Test Bank Chapter 36 Major Ecosystems of the Biosphere

Inquiry Into Life, 16e, Mader

Chapter 36 Major Ecosystems of the Biosphere

1) What drives the movement of winds across the face of the Earth?

A) the unequal heating of the surface of the Earth by the sun

B) the currents of the oceans

C) the distribution of mountains and valleys

D) the rotation of the Earth

E) the greenhouse effect

2) Where would a rain shadow be located?

A) the windward side of a mountain range located near the ocean

B) a mountain range in the middle of a desert

C) a mountain range located next to a large lake

D) the leeward side of a mountain range located near the ocean

E) a mountain range located 30 degrees north of a tropical rainforest

3) Alpine tundra is found on the top of mountains while arctic tundra is found close to the North Pole. These two biomes have similar plants and animals even though they can be located in very different regions of the world. Why are these two biomes so similar?

A) Both alpine tundra and arctic tundra are found close to coniferous forests.

B) Alpine tundra is cold and dry because it is at a high latitude and arctic tundra is cold and dry because it is at a high altitude.

C) Both types of tundra are located in areas of intense sunshine.

D) Alpine tundra grows mostly grasses because the soil is poor and arctic tundra grows mostly grasses because the soil is frozen.

E) Both types of tundra support large grazing herds that keep the grasses clipped short.

4) Why is a rocky seashore inhabited by more types of organisms than a sandy seashore?

A) The rocks trap and hold more nutrients.

B) The sand drains water more quickly at low tide.

C) The sand does not hold nutrients.

D) Predators are more likely to hunt along sandy shores.

E) It is easier for organisms to attach to the rocks.

5) If the Earth was standing still (not rotating), wind directions would

A) cease.

B) all run north and south.

C) all run east and west.

D) remain the same since Earth's rotation does not affect wind directions.

E) all run towards the equator.

6) Which of the following descriptions applies specifically to coniferous forests?

A) The permafrost layer, located below the top soil, is always frozen.

B) The landscape of pools and mires in the tundra is due to melted snow that does not evaporate.

C) The long periods of darkness, sometimes even six months of night, prevents trees and other photosynthetic producers from growing.

D) In the summer, the tundra is alive with insects and birds.

E) The biome is dominated by spruce trees and moose.

7) Which of the following communities will have the highest net primary productivity?

A) prairie grassland

B) temperate deciduous forest

C) tropical rain forest

D) tundra

E) taiga

8) Tropical rainforests have poor soil because

A) the bedrock beneath the soil that lacks iron and phosphorus.

B) intense sunlight bleaches the soil which removes valuable nutrients.

C) there is a lack of leaf litter.

D) the soil lacks fungi and bacteria.

E) high temperatures that allow rapid decomposition and rapid recycling of nutrients.

9) In the desert, plants and animals are adapted to withstand

A) heat only.

B) dryness only.

C) cactus spines.

D) earthquakes.

E) heat and dryness.

10) A lake that is rich in algae and rooted plants but lacks oxygen is

A) oligotrophic.

B) eutrophic.

C) benthic.

D) pelagic.

E) limnetic.

11) Which of the following pairs is mismatched?

A) littoral lake zone—closest to shore

B) benthic zone—lake or ocean floor

C) limnetic lake zone—on surface away from shore

D) profundal zone—division of the open ocean

E) epipelagic—upper part of open waters of ocean

12) Which of the following is an area where fresh and salt water meet and mix?

A) lake

B) river

C) estuary

D) stream

E) pond

13) A coral reef community would be best described as

A) a hard, stony desert.

B) a group of unique organisms that live deep in the ocean.

C) a densely populated community that only occurs in shallow water near the shoreline.

D) a community based on animals that migrate from one area of the ocean to another.

E) undersea flowers.

14) How does temperature change in relation to the latitude?

A) Moving away from the equator toward the North Pole, the temperature increases. Moving away from the equator toward the South Pole, the temperature decreases.

B) Moving away from the equator toward either the North Pole or the South Pole, the temperature decreases.

C) Moving away from the equator toward either the North Pole or the South Pole, the temperature increases.

D) Moving away from the equator toward either the North Pole or the South Pole, the temperature increases until 60° and then it decreases.

E) There is no relationship between temperature and latitude.

15) Why is the energy of the sun less intense at the poles as compared to the equator?

A) The tilt of the Earth moves the poles farther away from the most intense sunlight.

B) Sunlight is spread wider at the poles and, therefore, less intense.

C) The movement of wind across the face of the Earth pulls cooler air from over the oceans and blows it toward the poles. This cools the poles while leaving the region around the equator hot.

D) The movement of cool waters in ocean currents flows away from the equator and cools the air farther from the equator, causing the polar regions to be cooler than the equatorial region.

E) The Earth shifts in its orbit periodically and at times it moves farther from the sun.

16) What causes an ocean breeze to blow?

A) the presence of mountain ranges along the shoreline

B) the fact that water heats rapidly

C) the differential heating of land and water

D) the fact that land heats much more slowly than water

E) the heating of the air around the equator

17) Which of the following factors will have the greatest impact in determining the type of biome in a location?

A) temperature

B) soil conditions

C) types of animals present

D) wind patterns

E) the variety of plants that live in the region

18) What environmental factor makes it very difficult for organisms that live in estuaries?

A) the movement of water as the river flows into the ocean

B) the constant fluctuation in the salinity of the water as the salt water and fresh water mix

C) the fluctuating nutrient levels as the river brings different levels of nutrients to the estuary

D) the change in water levels as the tide ebbs and flows

E) the change in the temperature of the water since the river water is colder than the ocean

19) Climate is due to temperature and rainfall that in turn are determined by

A) variations in the solar radiation received on a spherical Earth.

B) the tilt of the Earth's axis as it rotates about the sun.

C) the distribution of landmasses and oceans.

D) the topography or landscape, such as mountains.

E) All of the answer choices describe factors that affect climate.

20) In the water cycle, evaporated equatorial air masses lose most of their moisture as they rise. The air immediately then flows

A) all the way to the poles where it causes snow.

B) all the way to the poles if it does not encounter mountain ranges, which it usually does.

C) to about 60° north or south and then cool and condense, supporting a band of moist vegetation.

D) to about 30° north or south and then descends, creating a band of deserts.

E) to the west.

21) Worldwide, deserts are primarily located at

A) the equator since the light intensity is greatest there.

B) the centers of all continents which are the farthest points from an ocean.

C) about 30° north and south latitude.

D) about 60° north and south latitude.

E) random points wherever wind patterns fail to bring moist air.

22) When moist air from over an ocean moves inland and up a mountain slope, it causes heavy precipitation on the windward side. On the leeward side of the mountain, the region receives far less rain. This is referred to as

A) lake effect.

B) eutrophication.

C) a montane successional gradient.

D) a monsoon climate.

E) rain shadow.

23) Arctic winds blowing over inland bodies of water become warmed and saturated with moisture. When these winds rise, they release their moisture as snow. This is referred to as

A) lake effect.

B) eutrophication.

C) a montane successional gradient.

D) a monsoon climate.

E) rain shadow.

24) In some parts of the world, spring causes temperature differentials between the land and the ocean that result in a gigantic circulation of air. When this happens, warm air rises over the land, and cooler air comes in off the ocean to replace it. The warm air rises, loses its moisture, creating very wet conditions for almost half the year. This climatic pattern is known as

A) lake effect.

B) eutrophication.

C) a montane successional gradient.

D) a monsoon climate.

E) rain shadow.

25) The broad term that describes ecosystems based on their characteristic climate and their particular community of plants and animals is

A) biosphere.

B) estuary.

C) tundra.

D) coniferous forest.

E) biome.

26) Which of the following statements is true about biomes?

A) They vary according to climate.

B) They are communities of similar populations.

C) They vary according to latitude and altitude.

D) They are characterized by particular animals and plants.

E) All of the answer choices are true statements about biomes.

27) The characteristics of a biome are determined by

A) amount of rainfall.

B) solar energy.

C) atmospheric content

D) soil.

E) All of the answer choices describe factors that influence the characteristics of a biome.

28) Which biome is characterized by little rainfall, no trees, permafrost, and reindeer?

A) grasslands

B) temperate deciduous forest

C) desert

D) taiga

E) tundra

29) There is distinctive lack of trees in the tundra because the

A) atmosphere lacks enough oxygen.

B) there is no soil.

C) there are too many earthquakes.

D) subsoil is permanently frozen.

E) shrubs outcompete the trees.

30) As you move north from the equator, what is the correct sequence of biomes?

A) tundra, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical forest

B) tundra, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, tropical forest

C) tropical forest, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, tundra

D) tropical forest, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tundra

E) tropical forest, deciduous forest, tundra, coniferous forest

31) Which pair is mismatched?

A) tundra—short grasses

B) savanna—acacia trees

C) prairie—epiphytes

D) coniferous forest—evergreen trees

E) deserts—cacti

32) The coastal biome characterized by dry summers, wet winters, and is highly flammable is called

A) grassland.

B) tundra.

C) taiga.

D) shrublands.

E) desert.

33) A coniferous forest that runs along the west coast of Canada and the United States, due to the moist winds off the Pacific, is called the

A) tropical deciduous forest.

B) tundra.

C) temperate rain forest.

D) taiga.

E) temperate deciduous forest.

34) A coniferous forest characterized by trees such as spruce, fir, and pine and animals such as bears, deer, moose, beavers, and muskrats is known as

A) tropical rain forest.

B) tundra.

C) temperate deciduous forest.

D) chaparral.

E) taiga.

35) Which of the following biomes contains trees?

A) shrublands

B) tundra

C) desert

D) taiga

E) savanna

36) Temperate deciduous forests are defined by

A) a humid climate with seasonal droughts.

B) high variation in day and night length.

C) a high amount of organisms living in tree canopies.

D) a growing season between 140 and 300 days.

E) a rich topsoil horizon.

37) Trees such as oak and maple and animals such as foxes and deer are found in the

A) tropical rain forest.

B) tundra.

C) taiga.

D) chaparral.

E) temperate deciduous forest.

38) Which of the following statements pertains specifically to conifers?

A) They include oak, beech, and maple trees.

B) They lose their leaves in the fall.

C) They grow their leaves in the spring.

D) They are found in a moderate climate with a relatively high rainfall.

E) They produce their seeds in cones.

39) Which biome has the greatest diversity of species and total amount of living matter?

A) epipelagic region of the ocean

B) temperate deciduous forest

C) tropical rain forest

D) taiga

E) African savanna

40) Grasslands that contain some trees, occur in regions where a relatively cool, dry season is followed by a hot, rainy season are known as

A) savannah.

B) steppes.

C) prairies.

D) taiga.

E) chapparal.

41) Which biome has both a high temperature and plentiful water?

A) desert

B) tundra

C) savanna

D) tropical forest

E) taiga

42) The following number of ant species were counted in these biomes.

Tundra (5)

Taiga (18)

Conifer Mixed Forest (41)

Temperature Mixed Forest (103)

The most likely reason(s) for the different number of ant species in this list is (are)

A) greater sunlight.

B) variations in soil type.

C) different species of predators.

D) air pressure, humidity, and resulting rainfall.

E) the amount of photosynthetic production, length of the warm season, and diversity of plants.

43) Grasslands lack trees because

A) they are next to deserts.

B) the soil is poor.

C) of the limited rain.

D) there is too much snow in winter.

E) there is too much sun in summer.

44) Which biome supports a tremendous variety and number of large herbivores?

A) desert

B) savanna

C) shrubland

D) tundra

E) chaparral

45) The flat-topped acacia tree is characteristic of which biome?

A) desert

B) tundra

C) savanna grassland

D) prairie grassland

E) chaparral

46) Which would be characterized by rich soils, insufficient rainfall for trees, and many herbivores?

A) grasslands

B) chaparral

C) desert

D) taiga

E) tundra

47) Which would be characterized by rainfall under 25 cm/year, hot days, cold nights, and spiny-leafed plants?

A) grasslands

B) temperate deciduous forest

C) desert

D) taiga

E) tundra

48) Which of the following affect the worldwide distribution of biomes?

A) altitude

B) latitude

C) rainfall patterns

D) sunlight

E) All of the answer choices describe factors that affect the worldwide distribution of biomes.

49) Which of the following biomes has the overall harshest conditions for organism survival?

A) tropical rain forest

B) eastern deciduous forest

C) arctic tundra

D) grasslands

E) savanna

50) Which biome is characterized by hot days, cold nights, cacti, and sagebrush?

A) desert

B) tundra

C) savanna grassland

D) prairie grassland

E) chaparral

51) In the summer, a deep lake contains three layers (in order from top to bottom) known as the

A) epilimnion, thermocline, and hypolimnion.

B) thermocline, hypolimnion, and epilimnion.

C) hypolimnion, epilimnion, and thermocline.

D) epilimnion, hypolimnion, and thermocline.

E) thermocline, epilimnion, and hypolimnion.

52) When the upper epilimnion waters become cooler than the hypolimnion waters, and the surface water sinks while the deeper water rises is known as

A) intertidal zonation.

B) upwelling.

C) pelagic division.

D) overturn.

E) eutrophication.

53) Freshwater and marine microscopic organisms that freely drift in fresh or salt water are called

A) plankton.

B) fish.

C) larvae.

D) benthos.

E) plants.

54) The open sunlit layer within a lake is the

A) littoral zone.

B) limnetic zone.

C) profundal zone.

D) benthic zone.

E) abyssal zone.

55) The bottom of a lake or stream that harbors worms, clams, and other organisms in the

A) littoral zone.

B) limnetic zone.

C) profundal zone.

D) benthic zone.

E) abyssal zone.

56) In a lake ecosystem, aquatic plants are rooted in a shallow region near the shore called the

A) littoral zone.

B) benthic zone.

C) pelagic zone.

D) profundal zone.

E) limnetic zone.

57) The part of a lake where light does not penetrate is the

A) littoral zone.

B) benthic zone.

C) pelagic zone.

D) profundal zone.

E) limnetic zone.

58) Which aquatic community act as a nutrient trap?

A) oceans

B) lakes

C) sandy beaches

D) estuaries

E) rivers

59) Which of the following is called the nursery of the sea?

A) benthic zone

B) pelagic region

C) tidal pool

D) estuary

E) abyssal zone

60) Which of the following is a characteristic of an estuary?

A) high nutrient concentration

B) brackish water

C) shallow

D) good sunlight penetration

E) All of the answer choices describe characteristics of estuaries.

61) The largest biome on Earth is the

A) tundra.

B) taiga.

C) temperate deciduous forest.

D) desert.

E) ocean.

62) Ocean currents

A) are generated by friction between winds and ocean surfaces.

B) always move clockwise in an ocean basin.

C) are important in shipping but have little effect on living environments.

D) are driven by the Earth's core rotating faster than the ocean water.

E) have no effect on inland weather.

63) The ocean

A) lacks life below the first several hundred feet.

B) has zooplankton but not phytoplankton.

C) covers little of the Earth's surface.

D) is not affected by freshwater pollution.

E) covers three-fourths of the planet.

64) When an ocean current brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface, it is called a(n)

A) tide.

B) lake effect.

C) upwelling.

D) monsoon.

E) overturn.

65) Which region of the open ocean is brightly lit and supports the most life?

A) epipelagic

B) mesopelagic

C) bathypelagic

D) abyssal

E) benthic

66) The ocean region that contains the neritic province and the oceanic province is the

A) littoral zone.

B) benthic zone.

C) pelagic zone.

D) profundal zone.

E) limnetic zone.

67) Which organisms provide most of the nutrient supply in the ocean?

A) small fishes

B) large fishes

C) seaweeds

D) phytoplankton

E) zooplankton

68) Which of the following is the correct sequence of the different zones in the open ocean (top to bottom)?

A) abyssal, bathypelagic, mesopelagic, epipelagic

B) abyssal, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, epipelagic

C) epipelagic, bathypelagic, mesopelagic, abyssal

D) epipelagic, abyssal, bathypelagic, mesopelagic

E) epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, abyssal

69) In which of the following ocean zone(s) is there no light?

A) epipelagic

B) mesopelagic

C) bathypelagic

D) abyssal

E) bathypelagic and abyssal

70) Which zone of the ocean is characterized by tube worms, clams, brittle stars, and sea urchins?

A) epipelagic

B) mesopelagic

C) bathypelagic

D) benthic

E) littoral

71) There are tube worms and clams that live at the bottom of the ocean near thermal vents. They derive their energy ultimately from

A) the sun, by way of burning fossil fuels like we do with coal and oil.

B) the sun, but they are deep in the dark ocean and live off dead detritus that sinks to them.

C) bacteria that break apart hydrogen sulfide molecules and are therefore not dependent ultimately on sunlight.

D) sources not yet known.

E) photosynthesis.

72) Describe how lakes are stratified during the summer.

73) Compare the mean annual temperature and precipitation ranges required for the following biomes: temperate deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, and tundra.

74) Explain how a mountain range, located near the ocean, can lead to the formation of a desert on the leeward side of the mountain.