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Environmental Science Midterm Study Guide

Total questions: 95

Worksheet time: 48mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A complex feeding pattern of several groups of consumers in an ecosystem is called a

a)

pyramid of energy

b)

food chain

c)

food web

d)

trophic level

2.

The arrangement of different ages in a population is called the population's

a)

sex structure

b)

sex ratio

c)

age ratio

d)

age structure

3.

Declining death rates due to increased food production and improved medical care while birth rates remain high is characteristic of the ______ stage.

a)

developmental

b)

pre-industrial

c)

post-industrial

d)

transitional

e)

industrial

4.

The two processes that determine the world's current biodiversity are:

a)

breeding and ecotourism

b)

endemism and climate change

c)

extinction and speciation rates

d)

extinction and evolution rates

e)

mutation and evolution

5.

Which of the following statements best describes competition for a niche?

a)

Competition for a niche always results in the disappearance of one of the competing species.

b)

Competition for resources always involves aggression.

c)

Two species could divide a niche through resource partitioning.

d)

Members of two different species never compete for resources.

6.

Global warming has been hypothesized to cause many plants to flower earlier. If bees search for food earlier in response to this, this would represent ____ within the community.

a)

Primary succession

b)

Climax

c)

Coevolution

d)

Secondary succession

7.

The species most often vulnerable to human impact from habitat loss and poaching is the _____.

a)

decomposer

b)

producer

c)

top predator

d)

competitive species

8.

The highest rate of extinctions for organisms in Alabama can be found in ______ environments.

a)

saltwater

b)

freshwater

c)

terrestrial

d)

domestic

9.

About half of the endangered or threatened species listed for Alabama are

a)

deer

b)

crayfishes

c)

mussels

d)

kudzu

10.

Which year listed below demonstrated the greatest volume of recycling from the data in the graph titled Recycling Tonnages, 1960–2018?

a)

1985

b)

2005

c)

2000

d)

1960

e)

1995

11.

What is the MOST dangerous pollutant to freshwater ecosystems, and why?

a)

Acid rain, because it affects the most organisms.

b)

Heavy metals (lead, mercury), because they cause brain damage in humans.

c)

Sediment, because there is so much of it and it chokes off sunlight to producers.

d)

Herbicides, because it kills off all of the plants in a freshwater ecosystem.

12.

Which of the following organisms is known for creating the first delicate layers of soil? (Pioneer species)

a)

otters

b)

grasses

c)

lichen

d)

spruces

13.

is the process by which primary producers use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars.

a)

Photosynthesis

b)

Cellular respiration

c)

Chemosynthesis

d)

Adaptation

14.

Which of the following organisms is a decomposer?

a)

mushroom

b)

deer

c)

kudzu

d)

tiger

15.

Which of the following is an interaction in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed?

a)

mutualism

b)

parasitism

c)

commensalism

d)

competition

16.

Ecosystems with high biodiversity levels

a)

have greater stability than those with lower biodiversity

b)

cause other ecosystems to become less resilient

c)

have almost no effect on the biomes

d)

have a decrease in an ecosystem's resistance to change

17.

Carrying capacity refers to

a)

the maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support sustainably

b)

the rate at which a population grows when resources are unlimited

c)

the average number of offspring produced per individual each season

d)

the total amount of biomass produced by an ecosystem annually

18.

Which of the following human populations is experiencing high birth and high death rates?

a)

Venezuela

b)

Hungary

c)

Russia

d)

Afghanistan

19.

In the demographic transition model, first the ______ rate will decrease, and then the ______ rate will also decrease, stabilizing population growth.

a)

mortality, natality

b)

natality, mortality

c)

mortality, immigration

d)

natality, immigration

20.

The amount of offspring that a single female can produce in her lifetime is known as:

a)

Fertility

b)

Biotic potential

c)

Gestational period

d)

Generational period

21.

A “developed” nation refers to the fact that it has

a)

an agrarian economy and has finished the demographic transition

b)

a post-industrial economy and has not completed the demographic transition

c)

a pre-industrial economy and has not completed the demographic transition

d)

an industrial economy and has finished the demographic transition

22.

Which of the following is an end product, or output, of photosynthesis?

a)

nitrogen

b)

sunlight

c)

carbon dioxide

d)

water

e)

oxygen

23.

Which processes are shown by letters D and G?

a)

D is decomposition and G is evaporation

b)

D is evaporation and G is decomposition

c)

D is respiration and G is photosynthesis

d)

D is photosynthesis and G is respiration

24.

Which of the letters in the diagram represent something that will decrease atmospheric carbon dioxide levels?

a)

G

b)

F

c)

J

d)

C

e)

D

25.

Humans have dramatically altered the rate of nitrogen fixation into forms usable by autotrophs _____.

a)

because we have allowed the erosion of farmlands through poor agricultural practices.

b)

because we burn fossil fuels to meet our energy needs.

c)

because we produce and apply synthetic fertilizers to crops, lawns, and parks.

d)

because we use antibiotics to reduce the numbers of denitrifying bacteria.

26.

By damming rivers and using methods such as flood irrigation, we are:

a)

decreasing transpiration

b)

increasing evaporation

c)

decreasing the water table

d)

increasing the water table

e)

decreasing evaporation

27.

Nitrogen fixation is a process that makes nitrogen available to plants and is carried out by

a)

parasitic bacteria

b)

mutualistic and free-living bacteria

28.

How do plants contribute to the water cycle?

a)

through the process of transpiration

b)

through the process of condensation

c)

through the process of infiltration

d)

through the evaporation of water from their roots

29.

Which two factors can speed up the process of evaporation?

a)

warm temperatures and strong winds

b)

strong winds and proximity to the ocean

c)

warm temperatures and proximity to the ocean

d)

increased cloud cover and low temperatures

30.

The origin of all phosphorus in biological tissues is

a)

phosphorus found in animal bones and muscles

b)

phosphorus weathered from rock

c)

atmospheric phosphorus gas

d)

phosphorus dissolved in the ocean and taken up by shellfish

31.

Tigers living in warm climates have thinner coats of fur than tigers living in cool climates. This is a result of

a)

general diversity

b)

species diversity

c)

genetic diversity

d)

ecosystem diversity

32.

For every 1,000 babies born in Mozambique this year, nearly 150 of them will die before they reach their 1st birthday. The rate of 150 deaths per 1,000 births is known as the:

a)

Infant mortality rate

b)

Child mortality rate

c)

Total mortality rate

d)

Immigration rate

33.

The organisms in the picture above are engaged in which type of species relationship?

a)

Amensalism

b)

Commensalism

c)

Mutualism

d)

Predation

34.

The Sikhote-Alin Mountains, and the Siberian tigers living on them, are separated from other mountain regions in which the tigers could live. The mountains are an example of a(n)

a)

invasive species

b)

habitat fragment

c)

mass extirpation

d)

mass extinction

35.

A high infant mortality rate is most often associated with

a)

low incidence of infectious disease

b)

under-nutrition

c)

high standards of living

d)

balanced diets

36.

The population change in a particular year can be calculated by

a)

(births+immigration) - (deaths+emigration)

b)

(births+emigration) - (deaths+immigration)

c)

(deaths+emigration) - (births+immigration)

d)

(deaths+immigration) - (births+emigration)

37.

In the demographic transition model, birth and death rates are lowest during the

a)

preindustrial stage

b)

industrial stage

c)

transitional stage

d)

postindustrial stage

38.

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

a)

genus, family, species, subspecies

b)

genus, family, subspecies, species

c)

family, genus, species, subspecies

d)

family, genus, subspecies, species

39.

The addax is an endangered antelope. During the summer its coat is white and during winter its hair turns brown. Addax are nocturnal and do not drink. They get their moisture from succulent plants. Their hooves are broad with flat soles. In which of the following biomes would the addax most likely live?

a)

tundra

b)

taiga

c)

grassland

d)

desert

e)

rainforest

40.

A caterpillar eats some grass. A bird eats a caterpillar. A fox eats a bird. Which of the following food chains represents this series of feeding relationships?

a)

fox -> bird -> caterpillar -> grass

b)

grass -> caterpillar -> bird -> fox

c)

bird -> fox -> caterpillar -> grass

41.

Identify where most of the energy is located in the ecological energy pyramid shown, which has producers at the broad base and higher-level consumers toward the narrow top.

a)

carnivores

b)

herbivores

c)

producers

d)

top predator

42.

A population of wolves is seeing a birth rate of 5 per year and a death rate of 3 per year. There are 2 immigrants and 4 emigrants in the same time period. Is the population getting larger or smaller?

a)

The population is growing.

b)

The population is shrinking.

c)

Population change cannot be calculated from the given data.

d)

The population is stable.

43.

Per capita land consumption means the

a)

amount of land a country uses as a whole.

b)

type of land covered by state capitols.

c)

type of land people live on.

d)

amount of land each person uses.

44.

Which of the following is often a result from land development for resource extraction?

a)

Higher disease incidence from industrial pollution of air or water

b)

Lower socioeconomic status for workers involved

c)

Creation of additional habitat niches for species to use

d)

Increasing biodiversity and habitat integrity

45.

If we were to restrict water use globally, which industry would have to make the greatest cuts to be most effective at conserving water?

a)

domestic use

b)

fossil fuel extraction

c)

agriculture

d)

transportation

e)

manufacturing

46.

Marshes, bogs, swamps, estuaries, mangrove forests, deltas, and bayous are all examples of

a)

forest ecosystems

b)

saltwater ecosystems

c)

freshwater ecosystems

d)

endangered lands

e)

wetlands

47.

Which type of organism is responsible for making the nitrogen cycle work?

a)

Bacteria

b)

Plants

c)

Animals

d)

Fungi

48.

Which biogeochemical cycle is represented by the image showing gas in the atmosphere, bacteria in root nodules of legumes, bacteria in soil, nitrate ions, ammonium ions, decomposers, dead animals and plants, and amino acids and proteins in plants and animals?

a)

carbon

b)

phosphorus

c)

nitrogen

d)

water

e)

sulfur

49.

Which of the following is NEVER considered a renewable resource?

a)

fresh water

b)

sunlight

c)

natural gas

d)

soil

50.

Which of the following is true about nations that have the largest ecological footprint (resource use)?

a)

They use the most fossil fuels

b)

They have the largest populations

c)

They have the highest amount of natural resources

d)

They have the fewest number of environmental laws

51.

Which of the following is NOT part of a scientific study being peer-reviewed?

a)

Sharing conclusions with peers

b)

Peers checking for possibly inaccurate conclusions

c)

Peers checking experimental procedures for flaws

d)

Peers analyzing the possible ethical impacts of the conclusions

52.

Kayaking on a river with friends is the use of which ecosystem service?

a)

Regulating

b)

Cultural

c)

Provisioning

d)

Supporting

53.

Many individuals of one species together in one place at the same time is considered

a)

a community

b)

mutualism

c)

a niche

d)

a population

54.

Look at the population pyramid. What can you predict based on this information?

a)

The population is expanding

b)

The population is stable

c)

You can't predict based on this image

d)

The population is declining

55.

Which of the following is an example of climate?

a)

There is a cold front coming in this weekend.

b)

It rained 4 inches last week in Seattle, WA.

c)

A snowstorm is forecasted to hit the northeast U.S. this week.

d)

It is usually hot in Texas in July.

56.

Because frogs absorb both oxygen and toxins through their skin, they are very sensitive to air and water quality. This makes them an excellent

a)

pioneer species

b)

keystone species

c)

primary species

d)

indicator species

57.

Which of the following is not true about mangrove trees?

a)

Their leaves excrete excess salt from brackish water.

b)

Their roots provide shelter for fish and shark species.

c)

Their large roots cause erosion.

d)

Mangrove forests are threatened by tourism and shrimp farming.

58.

Which of the following is not an example of secondary succession?

a)

Trees regrowing after being logged

b)

The growth of lichens on a newly created volcanic island

c)

Vegetation growing after a hurricane has destroyed a patch of land

d)

The recolonization of an area burned by a forest fire

59.

A species that absorbs nutrients primarily from the air rather than soil would likely be

a)

a pioneer species

b)

an endangered species

c)

an indicator species

d)

a keystone species

60.

What is the name of the process used by a scientist when studying a small part of a larger ecosystem as an indication of what happens in the larger system?

a)

coring

b)

line transects

c)

sampling

d)

total organism count

61.

When collecting and processing minerals for use, which is the most damaging type of mining for the environment and living species, including humans?

a)

Placer mining

b)

Strip mining

c)

Solution mining

d)

Shaft mining

62.

Which type of forest product harvesting is the least ecologically damaging, although it costs more than other processes due to having to take time and effort to reduce impacts?

a)

Clear cut logging

b)

Selection system logging

c)

Shelterwood logging

d)

Seed-tree logging

63.

If Chile is experiencing a particularly warm year, this could be caused by

a)

Jet stream

b)

El Niño

c)

tides

d)

La Niña

64.

The phosphorus cycle is unique because it does not include which location?

a)

atmosphere

b)

biosphere

c)

hydrosphere

d)

geosphere

65.

Which process takes carbon dioxide from the air and converts it into organic matter?

a)

photosynthesis

b)

decomposition

c)

denitrification

d)

respiration

66.

A location that releases more of a nutrient than it takes in, or that stores nutrients for long times, is called a

a)

source

b)

compaction

c)

sink

d)

reservoir

67.

Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas?

a)

methane

b)

carbon dioxide

c)

water vapor

d)

nitrogen gas

68.

The atmosphere is the largest reservoir for which nutrient?

a)

phosphorus

b)

nitrogen

c)

sulfur

d)

carbon

69.

A place where an organism lives is called its

a)

niche

b)

community

c)

trophic level

d)

habitat

70.

Which level of an energy pyramid is most likely to have the highest number of organisms?

a)

tertiary consumers

b)

secondary consumers

c)

producers

71.

Two types of organisms consume dead and decaying matter. The difference between them is that ____ are consumers that feed on large dead organisms, while ____ break down organisms into simpler molecules.

a)

decomposers; scavengers

b)

producers; decomposers

c)

scavengers; decomposers

d)

decomposers; producers

72.

The viceroy butterfly and the monarch butterfly look very similar. Both are distasteful to predators. This is an example of

a)

coevolution

b)

mimicry

c)

mutualism

d)

camouflage

73.

Cowbirds are known to lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. Those birds will feed the new chicks and their own, which sometimes means not every chick gets enough food. This is an example of

a)

parasitism

b)

commensalism

c)

amensalism

d)

mutualism

74.

Which sphere of the earth is named using the Greek root meaning "ground"?

a)

hydrosphere

b)

atmosphere

c)

geosphere

d)

biosphere

75.

Which of these is NOT an example of an abiotic factor?

a)

temperature

b)

bacteria

c)

sunlight

d)

rainfall

76.

Which kind of niche takes competition between organisms into account?

a)

fundamental

b)

competitive

c)

realized

d)

unique

77.

How much chemical energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next in a food chain?

a)

50%

b)

90%

c)

10%

d)

100%

78.

If the producers in a forest make 20,000 Calories, how much do the secondary consumers receive?

a)

20 Calories

b)

200 Calories

c)

2,000 Calories

d)

10,000 Calories

79.

Organisms that eat both plants and animals are called

a)

autotrophs

b)

herbivores

c)

carnivores

d)

omnivores

80.

Which is not true about food webs?

a)

Food webs contain decomposers and scavengers throughout

b)

Food webs are simpler than food chains

c)

Food webs show the transfer of energy among organisms

d)

Food webs are more accurate than food chains

81.

If the gene pool of two populations are separated, the populations may develop into a new species. This is called

a)

interspecific competition

b)

natural selection

c)

speciation

d)

genetic separation

82.

20 different species of galagos, also known as bushbabies, are found in Africa. Even though various species of galagos share habitats, they cannot interbreed with one another because of their differently structured genitalia. Which type of speciation is this?

a)

temporal isolation

b)

behavioral isolation

c)

mechanical isolation

d)

geographic isolation

83.

An ecologist is discussing two animals' ability to reproduce with one another. Which would be the appropriate term?

a)

fertility

b)

fecundity

c)

mortality

d)

natality

84.

Which is NOT true about animal species?

a)

individual species are well documented on a central registry

b)

some species have been protected through trade restrictions

c)

animals of the same species can interbreed and reproduce

d)

endangered species are in immediate jeopardy of extinction

85.

Which type of organisms would you expect to have low levels of natal care and a short life expectancy?

a)

r-selected species

b)

K-selected species

c)

apex predators

d)

late-successional trees

86.

Long life expectancy usually correlates with all the following, EXCEPT:

a)

type I survivorship curve

b)

high levels of natal care

c)

larger size

d)

rapid reproduction

87.

Which of the following is NOT a density-dependent limiting factor?

a)

predation

b)

storms

c)

competition

d)

disease

88.

What causes a J curve to flatten into an S curve?

a)

exponential growth beginning

b)

logistic growth beginning

c)

death rate equaling birth rate (mortality being equal to natality)

d)

limiting factors affecting the population

89.

When a population passes its carrying capacity, which of the following will likely happen?

a)

a population cannot pass its carrying capacity

b)

natality rates will increase

c)

mortality rates will increase

d)

competition will decrease

90.

The primary cause of biodiversity loss worldwide is

a)

invasive species

b)

pollution

c)

poaching

d)

habitat destruction

91.

Which of the following field techniques would be most helpful when studying migratory patterns of an endangered bird?

a)

making sporadic notes in field journals

b)

implanting microchips to track movement

c)

using binoculars to spot members

d)

using drift nets to capture them

92.

A species that is accidentally introduced into an ecosystem is called a(n)

a)

native (endemic) species

b)

non-native (exotic) species

c)

specialist species

d)

keystone species

93.

Ecologists study matter and systems in an organized manner. Choose the correct sequence of organization from the least inclusive to most inclusive:

a)

organism -> community -> population -> biosphere -> ecosystem

b)

organism -> population -> community -> ecosystem -> biosphere

c)

biosphere -> ecosystem -> community -> population -> organism

d)

biosphere -> population -> community -> ecosystem -> organism

94.

Which type of pollution is shown in the image below?

a)

Air pollution

b)

Water pollution

c)

Acid precipitation

d)

Global warming

95.

Where does the majority of plastic waste end up?

a)

Oceans

b)

Burned for energy

c)

Landfills

d)

Recycled