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






2. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. The rate at which producers create organic material.






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






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






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






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






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






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






16. The infiltration of harmful chemicals - particles - or biological matter into the atmosphere which endanger living organisms. Pollutants include sulfur and nitrogen oxides - ammonia - and chlorofluorocarbons. Although there are natural sources for th






17. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






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






19. A type of symbiosis where each species will benefit from interacting with the other.






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






21. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






23. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






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






25. 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.






26. The flow of water in the water table.






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






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






29. 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.






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






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






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






33. Growing more than one crop at a time.






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






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






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






37. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






38. A type of farming where the farmer will fell and burn down trees to grow crops. After a few years - he will move on and continue the process.






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






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






41. Organisms which eat other organisms.






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






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






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






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






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






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






48. 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.






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






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