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






2. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






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






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






5. Organisms which eat other organisms.






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






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






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






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






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






11. 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.






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






13. A form of management which attempts to satisfy both the needs of humans and those of wildlife in the best way possible for both parties.






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






15. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






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






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






19. Single-celled organisms which lack a nucleus.






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






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






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






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






25. The rapid increase of harmful algae in a body of water.






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






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






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






29. 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.






30. 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.






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






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






33. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






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






36. Consumers which eat only other animals.






37. 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.






38. 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.






39. An international organization designed to promote free trade between countries.






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






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






42. 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






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






44. An extinct hominid species believed to exhibit the first example of full-time bipedalism.






45. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






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






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






48. 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.






49. A community of species interacting with their nonliving (abiotic) environment.






50. 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.