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 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.






2. 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.






3. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






4. 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.






5. The loss of water vapor from leaves.






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






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






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






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






10. All of the ecosystems on earth.






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






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






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






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






15. Consumers which eat only other animals.






16. Animals which eat leaves and shoots.






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






18. 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.






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






20. 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.






21. An international protocol designed to stabilize global warming.






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






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






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






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






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






27. Consumers which eat both plants and animals.






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






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






30. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






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






33. An extinct hominid species believed to have long - ape-like arms; have a brain capacity half that of modern men; and use primitive tools.






34. Organisms with a nucleus.






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






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






37. Single-celled organisms which lack a nucleus.






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






39. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






41. 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.






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






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






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






45. The rate at which producers create organic material.






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






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






48. Evolution in one organism due to change in a related organism.






49. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






50. 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.