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






2. A forest near the equator with heavy rainfall and a great diversity of plant and animal life. Although a mere 2% of the earth is covered with these forests - they contain 50-80% of earth's land species.






3. All of the ecosystems on earth.






4. Forests found in the northern regions of North America - Europe - and Asia characterized by freezing winters and warmer summers. These forests lie just below the tree line.






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






6. The process by which a new species is created. This process generally requires geographic isolation to prevent interbreeding between the newly emerging species and the parent species.






7. 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.






8. A UN conference held in Rio de Janeiro. The conference decided to protect biodiversity - reduce pollution emissions and greenhouse gasses - and promote sustainable development.






9. The flow of water in the water table.






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






11. An act which required the EPA to set standards for drinking water.






12. Water found in estuaries. This water is a mixture of saltine ocean water and fresh water - usually from a river or stream.






13. Precipitation which does not reach the soil but is instead collected by plants.






14. A greenhouse gas. Although it is a natural part of the carbon cycle - the atmospheric concentration of this gas has increased due to the burning of fossil fuels.






15. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






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






17. A law designed to locate toxic waste sites - gauge their pollution level - and ensure these sites are taken care of properly.






18. An especially potent greenhouse gas emitted during production and transportation of fossil fuels - decomposition of organic matter - and herds of livestock.






19. Consumers which eat only other animals.






20. Organisms which eat other organisms.






21. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






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






23. The process of a substance passing directly from the solid phase to the gaseous phase - and vice versa.






24. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






25. A philosophy that extends ethics to non-humans. Under this system - animals - plants - and other aspects of the environment are seen as being deserving of justice and consideration.






26. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






27. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






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






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






30. The amount of variation among organisms living in a particular ecosystem. The loss of this key characteristic leads to a reduction in ecosystem efficiency and the ability of species to adapt to new situations.






31. A layer of gasses surrounding the earth.






32. 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.






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






34. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






36. The cloudiness of a liquid due to small suspended particles.






37. A type of farming where the farmer will grow just enough crops to satisfy his family's needs for the next year.






38. An influential book by Rachel Carson which helped begin the environmental movement.






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






40. The rate at which producers create organic material.






41. Animals which eat grass and roots.






42. Animals which eat leaves and shoots.






43. An international protocol designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of CFCs and other harmful chemicals.






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






45. An extinct hominid species believed to have long - ape-like arms; have a brain capacity half that of modern men; and use primitive tools.






46. The spraying of pesticides to prevent a pest problem before it happens.






47. All of the water found on earth.






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






49. The process of planting trees in between other crops.






50. An act which set standards for the amount of pollution in water.