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






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






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






4. The flow of water in the water table.






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






6. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






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






9. 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.






10. 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.






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






12. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






13. 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.






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






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






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






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






18. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






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






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






21. 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.






22. 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.






23. 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.






24. Modern man.






25. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






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






28. An act which established and enforced acceptable levels of air pollution.






29. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






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






31. 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






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






33. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






34. A bloom of phytoplankton in a body of water caused by an abnormal increase in nutrients. This process depletes the water's oxygen level - killing off other aquatic organisms.






35. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. 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.






47. Growing more than one crop at a time.






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






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






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