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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 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.






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






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






4. 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.






5. An international protocol designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of CFCs and other harmful chemicals.






6. Growing more than one crop at a time.






7. A variety of species living together.






8. 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






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






10. Animals which eat grass and roots.






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






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






13. 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.






14. Organisms which produce their own food.






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






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






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






18. A form of management which attempts to satisfy both the needs of humans and those of wildlife in the best way possible for both parties.






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






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






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






22. 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.






23. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






24. Animals which eat leaves and shoots.






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






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






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






28. 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.






29. Consumers which eat decomposing organic material.






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






31. 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.






32. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






34. Surface run-off caused by melted snow.






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






36. The study of the interaction between organisms and their environment.






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






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






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






40. The first atmospheric layer. Most weather and pollution occurs here - and the temperature decreases with altitude.






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






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






43. 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.






44. The flow of water in the water table.






45. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






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






48. Organisms with a nucleus.






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






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.