Practice Questions Ch. 34 Biomes

Practice questions ch. 34 biomes

1 . / An ecologist might conduct research to answer which of the following questions? (34.1)
How does the uneven heating of Earth's surface cause the movement of air and water masses?
How do genes specify protein construction?
How are different species of fish related (in an evolutionary sense) to each other?
How does caffeine affect the transmission of nerve impulses in humans?
How do tapeworms cope with life in the human intestine?
2 . / Which of these would be considered a biotic component of your environment? (34.1)
water
your friend
rocks
temperature
oxygen
3 . / Which of these is a population? (34.1)
you
all of the people living in your state
you and all of the prokaryotes living in and on you
a tropical rain forest
you, all of the prokaryotes living in and on you, and the clothes you are wearing
4 . / Earth's biosphere is not completely self-contained (or closed) because _____. (34.2)
humans pollute the atmosphere and bodies of water
plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria obtain energy from sunlight, and heat escapes from the biosphere into space
the precipitation that falls on the interior of western North America is derived from the Pacific Ocean
bacteria that live on snowy mountains receive nutrients blown to them by winds
sulfur bacteria that live near hydrothermal vents deep in the oceans use CO2 contained in seawater to make organic compounds
5 . / The sum of all Earth's ecosystems is called the ______. (34.2)
stratosphere
lithosphere
biosphere
hydrosphere
troposphere
6 . / The specific place in which an organism lives is its _____. (34.2)
ecosystem
biome
habitat
community
environment
7 . / Which of these is NOT a problem that resulted from the use of DDT? (34.3)
DDT contamination of human milk
an increase in food supply
DDT-resistant pests
an increase in the incidence of malaria
reduced survival of predatory birds
8 . / What is the ultimate source of energy for nearly all surface terrestrial and shallow water ecosystems? (34.4)
sunlight
wind
organic compounds
water
hydrothermal vents
9 . / An immature frog (a tadpole) lives in a pond or lake. The adult frog lives on land, and it possesses special adaptations that permit it to survive in a terrestrial environment. These special adaptations _____. (34.5)
help prevent the adult frog's body from drying out
maximize body temperature
permit the adult frog to maintain its internal water balance given the solute concentration of its hypotonic surroundings
maximize the rate of water loss from its body
maximize the interception of solar energy
10 . / Why are many of the world's deserts located at latitudes of about 30° north and south? (34.6)
Earth is tilted on its axis.
The greatest amount of solar energy per unit area is absorbed by Earth at about 30° north and south.
Dry air, originating at the equator, descends toward Earth's surface at about 30° north and south.
Warm air rises at about 30° north and south and spreads toward the poles and the equator.
Earth is a rotating sphere.
11 . / When people speak of the "rain shadow" of the California Coast Range, they are referring to _____. (34.6)
the shadow cast by the mist and clouds that hover above the crest of the range
the forested condition on the eastern flank of the range compared with the western flank
the scarcity of rain on the eastern flank and adjacent lowlands compared with the western flank
the dark-colored chaparral vegetation that grows on the eastern flank
all of these conditions
12 . / Communities that exist in an ocean's aphotic zone ultimately depend on food molecules manufactured by chemoautotrophic bacteria or _____. (34.7)
algae and cyanobacteria that also live in the aphotic zone
algae and cyanobacteria that live in the photic zone
Decomposers
Scavengers
minerals found on the ocean bottom
13 . / Plankton (phytoplankton and zooplankton) consists of _____. (34.7
algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that drift near the surfaces of oceans only
photosynthetic organisms that drift near the surfaces of oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams
algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that belong to the benthic communities of oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams
algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that drift near the surfaces of oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams
algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that occupy the aphotic zones of oceans, lakes, and ponds
14 . / Which of these biomes is one of the most productive of all biomes? (36.7)
aphotic zone
pelagic zone
savanna
benthic zone
estuary
15 . / The aphotic zone of an ocean is dependent upon _____ for energy. (34.7)
tidal action
Wind
organic matter that sinks down from the photic zone and hydrothermal vents
Sunlight
sunlight and tidal action
16 . / What is the basis for the recognition of the intertidal zone? (34.7)
The intertidal zone is the open ocean.
The intertidal zone is the submerged parts of continents.
The intertidal zone is flooded at high tide and dry during low tide.
The intertidal zone is built from the external skeletons of cnidarians.
The intertidal zone is a region where fresh water merges with the ocean.
17 . / Which of these is NOT a freshwater biome?
lakes
streams
ponds
rivers
coral reefs
18 . / In lakes, the nutrients that usually limit the growth of phytoplankton are _____. (34.8)
sunlight and carbon dioxide
calcium and iron
sodium and potassium
oxygen and carbon dioxide
nitrogen and phosphorus
19 . / After an increase in nutrients due to sewage contamination, a lake often becomes inhospitable to fish. Why? (34.8)
Nutrient input to a lake causes the explosive growth of algal and cyanobacterial populations. This reduces the penetration of light into the lake, which results in the death of all the fish.
Nutrient input to a lake poisons the fish.
Nutrient input to a lake causes the explosive growth of algal and cyanobacterial populations. Decomposition of dead algae and cyanobacteria by bacteria results in the depletion of oxygen in the water, which leads to the death of all the fish.
Nutrient input to a lake poisons the organisms that fish eat.
Nutrient input causes the death of algae and cyanobacteria and, thus, the ultimate sources of organic compounds in a lake ecosystem. Eventually, this reduces the availability of food for fish within the lake, leading to their death.
20 . / Which one of the following statements about terrestrial biomes is correct? (34.9)
Each terrestrial biome type occurs on every continent.
The major factors affecting the distribution of terrestrial biomes are temperature and rainfall.
Most terrestrial biomes are characterized by unique groups of particular species of plants and animals.
Most terrestrial biomes are unaffected by human activity.
Each continent is home to a terrestrial biome not found elsewhere on Earth.
21 . / Different species that belong to the same biome, but occur in widely separated geographic regions, often appear similar due to _____. (34.9)
their close evolutionary relationships
convergent evolution
the occurrence of the same sets of species within a biome, wherever it is found
recent common ancestry
chance
22 . / In which one of the following biomes would you expect decomposers to work most rapidly and efficiently? (34.10)
tundra
savanna
desert
taiga
tropical rain forest
23 . / Of these terrestrial biomes, vertical stratification (layers of plants) is most pronounced in the ______. (34.10)
grassland
tundra
desert
tropical rain forest
savanna
24 . / A trophy room contains the heads of a cape buffalo, a zebra, and an impala, all shot within a day's radius from a single hunting camp in Africa. This camp was probably located in a ______. (34.11)
tropical rain forest
temperate broadleaf forest
chaparral
savanna
desert
25 . / Grasses are a dominant part of the plant community in the ______. (34.11)
tundra
savanna
broadleaf forest
taiga
tropical rain forest
26 . / The _____ biome is the driest of all biomes. (34.12)
desert
temperate broadleaf forest
chaparral
coniferous forest
savanna
27 . / Overgrazing can convert savanna into _____. (34.12)
coniferous forest
desert
tundra
wetlands
tropical rain forest
28 . / What factor is responsible for the moderate winters that characterize the chaparral biome? (34.13)
low rainfall
high winds
days that are 11–12 hours long all year long
a high incidence of solar radiation
cool ocean currents
29 . / The chaparral biome is maintained by _____. (34.13)
periodic fires
periodic flooding
grazing by large herbivores
large fluctuations in temperature
volcanic eruptions
30 . / What types of plants dominate the chaparral biome? (34.13)
grasses
deep-rooted shrubs and cacti
cone-bearing evergreen trees
dense, spiny shrubs with evergreen leaves
a variety of plants that result in there being a pronounced vertical stratification
31 . / Most of the best agricultural soils in the United States occur in areas that were formerly ______. (34.14)
grassland
savanna
taiga forest
tropical rain forest
tundra
32 . / The characteristics of temperate grasslands that have not been subject to extreme human disturbance are maintained by _____. (34.14)
amount of rainfall
grazing by large herbivores
periodic fires
seasonal drought
all of the above
33 . / Huge herds of bisons and pronghorn antelopes once roamed the North American ______. (34.14)
tundra
grasslands
desert
broadleaf forests
taiga
34 . / In contrast to tropical forests, temperate broadleaf forests _____. (34.15)
are home to a greater diversity of trees
are less able to recover from disturbances such as logging
have a long growing season
have a thick layer of leaf litter
have more pronounced vertical stratification.
35 . / A coniferous forest would be characterized by _____. (34.16)
broadleaf trees
coniferous trees
a warm, moist climate
short, mild winters
shrubs
36 . / Which one of the following biomes is dominated by gymnosperm or conifer trees (pines, firs, spruces)? (34.16)
taiga
tundra
desert
broadleaf forest
tropical rain forest
37 . / What do savanna, chaparral, temperate grassland, and coniferous forest biomes have in common? (34.16)
They are dominated by grasses.
They are maintained by grazing.
Periodic fires play a role in maintaining these ecosystems.
They are characterized by the presence of permafrost.
They are characterized by gymnosperms.
38 . / Which one of the following choices does NOT correctly pair a biome with some of its characteristics? (34.17)
temperate broadleaf forest: cold winters, relatively high rainfall
temperate grassland: relatively cold winters
taiga: very cold winters; short, wet summers
savanna: long, cold winters; abundant precipitation throughout the year
tundra: very cold winters, summer thaws of only the upper layers of soil
39 . / Permafrost is characteristic of the _____. (34.17)
tundra
temperate forest
taiga
desert
tropical forest
40 . / How does permafrost affect the tundra vegetation? (34.17)
It makes the ground too cold for anything to grow.
It gives plants an alternative source of nutrients.
It ties up most of the water, so water is scarce.
It prevents roots from penetrating very far into the ground.
Its presence gives dicots a competitive edge over monocots because of the types of root systems these plants have.