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. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






2. Organisms with a nucleus.






3. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






12. A type of symbiosis where one species will benefit while the other will be neither benefit or be harmed.






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






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






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






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






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






18. 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






19. 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.






20. 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.






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






22. 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.






23. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






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






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






27. Animals which eat grass and roots.






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






29. Single-celled organisms which lack a nucleus.






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






31. 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.






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






33. 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.






34. 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.






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






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






37. Growing only one crop at a time.






38. A variety of species living together.






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






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






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






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






43. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






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






46. 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.






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






48. 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.






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






50. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.