Multiple Choice Quiz (2024)

1

The biosphere is composed of ________.A)waterB)landC)airD)all of the above

2

Global climate, and therefore distribution of biomes, is dependent upon ________.A)variations in reception of solar radiation due to a spherical earthB)tilt of the earth's axis as it rotates about the sunC)distribution of land masses and oceansD)topography (landscape) featuresE)all of the above

3

The pattern of air currents, with equatorial doldrums and northeast trade winds is caused by ________.A)the properties of air aloneB)simply climateC)a combination of solar radiation and ocean currentsD)uneven heating from solar radiation, and from the earth's rotationE)a combination of solar radiation and heat from the earth's internal core

4

Features that determine how much rain falls on the various parts of a continent are _______ .A)mountain rangesB)ocean currentsC)wind currentsD)all of the above

5

When moist air moves up a mountain range and loses its moisture, the leeward side is a ______.A)doldrumB)topographical patternC)tundraD)alpine meadowE)rain shadow

6

The main difference between a tropical rainforest and a savanna is the difference in _________.A)soilsB)animalsC)temperatureD)precipitationE)continent

7

The biosphere can be divided into large biogeographical units called ______.A)communitiesB)populationsC)speciesD)ecosystemsE)biomes

8

Which tundra occurs above the timberline on mountain ranges?A)ArcticB)alpineC)apicalD)barrenE)no

9

On the Arctic tundra, only the topmost layer of earth thaws; the ______ beneath this layer is always frozen.A)permafrostB)subsoilC)vegetationD)aquifer

10

Large trees are NOT found in the tundra because ________.A)the growing season is too shortB)their roots cannot penetrate the permafrostC)they cannot become anchored in the boggy soil of summerD)all of the above

11

The mouse-like lemming stays beneath the snow to survive winter on the tundra.A)TrueB)False

12

The treeless biome includes ________.A)tundraB)desertC)grasslandsD)all of the above

13

The taiga is a ______ forest.A)partialB)rainC)tundraD)coniferousE)temperate deciduous

14

The ground cover usually found in the taiga is __________.A)lichens and mossesB)grass and tall weedsC)ferns and a thick understory of treesD)acacia shrubsE)dead leaves

15

Temperate forests are found inA)eastern North AmericaB)most of EuropeC)eastern AsiaD)all of the above

16

The trees found in temperate forests include _________.A)oak, beech and mapleB)broad-leafed evergreensC)pine, fir and redwoodsD)eucalyptus and acaciaE)cottonwoods and pines

17

The broad-leaved trees of the temperate forest are termed ______ .A)coniferous because they bear conesB)savannaC)acaciaD)monoculture because they are so uniformE)deciduous because they are shed annually

18

The tropical rain forests occur in ________.A)South AmericaB)AfricaC)the Indo-Malayan region near the equatorD)all of the above

19

The minimum rainfall in the tropical rain forests is 9 cm per year.A)TrueB)False

20

______ encircle the tall trees in the tropical rain forests to strengthen the trunk.A)Grass and tall weedsB)LianasC)SucculentsD)AcaciaE)Lichens and mosses

21

Tropical rain forests occur where rain is most plentiful.A)TrueB)False

22

Most animals in the tropical rain forests live in the trees.A)TrueB)False

23

______ are air plants that grow on other plants but do NOT parasitize them.A)TaigaB)ChaparralC)EpiphytesD)SavannaE)Succulents

24

The most common epiphytes are related to _______.A)pineapples, orchids and fernsB)bananas and papayaC)acacia and redbudD)poison ivy and Boston ivyE)holly and mistletoe

25

The dense scrubland found in California and elsewhere between 30 and 40 degrees latitude is called ______.A)steppeB)chaparralC)conifersD)tundraE)taiga

26

Grasslands occur where rainfall is greater than 25 cm per year, but is generally insufficient to support trees.A)TrueB)False

27

Which biome supports the greatest variety and number of large herbivores?A)chaparralB)taigaC)African savannaD)temperate deciduous forestE)tropical rainforest

28

The flat-topped acacia, found in the African savanna, needs little water because________.A)it has water-storing leavesB)it sheds its leaves during a droughtC)it is a very small plantD)it does not carry on photosynthesisE)it has immensely long roots that seek out underground water

29

Deserts occur in regions where annual rainfall is less than ______.A)10 cmB)25 cmC)35 cmD)50 cmE)400 cm

30

Desert nights are cold because heat escapes easily into the ______.A)soilB)waterC)atmosphereD)rocksE)animals

31

Most deserts have little or no lasting vegetation, but have a variety of plants when surveyed across wet periods.A)TrueB)False

32

A characteristic of cacti is__________.A)stems store waterB)stems carry on photosynthesisC)spines protect the limited water and tissue of a cactusD)all of the above

33

Reptiles are the most characteristic group of vertebrates found in the desert.A)TrueB)False

34

The sun's rays cause the water ______.A)to precipitateB)biomesC)to evaporateD)eutrophicationE)layering

35

The types of aquatic communities are ________.A)freshwater and saltwater communitiesB)lakes and pondsC)shallow and deep water communitiesD)clean and polluted communitiesE)small fishless communities and communities large enough to support fish populations

36

The most highly productive community below would be __________.A)benthic oceanB)pelagic oceanC)lakes and pondsD)coral reefs and estuariesE)all of the above would be approximately equal

37

Freshwater communities can be classified by nutrient status into ________.A)lakes and pondsB)salt and freshwaterC)rivers and streamsD)oligotrophic and eutrophicE)clean and polluted

38

The spring and fall overturn are due to ____________.A)the epilimnion is always heavier than the hypolimnionB)the hypolimnion is always heavier than the epilimnionC)seasonal changes in plankton and animal activityD)oligotrophic processes end and eutrophic processes beginE)cold water sinking but ice floating

39

______ are microscopic organisms that float in the water.A)PlanktonB)EstuariesC)Reef organismsD)SeaweedsE)Byssus threads

40

The zooplankton are ____________.A)plants that float and carry out photosynthesisB)plants that feed on phytoplanktonC)animals that feed on phytoplanktonD)preserved marine specimens that scientists studyE)the macroscopic organisms that float in water

41

The place where a river empties into the sea is called a(n) ______.A)seashoreB)reefC)estuaryD)intertidal zoneE)benthic division

42

Estuaries are the nurseries of the sea because they provide protection and nutrients to immature marine animals.A)TrueB)False

43

The divisions of the open ocean include ________ divisions.A)the pelagic and benthicB)the photosynthetic and hydrothermalC)the abyssal, bathypelagic, mesopelagic, and epipelagicD)epilimnion and hypolimnionE)all of the above

44

Only the abyssal zone is brightly lit.A)TrueB)False

45

The ______ ocean zone is in complete darkness except for an occasional flash of bioluminescent light.A)mesopelagicB)bathypelagicC)epipelagicD)estuarine

46

Animals in the mesopelagic ocean zone are carnivores adapted to the absence of light.A)TrueB)False

47

Sea cucumbers and sea urchins live on ______, organic matter that floats down from the waters above.A)fish they can catchB)the rain of debris or detritusC)zooplanktonD)phytoplankton

48

Many organisms of the abyssal zone are dependent upon debris that floats down from above.A)TrueB)False

49

Organisms at hydrothermal vents are dependent on food chains that ultimately draw their energy from __________.A)fishB)the rain of debris or detritusC)bacteria that utilize chemical energy from oxidizing hydrogen sulfideD)photosynthesisE)coal and other fossil fuels