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






3. 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.






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






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






6. 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.






7. A forest found in temperate regions with warm summers - cool winters - and plenty of rainfall. These kinds of forests are characterized by evergreens and deciduous trees.






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






9. An international convention which created the framework for protecting the ozone layer.






10. The oxification of ammonia by certain bacterium into nitrite and later into nitrates - which can then be used by plants.






11. All of the water found on earth.






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






13. A form of management which attempts to satisfy both the needs of humans and those of wildlife in the best way possible for both parties.






14. The biggest atmospheric layer. Without ozone - UV radiation causes ionization and the auroras in this layer.






15. A UN conference that addressed the growing population problem.






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






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






18. 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.






19. A principle that states that two species competing for a single resource cannot coexist. One species will inevitably gain an advantage over the other - causing the looser either to migrate or to become extinct.






20. A shubland found primarily in the South-Western United States and Mexico. Fire plays a predominant role in the life-cycle of the plants in this area - the seeds of which will sprout only after a fire.






21. 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.






22. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






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






25. The rapid increase of harmful algae in a body of water.






26. Growing more than one crop at a time.






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






28. A layer of gasses surrounding the earth.






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






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






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






32. The first atmospheric layer. Most weather and pollution occurs here - and the temperature decreases with altitude.






33. Evolution in one organism due to change in a related organism.






34. The southern-most continent - of which 98% is ice. This continent includes 70% of the world's fresh water - and 90% of the world's ice. Although the average temperature is -49






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






36. The process by which the sun's energy converts liquid water to water vapor in the atmosphere.






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






38. An act which protects certain lands as national parks.






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






40. Any living thing on earth.






41. 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.






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






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






44. 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.






45. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






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






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






48. The rate at which producers create organic material.






49. The process by which pollutants are carried by flowing water - such as a river.






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