of dryness
E)better they have nutrients concentrated in the shallowest surface layers.

Question 38

The ________ trees of the tropical seasonal forest and scrub biome lose their leaves during the ________ season.

A)deciduous winter
B)deciduous summer
C)semi-deciduous winter
D)semi-deciduous summer
E)coniferous summer

Question 39

Local names for tropical savanna vary worldwide and include

A)brigalow scrub.
B)campo cerrado.
C)chaco.
D)dornveld.
E)caatinga

Question 40

The pines of the southeastern United States are characteristic of which biome?

A)tropical savanna
B)Mediterranean shrubland
C)temperate rain forest
D)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
E)needleleaf forest and montane forest

Question 41

The temperate rain forest develops because of

A)the presence of the ITCZ throughout much of the year.
B)the presence of the subtropical high throughout much of the year.
C)a strong maritime influence combined with orographic uplift.
D)air flow from the Bermuda High.
E)convectional rainfall.

Question 42

Artichokes,olives,and almonds are commercially only produced in the ________ biome.

A)Mediterranean
B)tropical savanna
C)tropical rain forest
D)midlatitude grassland
E)semi-arid

Question 43

The tallest trees in the world are found in the ________ biome.

A)Mediterranean shrubland
B)northern needleleaf forest and montane forest
C)temperate rain forest
D)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
E)tropical rain forest

Question 44

In the northern hemisphere,the northern border of the midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest is characterized by

A)maple trees.
B)conifers.
C)tundra.
D)teak trees.
E)broadleaf deciduous trees.

Question 45

Sclerophyllous vegetation is characterized by

A)rapid growth.
B)leathery leaves.
C)shallow roots.
D)tall branching canopy
E)rough bark.

Question 46

In North America,the steel plow,barbed wire,and well-drilling techniques were crucial for the exploitation of the ________ biome.

A)temperate rain forest
B)Mediterranean
C)savanna
D)midlatitude grassland
E)broadleaf mixed forest

Question 47

The physical characteristics of plants in the Mediterranean shrubland biome are adaptations to

A)cold.
B)moisture surpluses.
C)high pH soils.
D)dryness.

Question 48

The characteristic vegetation of the Mediterranean shrubland is a type called

A)muskeg.
B)sclerophyllous.
C)taiga.
D)caatinga.
E)xeriphytic.

Question 49

Deforestation in the midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest biome has occurred primarily as a result of

A)coal mining.
B)petroleum extraction.
C)agriculture.
D)copper mining
E)urban development

Question 50

In the northern hemisphere,Midlatitude grasslands are the transition zone between

A)tropical savannas and taiga.
B)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest and desert.
C)temperate rain forests and desert.
D)temperate rain forests and taiga.
E)tropical rainforest and savanna.

Question 51

Which of the following is true of the tall grass prairies in North America,that once rose to heights of .

A)they extended between 15° and 30° north latitude.
B)they are now the "world's breadbasket".
C)they were easily farmed by early settlers.
D)they still cover large tracts of the prairies to this day.
E)they have been taken over by invasive tree species.

Question 52

Which of the following is true of the northern needleleaf biome?

A)it occurs in the southern hemisphere.
B)it is transitional to the subarctic and arctic realms.
C)it is cleared for agriculture.
D)it is dominated by deciduous trees.
E)it is dominated by trees adapted to withstand heat and retain moisture.

Question 53

The Mediterranean shrubland biome occurs

A)equatorward of the subtropical high pressure cells and is wet when this pressure system shifts over the area.
B)equatorward of the subtropical high pressure cells and is dry when this pressure system shifts over the area.
C)poleward of the subtropical high pressure cells and is wet when this pressure system shifts over the area.
D)poleward of the subtropical high pressure cells and is dry when this pressure system shifts over the area.
E)in continental interiors poleward of the subtropical high pressure cells.

Question 54

The principal vegetation of the rain forest and savanna climatic regions were at one time dominated,over various continents,by which biome?

A)northern needleleaf forest and montane forest
B)temperate rain forest
C)tropical seasonal forest and scrub
D)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
E)midlatitude grasslands.

Question 55

Deserts cover approximately ________ percent of Earth's land area.

A)1
B)7
C)30
D)66
E)74

Question 56

The world's breadbaskets refers to which biome?

A)northern needleleaf forest and montane forest
B)midlatitude grassland
C)alpine tundra
D)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
E)mixed broadleaf forest

Question 57

The names taiga and boreal forest apply to the biome designated

A)alpine tundra.
B)northern needleleaf forest.
C)temperate rain forest.
D)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest.
E)tropical rain forest

Question 58

Lush forests of middle and high latitudes occurring along narrow margins of the Pacific Northwest,southern China,and limited areas of southern Japan fall within the biome named

A)Mediterranean shrubland.
B)northern needleleaf forest and montane forest.
C)temperate rain forest.
D)midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest.
E)tropical rainforest

Question 59

Which of the following is true of the soils in the northern needleleaf biome?

A)they are typically fine textured and fertile.
B)they are usually deep and well developed.
C)they contain permafrost in many areas.
D)they are basic i.e. ,they have a high pH.
E)muskeg (i.e. ,a moss-covered bog)develops in well drained areas.

Question 60

Local names for Mediterranean vegetation vary worldwide and include

A)chaparral.
B)brigalow scrub
C)campo cerrado.
D)dornveld.
E)llanos

Question 61

Invasive non-native plants and animals

A)are called indigenous species.
B)are a major problem in only select areas of Earth.
C)include kudzu,purple loosestrife,brown tree snakes,and zebra mussels.
D)have damaged as much as one tenth of the ecosystems they invade.
E)are currently being controlled by government ministries worldwide.

Question 62

Semiarid steppe climates receive precipitation that is

A)less than half the potential evapotranspiration rate.
B)more than half the potential evapotranspiration rate.
C)equal to the potential evapotranspiration rate.
D)more than the potential evapotranspiration rate.

Question 63

Desertification,according to the text,is thought to be principally due to

A)poor agricultural practices and overgrazing.
B)salinization.
C)shifts in Earth's orbit.
D)political conflicts.

Question 64

Deserts are subdivided into different types on the basis of

A)the presence or absence of xerophytic vegetation.
B)moisture.
C)whether potential evapotranspiration rates exceed actual evapotranspiration rates,or whether actual evapotranspiration rates equal potential evapotranspiration rates.
D)hours of sunlight.
E)elevation.

Question 65

At continued rates of species extinction,it is possible that half of the species currently on Earth could be extinct in ________ years.

A)50
B)100
C)500
D)900
E)1400

Question 66

Establishing protected areas for the preservation of ecosystems,based on the principles of island biogeography,is part of a program to set up

A)biogeographical realms.
B)biosphere reserves.
C)zoogeographic sites.
D)new countries.
E)biomes

Question 67

Earth's warm deserts develop primarily in response to

A)their location within the subtropical high pressure zone.
B)their location within the ITCZ.
C)their location on the leeward side of a mountain range.
D)their location on the windward side of a mountain range.
E)their elevation.

Question 68

The creosote bush secretes chemical toxins into the soil in order to compete for

A)sunlight.
B)moisture.
C)nutrients.
D)warmth.

Question 69

The arctic and alpine tundra is appropriately described by which of the following?

A)humid continental,warm summer climate classification
B)generally south of the 20°C isotherm for the warmest month
C)tundra climate classification,treeless with dwarf shrubs
D)large tracts of boreal forest
E)dominated by needleleaf trees

Question 70

The biosphere-reserve effort specifically involves principles of

A)geography.
B)biology.
C)geology.
D)island biogeography.
E)geoarcheology

Question 71

Exotic species are

A)non-native plants and animals.
B)plants that are prized for their uniqueness.
C)have caused only a few,minor disturbances.
D)only a problem of the past,and are not a problem today.
E)native species that are special and endangered.

Question 72

Temperatures in deserts are usually ________ at night because ________.

A)hot of the large amount of insolation absorbed during the day
B)hot deserts are generally hot places
C)cool clear skies and lack of vegetation result in rapid radiative heat loss
D)cool the ground is so highly reflective that no energy is absorbed by surfaces during the day,so none is available for release at night

Question 73

Plants in the tundra are

A)tall because of the relatively long growing season.
B)tall because of competition for light.
C)short because of the short growing season.
D)short because not enough moisture is available for normal growth.
E)tall because of competition for moisture.

Question 74

The Great Basin of the United States is arid because

A)of its interior position within the continent.
B)of its location on the windward side of mountain ranges.
C)the subtropical high pressure zone is located overhead all year.
D)of its exposure to passing frontal activity.
E)of its elevation.

Question 75

Humans have identified ________ species while the working estimate is ________ estimated species on Earth.

A)1,750 000 13,600 000
B)950 000 13,600 000
C)270 000 320 000
D)950 000 8,000 000
E)1,750 000 100 000 000

Question 76

The tundra is

A)treeless because of a year-round moisture deficit.
B)treeless because temperatures are too cold for trees to tolerate.
C)covered with trees because the trees have adapted to the low moisture conditions in the tundra.
D)covered with trees because tress have developed special biochemical "antifreezes" that enable them to survive under the cold conditions in the tundra.
E)treeless from overgrazing by caribou.

Question 77

Alpine tundra,as compared to arctic tundra,

A)is similar in many ways and can occur at lower latitudes due to high elevations.
B)is very dissimilar and is only grouped with arctic tundra because they are both cold.
C)occurs at extremely high latitudes.
D)occurs below the timberline.
E)occurs at low elevations at low latitudes.

Question 78

Alpine tundra is characterized by ________ productivity and ________

A)low fragility
B)low resilience
C)high fragility
D)high resilience
E)low stability

Question 79

Deep tap roots,waxy leaf coatings,and succulence are all adaptations to

A)cold.
B)moisture surpluses.
C)moisture deficits.
D)wind.
E)sun exposure.

Question 80

Desert plants that wait years for a rainfall event to provide moisture for germination of their seeds are specifically called

A)chaparral.
B)thallophytic.
C)sclerophyllous.
D)ephemerals.
E)xeriphytic