Test Bank Answers Ch5 Ecosystems and Matter Cycling

CHAPTER FIVE

Ecosystems and Matter Cycling

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Disruption of biogeochemical cycles can cause ________.
   1. the spread of ocean dead zones
   2. acid deposition
   3. global warming
   4. All of the above
2. The following is NOT true of matter on Earth: ________.
   1. It has mass and takes up space
   2. It cannot be consumed so that it no longer exists
   3. It cannot be created nor destroyed
   4. It has an infinite supply
3. The smallest particles that still exhibit characteristics of an element are called ________.
   1. neutrons
   2. protons
   3. electrons
   4. atoms
4. Water is a compound made up of ________.
   1. two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom
   2. three hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom
   3. two helium atoms and one oxygen atom
   4. two oxygen atoms and one hydrogen atom
5. The law of conservation of matter tells us that ________.
   1. matter will always exist, but in various forms
   2. matter can be transformed but not destroyed
   3. pollution exists because matter does not ‘go away’
   4. All of the above
6. Of Earth’s 92 naturally occurring elements, the ones that are necessary for living things are
   referred to as ________.
   1. nutrients
   2. compounds
   3. proteins
   4. carbohydrates
7. ________ would experience the most rapid nutrient cycling between the biomass and the soil system.
   1. The temperate grassland ecosystem
   2. The temperate forest ecosystem
   3. The temperate wetland ecosystem
   4. The tropical forest ecosystem
8. CO₂ uptake by plants is greatest in ________.
   1. winter and spring
   2. spring and summer
   3. fall and winter
   4. summer and fall
9. Gaseous cycles have most of their matter in the ________ while sedimentary cycles have most of their matter in the ________.
   1. hydrosphere; atmosphere
   2. atmosphere; lithosphere
   3. atmosphere; ecosphere
   4. biosphere; hydrosphere
10. Leaf decay in the tropics takes ________, while in the boreal forest it takes ________.
    1. decades; centuries
    2. years; weeks
    3. weeks; decades
    4. days; weeks
11. The phosphorus cycle lacks the ________ phase.
    1. sedimentary
    2. liquid
    3. gaseous
    4. solid
12. The dominant limiting factor for freshwater aquatic ecosystems and for plant growth in terrestrial systems is usually ________.
    1. nitrogen
    2. phosphorus
    3. saline water
    4. oxygen
13. The residence time of phosphorus in terrestrial systems can be up to ________.
    1. 10 years
    2. 100 years
    3. 5 years
    4. 1,000 years
14. Humans intervene in the phosphorus cycle in several ways that accelerate its mobilization but NOT by ________.
    1. mining rocks
    2. burning fossil fuels
    3. livestock farming
    4. fishing
15. Phosphorus stored in the lithosphere becomes available for biomass through ________.
    1. precipitation
    2. magma flows
    3. burning of fossil fuels
    4. geologic uplift and weathering
16. Guano is ________.
    1. an endemic plant
    2. deep ocean deposits
    3. bird droppings
    4. a type of amphibian
17. The sulphur cycle differs from the phosphorus cycle in that it ________.
    1. is not a limiting factor for growth
    2. depends on microbial activity
    3. has an atmospheric component
    4. All of the above
18. Bacteria are an important component of the sulphur cycle because ________.
    1. bacteria dry out peat beds, leading to emission of sulphur dioxide
    2. bacteria capture atmospheric sulphur
    3. bacteria change sulphur into sulphates that can be absorbed by plants
    4. bacteria break down sulphur in animal wastes
19. Atmospheric sulphur often comes from ________.
    1. combustion of coal
    2. photosynthesis
    3. plant respiration
    4. All of the above
20. The largest atmospheric constituent is ________.
    1. carbon dioxide
    2. water vapour
    3. oxygen
    4. nitrogen
21. Rhizobia refers to ________.
    1. nitrogen fixing fungi
    2. nitrogen fixing bacteria
    3. nitrogen fixing plants
    4. nitrogen fixing algae
22. The process by which plant biomass is converted to NH3 (ammonia) and NH4 (ammonium salts) is called ________.
    1. nitrogen fixation
    2. denitrification
    3. nitrification
    4. mineralization
23. Carbon dioxide gas accounts for ________ of the atmosphere.
    1. 0.3 per cent
    2. 0.03 per cent
    3. 3 per cent
    4. 30 per cent
24. Large amounts of carbon can be stored in ________.
    1. forests
    2. coral reefs
    3. peat bogs
    4. All of the above
25. Humans have altered the carbon cycle via ________.
    1. large-scale farming
    2. land use conversion
    3. industrial activity
    4. All of the above
26. The largest reservoir of water on Earth is ________.
    1. the atmosphere
    2. groundwater
    3. lakes
    4. the ocean
27. Water moves through the hydrological cycle fuelled by energy from ________.
    1. the sun
    2. photosynthesis
    3. wind
    4. tides
28. Evapotranspiration is part of the ________.
    1. sulphur cycle
    2. phosphorus cycle
    3. hydrological cycle
    4. nitrogen cycle
29. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s fresh water is held in ________.
    1. the liquid phase
    2. oceans
    3. the gaseous phase
    4. the solid phase
30. An area subject to the rainshadow effect ________.
    1. receives low levels of sunlight
    2. experiences high levels of precipitation
    3. experiences low levels of precipitation
    4. Both a and c
31. Spring melt is a critical component of the hydrological cycle in Canada because ________.
    1. the melting water is mainly used for agricultural purposes
    2. the melting water influences the runoff regime for many Canadian rivers
    3. the melting water is a critical source of water for many Canadian communities
    4. the melting water contributes to humidity levels throughout the summer months
32. An underground formation of loose materials may be ________.
    1. an aquifer
    2. an underground lake
    3. a fossil fuel deposit
    4. a glacier
33. The process of eutrophication can be slowed by ________.
    1. increasing nutrient inputs
    2. limiting nutrient inputs
    3. increasing phosphorous
    4. increasing oxygen
34. Eutrophication tends to increase populations of ________ at the expense of ________.
    1. fish; plant species
    2. phytoplankton; benthic plants
    3. benthic plants; invertebrates
    4. benthic plants; phytoplankton
35. When organic wastes are added to a body of water, ________.
    1. oxygen levels fall
    2. number of bacteria falls
    3. oxygen levels increases
    4. BOD drops
36. ________ is NOT a characteristic of oligotrophic ecosystems.
    1. Low quantity of undesirable species
    2. Low productivity
    3. High-species diversity
    4. Low-water quality
37. An example of a non-point source of pollution would be ________.
    1. discharge from a factory
    2. runoff from agricultural land
    3. a sewage plant effluent pipe
    4. a pipe discharging heated water
38. The following is the best example of a synergistic effect in the Great Lakes: ________.
    1. Phosphorus deficiency limiting fish growth in some areas of the Lakes and excess phosphorus in other areas of the Lakes
    2. The collective impact of urban and industrial development around the shores of Lake Erie
    3. Canada and the United States signing the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to work together to improve water quality in the region
    4. The invasive zebra mussel that converts phosphorus into a form easily used by aquatic plants such as algae, thereby increasing the impacts of eutrophication
39. Acidic rainwater has a pH lower than ________.
    1. 4.8
    2. 5.6
    3. 7.0
    4. 6.7
40. Acid deposition is due mainly to human interference in the ________.
    1. carbon and sulfur cycles
    2. sulfur and nitrogen cycles
    3. phosphorus and sulfur cycles
    4. carbon and phosphorus cycles
41. When the effects of acid rain became evident in Sudbury in the 1970s, the industry’s main response was to ________.
    1. plant more durable trees
    2. build higher smoke stacks
    3. ban the chemicals responsible for acid rain
    4. sell its mines
42. In Canada, ‘acid shock’ is seen most often in the ________.
    1. fall
    2. summer
    3. winter
    4. spring
43. The pulse of acidity is called ________.
    1. sublimation
    2. acid deposition
    3. acid shock
    4. aquatic effect
44. ________ has/have the highest buffering capacity in terms of acid deposition.
    1. Quebec
    2. The Prairies
    3. Coastal British Columbia
    4. Newfoundland
45. Common loons need lake water with a pH of at least ________ to find enough food to feed their young.
    1. 4.5
    2. 5.0
    3. 6.0
    4. 5.5
46. Twenty kilograms per hectare is the ________ for acid deposition in Canada.
    1. PVT (policy value target)
    2. PTV (political target value)
    3. STV (scientific target value)
    4. PTV (policy target value)
47. The following is an impact of acid rain on human drinking water: ________.
    1. Significantly higher treatment costs to clean water prior to drinking
    2. Foul-smelling drinking water
    3. Bad-tasting drinking water
    4. Excess levels of lead in drinking water due to corroded pipes
48. Denitrification refers to ________.
    1. the process of converting nitrates into nitrogen gas
    2. the process of converting biomass back to ammonia
    3. the process of converting ammonia and ammonium salts into nitrites and nitrates
    4. the removal of excess nitrogen from water bodies
49. The amount of moisture held in an air mass at a particular temperature compared to how much could be held if fully saturated is referred to as ________.
    1. humidex
    2. humidity ratio
    3. relative humidity
    4. saturation point
50. The most significant movement of water in the hydrological cycle occurs between ________.
    1. the oceans and the atmosphere
    2. terrestrial water and the atmosphere
    3. rivers/lakes and the ocean
    4. precipitation and groundwater

True or False Questions

Everything is either matter or energy.

Energy has mass and takes up space.

Matter can be created from nothing.

Most nutrients have a large, slow-moving abiotic pool and a rapidly exchanged biotic pool.

The elements that make up your body have undergone millions of years of recycling.

In tropical forests, nutrients are mainly held in the soils.

Phosphorus is a macronutrient that is part of many organic molecules.

Phosphorus availability in soil is dependent on soil pH.

Sulphur has a gaseous cycle.

The form that sulphur takes depends in part on whether there are anaerobic or aerobic bacteria present.

Lightning can play a role in fixing nitrogen for plant uptake.

Granite rock is a large reservoir of carbon.

Canada has up to one-third of the world’s fresh water.

Eutrophication only occurs as a result of human activity.

Fish are usually the first organisms to suffer from acid deposition in aquatic environments.

Short Answer Questions

1. Using the law of conservation of matter, explain the unsustainable nature of many modern lifestyles.
2. What are the key differences between sedimentary and gaseous biogeochemical cycles? Give an example of each.
3. Do deciduous or needle-leafed trees provide better food for decomposers? Why?
4. How does acid precipitation affect phosphorus availability in soils?
5. How do anadromous fish species affect nutrient cycling in freshwater?
6. What is the rock cycle? Describe weathering.
7. What are the two main human impacts on the carbon cycle?
8. Outline five special properties of water.
9. What is cultural eutrophication? What are the main nutrient sources contributing to it? What can we do to minimize cultural eutrophication?
10. What is acid deposition? What causes it and what are its effects?