Environmental Science Exam

Evolution = natural selection + mutations. The major problem with this is that a. mutations are rarely beneficial and our genome is actually degrading b. mutations don't exist c. natural selection doesn't happen

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The ecosystem is the most complex level of organization that an ecologist studies. A. True b. False

A. True

A dead tree is an example of a biotic factor in a forest ecosystem. A. True B. False

B. False

Catastrophic events like floods are density-dependent factors that affect population growth. A. True B. False

B. False

Competition describes an interaction in which both organisms benefit. A. True B. False

B. False

Exponential growth curves are generally S shaped. A. True B. False

B. False

Return all unused chemicals to their original containers. A. True B. False

B. False

Two populations of a deer species are separated when a glacier forms. After the glacier melts the two populations have become different species. This is an example of allopatric speciation. A. True B. False

B. False

A trait that is passed to the next generations and promotes an individual's survival and reproduction is called an adaptation. A. True B. False

B. True

Which of the following is an example of a renewable natural resource? a. crude oil b. coal c. wave energy d. cooper

C. wave energy

In order of smallest to largest, an ecologist studies life at these scales: A. biosphere; ecosystem; population; individual; community B. individual; community; population; ecosystem; biosphere C. ecosystem; community; population; individual; biosphere D. individual; population; community; ecosystem; biosphere

D. Individual, population, community ecosystem, biosphere

A person holding a sign during a protest against cutting down trees in a forest would be considered a(n) a. environmentalist b. ecological footprint c. peer reviewer d. environmental scientist

Environmentalist

So far, scientists have identified and described 1.7 to 2 million species. The best-educated guesses estimate that the total number of species on Earth is between a. 5 to 30 million b. 3 to 100 million c. 17 to 22 million

a. 5 to 30 million

__ is an example of a primary producer, while a _____ is an example of an herbivore a. Mango tree; caterpillar b. caterpillar; grass c. sunflower; shark

a. Mango tree; caterpillar

Why was Minimata significant? a. Mercury from the factory was polluting the fish, it was the first time there was a connection between pollution and health b. Carbon dioxide from gas emissions was suffocating people, It was the first recorded global warming event

a. Mercury from the factory was polluting the fish, it was the first time there was a connection between pollution and health

A theory or phenomena that explains when a resource is not owned by any entity, people will deplete it a. Tragedy of the Commons b. Earth Day c. Ecological Footprint d. scientific law

a. Tragedy of the Commons

An ecosystem is considered stable if it is both resistant and resilient. a. True b. False

a. True

Animals gathering around a water hole in a drought-prone area and establishing hierarchies of access to the water is an example of competition. a. True b. False

a. True

At the international level, the United Nations has facilitated several treaties to promote biodiversity. a. True b. False

a. True

Mass extinctions occur gradually, one species at a time. a. True b. False

a. True

Over the course of ecological succession species diversity increases over time. a. True b. False

a. True

Photosynthesis is the process by which primary producers use sunlight to convert oxygen and water into sugars. a. True b.False

a. True

The US and Canada are in a Stage 3 or 4 of the Industrial demographic transition. a. True b. False

a. True

The community is the simplest level of organization that the ecologist studies. a. True b. False

a. True

Two populations of a deer species are separated when a glacier forms. After the glacier melts, the two populations have become different species. This is an example of allopatric selection a. True b. False

a. True

You have many species of bacteria living in your gut and helping you with digestion. This relationship is best defined as commensalism. a. True b. False

a. True

All living things and their physical environment within a given area best defines a. a community b. an ecosystem c. the biosphere

a. a community

Which of the following gives value to all living things, both human and nonhuman? a. biocentrism b. ecocentrism c. anthropocentrism d. environmental justice

a. biocentrism

Which of the following was a result of the Industrial Revolution? a. decreased infant mortality b. decreased food production c. decreased levels of sanitation d. decreased life expectancy

a. decreased infant mortality

What is the correct hierarchy of taxonomic groups, from largest to smallest? a. family, genus, species, subspecies b. genus, family, subspecies, species c. family, genus, subspecies, species

a. family, genus, species, subspecies

Tigers living in warm climates have thinner coats of fur than tigers living in cool climates. This is a result of a. genetic diversity b. species diversity c. ecosystem diversity

a. genetic diversity

Wildlife corridors can help solve and prevent a. habitat fragmentation b. pollution c. cloning d. overharvesting

a. habitat fragmentation

Regions of the world with the largest populations tend to h have the largest share of global wealth a. have a smaller share of global wealth b. use the most resources per person c. have the greatest ecological footprint

a. have a smaller share of global wealth

A population's growth rate is determined by births, deaths, ______ and a. immigration and emigration b. immigration and migration c. migration and biotic potential d. immigration and biotic potential

a. immigration and emigration

Competition between 2 individuals of the same species is a. interspecific competition b. intraspecific competition c. niche

a. interspecific competition

Which of the following is an interaction in which both organisms are harmed (-/-)? a. parasitism b. predation c. commensalism

a. parasitism

An interaction in which an individual of one species kills and consumes an individual of another is called a. predation b. parasitism c. herbivory

a. predation

When glaciers retreated from North American, they left a bare landscape that then underwent a. primary succession a. secondary sucession b. aquatic succession c. a climax community

a. primary succession

Which fertility rate keeps the population size stable? a. replacement fertility b. stable fertility c. balanced sex ratio d. total fertility rate

a. replacement fertility

Today, species loss seems to be a. slowing down b. remaining the same c. accelerating

a. slowing down

Able to meet the current demand for a resource without depleting the future supply a. sustainable b. data c. ethics d. fossil fuel

a. sustainable

Where 2 different species live together best describes a. symbiosis b. predation

a. symbiosis

In order for natural selection to occur a population must 1. produce many offspring, 2. the offspring must have inheritable characteristics, and 3. a. those characteristics must allow the organism to be fit b. the organisms must have lived at least 25 years c. the organisms must be asexual

a. those characteristics must allow the organism to be fit

Hot glass looks the same as cold glass a. True b.False

a. true

Threatened species are at the highest risk of extinction. a. True b. False

a. true

A set of moral principles or values held by a person or a society is called a. ethics b. justice c. culture d. biocentrism

a.ethics

One of the final goals of a captive breeding program is to a.reintroduce the organisms to the wild b. bring nations together to promote biodiversity c. reconnect fragmented habitats

a.reintroduce the organisms to the wild

Which of the following would make the BEST title for this selection? a. "Keystone Species in Yellowstone Park" b. "Defining Trophic Levels" c. "Surprising Keystone Species" d. "Do Keystone Species Exist?"

b. "Defining Trophic Levels"

About how much energy in one trophic level transfers to the trophic level above it? a. 5% b. 10% c. 25%

b. 10%

A herd of mule deer living on a certain mountain and separated from other herds of mule deer represents a species. a. True b. False

b. False

An organism that depends on another without killing it is a predator. a. True b. False

b. False

Environmentalism is the study of how the natural world works, how our environment affects us, and how we affect our environment. a. True b. False

b. False

Most scientists agree that cloning provides much help to prevent biodiversity loss compared to focusing on the ecosystem. a. True b. False

b. False

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt established the Grand Canyon National Game Preserve on the Kaibab Plateau in northern Arizona. The preserve was created to protect deer from hunting and predation, which had reduced the population of Kaibab deer to only about 4000. Hunters were prohibited from shooting deer, but they were allowed to shoot the deer's predators, including coyotes and cougars. Between 1907 and 1923, over 600 cougars and 3000 coyotes were trapped or killed. In response, the deer herd began to increase. By 1915, the deer were estimated at 25,000; by 1920, at 50,000; and by 1923, at approximately 100,000. If you were to graph the population of the Kaibab deer from 1906 and 1923, what would you see? a. a straight line, showing a steady increase over time b. a J-shaped upward curve showing very rapid increase c. an up-and-down, wavelike pattern d. an S-shaped curve that shows smooth, rapid increase leveling off in 1923

b. a J-shaped upward curve showing very rapid increase

Which of the following will result in secondary succession? a. hurricanes wipe out substantial portions of the New England forests every 80 years. b. a volcanic eruption destroys every living thing on the volcano's slopes c. a massive landslide leaves bare rock cliffs on a mountain slope

b. a volcanic eruption destroys every living thing on the volcano's slopes

How individuals of different ages are distributed in a population is called the population's a. age ratio b. age structure c. sex ratio

b. age structure

6. Ants eat an apple. An ant-eater consumes the ants. A lion eats the ant-eater. Which of the following food chains represents this series of feeding relationships? a. Ants-->apple-->ant-eater-->lion b. apple-->ants-->ant-eater--->lion c. lion-->ant-eater-->ants--->apple

b. apple-->ants-->ant-eater--->lion

Many conservation biologists support the idea of prioritizing habitat preservation is special areas of the world that possess exceptionally high numbers of species found nowhere else. These areas are called a. conservation concessions b. biodiversity hotspots c. wildlife corridors

b. biodiversity hotspots

Relieving a nation from repaying some of the money it owes other nations in exchange for protecting its biodiversity is called a a. debt-for-nature swap b. conservation concession c. Species Survival Plan d. wildlife corridor

b. conservation concession

In an experiment, a scientist adds fertilizer to one pond to compare the algae growth to a pond that does not receive fertilizer. The amount of algae that grows would represent a(n) a. model b. dependent variable c. prediction d. independent variable

b. dependent variable

What type of biodiversity is demonstrated by a seashore of rocky and sandy beaches, forested cliffs and ocean waters? a. taxonomic diversity b. ecosystem diversity c. genetic diversity

b. ecosystem diversity

A wetland naturally purifying water is an example of a(n) a. latitudinal gradient b. ecosystem service c. ecosystem diversity

b. ecosystem service

Which is the most direct way in which biodiversity can provide a source of income? a. medicines b. ecotourism c. research d. agriculture

b. ecotourism

Read the selection and answer the question that follows: From the passage, you can infer that organisms can be considered keystone species ONLY if they a. are predators b. exert strong, community-wide effects c.eat plants d. are at the bottom of a food web

b. exert strong, community-wide effects

In a controlled study, all variables are controlled except two. a. True b. False

b. false

In the last several hundred years, human population has decreased dramatically. a. True b. False

b. false

Secondary succession begins with bare rock. a. True b. False

b. false

What is the term scientists use to describe how reproductively successful an organism is in its environment? a. adaptation b. fitness c. speciation

b. fitness

A caribou is adapted to live in cold tundra environments. It would not be able to survive in a tropical forest because the tropical forest does not provide a suitable A. community b. habitat c. population

b. habitat

he country of Surinam is part of an agreement that has earned it about $15 million in exchange for preserving extensive areas of rain forest. This agreement is an example of a(n) a. wildlife corridor b. international biodiversity treaty c. conservation concession

b. international biodiversity treaty

. Which is most important in allowing a species to become invasive? a. a good climate b. lack of limiting factors c. similarity of environment to the environment of origin

b. lack of limiting factors

Any of the natural materials and energy sources provided by nature that humans need to survive a. theory b. natural resources c. data d. ecological footprint

b. natural resources

A natural resource that is naturally formed much more slowly than we use it is called a. renewable b. nonrenewable c. ecological d. sustainable

b. nonrenewable

Which steps are usually near the beginning of a scientific investigation? a. hypothesizing and theorizing b. observing and questioning c. predicting and modeling d. gathering and interpreting data

b. observing and questioning

In the Western US, at the southern edge of their range, moose are sometimes severely infested with ticks. The tick/moose relationship is best described as a. predatory b. parasitic c. mutualistic

b. parasitic

In some areas, biodiversity is reduced by ______, the illegal capture or killing of an organism. a. fragmenting b. poaching c. extirpating d. extinction

b. poaching

A niche restricted by competition is a a. fundamental niche b. realized niche c. displaced niche

b. realized niche

In Madagascar, several species of lemur eat bamboo, but each species specializes in one part of the bamboo - one species eats mature bamboo stalks, one species eats bamboo shoots, and one species eats leaves. This is an example of a. speciation b. resource partitioning c. competition

b. resource partitioning

There is historical evidence that civilizations can crumble when pressures from population and consumption overwhelm resource availability. Indeed, many great civilizations have fallen after depleting resources from their environments, and each has left devastated landscapes in its wake. Plato wrote of the deforestation and environmental degradation accompanying ancient Greek cities, for example. Archaeologists, historians, and paleoecologists study past societies and landscapes and have accumulated evidence of environmental collapse, from the Greek and Roman empires to the Maya, the Anasazi, and other civilizations of the New World. Scientist and author Jared Diamond in his 2005 book, Collapse, formulated sets of reasons why civilizations succeed and persist, or fail and collapse. Success and persistence, it turns out, depend largely on how societies interact with their environments. Which of the following is a synonym (word with a similar definition) for the word degradation? a. health b. ruin c. graduation d. evaluation

b. ruin

You will be conducting a study of the interactions of vegetation, animals, mineral composition of the soil, and water levels in a saltmarsh. You are studying the a. saltmarsh population b. saltmarsh biosphere c. saltmarsh ecosystem

b. saltmarsh biosphere

Which of the following is an example of commensalism a. clownfish and anemones b. sharks and remoras

b. sharks and remoras

The easiest component of biodiversity to measure is a. ecosystem diversity b. species diversity c. genetic diversity d. none can be measured

b. species diversity

What has caused the carrying capacity of the human species to increase rapidly in recent years? a. political changes b. technology c. animal population changes d. climate

b. technology

A species that is likely to become endangered throughout all or part of its range is called a(n) a. extirpated species b. threatened species c. invasive species d. poached species

b. threatened species

Which of the following describes a population that is distributed evenly across an area? a. random b. uniform c. clumped d. crowded

b. uniform

What has happened to resource consumption in the last several hundred years? a. It has remained at the same level b. It has decreased only slightly c. It has increased dramatically

c. It has increased dramatically

Which of the following best describes a successful individual in evolutionary terms? a. a successful individual possess traits that are different from the traits of the rest of the population b. offspring that possess unique traits c. a successful individual is well-adapted to its environment and produces offspring that survive to pass on genes

c. a successful individual is well-adapted to its environment and produces offspring that survive to pass on genes

A human-centered view of our relationship with the environment is known as a. biocentrism b. ecocentrism c. anthropocentrism d. environmentalism

c. anthropocentrism

Zoos turned their initial population of 91 golden lion tamarins into a population of about 500. Then 150 golden lion tamarins were released into the wild. This is an example of a successful a. habitat fragmentation system b. cloning operation c. captive breeding program d.wildlife corridor

c. captive breeding program

The largest population size a given environment can sustainably support is known as its a. limiting capacity b. logistic limit c. carrying capacity d. biotic potential

c. carrying capacity

The following footwear is best in the lab a. sandals b. open-toed shoes c. closed-toe shoes d. shoes appropriate for the weather

c. closed-toe shoes

Giraffes, lions, zebras, hyenas, and all other living things of the Serengeti make up a(n) a. ecosystem b. population c. community d. biosphere

c. community

Travelers visiting the Everglades National Park to picnic, camp and view the alligators and cypress trees would be best described as a. subspecies b. taxonomers c. ecotourists

c. ecotourists

When the environment changes too quickly for an organism to adapt, what will occur? a. evolution b. speciation c. extinction

c. extinction

The Living Planet Index tracks a. species decline b. global climate trends c. habitat improvement d. past mass extinctions

c. habitat improvement

A deer browsing/munching on a shrub is an example of a. predation b. parasitism c. herbivory

c. herbivory

What is shown by an age structure diagram? a. where people of different ages are located in an area b. the death rates for males and females in each age group c. how many males and females there are in each age group d. the total fertility rates for each age group

c. how many males and females there are in each age group

The main goal of Species Survival Plans is to h increase the number of biodiversity hotspots a. create more laws regulating the treatment of wildlife b. punish people and businesses that harm plants and animals c. manage, protect, and reintroduce threatened and endangered species

c. manage, protect, and reintroduce threatened and endangered species

Which of the following is an example of a nonrenewable natural resource? a. wind energy b. sunlight c. natural gas d. geothermal energy

c. natural gas

Which area would have the highest population density? a. desert in central Australia b. rural area in the USA c. riverside Bangladesh

c. riverside Bangladesh

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity are examples of a. organizations that promote poaching b. polls measuring American opinion about biodiversity c. treaties to protect biodiversity

c. treaties to protect biodiversity

Which of the following are considered part of the environment? a forests b.people c. buildings d. all of these

d) all of these

The human population today is approximately a. 300 million b. 1.3 billion c. 10 billion d. 7.5 billion

d. 7.5 billion

What is true about energy transfer in communities? a. It is 100 percent efficient b. It moves from consumer to producer c. Most of the energy in a trophic level is lost as heat d. Most of the energy in a trophic level transfers to one above it

d. Most of the energy in a trophic level transfers to one above it

What are the benefits of ecotourism? a. helps people appreciate nature b. promotes wildlife and habitat conservation c. provides economic benefits to local people d. all of these

d. all of these

Why don't scientists know exactly how many species are on earth? a. many species are tiny and easily overlooked. b. many organisms are hard to tell apart c. some areas remain relatively unexplored d. all of these

d. all of these

You are heating a substance in a test tube. Always point the open end of the tube a. toward yourself b. toward your lab partner c. toward another classmate d. away from all people

d. away from all people

All the living and nonliving things with which an organism interacts a. peer review b. environmental ethics c. environmentalism d. environment

d. environment

The Sinkhole-Alin Mountains, and the Siberian tigers living on them, are separated from other mountain regions in which the tigers could live. This is an example of a(n) a. mass extirpation b. invasive species c. mass extinction d. habitat fragmentation

d. habitat fragmentation

Recently, the size of the human population has been a. decreasing slowly b. decreasing exponentially c. increasing slowly d. increasing exponentially

d. increasing exponentially

2. The variable a scientist manipulates in an experiment is called the a. controlled variable b. observation variable c. dependent variable d. independent variable

d. independent variable

Which of the following is an example of a method for managing whole ecosystems and habitats? a. captive breeding b. cloning c. Species Survival Plans d. mapping biodiversity hotspots

d. mapping biodiversity hotspots

A beehive depends on pollen from flowers to survive. Flowers depend on bees to pollinate them. Humans tend bee hives, offering the bees a place to live in exchange for some of their honey. The relationship among these three sets of organisms is a. parasitic b. commensalist c. symbiotic d. mutualistic

d. mutualistic

Personal eyeglasses provide as much protection as a. a face shield b. safety glasses c. splash proof chemical goggles d. none of these

d. none of these

Which of the following includes only biotic factors? a. ecosystem b. habitat c. biosphere d. population

d. population

Natural resources that are naturally replenished over short periods are called a. nonrenewable resources b. fossil fuels c. sustainable resources d. renewable resources

d. renewable resources

The model that describes how industrialized nations undergo a large drop in birthrates and death rates is called a. life expectancy b. demography c. the fertility rate transition d. the demographic transition

d. the demographic transition

It's ok to pick up broken glass with you bare hands as long as the glass is placed in the trash. A. True B. False

false