Chapter 5: Biomes and Biodiversity

Alpine tundra

A biome that occurs near mountaintops and has a short, intense growing season

Umbrella

A species that requires a large area, and therefore its protection includes the protection of many other species; Tiger

Phytoplankton (blank). A. Activity is greatest near coastlines B. Are the base of the marine food web C. Include tiny, free-floating plants D. Are found in numerous biomes including the ocean, lakes, and tropical rainforests

A. Activity is greatest near coastlines B. Are the base of the marine food web C. Include tiny, free-floating plants D. Are

Some of the criticism against the Endangered Species Act is that it (blank). A. Doesn't consider the economic loss of the protected habitats B. Only protects high-profile species C. Puts the welfare of wildlife above humans

A. Doesn't consider the economic loss of protected habitats. C. Puts the welfare of wildlife above humans.

Which of the following are true with regard to mangroves? A. They help stabilize shorelines B. They grow in both low and high latitudes C. Their forests serve as critical nursery grounds for many crustaceans and fish D. They grow in salt water

A. They help stabilize shorelines C. Their forests serve as critical nursery grounds for many crustaceans and fish D. They grow in salt water

Why are freshwater ecosystems biologically important? A. They support high levels of biodiversity. B. They are the source of most nutrients on land. C. They are linked to the ocean system. D. They support terrestrial communities.

A. They support high levels of biodiveristy. D. They support terrestrial communities.

Human population growth is a threat to biodiversity because (blank). A. People will find smarter ways to live with other creatures on earth B. More food for people requires more land to grow it on C. More people require more land for them to live on D. More people require more water and natural resources

B. More food for people requires more land to grow it on C. More people require more land for them to live on D. More people require more water and natural resources

Biodivesity (blank) humans in many ways, including air purification, food production, solar energy absorption, soil formation, and waste disposal.

Benefits

An important characteristic of each biome is its (blank), or the number and variety of different biological species that live there.

Biodiversity

A large biological community is a(n) (blank). Desert and tundra are two examples.

Biome

The treaty (blank) protects endangered flora and fauna by preventing their international trade and movement.

CITES

Littoral zone

Cattails (Cattails are anchored in wet sediment and need air and sunshine)

Aquaculture

Clear-cutting of mangrove forests for fish farm

According to the theory of island biogeography, species diversity is a balance between (blank) and extinction rates.

Colonization

Rhino horns, tiger coats, and orchids are just some examples of (blank) posing a serious threat to a species' survival.

Commercial exploitation

Wild turkeys and wood ducks were on the brink of extinction until (blank) were enacted allowing these species to recover. The American bison was saved from extinction in the late 1800s through (blank).

Conservation measures; hunting laws

Streams

Contain area known as riffles and pools

Since all of our food comes from other species, if we protect (blank) then we are protecting our food resources.

Diversity

If an endangered species dwindles down to just a few remaining individuals, and the chances of their survival as a species are gone, their population level has (blank) the minimum viable population size.

Dropped below

(blank) species are those that are considered to be in imminent danger of extinction.

Endangered

(blank) are bays where empty into the sea, and (blank) marshes are shallow wetlands flooded regularly or occasionally with seawater along the coastlines.

Estuaries; salt

The (blank) species concept defines a species according to evolutionary history and common ancestors.

Evolutionary

(blank) is the elimination of a species.

Extinction

One of the industries that may lead to overharvesting of species includes (blank), which has developed highly efficient technology in addition to rising size of fleets that participate in the exploitation.

Fishing

All of our (blank) originates from other organisms; therefore, it is important that we preserve biodiversity to ensure we have enough to eat.

Food

(blank) analysis involves looking for unprotected landscapes, mapping protected conservation areas, and overlaying the two to easily identify priority spots for conservation.

Gap

The three kinds of biodiversity are (blank), (blank), and (blank) diversities.

Genetic; species; ecological

What is the greatest threat to coral reefs?

Global warming, which causes coral bleaching

A difficulty with establishing an endangered species protection plan is that the animal's or plant's (blank) is likely already compromised and degraded.

Habitat

Rivers

Include the merging of small waterways

Ecosystem threat

Loss of natural nursery grounds for fish and shrimp

Which of the following statements best describes soil nutrient conditions in tropical rainforests?

Nutrients are low because they are rapidly recycled into the living plant community.

Water column

Plankton (Plankton can exist in suspension in the water column and are moved by currents and wave action)

Parks, wildlife (blank), and nature (blank) are ways in which humans are attempting to protect biodiversity.

Refuges; preserves

Commercial threat

Removal of mangrove habitats for timber

Where are sea-grass beds generally found?

Shallow, warm sandy coastlines

Benthos

Snails (Snails live on the bottom of lakes)

Indicator

Species that may be used to determine habitat health as they are dependent on a strict set of conditions; Brook trout

Keystone

Species whose elimination would affect many other members of the biological community; Bison

Using the graph representing annual temperature and precipitation patterns, pick the best suggestion for why grasslands have been converted to farmland.

The summer months peak in warmth and precipitation, helping crops grow.

The greatest concentration of diversity occurs in (blank).

The tropics

A(n) (blank) is a sharp temperature boundary in a large body of water such as a lake.

Thermocline

Species that are likely to become endangered are termed (blank).

Threatened

True or false: Extinction may be caused by natural events

True

True or false: Most modern medicine has been derived or modeled from wild species.

True

Species that have been locally depleted, or are naturally rare, are considered (blank) species.

Vulnerable

Swamp

Wetlands with trees

Marsh

Wetlands without trees

By causing pollution, introducing invasive species, and destroying habitats, (blank) are accelerating extinction rates.

Humans

E.O. Wilson identified five areas that are threats to biodiversity as HIPPO. The second "P" signifies population of (blank).

Humans

Areas that have exceptionally high biodiversity are known as biodiversity (blank) (blank).

Hot spots

(blank) is responsible for extinction of many species, and occurs when too many individuals are removed over time leaving too few to maintain a viable population.

Overharvesting

We depend on ecosystem biodiversity to provide us with valuable services such as (blank) control because it is estimated that 95 percent of these organisms are controlled by natural predators and competitors.

Pest

The (blank) trade may lead to overharvesting of species because traders tend to lose more than half of the smuggled individual organisms, driving farther exploitation. Aquarium fish and tropical birds are examples.

Pet

Many current and upcoming (blank) have been derived from wild species and discovered in areas rich in biodiversity. Thus, if we wish to protect our own health and the ability to combat disease in the future, we need to protect biodiversity.

Pharmaceuticals

Eurasian milfoil

An exotic aquatic plant, native to Europe, that tends to form a dense canopy on the water's surface

Arctic tundra

An expansive biome with low productivity because it has a very short growing season

Emerald ash borer

An invasive beetle accused of killing more than 40 million trees in the United States

Which of the following characteristics are shared by both cloud forests and tropical rainforests? A. Temperatures are warm to hot year-round B. They have low elevations C. Vegetation is kept wet year-round D. They have high species diversity

C. Vegetation is kept wet year-round D. They have high species diversity

The (blank) species concept states that when organisms are genetically similar they are members of the same species.

Phylogenetic

Flagship

Species that are the cute and fuzzy species that get people to react emotionally; Giant panda

Tundra

A treeless landscape occurring at high latitudes

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the deep-sea thermal vent ecosystem?

Overabundance of oxygen

Rank the following ocean communities from the farthest inland at the top to the farthest out to sea at the bottom.

1. Littoral zone 2. Intertidal zone 3. Continental shelf

Tide pools are (blank). A. Filled with numerous intertidal organisms B. Perfect locations for sea-grass to grow C. Filled with fresh water most of the time D. Depressions in a rocky shoreline that are flooded during high tide but retain water during low tide.

A. Filled with numerous intertidal organisms D. Depressions in a rocky shoreline that are flooded during high tide but retain water during low tide

Species can be vertically stratified in aquatic ecosystems based on (blank). A. Light availability B. Temperature tolerance C. Wind availability D. Oxygen availability

A. Light availability B. Temperature tolerance D. Oxygen availability

Which of the following correctly describe the oceans? A. Phytoplankton are the basis of most food webs. B. Ocean currents transport organisms and nutrients. C. Scientists have discovered just about all there is to know regarding the oceans. D. Oceans cover 3/4 of the earth's surface.

A. Phytoplankton are the basis of most food webs. B. Ocean currents transport organisms and nutrients. D. Oceans cover 3/4 of the earth's surface.

Temperate rainforests have which of the following characteristics? A. They are the wettest coastal forests. B. They are cool, rainy, and often enshrouded in fog. C. In winter, they experience heavy snowfalls.

A. They are the wettest coastal forests. B. They are cool, rainy, and often enshrouded in fog.

Which of the following characteristics produce a temperate shrubland? A. Heavy rainfall in summer B. Cool, moist winters C. Hot season coincides with a dry season D. Cool temperatures all year E. Consistent precipitation all year

B. Cool, moist winters C. Hot season coincides with a dry season

Why is habitat protection potentially better than species protection? A. Habitat protection excludes the extinction of species by ensuring that they have a place to live. B. Habitat protection could support maximum biodiversity instead of spending considerable funding on just a few species that are struggling to survive. C. Species protection may involve costly work to breed the animals in captivity, yet there may be no natural habitat suitable for their reintroduction.

B. Habitat protection could support maximum biodiversity instead of spending considerable funding on just a few species that are struggling to survive. C. Species protection may involve costly work to breed the animals in captivity, yet there may be no natural habitat suitable for their reintroduction.

Which of the following are ways deserts are vulnerable? A. Most desert animals must be nocturnal to avoid the sun's heat and desiccation. B. Overgrazing by livestock leaves the dry soil exposed and susceptible to drifting and destabilization. C. Sparse, slow-growing vegetation is quickly damaged by off-road vehicles.

B. Overgrazing by livestock leaves the dry soil exposed and susceptible to drifting and destabilization. C. Sparse, slow-growing vegetation is quickly damaged by off-road vehicles.

Which of the following characteristics allow plants to survive in the desert? A. Deciduous leaves B. Salt tolerance C. Water-storing capacity D. Deep roots E. Thick epidermal layers

B. Salt tolerance C. Water-storing capacity E. Thick epidermal layers

Why are drought-resistant shrubs found in valleys, whereas pine trees are located at higher elevations? A. These two plant types compete with one another. B. Shrubs live in the warm, dry valley, whereas pine trees live in the colder, wetter conditions at higher elevation. C. Vertical zonation means vegetation types change with a change in elevation. D. Humans removed all pine trees from the valley location. E. Plants are adapted to temperature and precipitation patterns of different elevations.

B. Shrubs live in the warm, dry valley, whereas pine trees live in the colder, wetter conditions at higher elevation. C. Vertical zonation means vegetation types change with a change in elevation. E. Plants are adapted to temperature and precipitation patterns of different elevations.

Boreal forest trees are slow-growing because (blank). A. Deer feed on the leaves, stunting their growth. B. They have only a short summer season for growing. C. The land is extremely nutrient-poor. D. Of the cold temperatures

B. They have only a short summer season for growing. D. Of the cold temperatures

Which of the following are ways in which humans benefit from biodiversity? A. Waste production B. Water purification C. Soil formation D. Food production E. Nutrient Cycling

B. Water purification C. Soil formation D. Food production E. Nutrient Cycling

According to the theory of island biogeography, a large island can support more individuals of a species than a small island because (blank). A. Large islands have greater colonization rates B. With more individuals, there is less vulnerability to natural disasters and/or genetic problems C. Large islands tend to have more variation in habitat types

B. With more individuals, there is less vulnerability to natural disasters and/or genetic problems C. Large islands tend to have more variation in habitat types

The chaparral habitat is best identified with which state?

California

Colonial animals that live symbiotically with photosynthetic algae are known as (blank) reefs.

Coral

The Kachina Peaks Wilderness is the most sacred place of both the Navajo and the Hopi, and the tribes' religions have revolved around this area for centuries. The tribes' religious practices require pure natural resources from the peaks. This is an example on how biodiversity benefits us in (blank) ways.

Cultural

Which of the following is an adaptation of grassland plants to the occurrence of frequent fires?

Deep roots

Antarctica is considered to be a(n) (blank); the high atmospheric pressures over the continent result in very little precipitation.

Desert

Of the extinction threats, which one is likely to have the greatest impact (especially for terrestrial species).

Habitat loss

Lake

Open water where vertical zonation may be observed

In the boreal forests of northern Minnesota, what invasive species disrupts nutrient cycling and consumes the leaf litter layer necessary for the survival of local plants, fungi, and invertebrates.

Earthworms

Many (blank) species have wide ranges or are sparsely scattered throughout large areas that encompass privately owned land. Therefore, private landowners are critical in protecting these species.

Endangered

(blank) is the reduction of habitats into small, isolated patches.

Fragmentation

In Arizona, most birds gather in trees and bushes surrounding the few available rivers and streams. This behavior shows that (blank).

Freshwater ecosystems are important to the survival of some terrestrial species

Even though humans have been aggressively describing and naming organisms, less conspicuous organisms such as (blank) have been understudied in the past. As a result, only a small fraction of living organisms have been classified.

Insects

An organism that enters a new area and displaces native species is termed a(n) (blank) species.

Invasive

(blank) species enter a new area that is lacking in the diseases and predators of their native habitat, so they tend to outcome and displace (blank) species.

Invasive; native

Approximately 70 percent of all described species are (blank), or animals without backbones.

Invertebrates

(blank) poisoning of waterfowl from shotgun pellets is an example of how pollution can affect local populations.

Lead

Air-water interference

Mosquitoes (Mosquito larvae hatch in water and then live in the air as adults)

Bog

Saturated ground with peat

One of the industries that may lead to overharvesting of species includes (blank), but to stop it, alternative sources of income must be developed for impoverished locals and alternative sources of protein need to be made available.

The African bushmeat trade

Where is the taiga located?

The extreme, ragged edge of the boreal forest, where forest gradually gives way to the open tundra.

Zebra mussels

Transferred in the ballast water of ships, they quickly multiplied covering fish spawning beds and clogging intake pipes

Evergreen trees

Trees that are cone-bearing

Deciduous trees

Trees that lose their leaves seasonally

Which of the following answers correctly ranks the biomes from high to low precipitation and high to low temperature?

Tropical rainforest, boreal forest, tundra

A community with drought-tolerant forest species, hot temperatures year-round, and low precipitation for most of the year except for periodic rain to support tree growth describes the (blank) biome.

Tropical seasonal forest