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






2. 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.






3. All of the ecosystems on earth.






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






5. Growing more than one crop at a time.






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






7. Any living thing on earth.






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






9. 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.






10. The uppermost atmospheric layer. Here satellites orbit the earth.






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






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






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






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






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






16. 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.






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






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






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






20. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






22. 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.






23. The spraying of pesticides to keep produce from any injuries or damage.






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






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






26. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






34. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






35. Modern man.






36. Organisms which produce their own food.






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






38. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






39. 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.






40. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






42. 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.






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






44. A rainforest in the temperate zone which receives heavy rainfall.






45. Animals which eat grass and roots.






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






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






48. 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






49. Surface run-off caused by melted snow.






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