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 process of a gas transforming into a liquid.






2. 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.






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






4. Organisms which eat other organisms.






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






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






7. Organisms with a nucleus.






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






9. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






10. An international convention which created the framework for protecting the ozone layer.






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






12. Growing only one crop at a time.






13. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






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






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






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






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






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






20. Any living thing on earth.






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






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






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






24. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






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






26. 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.






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






28. The rate at which producers create organic material.






29. The loss of water vapor from leaves.






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






31. 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.






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






33. Precipitation which does not reach the soil but is instead collected by plants.






34. A theory that our current ecological problems are a product of deeper social problems.






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






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






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. 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.






39. 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.






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






41. Animals which eat grass and roots.






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






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






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






45. Surface run-off caused by melted snow.






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






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






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






49. 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.






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