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






2. 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.






3. A type of farming where the farmer will grow just enough crops to satisfy his family's needs for the next year.






4. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






6. 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.






7. The southern-most continent - of which 98% is ice. This continent includes 70% of the world's fresh water - and 90% of the world's ice. Although the average temperature is -49






8. A layer of gasses surrounding the earth.






9. 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.






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






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






12. The flow of water in the water table.






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






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






15. 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.






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






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






18. Any living thing on earth.






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






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






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






22. 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.






23. Modern man.






24. 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.






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






26. Organisms with a nucleus.






27. A variety of species living together.






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






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






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






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






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






33. Average expected birth rate for 1 -000 women.






34. 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.






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






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






37. 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.






38. 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.






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






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






41. Growing more than one crop at a time.






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






43. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






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






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






47. 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.






48. The process of a gas transforming into a liquid.






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






50. 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.