Deck 53: The Physical Environment and Biogeography of Life

Question 1

Refer to the diagram below. According to the diagram, the greatest amount of incoming solar radiation is

A) absorbed by the surface.
B) absorbed by the atmosphere.
C) reflected by the surface.
D) reflected by clouds and atmospheric gases.
E) turned into heat and released back into space.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

An ecologist is studying a rocky intertidal zone.She maps the area and takes samples to calculate the species diversity.She determines the tidal variations and figures out how long each dominant organism is covered by tides and then analyzes the population density of each dominant species over a year.This ecologist is working at what level(s) of organization?

A) Ecosystem level only
B) Population level only
C) Community level only
D) Population and community levels
E) Population, community, and ecosystem levels

Answer 2

E

Question 3

A group of scientists wants to study the impact of climate change on ecosystems at various locations around the world.They analyze worldwide wind, temperature, and precipitation patterns and correlate these patterns to the productivity of the various ecosystems.They are working at which level of organization?

A) Biosphere
B) Community
C) Ecosystem
D) Landscape
E) Population

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Refer to the diagram below. According to the diagram, greenhouse gases maintain a temperature high enough to support life on Earth by affecting which aspect of heat radiation?

A) Outgoing radiation
B) Radiation emitted by clouds
C) Back radiation
D) Radiation absorbed by the surface
E) Surface radiation

Question 5

Which aspect of ecology would an ecologist be likely to study today that an ecologist 150 years ago would not have studied?

A) The effect of human sewage on stream biodiversity
B) The natural history of caddis fly larvae in a stream
C) The classification of all species of stream organisms
D) The comparison of species found in shallow streams and deep pools
E) The population size and growth rate of trout populations

Question 6

Oxygen makes up 21 percent of the gas in the atmosphere.Why is oxygen not considered a greenhouse gas?

A) It is used in respiration.
B) It is used in photosynthesis.
C) It does not trap heat in the atmosphere.
D) It is present in too high a concentration.
E) It is present in too low a concentration.

Question 7

During a week in the summer, an area had two days of thunderstorms, two days that were cloudy and humid, and three days that were hot and sunny.This is a description of the area's

A) climate, because it takes place over time.
B) climate, because it is predictable.
C) climate, because it involves long-term changes.
D) weather, because it involves short-term changes.
E) weather, because it describes variations in temperature and humidity.

Question 8

Which gas is not considered to be a greenhouse gas?

A) Nitrogen
B) Methane
C) Water vapor
D) Nitrous oxide
E) Carbon dioxide

Question 9

An ecologist studying water samples from a lake measures pH, oxygen levels, temperature, turbidity (cloudiness), and chemical concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.The ecologist is studying the lake's

A) community.
B) abiotic factors.
C) populations.
D) energy flow.
E) biotic factors.

Question 10

In the mid-1800s, Montana's Glacier National Park had 150 glaciers.In 2016, it had 25.The melting of these glaciers resulted from

A) climate change, because the area cooled significantly over that time.
B) climate change, because it happened over a relatively long time period.
C) weather change, because the glaciers are not returning.
D) weather change, because it involved changes in temperature.
E) weather change, because it happened in a short period of geological time.

Question 11

The sun's rays are most concentrated at the equator and least concentrated at the poles.What is the main reason for this difference in solar intensity?

A) Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours.
B) The equator is farther from the sun than the poles are.
C) Day length is always shorter at the poles than it is at the equator.
D) Earth's land masses are clustered closer to the equator than to the poles.
E) The sun strikes Earth directly near the equator and at an angle near the poles.

Question 12

Ecologists in the twenty-first century are more concerned with which type of study than were their counterparts in previous centuries?

A) The study of pristine ecosystems
B) The cataloguing of species in every ecosystem
C) The search for previously unknown ecosystems
D) The use of ecology to aid human use of ecosystems
E) The exploitation of ecosystems regardless of damage caused

Question 13

The centuries-long cod fishery extended along the entire continental shelf of the northeast coast of the United States until it collapsed in the 1990s.After the collapse, eggs and first-year juveniles existed only in certain coastal areas.When studying the fishery's recovery, ecologists made habitat surveys of coves or sections of coasts, but they could only measure cod density in relation to habitat in small areas (a few hundred square meters), in which habitat varied greatly.This meant they were unable to estimate numbers of cod or their likely survival.The ecologists' difficulty resulted from

A) lack of adult cod in the survey.
B) inability to conduct experiments.
C) inability to build models of the fishery.
D) differences in scale of the two measurements.
E) differences in time periods of the two measurements.

Question 14

Which topic of study would be more appropriate for an environmentalist than for an ecologist?

A) The influence of climate on Earth's biomes
B) Competition between field mice and meadow voles
C) Factors determining the distribution of white pine trees in a forest
D) Predator‒prey interactions between ospreys and various fish species
E) Park management guidelines that balance species diversity and tourism

Question 15

What effect does clearcutting in the Amazon rainforest have on the rainforest ecosystem?

A) It increases biodiversity by providing more small habitats.
B) It improves soil fertility by removing trees that use nutrients.
C) It improves bird diversity by opening up space for new habitats.
D) It increases biodiversity by making space for agricultural ecosystems.
E) It decreases biodiversity by fragmenting habitats and isolating populations.

Question 16

Which city in the Northern Hemisphere has the least amount of daylight on the shortest day of the year?

A) Quito, Ecuador, latitude 0°N
B) Mexico City, latitude 19°N
C) New York City, latitude 40°N
D) Seward, Alaska, latitude 60°N
E) Ellesmere Island, Canada, latitude 80°N

Question 17

A difference in the methodology of ecologists and other scientists is that ecologists

A) use only observations, not experiments or models.
B) use observations and models, but not experiments.
C) carry out experiments at a wide variety of locations and scales.
D) use observations, models, and long-term, but not short-term, experiments.
E) typically do controlled, replicated experiments at large spatial scales over long time periods.

Question 18

Climate change is one of the most serious problems of the twenty-first century.Should issues related to climate change be considered the responsibility of environmentalists, ecologists, or both?

A) Ecologists, because scientists are best able to quantify the changes taking place.
B) Environmentalists, because the most important effects of climate change are social, political, and economic.
C) Environmentalists, because they consider ecological knowledge along with public policy.
D) Both ecologists and environmentalists, because a scientific understanding of climate change is needed to make reasonable policy decisions.
E) Both ecologists and environmentalists, because neither is equipped to control climate change on their own.

Question 19

All of these would be considered strictly ecological studies except

A) examining the winter diet of ducks.
B) examining the impact of sedimentation on coral reefs.
C) updating endangered species legislation pertaining to fish.
D) quantifying the level of competition between mussels and clams.
E) studying the impacts of temperature on overwinter survival of pine beetles.

Question 20

Loss of worldwide biodiversity is a serious problem.How would ecological measurements attempting to quantify the loss of biodiversity be likely to differ from quantification studies in other fields of science?

A) Ecologists typically do not do measurements; they rely on qualitative data.
B) Ecologists can only use field observations; they cannot conduct experiments.
C) Ecologists depend mainly on models of natural systems, which are difficult to build.
D) Biodiversity is not an ecological process; therefore, no method exists for measuring it.
E) Ecological processes occur at different space and time scales, which may be difficult to coordinate.

Question 21

Refer to the diagram below. Tropical seasonal forest climates have a very wet season and a very dry season.Temperatures are above 64°F (18°C) every month.They would most likely be located within which latitude range?

A) 0° to 15° N and S
B) 15° to 25° N and S
C) 30° to 60° N and S
D) 60° to 90° N and S
E) 0° to 15° and 45° to 65° N and S

Question 22

The latitude of Washington, D.C., is 39°N.The latitude of Boston, Massachusetts, is 42°N.If the difference in their average annual temperatures were determined only by their latitude difference, Washington D.C., would be how many degrees warmer than Boston? (Average air temperature over the course of a year decreases about 0.76C per degree of latitude at sea level.)

A) 1.2°C
B) 2.3°C
C) 3.0°C
D) 4.2°C
E) 12.0°C

Question 23

Refer to the figure below. Based on the figure, the spherical nature of Earth has what effect on sunlight striking Earth?

A) At the equator, sunlight strikes at an angle; at the poles, it strikes directly.
B) At the equator, sunlight strikes directly; at the poles, it strikes at an angle.
C) More sunlight strikes in the temperate zones than at the poles or the equator.
D) More sunlight strikes at the poles and the equator than in the temperate zones.
E) More sunlight strikes in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 24

One person lives at a latitude of 10°N, and another lives at 40°N.Which statement correctly compares speed and deflection of south-moving air in the atmosphere at these two locations?

A) Air would move faster at 10°N and be deflected to the east.
B) Air would move faster at 40°N and be deflected to the east.
C) Air would move faster at 10° N and be deflected to the west.
D) Air would move faster at 40° N and be deflected to the west.
E) Air would move at equal speeds and be deflected east at both locations.

Question 25

What factor is most directly responsible for the desert-like climate at the polar latitudes?

A) Seasonal changes at the poles
B) Cold temperatures at the poles
C) Precipitation release at tropical latitudes
D) Precipitation release at temperate latitudes
E) Low pressure and ascending air over the poles

Question 26

If the Gulf Stream were to slow down or stop, as predicted by models of global climate change, how would this most likely affect the climate in Europe?

A) It would not change much because ocean currents have little effect on land temperatures.
B) It would become very unpredictable because of changes in ocean currents.
C) It would become colder because less heat would reach Europe from the Gulf Stream.
D) It would become warmer because climate change is raising global temperatures.
E) It would become warmer because more heat would reach Europe in other ocean currents.

Question 27

If the tilt of Earth's axis were 33.5° instead of 23.5°, how might seasons be different than they are now?

A) They would be less pronounced in both hemispheres.
B) They would be more pronounced in both hemispheres.
C) They would be longer in the Northern Hemisphere and shorter in the Southern Hemisphere.
D) They would be shorter in the Northern Hemisphere and longer in the Southern Hemisphere.
E) There would be no change; seasons are not related to the tilt of Earth's axis.

Question 28

Because of the rotational movement of Earth, air moving north in the Northern Hemisphere will

A) be deflected east during winter and west during summer.
B) be deflected east during summer and west during winter.
C) be deflected east.
D) be deflected west.
E) not be deflected.

Question 29

One person is standing on the North Pole, another on the South Pole.The Northern Hemisphere is tilted at its maximum point toward the sun.What day is it?

A) It is the summer solstice at both the North and South Poles.
B) It is the spring equinox at the North Pole and the fall equinox at the South Pole.
C) It is the spring equinox at the South Pole and the fall equinox at the North Pole.
D) It is the summer solstice at the North Pole and the winter solstice at the South Pole.
E) It is the summer solstice at the South Pole and the winter solstice at the North Pole.

Question 30

Which statement best describes the difference in the day length at the equator and at the poles as a result of the tilt of Earth's axis?

A) Both the equator and the poles have very short winter days and very long summer days.
B) At the equator, day length is relatively unchanged year-round; at the poles, it varies considerably with seasons.
C) At the poles, day length is relatively unchanged year-round; at the equator, it varies considerably with seasons.
D) At the equator, day length remains about the same; the North Pole has long winter days and the South Pole has long summer days.
E) At the equator, day length remains about the same; the North Pole has long summer days and the South Pole has long winter days.

Question 31

In general, the direction of circulation of ocean surface currents is

A) clockwise in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
B) counterclockwise in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
C) clockwise in the Atlantic Ocean and counterclockwise in the Pacific Ocean.
D) counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
E) clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 32

Prevailing winds generate ocean surface currents that flow in the same direction until they encounter a continent.They are diverted by the mass of the continent, forming the huge rotating currents found in both hemispheres in all oceans.These rotating currents are called

A) gyres.
B) vortices.
C) cyclones.
D) hurricanes.
E) equatorial currents.

Question 33

Measurements show that, on average, Northern Hemisphere temperatures are approximately 2°C warmer than Southern Hemisphere temperatures, and they are also more variable.What factor do scientists think might be responsible for these differences?

A) The Northern Hemisphere is at a higher latitude than the Southern Hemisphere is.
B) The Southern Hemisphere is at a higher latitude than the Northern Hemisphere is.
C) The Northern Hemisphere has more land, which absorbs more heat without raising the temperature.
D) The Southern Hemisphere has more ocean, which absorbs more heat without raising the temperature.
E) The temperature difference is greater in the summer, and Northern Hemisphere summers are longer than Southern Hemisphere summers.

Question 34

Prevailing winds in a given region flow from west to east.This region is most likely in

A) the tropics.
B) the temperate zone.
C) the polar zone.
D) either the poles or the tropics.
E) either the tropics or the temperate zone.

Question 35

Tulsa, Oklahoma, is located at approximately 36°N latitude and Auckland, New Zealand, at approximately 36°S latitude.All things being equal, how would their average annual temperatures likely compare given that they occur on different hemispheres of Earth?

A) Tulsa would be cooler because it is closer to the North Pole.
B) Auckland would be warmer because New Zealand is an island.
C) Tulsa would be warmer because it is in the Northern Hemisphere.
D) Auckland would be warmer because it is in the Southern Hemisphere.
E) They would be the same, because they are at the same latitude.

Question 36

Most of Earth's great deserts are located around which latitude?

A) 0°
B) 15°
C) 30°
D) 45°
E) 60°

Question 37

Refer to the figure below. In air circulation at the tropics, what is responsible for the rain?

A) As air warms in the tropics, it drops rain when it becomes supersaturated.
B) As air rises and cools, it holds less moisture and drops the excess as rain.
C) As air rises, it becomes less dense and therefore less able to hold moisture.
D) As air rises, it meets sunlight entering the atmosphere, which stimulates rain.
E) As air descends, it becomes warmer, and warm air is less able to hold moisture.

Question 38

On the west coast of South America, moisture-containing wind blowing west from the Pacific Ocean encounters the coastal Andes mountain range.What are the likely climatic conditions on the two sides of the mountains?

A) Both sides will have wet climates because of moisture from the ocean winds.
B) Both sides will have dry climates because rain will only fall high in the mountains.
C) The windward side will have a wet climate, but the leeward side will be dry because rain will fall before reaching it.
D) The windward side will have a dry climate; moisture will develop in the mountains and will fall on the leeward side, causing a wet climate.
E) The windward side will have a wet climate; a temperature inversion in the mountains will produce more moisture from clouds, which will fall on the leeward side.

Question 39

Refer to the diagram below. Based on the diagram, which regions have a climate that has low pressure areas with high precipitation throughout the year?

A) Polar regions only
B) Tropical regions only
C) Temperate regions only
D) Both polar and temperate regions
E) Both temperate and tropical regions

Question 40

Parcels of air at the poles are most like those at 30° latitude because both are

A) ascending and dry.
B) ascending and moist.
C) descending and dry.
D) descending and moist.
E) stabilized and moist.

Question 41

A trench in the open ocean is 15,000 feet deep.It contains a thriving, diverse ecosystem of living organisms.This ecosystem is most likely possible because

A) very clear water allows light to penetrate and photosynthesis to occur.
B) a hydrothermal vent provides heat, and the heat stimulates photosynthesis.
C) a hydrothermal vent provides nutrients that are used by chemoautotrophic prokaryotes.
D) in some areas of the deep ocean, water pressure is much less, making life possible.
E) in some areas of the deep ocean, waves stir up nutrients that support the life.

Question 42

Refer to the figure below. If the decrease in evapotranspiration were greater than the increase in albedo and convective heat loss, the climate in a deforested area would be

A) warmer and drier.
B) warmer and moister.
C) cooler and drier.
D) cooler and moister.
E) warmer, but precipitation would not change.

Question 43

Much of the length of the Nile River, in Northern Africa, flows through desert, mountains, and plains.When a river flows through a flat desert, such as most of the Sahara, what aspect of its flow would most likely change, and how would it change?

A) The speed of river flow will increase.
B) The speed of river flow will decrease.
C) The volume of river flow will increase.
D) The volume of river flow will decrease.
E) Both speed and volume of river flow will increase.

Question 44

There is a desert east of the Cascade Mountains in the U.S.Pacific Northwest.The very low precipitation in this region results from the occurrence of

A) a rain shadow.
B) trade winds.
C) climate change.
D) the tilt of Earth's axis.
E) a temperature inversion.

Question 45

Humans have transformed an estimated 50 percent of Earth's land surface for agricultural land, cities, highways, and other uses.What is the most likely effect this has had on world climate?

A) The effect has been minimal because many natural areas still exist.
B) Both temperature and precipitation have increased.
C) Both temperature and precipitation have decreased.
D) Temperature has increased, while precipitation has decreased.
E) Temperature has decreased, while precipitation has increased.

Question 46

Refer to the diagram below. The inversion layer over a city has what effect on the city's climate?

A) It cools the city by increasing air circulation.
B) It cools the city by adding cold air to the rising warm air.
C) It prevents cooling air outside the city from entering.
D) It forms a heat island by holding rising warm air inside the city.
E) It forms heat islands outside the city by pushing warm air outward.

Question 47

The city of Los Angeles is on the coast and very near sea level.During a summer heat wave, several days of still weather allow heat and pollution to collect over the city and remain there, resulting in very high smog levels.This situation results from a(n)

A) albedo.
B) upwelling.
C) rain shadow.
D) convective heat loss.
E) temperature inversion.

Question 48

Seagrasses are flowering plants that are rooted in the shallow waters off coastal areas.Seagrass beds along the coast of the southeastern United States and the Caribbean are often associated with coral reefs; together, they support an extremely rich and diverse community of organisms.These ecosystems are often compared to rainforests, most likely due to their effect on

A) albedo.
B) temperature.
C) precipitation.
D) biodiversity.
E) sedimentation.

Question 49

The headwaters of a river are high up a mountain.Water flowing down the mountain will be

A) slow-flowing and cool.
B) slow-flowing and warm.
C) fast-flowing and high in oxygen.
D) fast-flowing and low in oxygen.
E) slow-flowing and high in sediment.

Question 50

A whale in the open ocean dives from the surface to a depth of several thousand feet.Of the factors that define ocean waters, which would not occur as the whale descends?

A) Pressure increases.
B) The temperature drops.
C) Waves grow weaker.
D) Species density increases.
E) Available light decreases.

Question 51

Evapotranspiration from a forest or other vegetated area includes evaporation of water from leaf surfaces and transpiration of water from inside the leaves.How does this process affect the climate of the region?

A) It increases both temperature and precipitation.
B) It decreases both temperature and precipitation.
C) It increases temperature and decreases precipitation.
D) It decreases temperature and increases precipitation.
E) It increases albedo and decreases temperature and precipitation.

Question 52

Humans have become important as environmental engineers, inadvertently changing the climate as they change the surrounding physical environment.Which of these human-caused changes is least likely to increase the temperature of the surrounding climate?

A) Building a highway
B) Driving gasoline-powered cars
C) Adding parkland to a city
D) Adding buildings to a city
E) Replacing a forest with a crop field

Question 53

Giant seaweeds, or kelps, live in shallow, cold, nutrient-rich waters off the coastline of western North America.They attach to rocks and other hard surfaces, and their huge fronds often reach to the surface, forming a dense, complex, photosynthesizing ocean "forest." Which characteristic is true of kelp forests but not of land forests?

A) They provide considerable habitat for organisms.
B) They are sessile organisms.
C) They protect the shoreline from waves and storms.
D) They add to the oxygen concentration of the surrounding environment.
E) They retain nutrients by trapping sediment or soil.

Question 54

The formation of an estuary requires which topographic factors?

A) An intertidal zone at a river mouth
B) An upwelling of deep water off a coast
C) A river mouth opening into a coastal zone
D) An open ocean area with a deep photic zone
E) A shallow coastal area opening into a deep ocean trench

Question 55

A group of students is brainstorming ways to decrease the effect of urbanization on the surrounding climate.In particular, they want to decrease temperatures both in and around cities.Increasing the presence of _______ would most likely have the desired effect.

A) factories
B) cars and trucks
C) parks and greenspaces
D) suburban neighborhoods
E) dark roofs, streets, and other surfaces

Question 56

The classification of biomes, such as the desert biome, is represented at what spatial scale?

A) Local
B) Global
C) Regional
D) Landscape
E) Local and landscape

Question 57

A large river flows across a plain and will soon reach the ocean.A small stream flows rapidly down a mountain.Compared to the river, the stream would have water that is

A) cooler and more oxygenated.
B) warmer and more oxygenated.
C) cooler and less oxygenated.
D) warmer and less oxygenated.
E) warmer, with more sediment.

Question 58

Variations or discontinuities of the physical environment related to waves and tides can be considered a defining characteristic of an ocean's _______ zone.

A) continental
B) photic
C) pelagic
D) abyssal
E) intertidal

Question 59

The region of the oceans most likely to have benthic ecosystems based on photosynthesis is the

A) ocean zone.
B) coastal zone.
C) pelagic zone.
D) benthic zone.
E) abyssal plain.

Question 60

Studies show that when a forest is cut down and replaced by a pasture, the regional climate becomes hotter and drier.What is the most likely reason for this change?

A) Forests carry out evapotranspiration; grasslands do not.
B) Forests carry out more evapotranspiration than grasslands do.
C) Cutting forests decreases both the albedo effect and convective heat loss.
D) Cutting forests decreases the albedo effect and causes more convective heat loss.
E) Albedo and convective heat loss both increase, but evapotranspiration increases more.

Question 61

Refer to the diagrams below. The Walter climate diagrams illustrate typical annual temperature and precipitation values for which two biomes?

A) Left: desert; right: boreal forest
B) Left: desert; right: temperate grassland
C) Left: tundra; right: boreal forest
D) Left: temperate deciduous forest; right: temperate grassland
E) Left: temperate grassland; right: temperate deciduous forest

Question 62

As global warming progresses, plants and animals move their ranges northward.This suggests that the southern boundary of the tundra biome will most likely become

A) hot desert.
B) cold desert.
C) boreal forest.
D) temperate grassland.
E) temperate deciduous forest.

Question 63

Refer to the map below. Suppose Australia collides with Asia many million years in the future, removing the barriers between these two biogeographic regions.The immediate result of this fusion would most likely be

A) continental drift.
B) a vicariance event.
C) formation of a new barrier.
D) an exchange of species between regions.
E) formation of a new biogeographic region.

Question 64

Biogeographers classify biomes in terms of their basic climatic conditions, especially temperature and precipitation.Ecologists often classify them in terms of their major plant life.Why do plants represent a good method of biome classification?

A) Plants are always present, whereas climatic conditions can change.
B) Plant types adapt to climatic conditions and reflect the climate of the biome.
C) Plants are more characteristic of biomes than climate because they determine climate.
D) Plants determine the animals that live in a biome, making them more important than climate.
E) The same plant species are found throughout a biome, whereas climate varies among parts of a biome on different continents.

Question 65

A new river cuts through the range of a species of terrestrial isopods, effectively ending gene flow between populations on either side and resulting in speciation.The process at work in this situation is

A) dispersal.
B) vicariance.
C) biogeography.
D) continental drift.
E) interchange of species.

Question 66

Refer to the map below. About four million years ago, a land bridge (now Central America) formed between North America and South America.This land bridge most likely had what effect on animal species on the two continents?

A) Vicariance prevented species on the two continents from mixing.
B) Continental drift prevented species on the two continents from mixing.
C) Dispersal occurred, with species moving in both directions between continents.
D) Species were free to move between continents but did not because of climatic differences.
E) Species moved freely between continents but were unable to interact due to behavioral differences.

Question 67

At the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., every animal must have an environment appropriate to its native climate and environmental conditions.The Washington climate has four distinct seasons and is defined as humid subtropical, similar to the southeastern United States.Which animal would be least likely to require a specially designed habitat?

A) Caribou
B) Raccoon
C) Polar bear
D) Bengal tiger
E) Desert tortoise

Question 68

Refer to the diagrams below. Of these two climate diagrams, which biome has the longer growing season?

A) Left, because seasonal temperatures are higher
B) Left, because seasonal precipitation is higher
C) Right, because seasonal temperatures are higher
D) Right, because seasonal precipitation is higher and seasonal temperature is lower
E) Right, because both seasonal temperature and seasonal precipitation are higher

Question 69

A species of hawk nests in a forest, hunts in fields and grasslands surrounding the forest, and drinks from a stream in the same area.This hawk is functioning at which spatial scale?

A) Local
B) Global
C) Regional
D) Landscape
E) Ecosystem

Question 70

A grasshopper species lives in a temperate grassland.Along the southern edge of the grasshopper's range, drought over several years changes the habitat into a semi-desert.A large population of the grasshopper in this region separates from the rest of the population, moves farther south, and eventually becomes a new species, much better adapted to arid conditions.This instance of speciation apparently resulted from which evolutionary process?

A) Dispersal
B) Vicariance
C) Genetic drift
D) Continental drift
E) Climate change

Question 71

A Walter climate diagram illustrates the major characteristics of a biome by providing information on the biome's

A) geographic location.
B) latitude and longitude.
C) predominant plant life.
D) major plants and animals.
E) temperature and precipitation.

Question 72

Which of the following is an identifying characteristic of Arctic tundra?

A) Very long growing seasons
B) Presence of permafrost
C) Presence of coniferous trees
D) Relatively high precipitation
E) Lack of low-growing plants such as grasses

Question 73

Alfred Russel Wallace was associated with the discovery of all of these factors related to biogeography except:

A) the movement of land masses due to the mechanisms of continental drift.
B) the presence of dramatically different species on the adjacent islands of Bali and Lombok.
C) the concept of natural selection to explain the diversity of life on Earth.
D) the presence of groupings of species that change over geographic distances.
E) latitudinal gradients in species diversity, including increased tropical biodiversity.

Question 74

A biome has the following characteristics: long, very cold winters; coniferous trees; mammals including moose, hares, and small rodents; and predators such as foxes and owls.This biome is the

A) tundra.
B) boreal forest (taiga).
C) temperate deciduous forest.
D) temperate shrubland and woodland.
E) temperate evergreen forest.

Question 75

Which type of biome has the lowest species diversity?

A) Desert
B) Tropical rainforest
C) Temperate grassland
D) Temperate deciduous forest
E) Temperate evergreen forest

Question 76

In his book The Geographical Distribution of Animals, which began the field of biogeography, Alfred Russel Wallace discussed factors known at that time to influence animal distributions.Which factor did Wallace not include?

A) Land bridges
B) Past glaciation
C) Mountain ranges
D) Continental drift
E) Deep ocean channels

Question 77

Refer to the map below. Wallace's Line, which separates the Oriental and Australasian biogeographic regions, is characterized by which type of geographic boundary, as described by Alfred Russel Wallace?

A) Ocean
B) Land bridge
C) Climatic change
D) Deep ocean channel
E) Underwater mountain range

Question 78

Refer to the map below. DNA analysis showed that one species of rat diverged over several thousand years to become two species.Rat species A lived in the Ethiopian biogeographic region, whereas species B lived in the Oriental region.This suggests that the process leading to divergence of the two rat species is

A) dispersal.
B) vicariance.
C) biogeography.
D) converging of land masses.
E) biotic interchange.

Question 79

Which type of biome has the longest growing season?

A) Tundra
B) Boreal forest
C) Tropical rainforest
D) Temperate deciduous forest
E) Temperate evergreen forest

Question 80

As early explorers traveled the oceans and observed the distribution of plant and animal species on different continents, the pattern of species diversity was generally

A) evenly distributed throughout the latitudes.
B) highest at low latitudes, in the tropics.
C) highest at high latitudes, near the poles.
D) highest at medium latitudes, in the temperate zones.
E) highest in the tropics and lowest at the higher latitudes.