AP Environmental Science MCQ Unit 1 Test - Mrs. DiCrisi

Which of the following trophic levels represents a primary producer in an aquatic food chain? A)Phytoplankton B)Herbivorous zooplankton C)Carnivorous zooplankton D)Baleen whale

A)Phytoplankton: Because it uses solar energy to produce food (its a producer)

This biome is characterized by long dry seasons and is dominated by grasses, shrubs, and grazing animals. A)Savanna B)Boreal forest C)Tropical rain forest D)Desert

A)Savanna

Which of the following describes the most likely change to terrestrial biomes resulting from warmer average global temperatures? A)The global distribution of midlatitude biomes, such as grasslands and temperate rain forests, would increase. B)Deciduous trees found in temperate seasonal forests would flower later in the year. C)The latitude range of tropical rain forests would narrow closer to the equator. D)High-latitude biomes, such as the tundra, would experience a decrease in net primary productivity.

A)The global distribution of midlatitude biomes, such as grasslands and temperate rain forests, would increase: Because the warmer average global temperature would expand the range of biomes currently found at midlatitudes.

Which of the following best describes a terrestrial ecosystem that will have the highest net primary productivity? A)Warm temperatures, high rainfall, and consistent sunlight B)Hot temperatures, low rainfall, and consistent sunlight C)Cold temperatures, high rainfall, and inconsistent sunlight D)Warm temperatures, low rainfall, and inconsistent sunlight

A)Warm temperatures, high rainfall, and consistent sunlight

In a typical forest ecosystem, dead trees and fallen trees are most important because of their role in which of the following? A)Providing a valuable source of timber B)Providing habitats for wildlife C)Contributing to soil erosion D)Increasing water runoff E)Removing carbon dioxide from the air

B)Providing habitats for wildlife

Six white-tailed deer and six sika deer were enclosed in a pasture for observation during an eight-year study in central Texas. White-tailed deer are a native species to central Texas, while sika deer are a nonnative species to central Texas. White-tailed deer feed on flowering plants and the tips of trees and shrubs but do not eat grass. Sika deer feed on flowering plants, the tips of trees and shrubs, and grass. All other grazing animals were kept out of the pasture during the study. The number of sika deer more than doubled after the eight years, while the population of white-tailed deer decreased by 50 percent. Which of the following statements best supports the results from the study? A)The sika deer are generalists, while the white-tailed deer are specialists. B)The sika deer out competed the white-tailed deer in consuming flowering plants and shrubs. C)Parasites infected the sika deer population but did not infect the white-tailed deer population. D)Change in the local climate reduced the availability of food resources for the white-tailed deer population.

B)The sika deer out competed the white-tailed deer in consuming flowering plants and shrubs: Since both species eat the same food, there is competition for a limited resource in a confined space.

Which of the following best describes soil in many tropical rain forests? A)They lack soil horizons. B)They are quickly depleted nutrients when the forest is removed. C)They are similar to soils in grasslands. D)They are well suited for growing a wide variety of crops. E)They are deep and well drained.

B)They are quickly depleted nutrients when the forest is removed.

Which of the following terrestrial biomes has the highest net primary productivity? A)Desert B)Tropical rain forest C)Taiga D)Savanna

B)Tropical rain forest: Because net primary productivity (NPP) is higher in biomes that are warm year-round and receive abundant rainfall and sunlight to encourage the growth of producers, which are all characteristics of tropical rain forests.

Phytoplankton are most abundant in the upper few hundred feet of most bodies of water because A)they can most readily hide from predators there B)sunlight does not penetrate to great depths in water C)as primary producers, they must be accessible to many other organisms D)they are benthic organisms E)they feed on zooplankton, which are found only in the top layers of water

B)sunlight does not penetrate to great depths in water

Which of the following is the zone of a pond or lake in which rooted, emergent plants such as cattails and rushes are located? A)Benthic B)Limnetic C)Littoral D)Profundal E)Riparian

C)Littoral

In reef ecosystems, corals often have microalgae living inside them. The algae supply the corals with nutrients, and the coral give shelter to the algae. Which of the following interactions best describes the relationship between the corals and the algae? A)Competition B)Predation C)Mutualism D)Parasitism

C)Mutualism: both benefit from this relationship

Which of the following is a characteristic of tropical rain forests? A)They rarely receive more than 100 centimeters of rain per year. B)Their soils typically have a high pH. C)Their soils are relatively poor in nutrients. D)They do not exhibit a great deal of species diversity. E)They generally occur in the rain shadows of mountain ranges.

C)Their soils are relatively poor in nutrients.

This biome is warm and wet, with little seasonal variation in temperature and frequent precipitation. A)Savanna B)Boreal forest C)Tropical rain forest D)Desert

C)Tropical rain forest: because tropical rain forests are found along the equator, where the oceans provide a constant source of water vapor, leading to warm and wet conditions.

This rate of reaction can be measured in the dark by determining the amount of oxygen gas consumed in a period of time.

Cellular Respiration (it doesn't require sunlight)

Which country has the largest area of boreal forest? A) Australia B) Brazil C) Chile D) Russia E) United States of America

D) Russia

Which of the following biomes is best characterized as an area that forms the narrow band along the coast that experiences a range of environmental conditions (including daily changes in sunlight, temperature, and water) ? A)Open ocean B)Lakes C)Coral reefs D)Intertidal zones

D)Intertidal zones because they're found along coastlines (from rocky cliffs to sandy beaches) that experience different levels of high and low tide. Organisms that inhabit these areas must be adapted to withstand changes in direct sunlight, temperature, and desiccation as well as the crashing waves.

Which of the following best illustrates an abiotic component of the environment affecting a biotic component of the environment? A)Composted manure is added to agricultural soil during spring tilling. B)Coral reefs modify the direction of an ocean current. C)Plants release O2 into the atmosphere during photosynthesis. D)Low phosphorus content in soil limits the growth of vegetation. E)A thick planting of ground cover reduces soil erosion on a hillside.

D)Low phosphorus content in soil limits the growth of vegetation.

Which of the following best describes the flow of energy in most terrestrial and near-surface marine ecosystems? A)Decomposers break down dead or decaying organisms to release energy and nutrients to be used by producers. B)Chemoautotrophs use inorganic energy sources, such as hydrogen sulfide, to create organic compounds from carbon dioxide. C)Apex predators feed on other organisms, which releases heat that can be used by producers and primary consumers. D)Producers use energy from the sun to make organic matter, such as sugars, from carbon dioxide and water and are then consumed by organisms higher in the food chain.

D)Producers use energy from the sun to make organic matter, such as sugars, from carbon dioxide and water and are then consumed by organisms higher in the food chain: Through the process of photosynthesis, plants convert solar energy into chemical energy, which moves through the food chain when one organism feeds on another.

The great grasslands of the world have which of the following primary characteristics in common? A)They are restricted in occurrence to the region between 30° north latitude and 30° south latitude. B)Due to high humidity, fires are uncommon and rarely affect large areas. C)They are typically created by overgrazing by livestock. D)Seasonal cycles of temperature and precipitation produce abundant vegetative growth. E)High winds blow seeds of trees away such that only grasses exist.

D)Seasonal cycles of temperature and precipitation produce abundant vegetative growth.

Traveling southward from the Arctic regions of Canada to the tropics of Panama, one passes through several biomes - tundra, coniferous forest, temperate deciduous forest, and tropical rain forest. This pattern of change in vegetation is primarily the result of A) primary and secondary succession B)the invasion of exotic species C)an increase in mean annual temperature and a decrease in mean annual precipitation D)an increase in both mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation E)an increase in the total annual hours of sunlight

D)an increase in both mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation

The major biological source of dissolved oxygen in the ocean comes from A)decomposition of organic sediments on the ocean floor B)metabolic processes of coral in reefs C)oxidation of sulfur by bacteria in ocean vent communities D)photosynthesis by phytoplankton E)respiration by zooplankton

D)photosynthesis by phytoplankton

This biome contains plants that are adapted to prevent water loss due to the low average rainfall and high temperatures year-round.

Deserts because they are hot and dry year-round, and plant species are adapted in a variety of ways (small leaves, stems that store water, and modified spines) to reduce water loss.

Which country has the largest area of temperate deciduous forest? A) Australia B) Brazil C) Chile D) Russia E) United States of America

E) United States of America

Which of the following regions of the ocean is LEAST likely to contain photosynthetic organisms? A)Intertidal zone B)Zone of coastal upwelling C)Pelagic zone D)Euphotic zone E)Abyssal zone

E)Abyssal zone

Which of the following world regions contain the greatest area of rain forest? A)Canada and the United States B)Eastern and Western Europe C)Russia and China D)Australia and New Zealand E)Brazil and Indonesia

E)Brazil and Indonesia

What is net primary productivity (NPP)?

Its the energy available to consumers determined by subtracting the energy used by plants from the total energy transformed by the process of photosynthesis.

What is gross primary productivity?

Its the total rate of photosynthesis in a given area.

Where is the greatest remaining natural biodiversity found?

South America

What happens to the amount of energy available as it moves up the food chain?

The amount of energy available decreases up the food chain, so the organisms at the highest trophic level would have the fewest kilojoules of energy available.

An environment with the highest diversity of tree species would have what kind of precipitation and temperature?

The temperature would remain high the entire year. Precipitation would be very high as well.

An environment most likely to be characterized by dry scrub with frequent fires would have what kind of precipitation and temperature?

This environment would have a consistent high temperature throughout the year. It would have low precipitation all year, and little to none in the summer.

Which is caused by suspended particulates? a) Acidity b)Turbidity c)Hardness d)Dissolved oxygen e)Salinity

b)Turbidity

Which is decreased by the breakdown of organic waste? a) Acidity b)Turbidity c)Hardness d)Dissolved oxygen e)Salinity

d)Dissolved oxygen