Deck 36: The Biosphere

Question 1

Why is the energy of the sun less intense at the poles as compared to the equator?

A)The tilt of the Earth moves the poles farther away from the most intense sunlight.
B)Because the Earth is spherical and the sun shines toward the equator,the sunlight is more spread out at the poles and therefore less intense.
C)The movement of wind across the face of the Earth pulls cooler air from over the oceans and blows it toward the poles.This cools the poles while leaving the region around the equator hot.
D)The movement of cool waters in ocean currents flows away from the equator and cools the air farther from the equator,causing the polar regions to be cooler than the equatorial region.
E)The Earth shifts in its orbit periodically and at times it moves farther from the sun.This movement coincides with times that the Earth is tilted toward the sun so the poles never receive as much sunlight as the equator.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

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

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.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following factors will have the greatest impact in determining the type of biome in a location?

A)temperature
B)soil conditions
C)rainfall
D)wind patterns
E)the presence of mountains

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The phenomenon called a rain shadow requires what topographical elements?

A)For a rain shadow to occur,a mountain range must be located to the leeward of the ocean.
B)For a rain shadow to occur,a mountain range must be located in the middle of a desert.
C)For a rain shadow to occur,a mountain range must be located next to a large lake.
D)For a rain shadow to occur,a mountain range must be located to the windward side of the ocean.
E)For a rain shadow to occur,a mountain range must be located in a tropical rainforest.

Question 5

Climate is due to temperature and rainfall that in turn are NOT determined by

A)variations in the solar radiation received on a spherical Earth.
B)the tilt of the Earth's axis as it rotates about the sun.
C)the distribution of landmasses and oceans.
D)the topography or landscape,such as mountains.
E)biomes present.

Question 6

The coral reef community would be best described as

A)a hard,stony desert that is nevertheless beautiful.
B)a common view of the ocean bottom but only seen in shallow water near the shoreline.
C)a densely populated community that only occurs in shallow water near the shoreline.
D)a community based on animals that migrate from one area of the ocean to another.
E)undersea flowers.

Question 7

What causes an ocean breeze to blow?

A)the presence of mountain ranges along the shoreline
B)the fact that water heats rapidly
C)the differential heating of land and water
D)the fact that lands heats much more slowly than water
E)the heating of the air around the equator

Question 8

In the desert,plants and animals are adapted to withstand

A)heat.
B)dryness.
C)cold.
D)earthquakes.
E)heat and dryness.

Question 9

Which is NOT a correct characterization of tundra?

A)All precipitation in the tundra remains permanently frozen,hence the name "permafrost."
B)The landscape of pools and mires in the tundra is due to melted snow that does not evaporate.
C)The long periods of darkness,sometimes even six months of night,prevents trees and other photosynthetic producers from growing.
D)In the summer,the tundra is alive with insects and birds.
E)Most animals found in the tundra live there year round.

Question 10

If the Earth was standing still (not rotating),wind directions would

A)cease.
B)all run north and south.
C)all run east and west.
D)remain the same since Earth's rotation does not affect wind directions.
E)all run towards the equator.

Question 11

How does temperature change in relation to the latitude?

A)As latitude increases,moving away from the North Pole to the South Pole,the temperature increases.
B)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.
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 $\degree$ and then decreases at the pole.
E)There is no relationship between temperature and latitude.

Question 12

Which are NOT strictly a freshwater community?

A)lakes
B)rivers
C)estuaries
D)streams
E)ponds

Question 13

The Earth is actually slightly farther from the sun during the period when the Northern Hemisphere is having summer.How can this be explained?

A)The sun grows more powerful on a half-year cycle.
B)There is a six-month lag phase between sunlight being absorbed and lost.
C)The tilt of the Earth presents the Northern Hemisphere in a more perpendicular angle and this increased sunlight per surface area more than offsets the decrease from added distance.
D)There must be some mistake in measuring the Earth's orbit because if the Earth was farther away,we would be cooler.
E)During the summer in the northern hemisphere the Earth is actually closer to the sun even though the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.

Question 14

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

A)the movement of water as the river flows into the ocean
B)the constant fluctuation in the salinity of the water as the salt water and fresh water mix
C)the fluctuating nutrient levels as the river brings 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 15

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 16

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 17

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.

Question 18

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 19

A foul-smelling lake that is rich in algae and rooted plants but lacks oxygen is

A)oligotrophic.
B)eutrophic.
C)benthic.
D)pelagic.
E)limnetic.

Question 20

Which definition is NOT correct?

A)littoral lake zone-closest to shore
B)benthic zone-lake or ocean floor
C)limnetic lake zone-on surface away from shore
D)profundal zone-division of the open ocean
E)epipelagic-upper part of open waters of ocean

Question 21

The largest communities on land are called

A)biospheres.
B)estuaries.
C)tundras.
D)taigas.
E)biomes.

Question 22

A treeless region with little rainfall in the far north is the

A)grassland.
B)tundra.
C)taiga.
D)chaparral.
E)desert.

Question 23

In the water cycle,evaporated equatorial air masses that rise lose most of their water.The air immediately then flows

A)all the way to the poles where it causes snow.
B)all the way to the poles if it does not encounter mountain ranges,which it usually does.
C)to about 60 $\degree$ north or south and then cool and condense,supporting a band of moist vegetation.
D)to about 30 $\degree$ north or south and then descends,creating a band of deserts.
E)to the west.

Question 24

Arctic winds blowing over inland reservoirs become saturated and then lose their moisture as they move across land.This is referred to as

A)lake effect.
B)eutrophication.
C)a montane successional gradient.
D)a monsoon climate.
E)rain shadow.

Question 25

Which of the following biomes contains trees?

A)chaparral
B)tundra
C)desert
D)taiga
E)savanna

Question 26

A forest found in a broad belt in northern Eurasia and North America,with pine trees,mosses,and lichens,is called the

A)tropical rain forest.
B)tundra.
C)temperate deciduous forest.
D)chaparral.
E)coniferous forest.

Question 27

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

A)grasslands
B)temperate deciduous forest
C)desert
D)taiga
E)tundra

Question 28

The taiga is a

A)tropical rain forest.
B)temperate deciduous forest.
C)chaparral.
D)grassland.
E)coniferous forest.

Question 29

Which of the following do NOT help determine a biome?

A)amount of rainfall
B)solar energy
C)soil
D)atmospheric content
E)mountain ranges

Question 30

When wet ocean winds blow onshore for half the year and slowly rise and cool,causing long periods of rainfall over a large area,this is referred to as

A)lake effect.
B)eutrophication.
C)a montane successional gradient.
D)a monsoon climate.
E)rain shadow.

Question 31

Which pair is mismatched?

A)tundra-short grasses
B)savanna-acacia trees
C)prairie-epiphytes
D)coniferous forest-evergreen trees
E)deserts-cacti

Question 32

As the latitude increases,which biome sequence would be present?

A)tundra,coniferous forest,deciduous forest,tropical forest
B)tundra,deciduous forest,coniferous forest,tropical forest
C)tropical forest,deciduous forest,coniferous forest,tundra
D)tropical forest,coniferous forest,deciduous forest,tundra
E)tropical forest,deciduous forest,tundra,coniferous forest

Question 33

Which of the following statements is NOT true about biomes?

A)They vary according to climate.
B)They are communities of similar populations.
C)They vary according to latitude and altitude.
D)They are the smallest communities on land.
E)They are characterized by particular animals and plants.

Question 34

Temperate deciduous forests are defined by

A)a humid climate with seasonal droughts.
B)high variation in day and night length.
C)a high amount of organisms living in tree canopies.
D)a growing season between 140 and 300 days.
E)a rich topsoil horizon.

Question 35

A coniferous forest that runs along the west coast of Canada and the United States,due to the moist winds off the Pacific,is called the

A)tropical deciduous forest.
B)tundra.
C)temperate rain forest.
D)taiga.
E)temperate deciduous forest.

Question 36

The spinning of the Earth

A)angles winds away from directly north-south toward east or west.
B)causes mountain ranges to spin off moisture.
C)is the initial driving force for generating winds.
D)causes ocean currents to be directed "out" to the equator.
E)causes the tidal ebb and flow.

Question 37

When moist air from over an ocean moves inland and up a mountain slope,it causes heavy precipitation on the windward side.On the leeward side of the mountain,the region receives far less rain.This is referred to as

A)lake effect.
B)eutrophication.
C)a montane successional gradient.
D)a monsoon climate.
E)rain shadow.

Question 38

Zones of low rainfall and,therefore,most deserts are at

A)the equator since the light intensity is greatest there.
B)the centers of all continents because they are farthest from the oceans that are the source of all water evaporation.
C)about 30 ^$\degree$ north and south latitude.
D)about 60 ^$\degree$ north and south latitude.
E)random points wherever wind patterns fail to bring moist air.

Question 39

Treeless biomes are treeless primarily because

A)of limited sunlight.
B)there is a lack of water or the water is frozen.
C)there is no source of seed dispersal in the region.
D)trees are dependent upon the animals for support.
E)trees cannot withstand hot temperatures or below-freezing cold.

Question 40

Trees do NOT grow in the tundra because the

A)atmosphere is too rarefied.
B)land is too swampy.
C)land shifts from time to time.
D)permafrost is always frozen.
E)shrubs are too plentiful.

Question 41

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

A)savanna.
B)chaparral.
C)prairie.
D)taiga.
E)tundra.

Question 42

Which of the following biomes has the overall harshest conditions for organism survival?

A)tropical rain forest
B)eastern deciduous forest
C)arctic tundra
D)grasslands
E)savanna

Question 43

Freshwater and marine microscopic organisms that freely drift in fresh or salt water are called

A)plankton.
B)benthic.
C)abyssal.
D)neritic.
E)pelagic.

Question 44

Epiphytes are most closely associated with

A)tropical rain forests.
B)tundra.
C)deserts.
D)deciduous forests.
E)temperate deciduous forests.

Question 45

Which of the following statements is NOT true about deciduous trees?

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

Question 46

Which biome has both a high temperature and plentiful water?

A)desert
B)tundra
C)savanna
D)tropical forest
E)taiga

Question 47

The mixing of oxygenated water with nutrient laden water that occurs in lakes is called

A)intertidal zonation.
B)upwelling.
C)pelagic division.
D)fall overturn.
E)eutrophication.

Question 48

Which would be characterized by rich soils,insufficient rainfall for trees,and many herbivores?

A)grasslands
B)chaparral
C)desert
D)taiga
E)tundra

Question 49

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 different number of ant species in this list is (are)

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

Question 50

Grasslands do NOT have trees because

A)they are next to deserts.
B)the soil is poor.
C)of the limited rain.
D)there is too much snow in winter.
E)there is too much sun in summer.

Question 51

Which biome supports the greatest variety and number of large herbivores?

A)desert
B)savanna
C)prairie
D)tundra
E)chaparral

Question 52

In the summer,a deep lake contains three layers: an upper ___,a middle ___,and a lower ___.

A)epilimnion; thermocline; hypolimnion
B)thermocline; hypolimnion; epilimnion
C)hypolimnion; epilimnion; thermocline
D)epilimnion; hypolimnion; thermocline
E)thermocline; epilimnion; hypolimnion

Question 53

The flat-topped acacia tree will be found in the ____ biome.

A)desert
B)tundra
C)savanna grassland
D)prairie grassland
E)chaparral

Question 54

The open sunlit layer of the body of a lake is the

A)littoral zone.
B)limnetic zone.
C)profundal zone.
D)benthic zone.
E)abyssal zone.

Question 55

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

A)grasslands
B)temperate deciduous forest
C)desert
D)taiga
E)tundra

Question 56

Which of the following does not affect the distribution of world biomes?

A)altitude
B)latitude
C)rainfall patterns
D)distribution of animals
E)sunlight

Question 57

Trees such as oak and maple and animals such as foxes and deer are found in the

A)tropical rain forest.
B)tundra.
C)taiga.
D)chaparral.
E)temperate deciduous forest.

Question 58

In a lake,cooler water on top sinks below warmer water on the bottom during

A)the autumnal equinox.
B)spring overturn.
C)summer stratification.
D)eutrophication.
E)biological magnification.

Question 59

Which biome has the greatest diversity of species and total amount of living matter?

A)epipelagic region of the ocean
B)temperate deciduous forest
C)tropical rain forest
D)taiga
E)African savanna

Question 60

The ____ biome is characterized by hot days,cold nights,cacti,and the mesquite tree.

A)desert
B)tundra
C)savanna grassland
D)prairie grassland
E)chaparral

Question 61

Ocean currents

A)are generated by friction between winds and ocean surfaces.
B)always move clockwise in an ocean basin.
C)are important in shipping but have little effect on living environments.
D)are driven by the Earth's core,rotating faster than the ocean water.
E)have no effect on inland weather.

Question 62

Which organisms provide most of the nutrient supply in the ocean?

A)small fishes
B)large fishes
C)seaweeds
D)phytoplankton
E)zooplankton

Question 63

Aquatic plants are rooted in a shallow lake region near the shore called the

A)littoral zone.
B)benthic zone.
C)pelagic zone.
D)profundal zone.
E)limnetic zone.

Question 64

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

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

Question 65

The largest biome on Earth is the

A)tundra.
B)taiga.
C)temperate deciduous forest.
D)desert.
E)ocean.

Question 66

Describe the differences in temperature of deep lakes in a temperate environment.

Question 67

When an ocean current brings rich nutrients to the surface,it is called a(n)

A)eutrophication.
B)lake effect.
C)upwelling.
D)monsoon.
E)profundal zone.

Question 68

The part of a lake where light does not penetrate is the

A)littoral zone.
B)benthic zone.
C)pelagic zone.
D)profundal zone.
E)limnetic zone.

Question 69

In which of the following ocean zone(s)is there no light?

A)epipelagic
B)mesopelagic
C)bathypelagic
D)abyssal
E)bathypelagic and abyssal

Question 70

There are tubeworms and clams that live at the bottom of the ocean near thermal vents.They derive their energy ultimately from

A)the sun,by way of burning fossil fuels like we do with coal and oil.
B)the sun,but they are deep in the dark ocean and live off dead detritus that sinks to them.
C)bacteria that break apart hydrogen sulfide molecules and are therefore not dependent ultimately on sunlight.
D)sources not yet known.
E)photosynthesis.

Question 71

Which would NOT be a characteristic of an estuary?

A)low percentage of immature animals
B)high nutrient concentration
C)brackish water
D)shallow
E)good sunlight penetration

Question 72

Which region of the open ocean is brightly lit?

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

Question 73

Explain how a mountain range,located near the ocean,can lead to the formation of a desert on the leeward side of the mountain.

Question 74

The bottom of a lake or stream harbors worms,clams,and other organisms in the

A)littoral zone.
B)limnetic zone.
C)profundal zone.
D)benthic zone.
E)abyssal zone.

Question 75

Compare the mean annual temperature and precipitation ranges required for the following biomes: temperate deciduous forest,tropical rainforest,and tundra.

Question 76

Of all the aquatic communities,____ act as a nutrient trap.

A)oceans
B)lakes
C)sandy beaches
D)estuaries
E)rivers

Question 77

The ocean

A)lacks life below the first several hundred feet.
B)has zooplankton but not phytoplankton.
C)covers little of the Earth's surface.
D)is not affected by freshwater pollution.
E)covers three-fourths of the planet.

Question 78

Which of the following is called the nursery of the sea?

A)benthic zone
B)pelagic region
C)rocky seashore
D)estuary
E)abyssal zone

Question 79

Organisms living in the ____ zone of the open ocean include the tube worms,clams,brittle stars,and sea urchins.

A)epipelagic
B)mesopelagic
C)bathypelagic
D)benthic
E)littoral

Question 80

The ocean region that contains the neritic province and the oceanic province is the

A)littoral zone.
B)benthic zone.
C)pelagic zone.
D)profundal zone.
E)limnetic zone.