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






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






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






4. An unstable form of oxygen which protects the earth from UV radiation. Although naturally occurring in the stratosphere (upper atmosphere) - in the lower atmosphere this gas acts as a pollutant.






5. 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.






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






7. 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.






8. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






9. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






10. Animals which eat grass and roots.






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






12. An extinct hominid species believed to have the same brain capacity as modern man and use many different weapons.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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. The flow of water in the water table.






22. 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.






23. Organisms with a nucleus.






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






25. A layer of gasses surrounding the earth.






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






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






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






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






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






31. 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.






32. The process of planting trees in between other crops.






33. Consumers which eat only other animals.






34. Organisms which eat other organisms.






35. Any living thing on earth.






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






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






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






39. 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.






40. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






42. 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.






43. The coexistence of two species using the same resource where the two will use the resource in different ways.






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






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






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






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






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






49. 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






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