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. Organisms which produce their own food.






2. The flow of water in the water table.






3. Precipitation which does not reach the soil but is instead collected by plants.






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






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






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






7. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






8. All of the ecosystems on earth.






9. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






10. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






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






13. Modern man.






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






15. 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.






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






17. 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.






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






19. 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.






20. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






26. 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.






27. 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.






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






29. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






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






31. A variety of species living together.






32. 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.






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






34. Single-celled organisms which lack a nucleus.






35. Organisms which create their own food out of inorganic (abiotic) substances.






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






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






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






39. 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.






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






41. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






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






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






44. 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.






45. Animals which eat leaves and shoots.






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






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






48. 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.






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






50. Animals which eat grass and roots.