Enviro Test 2

11: What prevents coral reefs from surviving below the euphotic zone? a. High water density b. High pressure c. Saline water d. Inadequate sunlight e. Damage from storms

Inadequate sunlight

48: If you observe that coastal marshes are increasingly becoming flooded and that nearby coral reefs are dying, what is the most likely explanation? a. Greater amounts of rainfall are occurring due to increased afforestation (planting of forests). b. Agricultural development is producing an excess of fertilizer runoff, leading to degradation of natural areas. c. There has been a period of El Niño followed by a period of La Niña. d. Eutrophication is occurring as more and more development occurs near the coast. e. Climate change is causing water to expand, ice to melt, and the ocean undergo acidification.

Climate change is causing water to expand, ice to melt, and the ocean undergo acidification.

47: If you wanted to use integrated coastal management to make improvements to a coastal natural area similar to the dramatic improvements seen in the Chesapeake Bay since 1960, what would you need to do? a. Coordinate efforts by many different groups, such as citizen’s groups and government b. Increase tree planting to build up the size of the natural area c. Remove seagrass from the coastal area and surrounding areas d. Encourage people to switch to using detergents with phosphates e. Ask an individual scientist to focus on researching the area to develop a plan

Coordinate efforts by many different groups, such as citizen’s groups and government

12: Four of the following are part of the saltwater or marine aquatic life zones. Which one is the exception? a. Oceans b. Estuaries c. Inland wetlands d. Coastal wetlands e. Mangrove forests

c. Inland wetlands

16: Which of the following is part of the coastal zone? a. Vertical zone b. Euphotic zone c. Intertidal zone d. Upwelling zone e. Bathyal zone

c. Intertidal zone

33: Four of the following are examples of inland wetlands. Which one is the exception? a. Marshes b. Littoral zones c. Swamps d. Prairie potholes e. Arctic tundra

Marshes

43: If you fish for trout, you would be most likely to seek out which part of a stream? a. Source zone b. Benthic zone c. Transition zone d. Floodplain zone e. Profundal zone

Source zone

25: Some people have proposed trying to artificially change the chemistry of seawater to make it more alkaline. What problem are they trying to address? a. Most organisms survive well in a highly alkaline environment, so changing the ocean's chemistry would increase our food supply. b. Coral reefs require an alkaline environment or they lose their zooxanthellae and become white. c. The ocean needs to be more alkaline so that the coral reefs can dissolve naturally to repeat the cycle of breakdown and renewal. d. The ocean has become increasingly acidified as it takes up CO2, harming living organisms such as coral reefs. e. There are too many fish in the ocean and making it more alkaline would make the numbers more manageable.

The ocean has become increasingly acidified as it takes up CO2, harming living organisms such as coral reefs.

05: You find an unknown species in a fishing net and are not sure where it came from. To keep it in the lab to learn more about it, and find out where it came from, what would be the best approach? a. Set up an estuary tank because the intermediate salinity is most likely to support life. b. Carefully monitor temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels to detect quickly if they are not correct. c. Use freshwater and lab temperatures because a freshwater environment is less stressful than a marine environment. d. Set up a standard marine tank because salinity and oxygen levels are similar in all marine environments. e. Set up an environment with low oxygen levels and low light levels to lower stress.

b. Carefully monitor temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels to detect quickly if they are not correct.

23: The dimly lit zone in which zooplankton and smaller fishes predominate is the ____. a. abyssal zone b. euphotic zone c. estuary zone d. bathyal zone

bathyal zone

42: In lakes, large numbers of decomposers are found in the ____. a. limnetic zone b. benthic zone c. littoral zone d. profundal zone e. abyssal zone

benthic zone

27: The ocean zone that covers the continental shelf is the ____. a. bathyal zone b. coastal zone c. littoral zone d. benthic zone e. abyssal zone

coastal zone

28: The ocean zone that makes up less than 10% of the world's ocean area, yet contains 90% of all the marine species, is the ____. a. abyssal zone b. bathyal zone c. benthic zone d. coastal zone e. littoral zone

coastal zone

22: Most photosynthesis in the open ocean occurs in the ____. a. abyssal zone b. euphotic zone c. estuary zone d. bathyal zone e. benthic zone

euphotic zone

17: As you are swimming in shallow water near shore, you find many species living in grassy plants. You are swimming above a(n) ____. a. salt marsh b. sea grass bed c. intertidal zone d. mangrove forest e. coral reef

sea grass bed

06: What would be the best approach to try to prevent an algal bloom? a. Remove jellyfish and other zooplankton from the area. b. Add organisms that consume algae. c. Add algicides to discourage algal growth. d. Be careful to prevent runoff, especially nutrient-rich runoff. e. Actively move water around to prevent stagnation.

Be careful to prevent runoff, especially nutrient-rich runoff.

34: In large lakes, there are four distinct zones. Which of the following is the exception? a. Benthic b. Littoral c. Bathyal d. Limnetic e. Profundal

C. Bathyal

01: What are the most important issues to address to protect coral reefs for the long term? a. Ocean acidification and overfishing b. Damage by divers and predation c. Climate change and acidification d. Erosion and sea-level rise e. Climate change and predation

Climate change and acidification

52: The best formal definition of a lake is ____. a. a large natural body of standing freshwater b. a nutrient-rich, shallow body of standing freshwater c. a shallow, rapidly flowing body of water d. a shallow pool of water that dries out and then refills when it rains e. a large natural wetland with plants and saltwater

a large natural body of standing freshwater

45: Four of the following are ecological and economic services provided by inland wetlands. Which one is the exception? a. Filtering and degrading toxic wastes and pollutants b. Stopping the recharge of groundwater aquifers c. Reducing flooding and erosion caused by storms d. Helping to sustain stream flow during dry periods e. Helping to maintain biodiversity by providing habitat

b. Stopping the recharge of groundwater aquifers

36: In lakes, the nutrient-rich water near the shore is part of the ____. a. limnetic zone b. benthic zone c. littoral zone d. profundal zone e. abyssal zone

littoral zone

38: If you wanted to find fish that thrive deep in lakes, where there is not much sunlight, you should look in the ____. a. limnetic zone b. coastal zone c. littoral zone d. profundal zone e. abyssal zone

profundal zone

24: If you observe that water in a certain part of the ocean seems to be unusually nutrient-rich, you could conclude that you had found an ____. a. downdraft zone b. updraft zone c. El Niño zone d. La Niña zone e. upwelling zone

upwelling zone

19: What is an area where a river meets the sea and includes some of the earth's most productive wetlands? a. Euphotic zone b. Estuary c. Inlets d. Bays e. Coastal marshes

Estuary

26: Why is it possible to find abundant life deep in the abyssal zone? a. There is enough light for very small organisms to be able to grow using photosynthesis and these organisms form the basis of food webs. b. Even though there is no light for photosynthesis, nutrients travel down from the upper layers of the ocean. c. Living organisms can visit briefly, even though none are able to survive there permanently. d. Although there are many species, most are dormant and barely able to survive. e. These organisms have been swept down by upwelling and regularly cycle between zones.

Even though there is no light for photosynthesis, nutrients travel down from the upper layers of the ocean.

09: If you wanted to develop a colony of a species in an aquarium to help increase numbers of that species, there are many factors that would be important to consider to provide a natural environment. Which factor would be least important to consider? a. Excess runoff in natural environment b. Availability of nutrients c. Temperature d. Dissolved oxygen levels e. Availability of food

Excess runoff in natural environment

35: The open, sunlit surface area of a lake away from the shore is in which zone? a. Benthic b. Littoral c. Bathyal d. Limnetic e. Profundal

Limnetic

18: What is a highly productive wetland that provides habitat for some 69 species of trees that can live in salty water? a. Seagrass beds b. Barrier beaches c. Barrier islands d. Coastal rain forests e. Mangrove forests

Mangrove forests

15: Which of the following is a major cause of increasing ocean acidification? a. Eutrophication b. Construction of dams and levees c. Rising sea level d. Rising levels of CO2 e. Decreasing dissolved oxygen

Rising levels of CO2

13: Which of the following is classified as a freshwater aquatic life zone? a. Oceans b. Mangrove forests c. Rivers d. Coral reefs e. Coastal wetlands

Rivers

10: Why are five large oceans recognized, the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans? a. These oceans are naturally distinct and divided by land boundaries, meaning that water does not directly flow from any one ocean into another without first passing over land. b. These oceans are connected but have entirely different flora and fauna with different life zones, making it helpful to consider them separately. c. These oceans are connected but these distinctions are useful for discussing the regions, which have differences in water patterns and in much of their flora and fauna but have similarities in life zones. d. These regions all have the maximum allowed size for an ocean based on a standardized definition. e. Each of these regions is controlled by a different country, providing a simple way to distinguish them.

These oceans are connected but these distinctions are useful for discussing the regions, which have differences in water patterns and in much of their flora and fauna but have similarities in life zones.

03: Four of the following are benefits that coral reefs provide. Which one is the exception? a. They provide significant free oxygen. b. They serve as natural barriers. c. They protect coastlines from erosion. d. They provide habitats for one-quarter of all marine organisms. e. They provide one-tenth of the global fish catch.

They provide significant free oxygen.

44: Wide, slow-moving rivers containing lots of particulate matter (silt) would be typical of what aquatic life zone? a. Source zone b. Benthic zone c. Transition zone d. Floodplain zone e. Profundal zone

Transition zone

49: Four of the following are major human activities that disrupt and degrade freshwater systems. Which one is the exception? a. Reintroducing salmon stock to natal streams b. Fragmenting habitats through dams and canals c. Disconnecting rivers from floodplains through flood control levees and dikes d. Adding excess nutrients and pollution through cities and farms e. Draining inland wetlands to grow crops

a. Reintroducing salmon stock to natal streams

21: The deepest part of the ocean is the ____. a. abyssal zone b. euphotic zone c. estuary zone d. bathyal zone e. benthic zone

abyssal zone

50: By following the principles of sustainability, we could cut CO2 emissions and reduce ocean ____. a. acidification b. pollution c. overfishing d. cooling e. algal blooms

acidification

29: If you wanted to protect diverse species in coastal marsh, you should identify the right habitat by finding ____. a. a bed of grass underwater but near the shore b. an area of land that is periodically covered by saltwater c. a deep, fast-moving river d. a flat, grassy area that is elevated above sea level so that it stays dry except during floods e. an area with dense mangroves

an area of land that is periodically covered by saltwater

54: Which of the following is true of oligotrophic lakes? a. They drain directly into the ocean. b. They are generally found in tropical areas near the ocean. c. They cannot be converted to eutrophic lakes by runoff. d. They have relatively few nutrients and clear water. e. They are cloudy and full of algae.

d. They have relatively few nutrients and clear water.

41: Which of the following would be characteristic of a eutrophic lake? a. Crystal clear waters b. Limited population of phytoplankton c. Small supply of plant nutrients d. Well-supplied with nutrients for producers e. Low net primary productivity

d. Well-supplied with nutrients for producers

32: People often propose new dams to deal with increasing concerns about severe drought, but a problem with this approach is that ____. a. dams are ineffective in storing water b. dams discourage water conservation efforts c. animals can’t live upstream of dams, where the water flow changes d. terrestrial animals generally find dam water too salty for their use e. dams restrict water flow, damage habitats, and can cause degradation of natural areas

dams restrict water flow, damage habitats, and can cause degradation of natural areas

53: The profundal zone of a lake is ____. a. nearby natural bodies of standing freshwater b. land area that delivers runoff to a stream, lake, or wetland c. deeper water lying between the limnetic zone and the lake bottom d. open, sunlit surface layer away from the shore e. Region with only a small supply of plant nutrients

deeper water lying between the limnetic zone and the lake bottom

37: If you were asked to develop a plan to build a dam on a river, one major concern that you would need to address is that the dam may ____. a. degrade habitats downstream b. cause sediment buildup downstream c. increase waterflow downstream d. reduce control of water flow e. improve habitat for the wetland species downstream

degrade habitats downstream

30: To protect mangrove forests, it is especially important to stop ____. a. introductions of invasive crab species b. development that replaces mangrove forests with human structures c. use of crop dusters to distribute chemicals over cropland d. development of estuaries e. floods of coastal wetlands

development that replaces mangrove forests with human structures

31: One way to document damage to the Chesapeake Bay is to measure ____, which can be lowered by algae overgrowth. a. carbon dioxide b. fertilizer c. carbonic acid d. dissolved oxygen e. pesticide

dissolved oxygen

20: Organisms in ____ must be able to avoid being swept away, crushed by waves, or being left high and dry at low tides, and must survive daily or seasonal salinity and temperature changes. a. estuaries b. coastal wetlands c. bathyal zones d. intertidal zones e. coral reefs

intertidal zones

55: It is important to protect a watershed because ____. a. it contains many bodies of water b. it is the land area that delivers runoff to a stream, lake, or wetland c. it is the deeper water lying between the surface layer and the lake bottom d. it contains nutrient-rich sediment and mangroves e. it is a large water reservoir

it is the land area that delivers runoff to a stream, lake, or wetland

39: Freshwater ecosystems provide a variety of ecosystem services and reductions in freshwater would cause ____. a. more abundant plant species b. more variable climate c. better flood control d. increased use of hydroelectricity e. greater groundwater recharge

more variable climate

07: A shark is most likely to be ____. a. phytoplankton b. zooplankton c. nekton d. benthos e. decomposers

nekton

08: On a fishing boat, someone catches a swordfish. As a biologist, you would consider this organism a type of ____. a. phytoplankton b. zooplankton c. nekton d. benthos e. decomposer

nekton

51: The limnetic zone of a lake is the ____. a. nearby natural bodies of standing freshwater b. land area that delivers runoff to a stream, lake, or wetland c. deeper water lying between the surface layer and the lake bottom d. open, sunlit surface layer away from the shore e. Region with only a small supply of plant nutrients

open, sunlit surface layer away from the shore

40: To protect oligotrophic lakes from eutrophication, it is important to____. a. prevent agricultural runoff from entering them b. increase their NPP c. stock them with native species d. keep them shallow e. use them for hydroelectric power

prevent agricultural runoff from entering them

14: Net Primary Productivity is highest in ____. a. open oceans as nutrients are plentiful b. open oceans as disturbance is minimized c. shallow systems as nutrients are plentiful d. shallow systems as temperatures are cooler e. open oceans as sunlight is plentiful

shallow systems as nutrients are plentiful

A limiting factor for coral reefs is ____. a. that the water cannot be too acidic b. that water temperature needs to be above 88 degrees F c. water temperature needs to be below 60 degrees F d. the level of calcium carbonate in sea water e. the level of carbonic acid in sea water

that the water cannot be too acidic

46: Most of the wetlands that are lost are used for ____. a. mining b. urban development c. growing crops d. forestry e. recreation

urban development

04: If you find a new species of organism floating in the ocean, rather than swimming in a directed way, and feeding on small organisms, you could conclude that it is ____ a. benthos b. phytoplankton c. nekton d. zooplankton e. ultraplankton

zooplankton