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. 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.






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






3. Organisms with a nucleus.






4. Excess water which cannot be infiltrated into the soil and instead flows along the ground.






5. The middle atmospheric layer. Meteors burn up after entering this layer.






6. 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.






7. All of the ecosystems on earth.






8. An extinct hominid species believed to be the last common ancestor between man and apes.






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






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






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






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






13. An act which called for the careful examination of new chemicals to ensure they are safe for their intended uses.






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






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






16. An act requiring federal agencies to detail the impact of proposed environmental policies.






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






18. 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.






19. 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.






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






21. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






22. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






23. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






24. A type of symbiosis where one species benefit at the expense of the other.






25. 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.






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






27. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






29. An American environmentalist who is famous for promoting the ideas of environmental ethics and wildlife management.






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






31. 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.






32. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






33. Biomes far north in North America - Europe - and Asia which - due to very low temperatures - cannot support tree growth.






34. Modern man.






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






36. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






38. A theory that our current ecological problems are a product of deeper social problems.






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






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






41. 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.






42. Organisms which create their own food out of inorganic (abiotic) substances.






43. Populations characterized by small size - short lifespan - and lots of offspring.






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






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






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






47. 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.






48. Single-celled organisms which lack a nucleus.






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






50. Any living thing on earth.