Test your basic knowledge |

DSST Environment And Humanity

Subjects : dsst, science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A bloom of phytoplankton in a body of water caused by an abnormal increase in nutrients. This process depletes the water's oxygen level - killing off other aquatic organisms.






2. Different species living in close contact with each other.






3. An international organization designed to promote free trade between countries.






4. Species which react quickly to an environmental change and therefore can be used to diagnose a particular ecosystem.






5. The second atmospheric layer. The ozone layer is found here - increasing the temperature with altitude.






6. The process of surface water entering the soil. This ensures that plants have adequate access to water.






7. Consumers which eat only other animals.






8. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






9. The decomposition of organic nitrogen into inorganic ammonium. This process is also called mineralization.






10. Consumers which eat both plants and animals.






11. Political organizations not affiliated with the government which try to bring about social change.






12. The process of planting different plant species right next to each other to maximize one's yield.






13. An extinct hominid species with near the same brain capacity as modern man believed to use fire and stone tools - live a hunter/gatherer lifestyle - and speak a language.






14. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






15. Organisms which eat other organisms.






16. The uppermost atmospheric layer. Here satellites orbit the earth.






17. The process of a gas transforming into a liquid.






18. Areas with only enough rainfall for grasses to grow. As a result - most animals are grazers - such as buffalo.






19. The coexistence of two species using the same resource where the two will use the resource in different ways.






20. All of the ecosystems on earth.






21. All members of a species which live in the same area.






22. The loss of water vapor from leaves.






23. Organisms which thrive in low nutrient environments and usually have slow growth rates.






24. Animals which eat grass and roots.






25. Exceptionally acidic (low pH) rain. This phenomenon is caused mainly by emissions of carbon dioxide - sulfur dioxide - and nitrogen oxide which react with water particles in the air.






26. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






27. The combination of evaporation from the ocean - lakes - and other bodies of water and transpiration - the loss of water from plants.






28. A forest characterized by clearly differentiated seasons - such as the trees loosing leaves in the fall and heavy snowfall in the winter.






29. Organisms which produce their own food.






30. A greenhouse gas which also plays a key role in regulating ozone levels.






31. The position of an organism on the food chain.






32. An agency created to establish regulations concerning pollutants to protect humans and the environment.






33. Average expected birth rate for 1 -000 women.






34. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






35. Biomes with less than 10 inches of rain a year. Foliage is scarce in these areas - and remaining plants and animals work hard to conserve the little water they receive.






36. A community of species interacting with their nonliving (abiotic) environment.






37. Integrating rows of trees alongside crops to provide mulch and shade - retain water in the soil - and promote sustainable land use.






38. A community of similar living organisms largely affected by the area's climate.






39. An unstable form of oxygen which protects the earth from UV radiation. Although naturally occurring in the stratosphere (upper atmosphere) - in the lower atmosphere this gas acts as a pollutant.






40. A type of farming where the farmer will grow crops both to fulfill his family's needs for the next year and to sell on the market.






41. An act created to protect endangered and threatened species.






42. An extinct hominid species believed to have the same brain capacity as modern man and use many different weapons.






43. The amount of pests needed before spraying pesticides is economical.






44. Also called that water cycle - this process describes the cycling of water throughout the environment. The stages of this cycle are evaporation - condensation - transportation - precipitation - infiltration and percolation - and run off.






45. Populations characterized by large size - long lifespan - and few offspring.






46. Grasslands with short - widely spaced trees and no canopy - allowing for an unbroken layer of grasses beneath.






47. The study of the interaction between organisms and their environment.






48. Surface run-off caused by melted snow.






49. A situation where a layer of warmer air traps lower - cooler air - causing pollution to collect near the ground.






50. The spraying of pesticides to keep produce from any injuries or damage.