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Environmental Final Exam Review

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 50mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The latitudinal gradient is a natural pattern in which species diversity generally

a)

increases toward the poles.

b)

increases toward the equator.

c)

increases toward the prime meridian.

d)

decreases in warmer climates.

2.

High levels of biodiversity tend to

a)

have little or no effect on ecosystems.

b)

decrease an ecosystem's resistance.

c)

make an ecosystem less resilient.

d)

increase the stability of an ecosystem.

3.

What is the correct hierarchy of taxonomic groups from largest to smallest?

a)

family, genus, species, subspecies

b)

genus, family, species, subspecies

c)

family, genus, subspecies, species

d)

genus, family, subspecies, species

4.

A mountain range where Siberian tigers live is separated from other mountain regions in which the tigers could live is an example of?

a)

habitat fragmentation

b)

mass extinction

c)

mass extirpation

d)

invasive species

5.

If current trends continue, the modern geologic era, known as the Quarternary period, may see the extinction of

a)

no more species at all.

b)

20% of all species.

c)

more than half of all species.

d)

all species on Earth.

6.

Which biome would have the highest net primary production?

a)

savanna

b)

coral reefs

c)

desert

d)

boreal forest

7.

By far the biggest cause of biodiversity loss today is?

a)

pollution

b)

over harvesting

c)

habitat change and fragmentation

d)

climate change

8.

Which ecosystems are considered standing freshwater ecosystems?

a)

ponds

b)

wetlands

c)

lakes

d)

all of the above

9.

Which zone of an aquatic ecosystem tends to have more life- both producers and consumers?

a)

benthic

b)

aphotic

c)

photic

d)

none- all have same

10.

What global phenomenon has caused some organisms to move toward the poles to higher altitudes?

a)

pollution

b)

warmer temperatures

c)

habitat fragmentation

d)

invasive species

11.

The day-to-day conditions in Earth's atmosphere, such as "sunny and humid", describe the

a)

biome

b)

climatograph

c)

climate

d)

weather

12.

In the United States, what is the major law that protects biodiversity?

a)

Species Survival Plan

b)

Endangered Species Act

c)

Convention and Biological Diversity

d)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

13.

Which is the highest level of biodiversity?

a)

genetic diversity

b)

genera diversity

c)

ecosystem diversity

d)

species diversity

14.

Where rivers flow into the ocean, mixing fresh water with salt water, brackish ecosystems occur which are called?

a)

flood plains

b)

limnetic zones

c)

bogs

d)

estuaries

15.

What ocean zone begins at the edge of the continental shelf and ten extends outward into deeper water?

a)

intertidal

b)

open ocean

c)

neritic

d)

littoral

16.

Marshes, swamps, and bogs are examples of

a)

ocean zones

b)

estuaries

c)

terrestrial biomes

d)

freshwater wetlands

17.

Ecologists use similarities between ecosystems to classify them into broad categories called?

a)

biomes

b)

benthic zones

c)

estuaries

d)

littoral zones

18.

In which ocean zones do crabs, mussels, anemone, barnacles and sea stars live?

a)

open ocean

b)

neritic

c)

intertidal

d)

aphotic

19.

Criteria such as salinity, depth, and whether the water is flowing or standing are used by scientists to...

a)

classify aquatic ecosystems.

b)

determine the number of species in the water.

c)

measure the net primary productivity in lakes.

d)

distinguish aquatic ecosystems from terrestrial ecosystems.

20.

Viruses, bacteria, and other organisms in the environment that harm human health are classified as

a)

social hazards

b)

physical hazards

c)

chemical hazards

d)

biological hazards

21.

A vector is a(n)

a)

organism that carries pathogens.

b)

kind of pathogen.

c)

type of emerging disease.

d)

type of infectious disease.

22.

The process of measuring the chance than an environmental hazard will cause harm is called?

a)

dose-response relationship

b)

risk assessment

c)

epidemiology

d)

toxicology

23.

Any substance that poses a chemical hazard is considered a (n)?

a)

carcinogen

b)

allergen

c)

toxicant

d)

VOC

24.

Epidemiology deals primarily with what type of hazards?

a)

chemical

b)

social

c)

physical

d)

biological

25.

Toxicology deals primarily with what types of hazards?

a)

both chemical and physical

b)

biological and social

c)

human- made

d)

natural disasters

26.

Infectious diseases are diseases caused by an organism such as a virus or bacterium, which is called a

a)

carcinogen

b)

pandemic

c)

pathogen

d)

toxicant

27.

Chemicals that cause cancer are called

a)

carcinogens

b)

VOCs

c)

teratogens

d)

neurotoxins

28.

Most of Earth's fresh water is used for

a)

recreational purposes such as swimming pools.

b)

watering crops.

c)

drinking

d)

washing dishes and clothes

29.

Each step up a food chain, concentrations of toxicants can be greatly multiplied in a process called?

a)

biomagnification

b)

risk assessment

c)

epidemiology

d)

risk assessment

30.

Chemicals that harm embryos and fetuses are called?

a)

carcinogens

b)

neurotoxins

c)

teratogens

d)

allergens

31.

Young children are frequently tested for what chemical hazard that was used in paints and pipes in many home in buildings?

a)

carbon monoxide

b)

lead

c)

radon

d)

asbestos

32.

Prescribed burns are fires that

a)

are set by humans.

b)

are caused by lightning.

c)

destroy many old-growth trees.

d)

never get out of control.

33.

If the Earth did not have an atmosphere, most of the energy from the sun would?

a)

be reflected back into space.

b)

never reach Earth's surface.

c)

be absorbed by Earth's landmasses.

d)

be absorbed by Earth's oceans.

34.

Renewable resources include soil, fresh water, wild animals, and...?

a)

petroleum.

b)

coal.

c)

timber.

d)

minerals.

35.

Global warming refers specifically to an increase in

a)

Earth's average surface temperature.

b)

temperatures everywhere on Earth.

c)

precipitation from Earth's atmosphere.

d)

the number of storms on Earth.

36.

What is the main cause for global wind patterns?

a)

greenhouse gases

b)

differences in elevation on different landmasses

c)

currents in the ocean affect the air above it

d)

unequal heating of different part of Earth

37.

How can the planting of new trees help reduce climate change?

a)

Trees release moisture that cools the atmosphere.

b)

Trees block the release of greenhouse gases from soil.

c)

Trees take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

d)

Trees help create breezes.

38.

Prevailing winds move

a)

warm air away from the poles.

b)

warm air toward the equator.

c)

cool air toward the poles.

d)

warm air away from the equator.

39.

What happens as a result of the ocean's absorption of carbon dioxide?

a)

It slows down prevailing winds.

b)

It speeds up ocean currents.

c)

It creates a cooling effect.

d)

It increases precipitation.

40.

The amount of carbon dioxide emissions for which an individual or group is responsible is know as?

a)

carbon offset.

b)

carbon sequestration.

c)

carbon footprint

d)

carbonic acid.

41.

Gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide that trap heat near Earth are known as

a)

offset gases

b)

proxy gases

c)

global gases.

d)

greenhouse gases.

42.

What is the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gases?

a)

electricity generation

b)

transportation

c)

deforestation

d)

agriculture

43.

In recent years, the human population has...

a)

increased slowly

b)

decreased slowly

c)

increased exponentially

d)

decreased ecponentially

44.

Reverse osmosis is a process often used for removing the following from water.

a)

fish

b)

salt

c)

sediment

d)

oil

45.

Warm air is moved away from the poles by...

a)

thermohaline circulation

b)

the greenhouse effect

c)

El Nino

d)

La Nina

46.

All of the land area that supplies water to a particular river system is included in a(n)...

a)

recharge zone

b)

watershed

c)

water table

d)

aquifer

47.

Which human activity contributes the most carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

a)

farming

b)

fishing

c)

breathing

d)

burning fossil fuels

48.

What event in the mid-1700's significantly changed human population growth?

a)

Industrial Revolution

b)

bubonic plague

c)

human settlement began

d)

development of agriculture

49.

Harmful algal blooms are a result of what type of pollution?

a)

groundwater

b)

mercury

c)

nutrient

d)

oil

50.

The average number of years an individual is predicted to live is called

a)

carrying capacity

b)

demography

c)

growth rate

d)

life expectancy