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






2. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






4. The biggest atmospheric layer. Without ozone - UV radiation causes ionization and the auroras in this layer.






5. A type of symbiosis where one species will benefit while the other will be neither benefit or be harmed.






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






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






8. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






10. 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.






11. A layer of gasses surrounding the earth.






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






13. 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.






14. A variety of species living together.






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






16. 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.






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 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.






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






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






21. All of the ecosystems on earth.






22. 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.






23. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






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






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






26. Animals which eat grass and roots.






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






28. 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.






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






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






31. The rate at which producers create organic material.






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






33. Organisms which produce their own food.






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






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






36. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






37. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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. Modern man.






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






41. The process by which certain kinds of bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen gas into ammonia - a form accessible to living creatures.






42. Organisms which thrive in low nutrient environments and usually have slow growth rates.






43. Organisms with a nucleus.






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






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






46. 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.






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






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






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






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