Q&A Hero

Q: The Earth's largest living organism in terms of biomass is the A) baobab (Adansonia digitata). B) giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). C) bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva). D) sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis).

Q: This extensive biome is dominated by evergreen needleleaf forests. A) boreal and montane forest B) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest C) tropical seasonal forest and scrub D) temperate rain forest

Q: This extensive biome stretches from the east coast of Canada to the Canadian Rockies, as well as across the entire extent of Russia to the European Plain and at high elevations at lower latitudes. A) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest B) boreal and montane forest C) desert D) arctic and alpine tundra

Q: Which of the following climate types is associated with the midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest biome? A) marine west coast B) humid subtropical (warm summer) C) humid continental (cool summer) D) Mediterranean

Q: This biome occupies large portions of the eastern United States, central Europe, and Asia. A) temperate rain forest. B) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest C) boreal and montane forest D) tropical savanna

Q: Representative animals in this biome include red fox, white-tailed deer, southern flying squirrel, opossum, bear, and a great variety of birds. A) tropical savanna B) desert C) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest D) arctic and alpine tundra

Q: Moist continental climates support several distinct communities of needleleaf, broadleaf, and mixed forests in this biome found in North America, Europe, and Asia. A) tropical savanna B) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest C) tropical rain forest D) midlatitude grassland

Q: The Serengeti in east Africa is an example of which biome? A) Arctic and alpine tundra B) desert C) tropical savanna D) midlatitude grassland

Q: Characteristic fauna of this biome include large ungulates (hooved mammals), such as giraffe, zebra, buffalo, gazelle, wildebeest, antelope, and rhinoceros. A) tropical savanna B) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest C) tropical rain forest D) midlatitude grassland

Q: The largest area of tropical savanna is found in A) Africa. B) North America. C) Asia. D) Australia.

Q: This biome consists of large expanses of xerophytic grassland and scattered trees and shrubs adapted to drought, grazing by large herbivores, and fire. A) tropical rain forest B) desert C) tropical savanna D) Mediterranean shrubland

Q: Trumpet trees (Tabebuia caraiba), a dry-season deciduous tree would likely be found in which of the following biomes? A) tropical seasonal forest and scrub B) tropical rain forest C) desert D) midlatitude grassland

Q: Local names of this biome include the Chaco, the Caatinga, the brigalow, and the dornveld. A) tropical rain forest B) tropical seasonal forest and scrub C) Mediterranean shrubland D) Arctic and alpine tundra

Q: Schrub vegetation refers to A) drought resistent. B) low shrubs and grasses with some adaptations to semiarid conditions. C) a plant that survives seasonally unfavorable conditions underground. D) woody plants with small, leathery evergreen leaves.

Q: Which of the following best describes the climate characteristics of the tropical seasonal forest and scrub? A) consistently warm and wet B) moderate due to maritime effects C) low precipitation and exceptionally hot D) monsoonal rains and always warm

Q: Which of the following best describes the vegetation of the tropical seasonal forest and scrub biome? A) semideciduous B) xerophytic C) broadleaf evergreen D) sclerophyllous

Q: This biome, with some deciduous trees and an open parkland vegetation type, are transitional between tropical rain forest and grassland. A) temperate rain forest B) tropical seasonal forest and scrub C) Mediterranean shrubland D) broadleaf and mixed forest

Q: This biome occurs in equatorial regions with erratic rainfall and typically occur on the margins of tropic rainforests. A) Mediterranean shrubland B) temperate rain forest C) tropical savanna D) tropical seasonal forest and scrub

Q: The climate of the tropical rain forest biome is best described as A) consistently warm, but seasonally dry. B) having a distinct cold and warm season. C) mild winter with a very hot summer. D) consistently warm and wet.

Q: Which of the following best describes the vegetation of the tropical rain forest biome? A) seasonal deciduous B) perennial herbaceous C) broadleaf evergreen D) sclerophyllous

Q: The flora and fauna of this biome is characterized by high biodiversity, including many lianas, epiphytes, and arboreal animal species, such as sloths, monkeys, lemurs, and snakes. A) tropical rain forest B) boreal and montane forest C) temperate rain forest D) Mediterranean shrubland

Q: Despite the high-level of biodiversity, this biome has infertile soils, principally Oxisols, to which the vegetation has adapted roots systems to capture nutrients from litter decay at the soil surface. A) boreal and montane forest B) temperate rain forest C) tropical rain forest D) midlatitude grasslands

Q: This biome is characterized by a well-developed vertical structure with three distinct layers: an overstory, a middle canopy, and understory. A) midlatitude broadleaf and mixed forest B) tropical rain forest C) desert D) Mediterranean shrubland

Q: Rainforests occupy approximately ________ of the world's land area, but represent about ________ of Earth's species. A) 2%; 12% B) 7%; 50% C) 10%; 35% D) 12%; 65%

Q: In which of the following regions would one likely not find a tropical rain forest? A) the Amazon region in South America B) equatorial Africa C) Southeast Asia D) the Pacific Northwest in the United States

Q: Which of the following best describes an invasive species? A) An invasive species is any non-native introduced species, whether it becomes established or not. B) Non-native species become invasive when they become established in a new area, taking over niches that were already occupied by native species. C) Dispersal, even if anthropogenic, is a normal biogeographic process and, therefore, no cause of alarm. D) Approximately 90% of all introduced non-native species become invasive species.

Q: The naturalist and father of zoogeography Alfred Russel Wallace noted a distinct difference in the fauna between several islands in the Malay Archipelego (present-day Indonesia). He used these differences to delineate the boundary between the Australian and Oriental biogeographic realms. Which of the following best describes the reason for these differences? A) Aboriginal tribes in Australia have greatly altered the fauna of Australia relative to the Oriental realm. B) A deep ocean barrier inhibited dispersal between the two realms. C) The environments of Australia and Asia are completely different, despite their relative close proximity. D) Asia and European traders interacted for centuries prior to Wallace's discovery. Among the results of this interaction was an exchange of European (Palearctic) fauna and Oriental fauna.

Q: Though New Zealand is relatively close to Australia, it's faunal assemblages are quite different. For instance, there are no native marsupials in New Zealand. Which of the following best accounts for these differences? A) New Zealand experienced a major extinction that wiped out its marsupials and other Australian fauna. B) New Zealand was isolated from Australia during critical evolutionary times. C) The environments of Australia and New Zealand are completely different, despite their close proximity. D) New Zealand is an island, whereas Australia is a continent. As such, one wouldn't expect them to have the same faunal assemblages.

Q: The boundary zone between adjacent biomes in which traits from both biomes may be found is called the A) ecotone. B) boundary layer. C) edge effect. D) transitional matrix.

Q: Which of the following regarding biomes is not true? A) Biomes are defined by native species to a region. B) Most biomes have been greatly altered by human intervention. C) The boundaries between most biomes are sharp and easily delineated. D) Biomes often reflect potential mature vegetation, rather than actual vegetation of an area.

Q: Which of the following is not one of the major groups of terrestrial vegetation biogeographers often designate? A) phytoplankton B) forest C) grassland D) desert

Q: Large woody vines that are rooted in the soil and found in the worlds tropical forests are called A) understory. B) lianas. C) epiphytes. D) bryophytes.

Q: Trees and shrubs that seasonally loose their leaves are called A) evergreens. B) annual herbs. C) deciduous. D) bryophytes.

Q: Distinct regions of broadly similar flora and fauna are called A) biozones. B) ecospheres. C) biomes. D) biogeographic realms.

Q: Large, stable communities of plants and animals whose boundaries are closely linked to climate and soils are called A) biozones. B) ecospheres. C) biomes. D) biogeographic realms.

Q: Which of the following is true about the distribution of the Earth's biodiversity? A) There is a universally accepted manner to delineate the Earth's biodiversity. B) In general, there tends to be greater biodiversity at higher latitudes than lower latitudes. C) The Earth's biodiversity is spread unevenly across the planet. D) The distribution of the Earth's biodiversity is driven solely by climate.

Q: As chemical pesticides move through the trophic pyramid, they may be amplified at each higher level in a process called A) biomagnification. B) trophic cascading. C) competitive exclusion. D) pyramidal decay.

Q: Currently, approximately ________ of cultivated acreage in the United States and Canada is planted for animal consumption A) 15% B) 30% C) 50% D) 65%

Q: From the perspective of energy, which of the following is the most efficient trophic level? A) primary producer B) primary consumer C) secondary consumer D) tertiary consumer

Q: Only about ________ of the kilocalories in a trophic level is passed to the next trophic level (e.g. from autotroph to primary consumer). A) 5% B) 10% C) 15% D) 20%

Q: A consumer, such as a bear, that eats both producers (plants) and consumers (animals) is a A) herbivore. B) carnivore. C) omnivore. D) detritivore.

Q: Consider a simple food chain in which a grasshopper eats grass, the grasshopper is eaten by a frog, and the frog is eaten by a snake. Which of the following is not correctly matched A) grass autotroph B) grasshopper herbivore C) frog secondary consumer D) snake primary consumer

Q: A ________ is a complex network of interconnected food chains with multidirectional branches. A) food web B) niche order C) trophic level D) food pyramid

Q: Organisms that share the same feeding level (e.g. primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, etc.) are said to be at the same A) food web. B) niche order. C) trophic level. D) food pyramid.

Q: Energy flows through an ecosystem along an idealized unidirectional pathway called a A) food web. B) niche order. C) trophic cascade. D) food chain.

Q: A dead zone refers to A) terrestrial areas in which excessive nitrogen fertilizer has essentially burned the soil, preventing plants and microorganisms from living there. B) oligotrophic areas in water bodies that cannot support life due to lack of nutrients. C) an ecosystem that was cleared of all vegetation for slash and burn agriculture. D) hypoxic areas in water bodies that limit marine and aquatic life.

Q: Which of the following is not correct regarding nitrogen. A) The atmosphere contains about 78% nitrogen. B) Bacterial action is key to the nitrogen cycle. C) Atmospheric nitrogen is accessible directly to most organisms. D) Nitrogen is very important to organisms.

Q: How is atmospheric nitrogen converted to a usable form in the biosphere? A) Atmospheric nitrogen is directly available to plants and animals. B) It is absorbed into plants via stomata and converted within the plant to a usable form. C) Bacteria within root nodules of legumes chemically combine the atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates and ammonia. D) Atmospheric nitrogen is completely unavailable to plants and animals and, as a result, synthetic fertilizers must be used.

Q: Which of the following is the largest carbon sinks? A) the atmosphere B) fossil fuels and oil shales C) dead organic matter D) the oceans

Q: Together, three natural elements make up 99% of the Earth's biomass. Which of the following is not one of those three elements? A) oxygen (O) B) hydrogen (H) C) nitrogen (N) D) carbon (C)

Q: Which of the following is incorrect regarding the spatial variability of net primary productivity? A) At temperate and high latitudes, the rate of carbon fixing is seasonally variable. B) Productivity rates are constantly high throughout the year in the tropics. C) Net primary productivity is highest in the fall and winter in temperate and high latitude areas. D) Productivity rates in deserts is much less than that of tropical regions.

Q: In which of the following marine/aquatic ecosystems would one tend to find the highest net primary productivity? A) open ocean B) boreal forest C) algal beds and reefs D) upwelling zone

Q: In which of the following terrestrial ecosystems would one tend to find the lowest net primary productivity? A) extreme desert B) woodland and shrubland C) tundra D) cultivated lands

Q: In which of the following terrestrial ecosystems would one tend to find the highest net primary productivity? A) temperate grassland B) boreal forest C) tropical seasonal forest D) tundra and alpine region

Q: In which of the following areas would one tend to find the highest net primary productivity? A) northern Brazil B) central Australia C) western Canada D) Euroasia

Q: The net dry weight of all organic material in an ecosystem is known as A) net primary productivity. B) biomass. C) net photosynthesis. D) compensation point.

Q: The break-even point between the production and consumption of organic material is termed A) net primary productivity. B) compensation point. C) net photosynthesis. D) free air CO2 enrichment.

Q: The net photosynthesis for an entire ecosystem is known as the A) net primary productivity. B) compensation point. C) net photosynthesis. D) free air CO2 enrichment.

Q: The difference between the photosynthetic production of carbohydrates and the respiration loss of carbohydrates is known as A) net primary productivity. B) compensation point. C) net photosynthesis. D) free air CO2 enrichment.

Q: Respiration involves A) the use of heat energy to react carbon dioxide with water to produce oxygen. B) a chemical reaction between carbohydrates and oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and heat energy. C) a photochemical reaction involving carbon dioxide and water to produce carbohydrates and oxygen. D) a photochemical reaction involving carbon dioxide and oxygen to produce water and oxygen.

Q: Photosynthesis converts A) heat energy, carbon dioxide, and water into carbohydrates and oxygen. B) heat energy, oxygen, and carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and water. C) light energy, carbon dioxide, and water into carbohydrates and oxygen. D) light energy, oxygen, and carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and water.

Q: Approximately ________ of the light energy arriving at the surface of a leaf is useful to chlorophyll. A) 5% B) 10% C) 25% D) 50%

Q: Chlorophyll reflects predominately ________ wavelengths of visible light. A) red B) blue C) green D) indigo

Q: Chlorophyll absorbs only the ________ and ________ wavelengths for photochemical operations. A) orange-red; violet-blue B) violet-blue; green-yellow C) orange-red; green-yellow D) yellow-red; violet-green

Q: C6H12O6 + 6O2g 6CO2 + 6H2O + heat energy is the generalized equation for A) respiration. B) photosynthesis. C) chemosynthesis. D) transpiration.

Q: 6CO2 + 6H2O + Light g C6H12O6 + 6O2is the generalized equation for A) respiration. B) photosynthesis. C) chemosynthesis. D) transpiration.

Q: Photosynthesis involves A) the release of stored carbon dioxide in a process using sunlight. B) the union of carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the presence of sunlight, and the release of oxygen. C) a process known as respiration. D) important reactions within the stems and roots of plants.

Q: The openings on the surfaces of plant leaves through which gases move into and out of are known as A) chlorophyll. B) stomata. C) guard cells. D) chloroplasts.

Q: Today, there are over 270,000 plant species with conductive tissues and material flow systems known as A) blue-green algae. B) cyanobacteria. C) xeriphytes. D) vascular plants.

Q: The gaseous oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere was produced as a by-product of A) volcanic outgassing. B) photochemical reactions breaking down ozone (O3) to form oxygen (O2). C) photosynthesis. D) decay of organic matter.

Q: An organism capable of synthesizing its own food and inorganic substances using sunlight or chemical energy is known as a(n) A) heterotroph. B) autotroph. C) primary consumer. D) secondary consumer.

Q: Of the total energy intercepted at Earth's surface and available for work, only about ________ is actually fixed by photosynthesis. A) 1% B) 5% C) 10% D) 15%

Q: Autotrophs that dwell in dark caves, in wells, or on the ocean floor often depend on which of the following biogeochemical processes? A) chemosynthesis B) photosynthesis C) nutrient leaching D) nitrogen fixing

Q: Which of the following is not a abiotic component of an ecosystem? A) plants B) sunlight C) precipitation D) mineral nutrients

Q: Which of the following is not a biotic component of an ecosystem? A) plants B) animals C) bacteria D) mineral nutrients

Q: The Earth's biosphere A) consists of only terrestrial organisms, while the hydrosphere includes aquatic and marine organisms. B) only includes the biotic components of an ecosystem, with the abiotic components being considered part of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, or atmosphere, respectively. C) is more a theoretical construct than an observable sphere of study. D) extends from the ocean floor to an altitude of approximately 8 km (5 mi) into the atmosphere.

Q: A study of the spatial distribution of the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the environmental factors that control that distribution would be an example of a topic studied in A) biogeography. B) ecology. C) pedology. D) plant biology.

Q: A study of the dietary requirements of African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana) in a savanna environment, and the role the elephants play in that environment, would be an example of a topic studied in A) biogeography. B) ecology. C) pedology. D) plant biology.

Q: The study of the distribution of plants and animals, the diverse spatial patterns they create, and the physical and biological processes that produce Earth's species richness is called A) biology. B) ecology. C) geoarchaeology. D) biogeography.

Q: The study of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment is called A) biology. B) ecology. C) pedology. D) biogeography.