Deck 18: Biomes

Question 1

In the map below, green represents

A)subtropical scrub and woodland.
B)desert.
C)rain forest.
D)grassland.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In the map below, pink represents

A)subtropical scrub and woodland.
B)desert.
C)rain forest.
D)grassland.

Answer 2

rain forest.

Question 3

Which of the following is not true of riparian zones?

A)They occur mostly in grassland biomes.
B)They can host a very different biome than the surrounding area.
C)There is more water available in the zone than in the surrounding land.
D)They attract more diverse animals than the surrounding area.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In aquatic biomes,

A)as water temperature increases, dissolved oxygen content does too.
B)organisms must spend their whole life cycle in either a saltwater or freshwater biome.
C)chlorophyll concentration is an index of net primary productivity.
D)anadromous and catadromous fish can tolerate waters with virtually no dissolved oxygen.

Question 5

In the map below, dark blue-green, such as across most of Alaska and interior Canada, represents

A)temperate forest.
B)tundra.
C)boreal forest.
D)grassland.

Question 6

Which of the following is true about biomes in general?

A)Because evolution occurs over millions of years, the boundaries between biomes can be considered to be static over our lifetimes.
B)Biome boundaries are abrupt, with very distinct differences in appearance from one side of the line to another.
C)Biogeographers disagree on how many biomes there are, and which types of landscapes should be considered part of the same biome.
D)Biomes only exist over land areas.

Question 7

In the map below, yellow represents

A)temperate forest.
B)tundra.
C)boreal forest.
D)grassland.

Question 8

Elevation affects the distribution of terrestrial biomes through its effect on

A)temperature.
B)precipitation.
C)both temperature and precipitation.
D)neither temperature nor precipitation.

Question 9

If the diagram below is in the Northern Hemisphere outside of the tropics, the left side of the diagram is

A)north.
B)south.
C)east.
D)west.

Question 10

In the map below, lavender represents

A)temperate forest.
B)tundra.
C)boreal forest.
D)grassland.

Question 11

The effects of global climate change are magnified in mountainside environments because

A)there are such narrow belts of different ecosystems that would shift abruptly.
B)most climate models expect more significant warming in mountainous areas than elsewhere.
C)soils are generally thicker in mountainous environments.
D)Biodiversity is generally less in mountainous environments than in adjacent flatlands.

Question 12

Krummholz can be useful to physical geographers trying to understand the environment because

A)they indicate that there is a soil water deficit where they exist.
B)their branches reveal the prevailing wind direction.
C)they are a useful indication that the biome is temperate forest.
D)they are almost always found atop sandstone-based parent material.

Question 13

In the map below, orange represents

A)subtropical scrub and woodland.
B)desert.
C)rain forest.
D)grassland.

Question 14

The boreal forest biome is known for its

A)coniferous trees.
B)deciduous trees.
C)high biodiversity.
D)tundra vegetation.

Question 15

Of the following choices, the least important factor in determining the net primary productivity of a terrestrial biome is the

A)length of the growing season.
B)nutrient availability.
C)albedo of the surface.
D)amount and seasonality of precipitation.

Question 16

In the diagram below,

A)the snow line will be higher on the right slope than the left slope.
B)the tree line will be higher on the right slope than the left slope.
C)the right slope will have more soil moisture than the left slope.
D)All of these.

Question 17

The Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona, are covered by

A)cacti near the base, and then grasslands higher up, and then gradually thicker stands of trees even higher.
B)cacti near the base and then scrub/scattered trees higher up, and then gradually thicker stands of trees even higher.
C)grasslands near the base and then cacti higher up, and then scrub/scattered trees even higher.
D)rain forests near the base, and then temperate forests higher up, and then boreal forests above the tree line.

Question 18

In the map below, brown represents

A)subtropical scrub and woodland.
B)desert.
C)rain forest.
D)grassland.

Question 19

Land use changes and exotic species introductions tend to have the impact of

A)favoring K-selected species.
B)creating a dynamic equilibrium in species populations.
C)reducing the area covered by ecotones.
D)reducing biodiversity.

Question 20

Of the following choices, the environment with the highest net primary productivity is the

A)temperate deciduous forest.
B)open ocean.
C)coral reef.
D)cropland.

Question 21

CAM plants can minimize water loss by

A)leaving their stomates closed during dry periods.
B)suspending photosynthesis when the solar radiation is too intense.
C)having leaves shaped like umbrellas, which minimizes evaporation.
D)storing water in their stems during wetter periods.

Question 22

The Sahara is an example of a desert that forms primarily because of

A)sinking air from the subtropical high pressure system.
B)a cold ocean current.
C)being on the rainshadow side of a mountain.
D)being too far inland to have much moisture in the air.

Question 23

Among the places listed below, desertification is the least serious danger in

A)Southwestern Asia.
B)The Sahel.
C)Japan and the Korean peninsula.
D)western United States.

Question 24

When a tropical rain forest is clear-cut, the most likely impact to the environment is

A)loss of biodiversity.
B)movement of oxygen from the biosphere into the atmosphere.
C)increase in water stored in soils.
D)a decrease in the number of days with freezing temperatures.

Question 25

The best defining feature of an arid region is a place where

A)precipitation is less than the amount of water that could have been evaporated or transpired.
B)streams carry little or no water.
C)vegetation is sparse.
D)here is no influence of the intertropical convergence zone.

Question 26

Which of the following is a major reason for rain forest destruction?

A)cattle ranching
B)resource exploitation
C)dam construction
D)All of these.

Question 27

Almost two-thirds of the world's temperate rain forests are found in which area on the map below?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 28

The deforestation of tropical rain forests is occurring at rapid rates

A)in nearly all areas where the biome exists, with no significant areas of forest expansion.
B)in most areas where the biome exists, with lesser rates in some places and expansion of forest in other places.
C)in a few areas where the biome exists, with slow rates in most places and expansion of forest in other places.
D)in a few areas where the biome exists, but expansion of forest in most other places.

Question 29

A prairie differs from a steppe in that the grasses are

A)intolerant to freezes in a prairie.
B)only in riparian zones in a prairie.
C)taller in a prairie.
D)in drier areas in a prairie.

Question 30

Grazers are well suited to savannas because

A)none of their natural predators live there.
B)they are able to migrate seasonally toward the wetter areas.
C)they can pull up grasses there by the roots.
D)the grasses there are ephemeral.

Question 31

The emergent layer of a rain forest would be most likely to have species that

A)prefer shade.
B)have a high optimal temperature.
C)have large, showy flowers.
D)grow horizontally rather than vertically.

Question 32

Plants that are allelopathic

A)have very sharp spines instead of leaves.
B)cannot tolerate long periods of drought.
C)produce flowers very rapidly after a rain event.
D)are likely to be located away from other plants.

Question 33

An animal that is ephemeral would be most likely to

A)hide during part of the year.
B)have large blood vessels.
C)have a keen sense of sight to assist in survival.
D)reproduce very quickly but with a low offspring survival rate.

Question 34

The semiarid area shown in the figure below, between the green and the tan areas is known as the

A)Mojave.
B)Outback.
C)Sahel.
D)Sonoran.

Question 35

Two continents that have both tropical and temperate rain forests are

A)Africa and North America.
B)Australia and North America.
C)Europe and Australia.
D)Asia and Africa.

Question 36

A savanna differs from a steppe in that the grasses are

A)intolerant to freezes in a savanna.
B)only in riparian zones in a savanna.
C)taller in a savanna.
D)in drier areas in a savanna.

Question 37

The most defining feature that contributes to the formation of coastal deserts is

A)cold, upwelling ocean currents that cool the air.
B)the windward side of a mountain range.
C)very light winds or calm conditions.
D)deep water conditions adjacent to the coast.

Question 38

Temperate rain forests differ from tropical rain forests in that

A)temperate rain forests survive a four-to-six-month long dry season, but tropical rain forests experience wet conditions year-round.
B)temperate rain forests generally experience more precipitation than tropical rain forests.
C)temperate rain forests are more likely to contain evergreen trees than tropical rain forests.
D)temperate rain forests may experience freezing temperatures, but tropical rain forests never do.

Question 39

A phreatophyte is a plant that

A)becomes deciduous during dry times.
B)carries on CAM photosynthesis.
C)has extensive taproots.
D)uses animals to help to disperse its seeds.

Question 40

When a tropical rain forest is deforested, the climate is likely to respond with

A)warmer conditions and more convectional lifting, but less precipitation.
B)warmer conditions, more cloud cover, and more precipitation.
C)cooler conditions and more convectional lifting, but less precipitation.
D)cooler conditions, more cloud cover, and more precipitation.

Question 41

Which of the following is not an important function that fire provides to contribute to ecosystem or biome health?

A)restoring nutrients to the soil
B)allowing seeds for pyrophilic species to germinate
C)reducing runoff
D)improving access of wildlife to new lands

Question 42

The boreal forest biome is

A)virtually absent in the Southern Hemisphere because there is little land at the appropriate latitudes and elevations for this climate.
B)relatively minor in geographic extent compared to the rain forest and deciduous forest biomes.
C)only a small source of storage of carbon.
D)home to a great biodiversity of organisms compared with most other biomes.

Question 43

All of the following are adaptations that promote survival of the boreal forests except

A)having a dark, rough surface.
B)having needles instead of leaves.
C)having some trees that grow faster than others.
D)All of these are adaptations that promote survival in the boreal forests.

Question 44

The diagram below illustrates that after disturbance of the boreal forest, the pioneer and climax species are usually

A)deciduous and evergreen forest, respectively.
B)evergreen and deciduous forest, respectively.
C)deciduous forest and tundra, respectively.
D)tundra and evergreen forest, respectively.

Question 45

The most likely reason that this building in the tundra environment has a failed foundation is that

A)the permafrost beneath it has thawed.
B)running water after a flood has swept it away.
C)mass wasting processes have caused the soil to slump.
D)a wind storm has detached the building from its foundation.

Question 46

The two main geographic areas in which the tundra biome exists are

A)in the coastal northern margins of the Northern Hemisphere and on the tops of the highest mountains.
B)in the coastal northern margins of the Southern Hemisphere and on the tops of the highest mountains.
C)in Antarctica and Greenland.
D)in central Canada and inland Siberia.

Question 47

It is even more important to protect the boreal forest biome than most other biomes because they help reduce global warming in all of the following ways except

A)preventing the release of methane trapped in peat and permafrost beneath the forest.
B)storing massive amounts of carbon.
C)being fire resistant.
D)All of these are ways in which the boreal forest biome protects us from harmful effects of global warming.

Question 48

The subtropical scrub and woodland biome is loosely associated with the

A)Oxisol.
B)Spodosol.
C)Steppe Climate.
D)Mediterranean climate.

Question 49

In the globe below, from north to south the local names for the grasslands are

A)Great Plains, pampas, llanos, campos.
B)Great Plains, llanos, campos, pampas.
C)Great Plains, campos, llanos, pampas.
D)Great Plains, llanos, pampas, campos.

Question 50

This photograph of the tundra biome was most likely taken

A)near the ecotone with the boreal forest biome.
B)near the ecotone with the grassland biome.
C)far from the treeline.
D)where the active layer is thinnest in the tundra biome.

Question 51

The seasonal migration of the subtropical high and seasonal circulations associated with the monsoons cause the _______ biome to exist in California and India, respectively.

A)subtropical scrub and woodland
B)grassland
C)desert
D)temperate forest

Question 52

Schlerophyllic vegetation has developed a(n)

A)ability to collect CO², convert it to an acid, and store it at night rather than being active during daytime, and is most characteristic of the desert biome.
B)ability to collect CO², convert it to an acid, and store it at night rather than being active during daytime, and is most characteristic of the rain forest biome.
C)tolerance to drought and fire and is most characteristic of the scrub and woodland biome.
D)tolerance to drought and fire and is most characteristic of the grassland biome.

Question 53

Riffles are important in

A)filtering pollutants in lentic systems.
B)filtering pollutants in lotic systems.
C)oxygenating the water in lentic systems.
D)oxygenating the water in lotic systems.

Question 54

Of the following choices, evergreen temperate forests are most dominant in

A)the eastern United States.
B)eastern China and Japan.
C)South-central Brazil.
D)central Australia.

Question 55

Deciduous temperate forests are supported best in

A)mid-latitude climates that are not wet enough to support evergreen temperate forests.
B)humid midlatitude climates with four distinct seasons.
C)mid-latitude climates that are affected by monsoons.
D)mid-latitude regions above the tree line.

Question 56

Moving poleward, vegetation in the Tundra biome grades from

A)lichens to stunted trees to grasses.
B)grasses to stunted trees to lichens.
C)stunted trees to lichens to grasses.
D)stunted trees to grasses to lichens.

Question 57

Which of the following is generally not a forecasted impact of global climate change on the temperate forest biome?

A)increased flooding and erosion
B)increased drought stress
C)expansion of subtropical species into the biome
D)All of these are forecasted impacts

Question 58

The Redwoods of California are an example of

A)coniferous evergreen forest.
B)deciduous temperate forest.
C)broadleaf evergreen forest.
D)needleleaf deciduous forest.

Question 59

The fact that the trees in central Alaska look like the trees in western Siberia, despite being separated by thousands of kilometers, illustrates the theory of

A)convergent evolution.
B)multiple origins.
C)global dispersal.
D)plate tectonics.

Question 60

Wetlands are valuable components of nature because they

A)provide critical wildlife habitats.
B)support bacteria which break down contaminants.
C)store excess water and then release it slowly during drier times.
D)perform all of the services above.

Question 61

The land bridge called Beringia during the last glacial advance about 20,000 years ago, allowed animals to be exchanged among which two zoogeographic realms?

A)Neotropic and Nearctic
B)Australian and New Zealand
C)Palearctic and Nearctic
D)Neotropic and Paleotropic

Question 62

Zooxanthellae are

A)algae that provide oxygen and nutrients for coral, and receive CO² and a habitat from the coral.
B)a type of coral that exists mostly in the Pacific Ocean.
C)any organism that lives in the hadal zone.
D)any animal that lives in a lentic system for part of its life and on land in another part of its life.

Question 63

In the diagram below, B is the

A)hadal zone.
B)mesopelagic zone.
C)epipelagic zone.
D)benthic zone.

Question 64

In the diagram below, D is the

A)hadal zone.
B)mesopelagic zone.
C)epipelagic zone.
D)benthic zone.

Question 65

In which region in the map below are fauna similar even across islands because the areas within that region were once together as part of Gondwana?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 66

In general, domesticated land can be said to include

A)more than half of the Earth's land surface, with some human influence on most of the rest.
B)more than half of the Earth's land surface, with little human influence on most of the rest.
C)less than half of Earth's land surface, with some human influence on most of the rest.
D)less than half of Earth's land surface, with little human influence on most of the rest.

Question 67

In the diagram below, A is the

A)hadal zone.
B)mesopelagic zone.
C)epipelagic zone.
D)benthic zone.

Question 68

Which of the following does not belong?

A)Hadley Cell
B)Tropical rain forest biome
C)Oxisol
D)Stable atmosphere

Question 69

In the diagram below, C is the

A)hadal zone.
B)mesopelagic zone.
C)epipelagic zone.
D)benthic zone.

Question 70

Which of the following does not belong?

A)Stable atmosphere
B)Desert biome
C)Spodosol
D)Subtropical high

Question 71

Organisms that live in estuaries like the one pictured below must be able to

A)survive for part of their life in a lentic system and the other part of their life in a lotic system.
B)tolerate a wide range of salinities.
C)survive in both the epipelagic and hadal zones.
D)derive energy when living near deep-sea thermal vents.

Question 72

Which of the labels in the map below is where marsupials contribute to the unique fauna?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 73

Which of the following does not belong?

A)Polar high
B)Temperate forest biome
C)Andisol
D)Midlatitude cyclones

Question 74

Which of the labels in the map below is characterized by limited richness and biodiversity, other than fishes and reptiles, but with endemic canine-type animals, horses, and raccoons?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 75

Which of the labels in the map below is where the Neotropic realm contains unique mammals and colorful birds?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 76

The three components of sustainability to which all communities should strive to achieve, depicted by the Venn diagram below, are

A)environmental, economic, and social.
B)environmental, spiritual, and metaphysical.
C)environmental, academic, and artistic.
D)environmental, critical, and creative.