Q&A Hero

Earth Science

Q: Discuss the main concepts of island biogeography. How has it been applied to the formation of biosphere reserves?
Q: What is conservation biogeography? What are its primary focuses?
Q: Discuss the vegetation characteristics, characteristic soil orders, temperature patterns, and state of the environment in the biome in which you live.
Q: Discuss the extent of deforestation in the tropics and why it is such an important environmental issue.
Q: Invasive species represent a threat to biodiversity worldwide. Based on either the examples presented in the textbook or outside sources, describe several invasive species of concern in your area. What factors contributed to their spread. Why are these species of concern, both in a broad context, as well as within your area.
Q: Discuss the concept of the biome, including the various factors used to characterize one.
Q: What are the important factors used in defining a biogeographic realm?
Q: Due to international pressure, tropical deforestation has largely ceased except in a few isolated pockets of Amazonia and equatorial Africa.
Q: Earth's remaining undisturbed ecosystems have become a focus of tourism, recreation, and scientific attention.
Q: Species extinctions are inevitable so expending resources on combating species loss is pointless.
Q: The most extensive anthropogenic biome is croplands.
Q: Anthopogenic biomes, while not replacing the concept of terrestrial biomes classification, provide insight into the role humans have played in shaping the world's ecosystems.
Q: Humans are the most powerful biotic agent on Earth, influencing all ecosystems on a planetary scale.
Q: MacArthur and Wilson's theory of island biogeography posits that the number of species on an island is a dynamic equilibrium between the rates of immigration and extinction, which are influenced by island isolation and size, respectively.
Q: Alpine tundra vegetation is characterized by evergreen needleleaf trees.
Q: All areas now classified as Arctic tundra were covered by ice during the Pleistocene glaciations.
Q: Most desert plants are xerophytic with numerous mechanisms to cope with dry conditions.
Q: Deserts, by definition, contain very little vegetation and are represented instead by large areas of windswept sand (ergs).
Q: Midlatitude grasslands are found only in North America.
Q: The most modified biome by human activity is the midlatitude grasslands.
Q: The Mediterranean shrubland biome is characterized by dry summers and wet winters.
Q: The Mediterranean shrubland biome is the most extensive terrestrial biome.
Q: Most forests in the temperate rain forest are old growth.
Q: Rain forests only occur in equatorial areas.
Q: Boreal forest soils are subject to podzolization.
Q: The world's largest living organisms in terms of biomass occur in the boreal and montane forest biome.
Q: All needleleaf trees area evergreen.
Q: The boreal and montane forest biome is characterized by broadleaf deciduous trees.
Q: Several distinct communities of midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forests are found in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Q: The largest areas of tropical savanna occur in South America, particularly in Venezuela.
Q: Tropical savanna soils are much higher in humus than the soils of the tropical rain forest.
Q: Fire is an important maintenance factor in the tropical savanna and midlatitude grasslands biomes.
Q: Tropical savannas are treeless areas in the equatorial region.
Q: In general, the tropical seasonal forest and scrub biome has more erratic rainfall than the tropical rain forest biome.
Q: Despite widespread tropical deforestation, tropical rain forests are able to quickly regenerate owing to the extremely fertile conditions in the biome.
Q: Each year, an area of tropical rain forest approximately the size of Wisconsin is cleared.
Q: In part, the high diversity of the tropical rain forest is due to the extremely fertile soils found in the biome.
Q: Due to the dense tropical rain forest canopy, only about 1% of the sunlight arriving at the canopy reaches the forest floor.
Q: Though occupying only 7% of the world's total land area, tropical rain forest's account for approximately 50% of the Earth's species and about half of its remaining forests.
Q: Invasive species can alter community dynamics and may lead to declines in native species.
Q: Most non-native species introduced to a new community become established.
Q: The range of environmental conditions frequently found in ecotones make them areas of high biodiversity.
Q: The boundaries between biomes are usually abrupt and related to rapid environmental changes, such as in climate or topography.
Q: Biomes are defined based on idealized potential mature vegetation in a given area rather than the actual vegetation.
Q: The biome concept has been applied equally to marine and aquatic systems as it has to terrestrial systems.
Q: "Wallace's line," which serves as a dividing line between different biogeographic realms and separates several present-day Indonesian islands from one another, is so named to show the arbitrary nature of such delineations.
Q: New Zealand and Australia have remarkably similar fauna indicating the two were likely once directly connected as a single land mass or via a land bridge during critical evolutionary times.
Q: The boundaries of biogeographic regions are usually quite arbitrary, usually following political boundaries rather than being based on biophysical criteria.
Q: Alfred Russel Wallace's zoogeographic realms roughly correspond to continental plate boundaries.
Q: Biogeographic regions (realms) are delineated based on species assemblages and their evolutionary history.
Q: A biome is a large, stable community of plants and animals whose boundaries are closely linked to climate.
Q: The Earth's biodiversity is evenly spread across the planet.
Q: Which of the following is not an anthropogenic biome?A) residential rangelandsB) populated forestC) pastoral villageD) boreal and montane forest
Q: Which of the following is not an issue in biodiversity conservation in the 21st Century? A) Conservation of threatened and endangered species. B) Mitigating against the possible ill effects of climate change. C) Reducing human population growth. D) Biodiversity conservation in the 21st Century requires addressing threats to endangered species, climate change, and human population pressures.
Q: The most extensive anthropogenic biome is A) cropland. B) rangelands. C) settlements. D) forested lands.
Q: The most powerful biotic agent on Earth, influencing all ecosystems on a planetary scale is A) the sun. B) humans. C) tertiary consumers. D) detritivores.
Q: Distinctive oceanic regions identified on the basis of organisms, ocean floor topography, currents, areas of nutrient-rich upwelling circulation, or areas of significant predation are called A) mariregions. B) large marine ecosystems (LMEs). C) the ocean biome. D) the littoral zone.
Q: According to MacArthur and Wilson's theory of island biogeography, which of the following is correct? A) The number of species decreases with island isolation. B) The number of species increases with island isolation. C) There is no relationship between species number and island isolation.
Q: According to MacArthur and Wilson's theory of island biogeography, which of the following is correct? A) The number of species decreases with island area. B) The number of species increases with island area. C) There is no relationship between species number and island area.
Q: Which of the following is a topic of research in conservation biogeography? A) The distribution and effects of invasive species. B) The effects of climate change on biodiversity. C) Conservation planning and the establishment of protected areas. D) Invasive species, climate change, and conservation planning are all topics of research in conservation biology.
Q: The subdiscipline of biogeography that utilizes biogeographic principles, theories, and analyses to solve problems in biodiversity management is known as A) island biogeography. B) phylogenetic biogeography. C) conservation biogeography. D) historical biogeography.
Q: Which of the following would one likely no find in the Arctic and alpine tundra biome? A) sedges and mosses B) broadleaf deciduous trees C) low growing shrubs D) grasses
Q: Which biome occurs at high elevations above the treeline, even at lower latitudes? A) temperate rain forest B) arctic and alpine tundra C) boreal and montane forest D) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
Q: This biome is generally located north of the 10C (50F) isotherm for the warmest month, such as the extreme northern areas of North America and Russia. A) temperate rain forest B) arctic and alpine tundra C) boreal and montane forest D) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
Q: In which biome would one most likely find xerophytic species? A) tropical rain forest B) deserts C) boreal and montane forest D) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
Q: Succulents, such as the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) found in southern Arizona, southeastern California, northern Mexico, and the Baja Peninsula, are representative vegetation in which biome? A) tropical savanna B) deserts C) Mediterranean shrubland D) midlatitude grassland
Q: Which of the following is not a subdivision of the desert biome? A) warm desert B) tropical desert C) cold desert and semidesert D) polar desert
Q: This biome occupies more than one-third of the Earth's land area and is characterized by xerophytic vegetation, low precipitation, and high potential evapotranspiration. A) deserts B) midlatitude grasslands C) tropical savanna D) Mediterranean shrubland
Q: Which of the following soil types is most associated with the tallgrass prairie (midlatitude grassland)? A) Mollisols B) Spodosols C) Oxisols D) Andisols
Q: The near annihilation of the American bison (Bison bison) has restricted its occurrence to a few protected remnants and preserves in this biome. A) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest B) tropical savanna C) boreal and montane forest D) midlatitude grassland
Q: The 98th meridian marks an important biophysical mark in North America for this biome where increasing aridity produces vegetation of a distinctly different stature. A) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest B) desert C) Mediterranean shrubland D) midlatitude grassland
Q: Of all the natural biomes, this one is most modified by human activity. A) midlatitude grassland B) tropical savanna C) tropical rainforest D) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
Q: Which of the following is not a regional name for the Mediterranean shrubland biome? A) chaparral B) maquis C) taiga D) mattoral
Q: Which of the following best describes the vegetation of the Mediterranean shrubland biome? A) semideciduous B) broadleaf deciduous C) needleleaf evergreen D) sclerophyllous
Q: Dry summers and winter precipitation maxima characterize this small biome is located in 5 disparate locations, typically on the west coast of continents between 30 and 40 latitude. A) midlatitude grassland B) tropical savanna C) Mediterranean shrubland D) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest
Q: Home to the endangered Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), this biome is now characterized by anthropogenic disturbance and mostly secondary-growth forest. A) midlatitude grassland B) temperate rain forest C) Arctic and alpine tundra D) desert
Q: The Earth's tallest trees are the A) coast douglas fir (Pseudotsunga menziessii). B) coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens). C) giant ash (Eucalyptus regnans). D) sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis).
Q: This biome is typically found in areas with marine west coast climates, characterized by high precipitation, moderate air temperatures, summer fog, and an overall maritime influence. A) boreal and montane forest B) tropical savanna C) temperate rain forest D) midlatitude grassland
Q: In which of the following biomes would one likely find wolf, elk, moose, bear, lynx, beaver, wolverine, and a number of migratory birds? A) tropical rain forest B) tropical savanna C) desert D) boreal and montane forest
Q: The soils of the boreal forest acidic and leached of humus and clays, belonging to the ________ soil order. A) Oxisols B) Andisols C) Spodosols D) Entisols
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