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






2. A variety of species living together.






3. 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.






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






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






6. Areas with only enough rainfall for grasses to grow. As a result - most animals are grazers - such as buffalo.






7. 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.






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






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






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






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






12. 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.






13. 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.






14. 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.






15. 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.






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






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






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






19. 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.






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






21. 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






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






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






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






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






26. 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.






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






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






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






30. Animals which eat leaves and shoots.






31. Surface run-off caused by melted snow.






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






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






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






36. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






38. Any living thing on earth.






39. 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.






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






41. The loss of water vapor from leaves.






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






43. The flow of water in the water table.






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






45. 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.






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






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






48. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






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






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