Deck 40: Major Ecosystems of the Biosphere

Question 1

Which process causes ocean currents to bring rich nutrients from the bottom of the oceans to the surface?

A)Upwelling
B)Bathypelagic up-currents
C)Mesopelagic up-currents
D)Ocean zone mixing
E)Abyssal flows

Answer 1

A
Explanation: During a process called upwelling,cold offshore winds cause cold,nutrient-rich waters to rise and take the place of warm,nutrient-poor waters.

Question 2

Topography has a very little effect on the determination of where ecosystems are found.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: Topography refers to the surface features of the land.Mountains are topographic features that affect climate,and therefore the distribution of ecosystems.

Question 3

Fill in this sentence to explain how air currents affect rainfall patterns.At the equator,__________;whereas at 30 degrees north and south latitude,____________

A)dry air rises away from Earth's surface;warm moist air sinks
B)warm moist air sinks to Earth's surface;dry air rises
C)warm moist air rises,cools and becomes rain;dry air sinks to Earth's surface
D)warm moist air rises;warm moist air turns into rain
E)dry air sinks to Earth's surface;warm moist air rises,cools and becomes rain

Answer 3

C
Explanation: At the equator,the sun heats the air and evaporates water.The warm,moist air rises,cools,and loses most of its moisture as rain at the equator (creating climate for tropical rain forests).The rising air flows toward the poles,but at about 30 north and south latitude,it sinks toward the Earth's surface and reheats.As the air descends and warms,it is very dry,creating zones of low rainfall (creating climate for deserts).

Question 4

Trees do not grow in the tundra because the:

A)Land shifts from time to time
B)Land is too swampy
C)Air is too thin
D)Shrubs are too plentiful
E)Permafrost is always frozen

Question 5

The tendency for the windward side of a coastal mountain range to get more rain than the leeward side is known as:

A)The altitude effect
B)The windward effect
C)The rain shadow effect
D)The topography effect
E)The mountain effect

Question 6

Which ecosystem is shown in the shaded areas of this global map?

A)Desert
B)Coniferous forest
C)Tropical rainforest
D)Temperate rain forest
E)Grassland

Question 7

The coral reef community would be described as:

A)A community based on animals that migrate from one area of the ocean to another
B)A hard stony desert made of plants with exoskeletons
C)A common feature on all ocean bottoms but can only be seen in shallow water
D)Undersea flowers
E)A densely populated community that occurs in shallow,warm,tropical waters

Question 8

The Earth is actually farther from the sun during the period when the Northern Hemisphere is having summer.What is the explanation?

A)The sun grows more powerful on a half-year cycle
B)The tilt of the Earth causes warm air from the equator to move north
C)The Northern Hemisphere is warmed by sunlight reflected off the moon
D)The tilt of the Earth presents the Northern Hemisphere toward the sun
E)There is a six-month lag phase between sunlight being absorbed and lost

Question 9

As the latitude increases,what would be the sequence of biomes?

A)Tropical forest,deciduous forest,tundra,taiga
B)Tropical forest,taiga,deciduous forest,tundra
C)Tropical forest,deciduous forest,taiga,tundra
D)Tundra,taiga,deciduous forest,tropical forest
E)Tundra,deciduous forest,taiga,tropical forest

Question 10

Which biome would be characterized by little rainfall,permafrost,and reindeer?

A)Grasslands
B)Desert
C)Tundra
D)Taiga
E)Temperate deciduous forest

Question 11

The taiga is a:

A)Desert
B)Grassland
C)Coniferous forest
D)Tropical rainforest
E)Temperate rain forest

Question 12

What type of forest is found in a broad belt in Northern Eurasia and North America,with cone-bearing trees?

A)Desert
B)Temperate deciduous forest
C)Tropical rain forest
D)Taiga
E)Tundra

Question 13

In the desert,plants and animals are adapted to withstand:

A)Heat
B)Dryness
C)Cold
D)Intense sun
E)All of the above

Question 14

Which of the following is a true statement about the taiga?

A)There is a relatively high amount of rainfall
B)The taiga contains all the typical deciduous trees
C)The typical animals of the taiga are small so that they can burrow to get away from the heat
D)The taiga has a well-developed understory
E)The taiga circles the Earth in the Northern hemisphere

Question 15

What is the action of the Gulf Stream?

A)Flows westward across the Atlantic warming the western coast of Africa
B)Makes local climates uniform so that Great Britain has the same climate as Greenland
C)Is the major Atlantic current that warms the Eastern coast of South America
D)Brings tropical Caribbean water to the East coast of North America and upper Western Europe
E)Is a source of "El Nino" and is a major fishing grounds

Question 16

Which of the following does not help determine an ecosystem?

A)Amount of rainfall
B)Mountain ranges
C)Ocean currents
D)Soil type
E)Solar energy

Question 17

What drives the movement of winds across the face of the earth?

A)The unequal heating of the surface of the earth by the sun
B)The currents of the oceans
C)The distribution of mountains and valleys
D)The rotation of the earth
E)The greenhouse effect

Question 18

Which is not correct about the features of the arctic tundra?

A)Drainage is minimal due to permafrost
B)It covers 20% of the land's surface
C)The arctic tundra has many coniferous trees
D)It is cold and dark much of the year
E)There is little rainfall

Question 19

Which of these is not an adaptation of animals living in the arctic tundra?

A)Small mouse-like lemmings make tunnels and burrows under the snow or ground.
B)The musk ox grows a thick coat to conserve heat.
C)The chicken-like ptarmigan burrows in the snow during the storms.
D)Polar bears change their fur coat color from white to brown (with the seasons).
E)Caribou and reindeer migrate to and from the tundra.

Question 20

Animals are common throughout the year in the arctic tundra.

Question 21

Which ecosystem is characterized by rich soils,insufficient rainfall for trees,and numerous large herbivores?

A)Tundra
B)Temperate grasslands
C)Tropical rain forest
D)Taiga
E)Desert

Question 22

Which ecosystem is characterized by rainfall under 25 cm/year,hot days,cold nights,and spiny-leafed plants?

A)Temperate deciduous forest
B)Desert
C)Tundra
D)Taiga
E)Grasslands

Question 23

An African tropical grassland that varies cool,dry seasons with hot,rainy seasons is the:

A)Tundra
B)Temperate deciduous forest
C)Savanna
D)Taiga
E)Prairie

Question 24

Which terrestrial ecosystem contains oak,beech,sycamore,and maple trees?

A)Tropical rain forest
B)Taiga
C)Temperate deciduous forest
D)Desert
E)Tundra

Question 25

Which ecosystem contains the greatest diversity of species and total amount of living matter?

A)African savanna
B)Tundra
C)Taiga
D)Temperate deciduous forest
E)Tropical rain forest

Question 26

Which ecosystem are the Russian steppes,South American pampas and the North American prairies?

A)Temperate grasslands
B)Temperate rain forests
C)Tropical rain forests
D)Temperate deserts
E)Temperate deciduous forests

Question 27

Which ecosystem is shown in the shaded areas of this global map?

A)Coniferous forests
B)Temperate Grasslands
C)Tropical Rain Forests
D)Temperate deciduous forest
E)Desert

Question 28

Temperate grasslands are referred to as prairies in North America.

Question 29

Which ecosystem,located near the equator,has both high temperatures and plenty of rainfall throughout the year?

A)Taiga
B)Desert
C)Tundra
D)Savanna
E)Tropical forest

Question 30

What type of lake has nutrient-poor water,a small amount of organic matter,and low productivity?

A)An oligotrophic lake
B)An epipelagic lake
C)A eutrophic lake
D)A mesopelagic lake
E)A bathypelagic lake

Question 31

Which of these is not a special adaptation for survival in the desert?

A)Many desert plants have special stems that store water.
B)Many desert plants have thin epidermal layers on their leaves,to conserve water.
C)Many desert animals are nocturnal and only come out at in the evenings.
D)Many desert animals burrow and spend much time in tunnels undergrounD.
E)Many desert plants have lost their leaves and do photosynthesis in their stems.

Question 32

Which ecosystem is shown as shaded areas in this map?

A)Tropical rain forests
B)Desert
C)Coniferous forests
D)Temperate deciduous forests
E)Temperate grasslands

Question 33

Which of the following is not true about the taiga?

A)The taiga has a moss-covered forest floor.
B)The typical animals of the taiga include birds,bears,deer,moose,beavers.
C)The taiga contains all the typical deciduous trees.
D)There is a relatively high amount of precipitation (rain and snow).
E)The taiga has cone-bearing trees with needle-like leaves.

Question 34

Temperate deciduous forests are defined by:

A)A growing season between 140 and 300 days
B)Highest variation in day and night length
C)Humid climate with seasonal droughts
D)It has permafrost all year round
E)Highest amount of organisms living in the tree canopy

Question 35

Which of the following statements is not true about temperate deciduous forests?

A)They grow their leaves in spring
B)They are found in a moderate climate with a relatively high rainfall
C)They lose their leaves in the fall
D)They include oak,beech,and maple trees
E)They are found north of the taiga in Eastern North America

Question 36

Grasslands do not have trees because:

A)There is limited rainfall
B)The soil is poor
C)There is too much snow in winter
D)They are next to deserts
E)There is a layer of permafrost

Question 37

The flat-topped acacia tree will be found in the ___________ ecosystem.

A)Desert
B)Prairie grassland
C)Taiga
D)Tundra
E)Savanna grassland

Question 38

Aquatic ecosystems are classified according to various criteria.Which of these is NOT a classification criteria?

A)Standing or moving
B)Amount of nutrients found in the water
C)Amount of productivity
D)Freshwater or saltwater
E)Amount of rainfall it receives

Question 39

Which ecosystem with fertile soil has been mainly converted into agricultural farmlands for human use?

A)Tropical rain forest
B)Tundra
C)Desert
D)Temperate grasslands
E)Taiga

Question 40

Which ecosystem supports the greatest number of large herbivores?

A)Tundra
B)Savanna
C)Prairie
D)Taiga
E)Desert

Question 41

Since carbon dioxide is one of the main ingredients in photosynthesis,which biome would play the greatest role in preventing the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and why?

A)The ocean would play the greatest role in preventing the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.This is due to the large amount of phytoplankton in the ocean.
B)The ocean would play the greatest role in preventing the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.This is due to the large amount of zooplankton in the ocean.
C)The tropical rainforest would play the greatest role in preventing the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.This is due to the large amount of producers in this biome.
D)The temperate deciduous forest would play the greatest role in preventing the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.This is due to the large amount of producers in the temperate deciduous forest.
E)The temperate deciduous forest would play the greatest role in preventing the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmospherE.This is due to the large amount of producers in the temperate deciduous forest.

Question 42

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the different zones in the open ocean from top to bottom?

A)Epipelagic,abyssal,bathypelagic,mesopelagic
B)Epipelagic,bathypelagic,mesopelagic,abyssal
C)Epipelagic,mesopelagic,bathypelagic,abyssal
D)Abyssal,mesopelagic,bathypelagic,epipelagic
E)Abyssal,bathypelagic,mesopelagic,epipelagic

Question 43

Which region of the open ocean stays brightly lit by the sun?

A)The bathypelagic zone
B)The mesopelagic zone
C)The abyssal zone
D)The epipelagic zone
E)The benthic zone

Question 44

Which of the following communities will have the highest net primary productivity

A)prairie grassland
B)temperate deciduous forest
C)tropical rain forest
D)tundra
E)tropical rain forest and estuaries

Question 45

Why is a rocky sea shore inhabited by more types of organisms than a sandy sea shore?

A)The rocks trap and hold more nutrients
B)The sand drains of water quickly at low tide
C)The sand does not hold nutrients
D)Predators are more likely to hunt along sandy shores
E)It is easier for organisms to attach to the rocks

Question 46

Which of the following is not a freshwater community?

A)Streams
B)Lakes
C)Estuaries
D)Rivers
E)Ponds

Question 47

What environmental factor makes it very difficult for organisms that live in estuaries?

A)The constant fluctuation in the salinity of the water as the salt water and fresh water mix
B)The movement of water as the river flows into the ocean
C)The fluctuating nutrient levels as the river bring different levels of nutrients to the estuary
D)The change in water levels as the tide ebbs and flows
E)The change in the temperature of the water since the river water is colder than the ocean

Question 48

The largest ecosystem on Earth is the:

A)Desert
B)Tundra
C)Taiga
D)Ocean
E)Temperate deciduous forest

Question 49

Which of the following statements describes zooplankton?

A)all life in the oceanic ecosystem
B)organisms that feed on phytoplankton
C)includes all the organisms that animals feed on small organic matter that drifts to the bottom of the ocean
D)free-drifting or mobile algae that form the base of the aquatic food chain
E)small organisms which are found riding on animals

Question 50

How does temperature change in relation to the latitude?

A)As latitude increases moving away from the equator at the center of the earth toward either the North Pole or the South Pole the temperature decreases
B)As latitude increases moving away from the North Pole to the South Pole the temperature increases
C)As latitude increases moving away from the equator at the center of the earth toward either the North Pole or the South Pole the temperature increases
D)As latitude increases moving away from the equator at the center of the earth toward either the North Pole or the South Pole the temperature first increases until 60 ^$\circ$ and then decreases at the pole
E)There is no relationship between temperature and latitude

Question 51

The poor soil of tropical rain forests is due to

A)poor quality substrate,such as bedrock that lacks iron and phosphorus.
B)intense sunlight bleaching the substrate.
C)lack of litter;the leaves never fall to the ground.
D)lack of freezing cold to break apart the substrate bedrock.
E)high temperatures that allow rapid decomposition and rapid recycling of nutrients.

Question 52

Figure:
This figure shows a coastal ocean ecosystem.What does "b" represent?

A)The deep sea water
B)The euphotic zone
C)The intertidal zone
D)The continental shelf
E)The pelagic zone

Question 53

Which organisms provide most of the nutrient supply on the ocean and are at the bottom of the ocean food web?

A)Large fishes
B)Phytoplankton
C)Small fishes
D)Seaweeds
E)Zooplankton

Question 54

Figure:
This figure shows a coastal ocean ecosystem.What does "d" represent?

A)The euphotic zone
B)The continental shelf
C)The deep sea water
D)The intertidal zone
E)The pelagic zone

Question 55

Of all the aquatic communities,_________ act as the best nutrient trap.

A)Oceans
B)Estuaries
C)Sandy beaches
D)Lakes
E)Rivers

Question 56

The following number of ant species were counted in these biomes.
Tundra (5)
Taiga (18)
Conifer Mixed Forest (41)
Temperature Mixed Forest (103)
The most likely reason(s)for the number of ant species in this list is/are

A)the amount of photosynthetic production,length of the warm season,and diversity of plants.
B)greater sunlight.
C)variations in soil type.
D)different species of predators.
E)air pressure,humidity,and resulting rainfall.

Question 57

Figure:
This figure shows a coastal ocean ecosystem.What does "a" represent?

A)The intertidal zone
B)The continental shelf
C)The deep sea water
D)The pelagic zone
E)The euphotic zone

Question 58

Tundra is divided into alpine tundra at the top of mountains and arctic tundra found close to the North Pole.These two biomes have similar plants and animals even though they can be located in vastly different regions of the world.What causes these two biomes to be similar?

A)Both are found close to coniferous forests
B)One is cold and dry because it is at a high latitude and the other is cold and dry because it is at a high altitude
C)Both are located in areas of intense sunshine
D)One grows mostly grasses because the soil is poor and the other grows mostly grasses because the soil is frozen
E)Both have large grazing herds that keep the grasses clipped short