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






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






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






4. 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.






5. Animals which eat leaves and shoots.






6. An act which protects certain lands as national parks.






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






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






9. Plants taking in nitrates from the soil.






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






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






12. Consumers which eat only other animals.






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






14. The second atmospheric layer. The ozone layer is found here - increasing the temperature with altitude.






15. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






16. 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.






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






18. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






19. 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.






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






21. 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.






22. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






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






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






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






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






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






29. Organisms which eat other organisms.






30. The loss of water vapor from leaves.






31. The process by which the sun's energy converts liquid water to water vapor in the atmosphere.






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






33. A shubland found primarily in the South-Western United States and Mexico. Fire plays a predominant role in the life-cycle of the plants in this area - the seeds of which will sprout only after a fire.






34. Any living thing on earth.






35. The flow of water in the water table.






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






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






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






39. Modern man.






40. 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.






41. Different species living in close contact with each other.






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






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






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






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






46. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






47. Surface run-off caused by melted snow.






48. An act which established and enforced acceptable levels of air pollution.






49. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






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