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 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.






2. Animals which eat grass and roots.






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






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






5. 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






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






7. All members of a species which live in the same area.






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






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






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. 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.






12. 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.






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






14. 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.






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






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






17. The rate at which producers create organic material.






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






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






20. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






21. 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.






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






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






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






25. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






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






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






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






30. 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.






31. An agency created to establish regulations concerning pollutants to protect humans and the environment.






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






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






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






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






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






37. The spraying of pesticides to prevent a pest problem before it happens.






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






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






40. Surface run-off caused by melted snow.






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






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






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






44. The flow of water in the water table.






45. All of the ecosystems on earth.






46. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






47. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






49. The oxification of ammonia by certain bacterium into nitrite and later into nitrates - which can then be used by plants.






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