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Mid-term Exam Study Guide: Environmental Science

Total questions: 71

Worksheet time: 50mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

He is known as the father of wildlife management and developed the conservation ethic

a)

Aldo Leopold

b)

John Muir

c)

Gifford Pinchot

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

2.

This man was a preservationaist and largely responsible for having Yosemite added as a national park.

a)

Aldo Leopold

b)

John Muir

c)

Gifford Pinchot

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

3.

This person was the founder of the Sierra Club

a)

Aldo Leopold

b)

John Muir

c)

Gifford Pinchot

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

4.

This person was responsible for establishing the first National Parks Program after visiting west?

a)

Aldo Leopold

b)

Richard Nixon

c)

Gifford Pinchot

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

5.

Wrote the book, Silent Spring, which warned of the ominous effects of pesticide use.

a)

Erin Brockovich

b)

Rachel Carson

c)

Lois Marie Gibbs

d)

Garrett Hardin

6.

The author of the Tragedy of the Commons

a)

Erin Brockovich

b)

Rachel Carson

c)

Lois Marie Gibbs

d)

Garrett Hardin

7.

During his presidency, the EPA was created and the CWA and CAA was passed,

a)

Jimmy Carter

b)

Bill Clinton

c)

Richard Nixon

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

8.
Our effect on the environment - a combination of what we consume, and the waste we produce.
a)
Ecological Fingerprint
b)
Ecological Footprint
c)
Ecological Image
d)
Ecological History
9.

Rachel's book Silent Spring is about...

a)

a quiet spring.

b)

how harmful DDT is.

c)

birds dying due to pesticides and the spring being silent without their song.

d)

birds losing their voices because of the pesticides being sprayed by farmers.

10.

He is known as the father of wildlife management and developed the conservation ethic

a)

Aldo Leopold

b)

John Muir

c)

Gifford Pinchot

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

11.

This man was a preservationaist and largely responsible for having Yosemite added as a national park.

a)

Aldo Leopold

b)

John Muir

c)

Gifford Pinchot

d)

Theodore Roosevelt

12.

___________ was the first policy created towards protecting the environment.

a)

National Environmental Policy Act

b)

Atomic Energy Act

c)

Clean Air Act

d)

Clean Water Act

13.

Who is called the "Father of National Parks."

a)

George Washington Carver

b)

John Muir

c)

James Hanson

d)

Charles Darwin

14.

What is the name of the insecticide that the book Silent Springs is about?

a)

DBT

b)

BBT

c)

DDT

d)

BDT

15.

You loved your environmental science class so much that you're looking to transfer into a college program to prepare for work in an environmental field.  You find a college program whose degree requires classes in biology, chemistry, oceanography, environmental politics, history of environmental thought and economics.  This program most likely offers a degree in:

a)

Environmental Studies 📚

b)

Environmentalism 🪧

c)

Environmental Science 🧪

16.

refers to the way in which neighborhoods, populated by people of color and of low income, are burdened with a disproportionate number of hazards, including toxic waste facilities, garbage dumps, pollution and foul odors that lower the quality of life

a)

Environmental Racism

b)

Colorism

c)

Gentrification

d)

Pollution

17.
This is the federal organization that ensures that all Americans are protected against specific hazards to the environment and human health where they learn, work and live.
a)
Department of Energy
b)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
c)
Environmental Protection Agency
d)
Energy Policy Act
18.

After the last Ice Ages, some glaciers began to melt. As they melted, pioneer plants began to grow. Eventually this led to grasslands and forests. What is the name of this process?

a)

Primary succession

b)

Habitat destruction

c)

Resource depletion

d)

Genetic mutation

19.

What day is Earth Day

a)

May 22

b)

June 10th

c)

April 22

d)

Oct 31

20.

How does the gap between rich and poor countries contribute to the current environmental crisis?

a)

developed countries consume a disproportionate share of the resources

b)

rapid industrialization in developing countries poisons cities

c)

increased agricultural production in developing countries often destroys soils and forests

d)

Rich countries often use increased amount of energy which puts pressure on the environment.

e)

all of the above

21.

Ethics and economics are linked because

a)

Both disciplines deal with how we value and perceive our environment.

b)

Ethics is what makes economics which then influences our decisions about the environment.

c)

Economics is what influences ethics which in turn affects our decisions.

d)

Economics and ethics are not linked in any way.

22.

Anthropogenic Ethics deals with

a)

The value animals place on plants.

b)

The value of animals in nature.

c)

The value humans place on nature.

d)

Species interactions in nature.

23.

Biocentric ethics is concerned with

a)

Species numbers and their extinction.

b)

Rights of nature or species equivalence.

c)

Rights of animals.

d)

Factors that may facilitate extinction of a species.

24.

Something that might happen because of global warming is

a)

melting polar ice caps

b)

more reflected sunlight off the ice pack

c)

lower sea levels

d)

a sale on bathing suits

25.

People with different Worldviews and Cultures may have

a)

Similar views and hence would easily have a universal standard of environmental ethics.

b)

Different values and hence, their actions toward the environment may differ.

c)

Mixed values and hence, their actions toward the environment may be similar.

d)

No values and hence, their actions toward the environment may differ.

26.

What are considered "the commons"

a)

Common house hold items like knifes, spoons, and forks.

b)

A renewable resource owned by no one and available for use by anyone at little or no charge

c)

A field where college students can sit outside in between classes

27.

Which of the following quotes seems to be taken directly from the tragedy of the commons (Nature, 1968)?

a)

"The rational herdsman concludes that the only sensible course for him to pursue is to add another animal to his herd. And another, and another … Therein is the tragedy"

b)

"Among the savage nations of hunters and fishers, every individual who is able to work is more or less employed in useful labor, and endeavors to provide... the necessaries and conveniences of life, for himself, and such of his family or tribe"

c)

"There is one and only one social responsibility of business–to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it... engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud"

28.

The job of an organism within an ecosystem is also called its

a)

habitat

b)

biomass

c)

niche

d)

competition

29.

What is a keystone species?

a)

a species that is at a high trophic level that can be used to determine the health of an ecosystem

b)

a species that is at a low trophic level that all other organisms in the ecosystem feed on

c)

a species, not necessarily at a certain trophic level, that all other species depend on and its absence would cause ecosystem collapse

30.
What is the most important function of pioneer species?
a)
To create rocks
b)
To create soil and add nutrients to the environment 
c)
To look nice
d)
Food for animals 
31.

This is an example of...

a)

Secondary succession

b)

Primary succession

c)

Primary consumption

d)

Climax communities

32.
What is the correct order from oldest (happened first) to youngest (happened last) in this pond succession?
a)
A, B, C, D
b)
D, C, B, A
c)
B, A, D, C
d)
C, D, A, B
33.

After a volcanic eruption, lava covers the land. What is the order that plants grow to repopulate the area?

a)

lichens → shrubs → soil → trees

b)

lichens → soil → shrubs→grasses

c)

soil → trees → shrubs → lichens

d)

lichens → grasses → shrubs → trees

34.

Most of the 90% of the energy that doesn't move on from trophic level to trophic level...

a)

is absorbed into the soil.

b)

is used to maintain the metabolism of that particular organism.

c)

is used to make pretty babies.

d)

is exerted in arguments with a mate.

35.

Herbivores are also called...

a)

secondary consumers

b)

primary consumers

c)

producers

d)

tertiary consumers

36.

Humans would be classified as:

a)

Detritovores

b)

Herbivores

c)

Omnivores

d)

Primary producers

37.

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico results from the influx of excess nitrates, whereas eutrophication in freshwater lakes typically occurs as a result of excess phosphates. What is the likely explanation for this difference?

a)

More phosphorus-containing compounds wash into freshwater systems, whereas more nitrogen-containing compounds wash into marine systems.

b)

Marine primary producers do not require phosphorus-containing compounds, whereas freshwater primary producers do not require nitrogen-containing compounds.

c)

Nitrogen-containing compounds do not dissolve well in seawater, whereas phosphorous-containing compounds do not dissolve well in freshwater.

d)

Phosphorous-containing compounds are more plentiful in marine systems than in freshwater systems, whereas nitrogen-containing compounds are more plentiful in freshwater systems than in marine systems.

e)

Freshwater primary producers require high levels of phosphorus and low levels of nitrogen, whereas marine primary producers require low levels of phosphorous and high levels of nitrogen.

38.

In the nitrogen cycle, the organisms that replenish the atmosphere with N2 are

a)

mycorrhizal fungi.

b)

nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

c)

nitrifying bacteria.

d)

denitrifying bacteria.

39.

Why does a vegetarian leave a smaller ecological footprint than a person who eats meat?

a)

There is an excess of plant biomass in all terrestrial ecosystems.

b)

Vegetarians need to ingest less chemical energy than omnivores.

c)

Fewer animals are slaughtered for human consumption

d)

Vegetarians require less protein than do omnivores.

e)

Eating meat is an inefficient way of acquiring photosynthetic productivity.

40.

What is caused by excessive nutrient runoff into aquatic ecosystems?

a)

greenhouse effect

b)

biological magnification

c)

acid precipitation

d)

eutrophication

41.

A type of relationship in which one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed is known as:

a)

mutualism.

b)

altruism.

c)

commensalism.

d)

parasitism.

42.

What type of competition involves individuals of the same species?

a)

Interspecific competition

b)

Fundamental competition

c)

Intraspecific competition

d)

Resource competition

43.

Which of the following is NOT one of the limitations of trophic levels?

a)

Trophic levels do not show non-trophic interactions.

b)

Some species occupy more than one trophic level.

c)

Do not include decomposers or detritivores.

d)

They focus too much on competition

44.

In Yellowstone, Gray wolves prey on elk and help to keep the elk population in check, which in turn keeps several plant species from being overgrazed. This is an example of a ______________.

a)

Bottom-up population control

b)

Trophic cascade

c)

Trophic cascade

d)

Flagship species

45.

Various species of warblers all utilize the same evergreen trees, but each species forages in a specific zone of the trees. This is an example of ________.

a)

Competitive exclsion

b)

Resource partitioning

c)

Interference competition

d)

Character displacement

46.

Yucca flowers are pollinated by yucca moths.  The moths lay their eggs in the flowers and the eggs hatch. The larvae eat some of the seeds, and  spread them around.  Both species are benefited and need each other to reproduce.

a)

obligate mutualism

b)

facultative mutualism

c)

commensalism

d)
competition
47.
Mistletoe takes water and nutrients from the oak tree. This is good for the mistletoe but bad for the tree.
a)

ecto parasitism

b)
commensalism
c)

endo parasitism

d)
competition
48.

A team of ecologists are studying four different ecosystems with varying levels of biodiversity. The ecologists categorize the different levels of biodiversity for the four ecosystems as shown in the table below.

Based on the information above, which ecosystem would most likely recover the fastest from a natural disruption?

a)

Ecosystem A

b)

Ecosystem B

c)

Ecosystem C

d)

Ecosystem D

49.

A team of ecologists are studying four different ecosystems with varying levels of biodiversity. The ecologists categorize the different levels of biodiversity for the four ecosystems as shown in the table below.

Based on the information above, which of the following best describes Ecosystem C?

a)

Its low species diversity indicates that Ecosystem C most likely has species with very low population sizes.

b)

Its high genetic diversity indicates that Ecosystem C most likely has species that evolve quickly.

c)

Its high genetic diversity indicates that Ecosystem C is most likely the result of the founder effect and a subpopulation originating from Ecosystem A.

d)

Its low habitat diversity indicates that Ecosystem C most likely has a low number of specialist species and few species that utilize large territories.

50.

Which of the following best describes the trends in atmospheric CO2 concentration and Antarctic temperature over the past 800,000 years?

a)

Atmospheric CO2 concentration has remained about the same, and Antarctic temperature has varied widely over the past 800,000 years.

b)

Both atmospheric CO2 concentration and Antarctic temperature have remained about the same over the past 800,000 years.

c)

Atmospheric CO2 concentration and Antarctic temperature are directly correlated over the past 800,000 years.

d)

Atmospheric CO2 concentration and Antarctic temperature are inversely correlated over the past 800,000 years.

51.

One characteristic feature of the tundra is that only the surface thaws in the summer and refreezes in the winter, leaving a permanently frozen subsoil. This characteristic is known as

a)

Hoarfrost

b)

Glaciation

c)

Permafrost

d)

Crystallization

52.
The most important abiotic factors when studying biomes are...
a)
Food and Water
b)
Rain and Sunlight
c)
Temperature and Oxygen
d)
Precipitation and Temperature 
53.

A large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain type of plants.

a)

boreal forest (taiga)

b)

climate

c)

biome

d)

canopy

54.

Ecological efficiency from one trophic level to the next is generally:

a)

1%

b)

10%

c)

75%

d)

90%

55.
A particular golf course is using large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer. What process could move this nitrogen into a local stream?
a)
volatilization
b)
nitrogen fixation
c)
runoff
d)
ammonification
56.
Which nutrient is not cycled through the atmosphere?
a)
carbon
b)
nitrogen
c)
phosphorous
d)
water
57.

What is the largest reservoir for water?

a)

the ocean

b)

rocks and minerals

c)

the atmosphere

d)

glaciers

58.

Where is the largest reservoir for the phosphorus cycle?

a)

rocks and minerals

b)

the ocean

c)

the atmopshere

d)

fossil fuels

59.

What is the largest reservoir for nitrogen?

a)

the ocean

b)

rocks and minerals

c)

the atmosphere

d)

bacteria

60.
How animals get the nitrogen they need
a)
from the air they breathe
b)
from the water they drink
c)
from the food they eat
d)
from the Sun
61.

What is the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?

a)

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into carbon dioxide in the nitrogen cycle.

b)

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants in the nitrogen cycle.

c)

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria break down nitrogen compounds into atmospheric nitrogen in the nitrogen cycle.

d)

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria release nitrogen gas into the atmosphere in the nitrogen cycle.

62.

What are the main reservoirs of carbon in the carbon cycle?

a)

lakes, rivers, animals

b)

deserts, forests, grasslands

c)

oceans sediments, fossil fuels

d)

rocks and atmosphere

63.

Why is phosphorus important for plant growth in the phosphorus cycle?

a)

Phosphorus is not important for plant growth in the phosphorus cycle.

b)

Phosphorus is only important for animal growth in the phosphorus cycle.

c)

Phosphorus is important for plant growth in the phosphorus cycle because it is a key component of DNA, RNA, and ATP.

d)

Phosphorus is important for plant growth in the nitrogen cycle.

64.
If a lake receives a large input of a limiting nutrient, which of these would happen first?
a)
An algal bloom occurs.
b)
Algae begin to die and decomposers take over.
c)
Nitrogen compounds are recycled.
d)
The concentration of oxygen drops below the necessary level.
65.

More carbon dioxide (CO2) is released in the atmosphere today than in the past because of

a)

the level of nitrogen in the air.

b)

the burning of fossil fuels.

c)

the breakdown of ammonia into nitrites.

d)

chemical erosion.

66.

Which of the following is a consequence of synthetic fertilizer usage?

a)

Dead zones

b)

Ocean acidification

c)

Fish abnormalities

d)

Soil erosion

67.

Which pair of biogeochemical cycles are most associated with inorganic fertilizer and sewage waste?

a)

Carbon and Nitrogen cycles

b)

Carbon and Sulfur cycles

c)

Phosphorus and Nitrogen cycles

d)

Sulfur and Nitrogen cycles

e)

Sulfur and Water cycles

68.
How much of the Earth's water is stored in the oceans?
a)
50%
b)
67%
c)
97%
d)
85%
69.
What converts nitrogen into a useable form for plants and animals?
a)
bacteria
b)
fungi
c)
rain
70.
What are the two ways nitrogen gas is turned into a form plants and animals can use?
a)
lightning & bacteria
b)
bacteria & worms
c)
lightning  & worms
d)
bacteria & fungi
71.
What role do decomposers play in the phosphorous cycle?
a)
absorb phosphorous 
b)
release phosphorous into atmosphere
c)
return phosphorous into the soil
d)
combustion