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. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






2. 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.






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






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






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






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






7. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






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






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






10. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






12. 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.






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






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






15. Growing more than one crop at a time.






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






17. 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.






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






19. The flow of water in the water table.






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






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






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






23. Modern man.






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






25. 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.






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






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






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






29. Organisms which eat other organisms.






30. All of the ecosystems on earth.






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






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






33. Consumers which eat only other animals.






34. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






36. 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.






37. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






45. A forest characterized by clearly differentiated seasons - such as the trees loosing leaves in the fall and heavy snowfall in the winter.






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






47. Species which react quickly to an environmental change and therefore can be used to diagnose a particular ecosystem.






48. 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.






49. An especially potent greenhouse gas emitted during production and transportation of fossil fuels - decomposition of organic matter - and herds of livestock.






50. A forest found in temperate regions with warm summers - cool winters - and plenty of rainfall. These kinds of forests are characterized by evergreens and deciduous trees.