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| 1 | |
The difference between weather and climate is that |
| | A) | weather accounts only for temperature, whereas climate accounts for temperature and rainfall. |
| | B) | weather is influenced by the sun, but climate is influenced by the sun, wind, topography, and ocean currents. |
| | C) | weather is described in terms of abiotic factors like precipitation or temperature, while climate includes biotic factors, such as plants and animals. |
| | D) | weather is short-term and climate is long-term. |
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| 2 | |
__________ has a direct affect on temperature and __________ has a direct affect on rainfall. The greatest amount of rainfall occurs __________. |
| | A) | Solar radiation; air current; near the equator |
| | B) | Air current; solar radiation; in the Northern Hemisphere |
| | C) | Solar radiation; air current; in the Southern Hemisphere |
| | D) | Air current; solar radiation; near the equator |
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| 3 | |
Changes in temperature, caused by __________, would explain the change in climate from tropical rainforest, to temperate deciduous forest, to coniferous forest, to tundra. |
| | A) | a change in altitude from the top to the bottom of a mountain |
| | B) | a change in latitude from the equator to either of the poles |
| | C) | the proximity of the ocean and its currents |
| | D) | a change in latitude from the equator to either of the poles or changes in altitude from the bottom to the top of a mountain |
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| 4 | |
What is a biome? |
| | A) | the zone of air, land, and water at the Earth’s surface where living organisms are found |
| | B) | units of interacting biotic and abiotic components of the environment |
| | C) | the portions of the planet Earth composed of water |
| | D) | any one of the major terrestrial ecosystems |
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| 5 | |
On the Arctic tundra, only the topmost layer of earth thaws in the summer; the __________ beneath this layer is always frozen. |
| | A) | subsoil |
| | B) | vegetation |
| | C) | permafrost |
| | D) | aquifer |
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| 6 | |
Winters in the tundra are __________, while summers are _________. |
| | A) | mild but long; short and rainy |
| | B) | short and rainy; long and mild |
| | C) | short but extremely cold; long and mild |
| | D) | long and extremely cold; short |
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| 7 | |
Gymnosperms, such as pine trees, are the dominant organisms of which forest biome? |
| | A) | Gymnosperms are the dominant trees in all of these forest biomes. |
| | B) | tropical rain forests |
| | C) | temperate deciduous forests |
| | D) | coniferous forests |
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| 8 | |
To what does the term taiga refer? |
| | A) | the biome just south of the ice-covered polar seas of the Northern Hemisphere |
| | B) | the windward side of a mountain range |
| | C) | the leeward side of a mountain range |
| | D) | a specific portion of the coniferous forest in the northern part of North America and Eurasia |
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| 9 | |
Which terrestrial ecosystem is characterized by a moderate climate, moderately high rainfall, and stratified layers of plant growth? |
| | A) | a tropical rain forest |
| | B) | a temperate deciduous forest |
| | C) | a savanna |
| | D) | a temperate grassland |
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| 10 | |
In a temperate deciduous forest, the trees lose their leaves in the autumn. Minerals from these leaves |
| | A) | are lost in runoff. |
| | B) | are washed into the ground where they remain in aquifers. |
| | C) | are washed into the ground and captured by tree roots. |
| | D) | are used by decomposers that feed on the decaying leaves. |
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| 11 | |
Grasslands are called __________ in North America. |
| | A) | savannas |
| | B) | pampas |
| | C) | steppes |
| | D) | prairies |
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| 12 | |
The grasslands that begin along the border between Illinois and Indiana, which were once home to bison and antelope, are now mostly |
| | A) | agricultural lands, because they have fertile soil. |
| | B) | temperate deciduous forests, because the forests to the east have spread west. |
| | C) | short-grass prairies since they get so much rain. |
| | D) | deserts, because of global warming. |
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| 13 | |
The __________ supports the greatest variety and number of large herbivores. |
| | A) | chaparral |
| | B) | taiga |
| | C) | tropical rain forest |
| | D) | African savanna |
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| 14 | |
The savanna has a relatively cool dry season followed by a hot rainy season. Which best describes the plants of the savannas? |
| | A) | shallow-rooted |
| | B) | deep-rooted |
| | C) | deciduous |
| | D) | coniferous |
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| 15 | |
Desert nights are cold because heat escapes easily into the |
| | A) | soil. |
| | B) | rocks. |
| | C) | atmosphere. |
| | D) | animals. |
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| 16 | |
Desert plants are highly adapted to __________, evident by their thick epidermal layers, water-storing stems and leaves, and the ability to set seeds quickly in the spring. |
| | A) | long periods without water |
| | B) | extreme heat |
| | C) | extreme cold |
| | D) | extreme heat, extreme cold, and long periods without water |
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| 17 | |
Which of these major biomes is the richest ecosystem, home to a diversity and abundance of species? |
| | A) | the tropical rain forest |
| | B) | the desert |
| | C) | the deciduous forest |
| | D) | the tundra |
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| 18 | |
Epiphytes, which are found __________ of a tropical rainforest, are plants that __________. |
| | A) | throughout the layers; increase the surface area for mineral and water uptake by their host plants |
| | B) | on the forest floor; have deep roots that help them to survive drought and fire |
| | C) | in the canopy; leech the nutrients out of the soil, preventing the growth of other plants nearby |
| | D) | in the understory; grow on other plants but usually have roots of their own |
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| 19 | |
A nutrient-poor lake has __________ productivity and is called a(n) __________ lake. A nutrient-rich lake has __________ productivity and is called a(n) __________ lake. |
| | A) | high; oligotrophic; low; eutrophic |
| | B) | high; oligotrophic; low; eutrophic |
| | C) | high; eutrophic; low; oligotrophic |
| | D) | low; eutrophic; high; oligotrophic |
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| 20 | |
Which division of the ocean is home to the greatest concentration of organisms? |
| | A) | the pelagic zone |
| | B) | the intertidal zone |
| | C) | the euphotic zone |
| | D) | the abyssal plain |
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