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






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






3. 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.






4. 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.






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






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






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






8. A group of similar organisms capable of interbreeding.






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






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






11. The flow of water in the water table.






12. The crust and upper mantle of the earth.






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






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






15. Growing more than one crop at a time.






16. Consumers which eat only other animals.






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






18. 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






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






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






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






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






23. Organisms which eat other organisms.






24. The loss of water vapor from leaves.






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






26. A UN conference held in Rio de Janeiro. The conference decided to protect biodiversity - reduce pollution emissions and greenhouse gasses - and promote sustainable development.






27. Organisms which consume autotrophs for food.






28. 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.






29. 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.






30. 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.






31. Organisms which produce their own food.






32. All members of a species which live in the same area.






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






34. Single-celled organisms which lack a nucleus.






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






36. The process of a substance passing directly from the solid phase to the gaseous phase - and vice versa.






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






38. A transitional area between two different ecosystems.






39. 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.






40. An act which set standards for the amount of pollution in water.






41. Growing only one crop at a time.






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






43. The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas.






44. A forest near the equator with heavy rainfall and a great diversity of plant and animal life. Although a mere 2% of the earth is covered with these forests - they contain 50-80% of earth's land species.






45. Consumers which eat both plants and animals.






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






47. A layer of gasses surrounding the earth.






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






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






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