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. A variety of species living together.






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






3. 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.






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






5. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






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






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






8. 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.






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






10. Organisms which eat other organisms.






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






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






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






14. The rate at which producers create organic material.






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






16. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






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






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






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






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






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






22. 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.






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






24. The flow of water in the water table.






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






26. Consumers which eat both plants and animals.






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






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






29. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






31. 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.






32. Species which serve key roles in an ecosystem. The absence of these important organisms is detrimental to the surrounding area.






33. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






34. 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.






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






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






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






38. The process of a gas transforming into a liquid.






39. 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.






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






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






42. 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.






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






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






45. The second atmospheric layer. The ozone layer is found here - increasing the temperature with altitude.






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






47. Any living thing on earth.






48. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






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






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