AP Environmental Science Midterm

The deserts of Death Valley formed as a result of ______.

the rain shadow effect

________ is one of the major factors that influences global air circulation as described in the textbook.

the rotation of the earth on its axis

The term Greenhouse Effect refers to _____.

the trapping of heat energy by molecules in the atmosphere

Which statement about the introduction of non-native species is false?

nonnative species provide no benefits to their new habitats

Although they only occupy 0.2% of the ocean floor, coral reefs provide many benefits. Which of the following is not one of these?

they provide significant free oxygen

What is the best example of a major human impact on mountain ecosystems?

timber and mineral extraction

Alpine tundra receives more ____ than Arctic tundra.

sunlight

_______ is true about temperate deciduous forests

Avg. temps change significantly w/ seasons

A jellyfish would be considered a type of ____.

zooplankton

What percentage of the world's known plant species have been examined for medicinal properties?

.5%

What percentage of the world's 10,000 bird species is declining in number?

70%

_______ percent of the worlds coral reefs have been destroyed.

75%

When the Endangered Species Act was established in 1973, the list included 92 U.S. species. In 2010, that number had risen to ____.

1,394

Biodiversity experts estimate that during this century, the extinction rate due to human activities will rise to ____ times the background extinction rate.

10,000

If estimates of an extinction rate 10,000 times greater than the background rate are correct, then what percentage of all species will be extinct by the end of this century?

25-50%

A 2006 study estimated the total polar bear population is likely to decline by how much by 2025?

30-35%

How much of the world's population depends on mountain systems for all or some of their water?

56%

_____% of the world's major terrestrial ecosystems are being degraded or used unsustainably.

60%

Which scenario would be allowed under a habitat conservation plan?

landowner, developer, or logger is allowed to destroy some critical habitat in exchange for taking steps to protect members of the species

Biomes are characterized by certain types of ____.

Climate and dominant plant life

How do the tropical rain forest differ from the temperate deciduous forest?

Deciduous forests have a slower rate of decomposition than rain forests.

Biologists believe the Endangered Species Act has been successful, but critics say it is a failure. Which argument below supports the critics?

Federal regulators have been heavy handed in enforcing the act.

______ is not one of the 4 ways that the pressure can be taken off of some endangered species.

Harvesting endangered species to preserve their skins and bones.

_________ is the best explanation for why tropical regions normally receive more precipitation than other areas of the globe.

Increased heating increases local evaporation.

________ is not true of a tropical rain forest.

Low NPP

The rain shadow effect is responsible for the formation of the _______.

Mojave Desert

Which of the following statements about oceans is not true?

Ocean currents flow counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere

There are many actions an individual can do take to help protect endangered and threatened species. Which of the following is least likely to be effective?

Spread the word about the importance of this issue.

The estimate of the background extinction rate is thought to be too low. Which explanation for why the estimate may be low is false?

The growing human population is using fewer resources per person.

Which of the following is not true about mountains?

They have deep, fertile soil

After a mass extinction, what happens to biodiversity rates?

They recover over millions of years.

Biologists think there are four major reasons why we should work to prevent human activities from causing the extinction of other species. Which of the following is not one of these reasons?

We need animals, especially rare animals, for zoos.

Woody plants that are vines supported by trees are called ____.

lianas

Over the last 10,000 years, ________ has taken place in eastern North America

a cool temperate deciduous forest has moved into the Great Lakes Region

HIPPCO is _____.

acronym summarizing causes of extinction.

______ are the most threatened w/ extinction b/c of human activities.

amphibians

The rain shadow effect refers to _______.

an increase in moisture on the windward side of mountain ranges

Thick, spongy mats of low-growing plants, primarily grasses, mosses, and lichens, are typical of the ____.

arctic tundra

Biodiversity hotspots are ____.

areas with a variety of threatened or endangered species

The rate at which extinctions occurred prior to the evolution of modern humans is called the ____.

background extinction rate

Throughout the 3.5 billion year history of life on the earth, there has been a natural, low rate of species extinction know as ____.

background extinction rate

DDT use in the 1950s and 1960s was nearly responsible for the extinction of what familiar bird species?

bald eagle

Oysters, sea stars, and lobsters would be considered what type of organism?

benthos

Some toxic chemicals, such as those in DDT, can be stored in the fat tissue of animals. As these animals become food for larger and larger animals, the amount of the toxin gets larger and larger. What is this process called?

biomagnification

Large regions characterized by a certain climate and dominant plant life are called _____.

biomes

The forest that grows in regions that receive little precipitation, and have short summers with cool to warm temperatures is the ____.

boreal forest

Moose, lynx and burrowing rodent species are most likely found in _________

boreal forests

Trees of the tropical rainforest are characterized by leaves that are ____.

broadleaf and evergreen

________ is not a greenhouse gas.

carbon monoxide

The most important factor in determining which biome is found in a particular area is ____.

climate

_________ are the 2 greatest long-term effects to coral reefs.

climate change + acidification

In the northern hemisphere, the earth's major ocean currents tend to circulate ____.

clockwise

egg pulling refers to _____.

collecting eggs from the wild and hatching them

In terms of habitat destruction, the greatest eliminator of species is the ____.

deforestation in tropical areas

According to researchers, the greatest threat to wild species is ____.

habitat destruction

When a large, contiguous area of habitat is reduced in area and divided into smaller, more scattered patches, the process is called ____.

habitat fragmentation

Colony Collapse Disorder is when _____.

honey bees leave in winter and dont return to hives in spring

Major human impacts on terrestrial ecosystems are least likely to include ____.

increased global biodiversity

Because birds live in every climate and biome, and because they are easy to track and count, they serve as excellent ____.

indicator species

What species was intentionally introduced into the US?

kudzu

Population declines among birds, especially long-distance migrant birds, have several primary causes. Which of the following is not one of these?

intentional poisoning of food supplies

A threatened species ____.

is one that is likely to become endangered

Which of the following statements about kudzu is false?

it can be controlled by normal weed control measures

Four of the following are characteristics that make some species especially vulnerable to ecological and biological extinction. One of the following is not such a characteristic. Which one is it?

low reproductive rates *small territories* feeds at high trophic level narrow distribution rare

Scientists predict that human-enhanced global warming will have several effects.________ is not one.

lower sea levels

The extinction of many species in a relatively short period of geologic time is called ____.

mass extinction

An endangered species ____.

may soon become extinct over all or most of its range

What group of animals receives the most protection by the use of wildlife refuges?

migratory fowl

Bees use ____ to make ____.

nectar; honey

On a fishing boat, someone catches a swordfish. As a biologist, you would consider this organism a type of ____.

nekton

Strongly swimming consumers are most likely to be ____.

nekton

Bioprospectors are ________.

people who search for plants and animals scientists can use to make medicinal drugs

If you find a new species of algae floating on the surface of a coastal zone, you would likely consider it a type of ____.

phytoplankton

illegal hunting for profit is ______.

poaching

Which effect below is not a result of global warming?

polar bear's hunting season is getting longer

the key role of honey bees is to ______.

pollinate

We know that the introduction of nonnative species often results in unforeseen consequences. This indicates that when introducing nonnative species, we would be well advised to apply the

precautionary principle

What idea proposes that we take measures to prevent harm to the environment and human health even if the science has not been fully established?

precautionary principle

Which invasive species threatens the Florida Everglades?

pythons

In a tropical rain forest, dropped leaves, fallen trees, and dead animals decompose ____.

quickly due to the abundance of decomposers

Captive breeding programs in zoos ____.

require the captive population to number between 100 and 500

"Widely scattered clumps of trees, warm temperatures year-round, and alternating dry and wet seasons, with herds of herbivores" are characteristics of ________.

savanna

The biome that has warm temperatures year-round and widely spaced clumps of trees is the ____.

savanna

The large grazing animals such as wildebeests and gazelles are best associated with which biome?

savanna

Desert ecosystems are fragile for which of the following two reasons?

slow plant growth and low species diversity

Tropical rain forests are not good for clearing to grow crops or animals, primarily because they are low in __________.

soil nutrients

Four of the following have resulted in an increase in hunting bushmeat; one has not. Which one is not a cause of this increase?

spread of AIDS

Which of the following does not belong with the others?

taiga cold forests boreal forests evergreen coniferous forests **tropical rain forests**

If you are walking through a forest dense with oak and hickory trees with a thick litter layer underfoot, you might assume you are in a ____.

temperate deciduous forest

Oak, hickory, maple, aspen and birch are best associated with the ____.

temperate deciduous forest

The ______ has been most disturbed by human activity.

temperate deciduous forest

Which type of desert would have high daytime temperatures in summer, low temperatures in winter, and moderate precipitation?

temperate desert

_______ has bitterly cold winters, hot dry summers, and receives sparse precipitation

temperate grassland

Which of the following would be described as having ample rainfall or moisture from fog, with large conifers such as Sitka spruce and Douglas fir?

temperate rain forest

Redwoods are associated with ______.

temperate rain forests

The most far-reaching and controversial environmental law ever adopted requiring the identification of endangered and threatened species is ____.

the Endangered Species Act

The Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by 191 countries, seeks to reverse the global decline of biodiversity and share the benefits from the use of genetic resources. What has slowed this progress?

the lack of ratification by the U.S.

CITES is a(n) ____.

treaty controlling the international trade in endangered species

The forest that grows in regions that receive continuous warm temperatures and seasonal rainfall is the ____.

tropical rain forest

Treeless, bitterly cold most of the year, long and dark winters, low-growing plants, and permafrost are characteristics of________.

tundra