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






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






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






4. Single-celled organisms which lack a nucleus.






5. 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






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






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






8. Organisms which thrive in high nutrient environments - especially those with plenty of carbon.






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






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






11. The place of an organism in an ecosystem - such as what it eats and how it interacts with other organisms.






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






13. The area between the troposphere and the stratosphere. Here the temperature reverses from decreasing to increasing with altitude.






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






15. Modern man.






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






17. The cycling and reusing of elements and molecules (such as water - nitrogen - and phosphorus) that are essential to life.






18. 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.






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






20. 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.






21. Organisms which eat other organisms.






22. 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.






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






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






25. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






26. The flow of water in the water table.






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






28. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






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






31. Organisms which produce their own food.






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






33. 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.






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






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






36. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






37. The UN's first major conference on environmental issues.






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






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






40. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






41. A rainforest in the temperate zone which receives heavy rainfall.






42. A partially enclosed part of the ocean with rivers or streams flowing into it.






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






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






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






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






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






48. 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.






49. Condensed water vapor which falls to earth. This comes in many forms - such as rain - snow - ice - and hail.






50. All of the water found on earth.