Multiple Choice Quiz

Choose the best answer

1- A rain shadow results in
A) extremely wet conditions due to loss of moisture from winds rising over a
mountain range.
B) dry air moving toward the poles that cools and sinks in regions 15 to 30
north/south latitude.
C) global polar regions that rarely receive moisture from the warmer, tropical
regions, and are therefore dryer.
D) desert conditions on the down-wind side of a mountain due to increased
moisture-holding capacity of the winds coming from the seas.
2- What two factors are most important in biome distribution?
A)

temperature and latitude

B)

rainfall and temperature

C)

latitude and rainfall

D)

temperature and soil type

3- Savannas are best described as areas with

A)

extremely dry conditions and sparse vegetation.

B)

cold, dry conditions with herbs and few trees.

C)

warm summers, cool winters, and abundant rainfall which promotes tree
growth.

D)

seasonal rainfall, few trees, and abundant grasses.

4- The cacti that are found in the deserts of North and South America look very much
like the euphorbs that are found in the deserts of Africa. However, these plants are
not closely related. The similarities in these plants are due to
A)

convergent evolution as a result of similar environmental pressures.

B)

artificial selection for these similar traits.

C)

differences in rainfall between the two deserts.

D)

differences in pollinator species in the two deserts.

5- Which of the following is not a result of an El Nio event?

A)

The trade winds relax in the central and western Pacific.

B)

The sea surface is about a meter higher at the Philippines than at Ecuador.

C)

A rise in sea surface temperature and a decline in primary productivity

adversely affect fisheries in Ecuador and Peru.

D)

Flooding and strong winter storms occur in California.

6- The neritic zone is best described as the

A)

area of water above the ocean floor where a diversity of plankton species are
concentrated.

B)

ocean floor that is made up of mud and other fine particles that have settled
from the water.

C)

area less than 300 meters below the surface of the oceans along the coasts of
continents and islands.

D)

part of the ocean floor that drops to depths where light does not penetrate.

7- The limnetic zone of a lake is best described as the

A)

shallow area along the shore.

B)

area below the limits where light can penetrate.

C)

zone where photosynthesis cannot occur.

D)

well-illuminated surface waters away from the shore.

8- In temperate regions, lakes are thermally stratified, with warm waters at the top
and cooler waters at the bottom during the summer. The region of abrupt change
between these layers is known as the
A)

thermocline.

B)

hypolimnion.

C)

epilimnion.

D)

fall overturn.

9- Oligotrophic lakes can be turned into eutrophic lakes as a result of human activities
such as
A)

overfishing of sensitive species, which disrupts fish communities.

B)

introducing nutrients into the water, which stimulates plant and algal growth.

C)

disrupting terrestrial vegetation near the shore, which causes soil to run into
the lake.

D)

spraying pesticides into the water to control aquatic insect populations.

10-The loss of the ozone layer has serious implications for the quality of the
environment because
A)

ozone (O3) protects organisms from ultraviolet radiation that can cause
cancer.

B)

a depleted ozone layer causes rainwater to have a lower pH that kills plant
life.

C)

loss of the ozone layer causes the sun's rays to get trapped in the atmosphere
and increase global temperatures.

D)

a depleted ozone layer can interact with toxic chemicals to increase their
effect on organismal health.

Inquiry Questions
FIGURE 56.5
Temperature varies with latitude. The blue line represents the
annual mean temperature at latitudes from the North Pole to
Antarctica.
Why is it hotter at low latitudes?
Answer: The tropics are warmer than temperate regions because the
sun's rays arrive almost perpendicular to regions near the equator.
Near the poles, the angle of incidence of the sun's rays spreads them
out over a much greater area, providing less energy per unit of area.
Figure 56.8
The effects of precipitation and temperature on primary
productivity. The net primary productivity of ecosystems at 52
locations around the globe depends significantly upon (a) mean
annual precipitation and (b) mean annual temperature.
Why does productivity increase with increasing precipitation
and temperature?
Answer: This is one of the great questions in ecology. Many factors
are involved, and scientists are not entirely in agreement. Increasing
precipitation is responsible for increased plant growth. Increased
temperature is related to many factors, but perhaps the most
important is the increased availability of energy from the sun, which
plants can convert into plant tissue through photosynthesis.
FIGURE 56.25
The greenhouse effect. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere has steadily increased since the 1950s (blue line). The red
line shows the general increase in average global temperature for the
same period of time.
Why has temperature change been erratic, even though
carbon dioxide levels have risen steadily?
Answer: Because other factors beside CO2 concentrations affect
global temperatures. For example, in 1991 the eruption of Mount
Pinatubo in the Philippines produced much ash that circulated in the
atmosphere, blocking the sun and leading to a short-term decrease in
temperature.
Self Test
1). A rain shadow results in
a). extremely wet conditions due to loss of moisture from winds
rising over a mountain range.

b). dry air moving toward the poles that cools and sinks in regions
15 to 30 north/south latitude.
c). global polar regions that rarely receive moisture from the
warmer, tropical regions, and are therefore dryer.
d). desert conditions on the down-wind side of a mountain due to
increased moisture-holding capacity of the winds coming from the
seas.
Answer: d
2). What two factors are most important in biome distribution?
a). temperature and latitude
b). rainfall and temperature
c). latitude and rainfall
d). temperature and soil type
Answer: b
3). Savannas are best described as areas with
a). extremely dry conditions and sparse vegetation.
b). cold, dry conditions with herbs and few trees.
c). warm summers, cool winters, and abundant rainfall which
promotes tree growth.
d). seasonal rainfall, few trees, and abundant grasses.
Answer: d
4). The cacti that are found in the deserts of North and South America
look very much like the euphorbs that are found in the deserts of
Africa. However, these plants are not closely related. The similarities in
these plants are due to
a). convergent evolution as a result of similar environmental
pressures.
b). artificial selection for these similar traits.
c). differences in rainfall between the two deserts.
d). differences in pollinator species in the two deserts.
Answer: a
5). Which of the following is not a result of an El Nio event?
a). The trade winds relax in the central and western Pacific.
b). The sea surface is about a meter higher at the Philippines than
at Ecuador.
c). A rise in sea surface temperature and a decline in primary
productivity adversely affect fisheries in Ecuador and Peru.
d). Flooding and strong winter storms occur in California.

Answer: b
6). The neritic zone is best described as the
a). area of water above the ocean floor where a diversity of
plankton species are concentrated.
b). ocean floor that is made up of mud and other fine particles that
have settled from the water.
c). area less than 300 meters below the surface of the oceans along
the coasts of continents and islands.
d). part of the ocean floor that drops to depths where light does not
penetrate.
Answer: c
7). The limnetic zone of a lake is best described as the
a). shallow area along the shore.
b). area below the limits where light can penetrate.
c). zone where photosynthesis cannot occur.
d). well-illuminated surface waters away from the shore.
Answer: d
8). In temperate regions, lakes are thermally stratified, with warm
waters at the top and cooler waters at the bottom during the summer.
The region of abrupt change between these layers is known as the
a). thermocline.
b). hypolimnion.
c). epilimnion.
d). fall overturn.
Answer: a
9). Oligotrophic lakes can be turned into eutrophic lakes as a result of
human activities such as
a). overfishing of sensitive species, which disrupts fish
communities.
b). introducing nutrients into the water, which stimulates plant and
algal growth.
c). disrupting terrestrial vegetation near the shore, which causes
soil to run into the lake.
d). spraying pesticides into the water to control aquatic insect
populations.
Answer: b
10). The loss of the ozone layer has serious implications for the quality
of the environment because

a). ozone (O3) protects organisms from ultraviolet radiation that can
cause cancer.
b). a depleted ozone layer causes rainwater to have a lower pH that
kills plant life.
c). loss of the ozone layer causes the sun's rays to get trapped in
the atmosphere and increase global temperatures.
d). a depleted ozone layer can interact with toxic chemicals to
increase their effect on organismal health.
Answer: a
Test Your Visual Knowledge
1). Predict what changes to global climate would occur if the earth's
axis were not tilted.
Answer: The earth's axis is tilted by 23.5 degrees relative to its plane
of orbit around the sun. This results in seasonal variation at the poles
as the earth travels around the sun. If the earth were perpendicular
relative to its plane of orbit around the sun there would be no seasonal
variation at temperate latitudes.
Apply Your Knowledge
1). Some vegetarians argue that it is more ethical to eat "lower on the
food chain" (eat more grains and vegetables) than to consume meat.
Explain this argument in terms of energy conversions in ecosystems.
Answer: Energy transformations through trophic levels are not 100%
efficient and energy is lost with each transfer. Eating meat instead of
grains adds a link to the food chain, which decreases energy
efficiency.
2). The Clean Water Act protects wetlands. Under the act, there is to
be no net loss of wetlands and any wetland losses should be offset
through restoration projects or creation of new wetlands. Why are
wetlands given this status?
Answer: Wetlands are highly productive systems that are the homes
to many different species of plants and animals. In addition, wetlands
provide "ecosystem services" such as flood abatement and filtering
pollutants from water.
3). The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has steadily increased
since the 1950s. A general increase in average global temperature has
already occurred. How is global climate change predicted to affect the

area where you live?

Answer: Answer will vary.