Question 1

The most powerful predator in a given area sits atop the local food pyramid.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

For about the last ________ years, Earth has had about the same balance of chemical components that now persists.

Accepted Answer

A)  10,000 
B)  100,000 
C)  1 million 
D)  500 million 
E)  1 billion

Question 3

Planetwide, a balance of chemicals is maintained by ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  negative feedbacks 
B)  cycles 
C)  seasonal patterns 
D)  solar radiation 
E)  decomposition

Question 4

Which of the following does NOT belong with the others?

Accepted Answer

A)  plankton 
B)  nekton 
C)  terrestrial biota 
D)  benthos 
E)  oceanic biota

Question 5

Laterization is a dominant soil process found in the tropical rainforest.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Linnaeus was the author of the most widely used biological taxonomy.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

In most organisms, ________ is the most plentiful substance making up their mass.

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen 
B)  water 
C)  carbon dioxide 
D)  oxygen 
E)  solid material

Question 8

The interrelated web of cycles in the world are known as biogeochemical cycles.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

The conversion of recyclable components within the biosphere takes place in all but the following ways:

Accepted Answer

A)  using energy 
B)  continually 
C)  sometimes over hundreds of millions of years 
D)  sometimes in less than a decade 
E)  equally over Earth's surface

Question 10

The availability of moisture to plants is largely determined by ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  precipitation 
B)  evaporation 
C)  precipitation versus evaporation 
D)  light 
E)  chlorofluorocarbons

Question 11

The Linnaean system of classification is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  completely objective 
B)  based on three Latin names for each species 
C)  hierarchical 
D)  so successful that it has not had to be modified 
E)  sadly outdated

Question 12

Compared to the others, which of the following is the "hardest to pin down"?

Accepted Answer

A)  atmosphere 
B)  biosphere 
C)  lithosphere 
D)  hydrosphere 
E)  magnetosphere

Question 13

Most carbon has already been released from the Earth's crust to the atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Explain how a geographers approach to the study of organisms differs from a biologists study of organisms.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how a geographers approach to the...

Question 15

Action by microorganisms creates fixed nitrogen.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT an important edaphic influence on plants?

Accepted Answer

A)  soil texture 
B)  relative abundance of soil organisms 
C)  nutrient supply 
D)  moisture supply 
E)  supply of light

Question 17

Approximately how many species of plants are in existence?

Accepted Answer

A)  1,500 
B)  6,000 
C)  150,000 
D)  600,000 
E)  6,000,000

Question 18

According to the food chain concept, it takes ________ kilograms of plankton to make one kilogram of weight gain for a human.

Accepted Answer

A)  1 
B)  10 
C)  100 
D)  1,000 
E)  1,000,000

Question 19

Amongst the biogeochemical cycles, which one can be said to operate rapidly?

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen 
B)  carbon dioxide 
C)  oxygen 
D)  helium 
E)  rock

Question 20

It can be said that most of the species of Earth history have become extinct.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 10: Cycles and Patterns of the Biosphere

The most powerful predator in a given area sits atop the local food pyramid.

For about the last ________ years, Earth has had about the same balance of chemical components that now persists.

Planetwide, a balance of chemicals is maintained by ________.

Which of the following does NOT belong with the others?

Laterization is a dominant soil process found in the tropical rainforest.

Linnaeus was the author of the most widely used biological taxonomy.

In most organisms, ________ is the most plentiful substance making up their mass.

The interrelated web of cycles in the world are known as biogeochemical cycles.

The conversion of recyclable components within the biosphere takes place in all but the following ways:

The availability of moisture to plants is largely determined by ________.

The Linnaean system of classification is ________.

Compared to the others, which of the following is the "hardest to pin down"?

Most carbon has already been released from the Earth's crust to the atmosphere.

Explain how a geographers approach to the study of organisms differs from a biologists study of organisms.

Action by microorganisms creates fixed nitrogen.

Which of the following is NOT an important edaphic influence on plants?

Approximately how many species of plants are in existence?

According to the food chain concept, it takes ________ kilograms of plankton to make one kilogram of weight gain for a human.

Amongst the biogeochemical cycles, which one can be said to operate rapidly?

It can be said that most of the species of Earth history have become extinct.