test 2

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. a monsoon climate b. eutrophication c. lake effect d. rain shadow

a. a monsoon climate

smog forms because: a. air pollutants become trapped under a warm inversion layer b. CFC's have destroyed the ozone layer c. high winds blow pollutants from factories d. pollutants rise more rapidly than normal

a. air pollutants become trapped under a warm inversion layer

organisms that break down organic matter are called: a. detritivores b. omnivores c. herbivores d. carnivores

a. detritivores

which of the following biomes is characterized by rich soils, insufficient rainfall for trees, and many herbivores?: a. grasslands b. desert c. taiga d. tundra

a. grasslands

aquatic plants are rooted in a shallow lake region near the shore called the: a. littoral zone b. profundal zone c. benthic zone d. limnetic zone

a. littoral zone

humans are biologically adapted to be: a. omnivores b. herbivores c. decomposers d. autotrophs

a. omnivores

freshwater lakes typically overturn each spring and fall; in both cases _____: a. oxygen-rich water from the surface and nutrient-rich water from the bottom exchange places b. oxygen-rich water moves to the surface c. the development of a strong thermocline precedes the overturn d. nutrient-rich water moves to the bottom of the lake

a. oxygen-rich water from the surface and nutrient-rich water from the bottom exchange places

in the phosphorous cycle, the ultimate source of phosphorus is: a. rock b. dead organisms c. plants d. the sun

a. rock

the source of energy for nearly all ecosystems is: a. the sun b. food c. oxygen d. water

a. the sun

fresh water makes up about ______ of the world's water supply: a. three percent b. ten percent c. thirty percent d. half

a. three percent

which of the following is a greenhouse gas?: a. water vapor b. molecular oxygen c. argon d. carbon monoxide

a. water vapor

the Earth completes one rotation about its axis every: a. 12 hours b. 1 day c. 1 month d. 1 year

b. 1 day

plants obtain the carbon used in the manufacture of organic compounds from: a. organic compounds in the soil b. carbon dioxide in the atmosphere c. fossil fuels d. carbon dioxide in the soil

b. carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere such as the Gulf Stream run in what direction? a. counterclockwise b. clockwise c. north to south d. south to north

b. clockwise

in an ecosystem, which statement reflects the relationship with energy and nutrients? a. energy cycles and nutrients also cycle in a balanced ecosystem b. energy flows and nutrients cycle in an ecosystem c. energy cycles and nutrients flow in an ecosystem d. energy flows and nutrients flow through an ecosystem

b. energy flows and nutrients cycle in an ecosystem

_______ lakes are nutrient rich and tend to have large populations of algae. a. oligotrophic b. eutrophic c. temperate d. stratified

b. eutrophic

which of the following associations is incorrect?: a. omnivores- eat both producers and consumers b. herbivore- eats producers and performs photosynthesis c. detritivore- feeds on decomposing organic matter d. carnivore- feeds on other consumers

b. herbivore- eats producers and performs photosynthesis

an animal that eats both plants and animals is: a. herbivore b. omnivore c. carnivore d. decomposer

b. omnivore

in a grazing food chain,: a. primary consumers eat detritus b. primary consumers eat photosynthetic organisms c. secondary consumers eat detritus d. secondary consumers eat photosynthetic organisms

b. primary consumers eat photosynthetic organisms

if the Earth was standing still (not rotating) and was a solid, uniform ball, wind directions would: a. cease b. run north and south c. run east and west d. remain the same

b. run north and south

which biome is characterized by both deciduous and broadleaf trees? a. temperate deciduous forests b. semi-evergreen forests c. coniferous forests d. none of the above

b. semi-evergreen forests

the seasons are best explained by: a. the distribution of temperature and rainfall in biomes b. the tilt of the earth on its axis as it rotates about the sun c. the daily rotation of the earth on its axis d. the fact that the equator is warn and the poles are cold

b. the tilt of the earth on its axis as it rotates about the sun

which of the following does NOT characterize tundra? a. permafrost b. trees c. shrub d. caribou

b. trees

which biome has the most different kinds of species and the total amount of living matter? a. temperate deciduous forest b. tropical rain forest c. African savanna d. semi-evergreen forests

b. tropical rain forest

which of the following biomes is characterized by little rainfall, permafrost, and an average temperature below 0 degrees C?: a. grasslands b. tundra c. desert d. temperate deciduous forest

b. tundra

the role of decomposers is important to all of the following cycles except the: a. carbon cycle b. water cycle c. nitrogen cycle d. phosphorus cycle

b. water cycle

approximately what percentage of the energy in one trophic level is incorporated into the next trophic level? a. 100% b. 60% c. 10% d. 1%

c. 10%

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 since they are farthest apart from the oceans that are the source of all water evaporation c. about 30 degrees north and south longitude d. about 60 degrees north and south longitude

c. about 30 degrees north and south longitude

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. tundra

c. desert

the greenhouse effect is: a. due to increased sunlight in recent years b. caused by increased plant life and photosynthesis c. due to absorption of sunlight and re-radiating of the heat d. not affected by human activities

c. due to absorption of sunlight and re-radiating of the heat

which is NOT strictly a freshwater community? a. lakes b. rivers c. estuaries d. streams

c. estuaries

compared with the number of grasshoppers or deer, there are not a lot of mountain lions. the reason that large and fierce top-level carnivores are rare in an ecosystem is that: a. such animals do not tolerate other members like them b. through natural selection, more fierce animals have been killed off by others c. food chains are only 10-20% efficient at each step, and top carnivores are therefore limited by the availability of food in their range d. only a few such animals are permitted by succession in a biome, and there are only a few biomes

c. food chains are only 10-20% efficient at each step, and top carnivores are therefore limited by the availability of food in their range

in global terms, the production of CO2 by respiration and its fixation by photosynthesis are balanced, but the balance has been shifted towards accumulation of CO2 by the increase in use of: a. meat products b. vegetable products c. fossil fuels d. detergents

c. fossil fuels

the two general categories of biogeochemical cycles are: a. energy and matter b. terrestrial and aquatic c. gasesous and sedimentary d. chemical and physical

c. gasesous and sedimentary

the primary producers that feed directly on green plants are called: a. omnivores b. decomposers c. herbivores d. carnivores

c. herbivores

which of the following nutrient cycles relies heavily on the role of bacteria?: a. carbon cycle b. water cycle c. nitrogen cycle d. phosphorus cycle

c. nitrogen cycle

certain bacteria are capable of transforming atmospheric nitrogen into a form other organisms can use through a process known as: a. combustion b. nitrogen oxidation c. nitrogen fixation d. nitrogen reduction

c. nitrogen fixation

the largest biome on earth is the: a. tundra b. temperate deciduous forest c. ocean d. desert

c. ocean

the tropics are warmer than the temperate regions because: a. there is less wind there to cool it b. they are at a higher altitude and closer to the Sun c. the Sun's rays strike at a direct angle d. they are closer to the Moon

c. the Sun's rays strike at a direct angle

it takes the Earth ________ to orbit around the Sun. a. 12 hours b. 1 day c. 1 month d. 1 year

d. 1 year

phosphorus is an essential element in all living things and is a component of: a. carbohydrates b. nearly all vitamins c. most amino acids d. ATP and DNA

d. ATP and DNA

incoming solar radiation affects: a. the rise and fall of air masses b. evaporation or precipitation of moisture c. the seasons d. all of the these

d. all of the these

chemical cycling may involve which of the following?: a. a reservoir unavailable to producers b. an exchange pool as a source from which organisms can acquire chemicals c. a biotic community in which chemicals move through food chains d. all of these

d. all of these

which kinda of organism would deb most likely to perform photosynthesis? a. omnivore b. herbivore c. decomposer d. autotroph

d. autotroph

a diverse community of organisms has been found living in association with ocean floor hydrothermal vents. the base of the good web for these communities is (are): a. large animal carcasses, such as whales, that take years to decompose b. detritus from organisms living near the ocean surface c. organic hydrocarbons produced within he mantle and then released through the vent d. chemoautotrophic prokaryotes

d. chemoautotrophic prokaryotes

energy flow in an ecosystem is not cyclic because energy is: a. destroyed as it is used b. evenly spread out over many organisms c. increased as you go up the energy pyramid d. converted to heat, which is not longer useful

d. converted to heat, which is not longer useful

which of the following is called the nursery of the sea? a. taiga b. epipelagic region c. rocky seashore d. estuary

d. estuary

which of the following lists the steps of the water cycle in the correct order?: a. evaporation, precipitation, condensation b. condensation, evaporation, precipitation d. evaporation, condensation, precipitation d. precipitation, condensation, evaporation

d. evaporation, condensation, precipitation

the primary producers in terrestrial ecosystems are the ___, whereas in freshwater and saltwater ecosystems it is ___.: a. herbivore, carnivore b. consumers, producers c. algae, green plants d. green plants, algae

d. green plants, algae

approximately 37% of all hums-induced production of the greenhouse gas methane is a result of: a. fertilizer use b. burning of fossil fuels c. refrigerants d. livestock

d. livestock

when moist air from over an ocean moves inland and up a mountain slope, it causes heavy precipitation. on the leeward side of the mountain, the region receives far less rain. this is referred to as: a. acid rain b. photochemical smog c. monsoon d. rain shadow

d. rain shadow

in the carbon cycle, carbon is returned to the atmosphere by: a. photosynthesis b. evaporation of water c. glycolysis d. respiration of animals and plants

d. respiration of animals and plants

climate is affected and/or characterized by all of the following factors EXCEPT: a. temperature b. rainfall c. topography d. soil type

d. soil type

transpiration is: a. the process by which bacteria converts ammonia into nitrite b. a type of symbiotic relationship c. the accumulation of a pesticide as it moves through a food chain d. the loss of water from plant surfaces

d. the loss of water from plant surfaces

all of the following are true about ecosystems except: a. they contain both living and nonliving components b. there is a transfer of energy through the system and it is lost c. there is a cycling of nutrients through the system again and again d. they represent the lowest love of biological organization that is known

d. they represent the lowest love of biological organization that is known