Exam 3 Flashcards
1
Q
Which layer of a deep lake has the most light and oxygen?
A
epilimnion
2
Q
Mangrove trees are found along ________ shorelines.
A
tropical saltwater
3
Q
Ecologically, barrier islands are not good places for development.
A
True
4
Q
Which of the following is NOT an ecosystem service of wetlands?
A
large amounts of land available for development of farms or neighborhoods
5
Q
Sophia is an environmental educator who regularly teaches outdoor classes for schoolchildren along the seashore. She takes them to shallow, rocky areas where even at low tide there is enough water to find species such as sea stars, urchins, crustaceans, and seaweed. Where are Sophia and the schoolchildren?
A
in a tide pool
6
Q
Wetlands perform a major ecosystem service of trapping and filtering water as it passes through the wetland area.
A
True
7
Q
Which type of wetland is noted for producing peat?
A
bogs and fens
8
Q
If an organism is described as ‘benthic,” where does it reside?
A
at the bottom of the ocean or a lake
9
Q
The category of wetland that always contains trees is the
A
swamp
10
Q
The sharp boundary between a lake’s warmer epilimnion and cooler hypolimnion is called the benthos.
A
False
11
Q
Wetlands are biomes that
A
are wet at least some of the year.
12
Q
What is the greatest threat to wetland ecosystems?
A
conversion to terrestrial communities through sediment loads or draining for development
13
Q
Which marine stratification listed would have the least primary productivity?
A
abyssal zone
14
Q
Why are the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Antarctic waters the most productive?
A
Cold water holds the most dissolved oxygen and can therefore support greater numbers of phytoplankton.
15
Q
________ is where fresh water mixes with ocean water.
A
An estuary
16
Q
Coral bleaching occurs when ________.
A
ocean temperatures are too warm
17
Q
What marine ecosystem is most similar to a tropical rainforest in terms of diversity?
A
coral reef
18
Q
Which of the following protects mainland shores from the force of waves?
A
barrier islands
19
Q
Organisms in this habitat are adapted to very hot temperatures, high pressure, and are supported by a food chain based on metabolizing sulfur compounds rather than oxygen. This description best fits
A
hydrothermal vent communities.
20
Q
The difference between a wetland and a swamp is that ________.
A
a swamp has trees and a wetland does not
21
Q
Which of the following are NOT forms of chemical deterioration of soil?
A
waterlogging
22
Q
Which of these is NOT a benefit found with reduced tillage farming?
A
decreased insects and weeds
23
Q
Another word for cover crops is
A
green manure
24
Q
Terracing is more sustainable than conventional farming, but is also more expensive.
A
True
25
When compared to sand and gravel, small soil particles (clay and silt) have ________ pore space.
less
26
About what portion of world freshwater withdrawals is used for agriculture?
2/3
27
The richest farming soils that form under the grasslands of central North America and under moist deciduous forests are the ________.
mollisols and alfisols
28
Which of the following CANNOT be found in soil?
All of these are found in soil
29
Which is the BEST cropping method for reducing erosion?
rotating corn, wheat and clover
30
Which of the following is NOT a component of soil texture?
organics
31
Which of the following is the most important factor influencing soil drainage?
soil texture
32
What’s the term used to describe soil that has clay, silt, and sand?
loam
33
You walk into a field and see rows of soybean plants. Upon closer inspection, you see the remains of the corn stalks from a previous crop. What techniques are practiced on this farm?
no-till and crop rotation
34
Which of the following is the most correct definition of soil?
a complex mixture of organic matter, minerals, and living organisms
35
The benefits of leaving crop residues on a field after harvest include
All of these are correct
36
To increase carbon inputs AND reduce carbon losses in soil, which of the following management practices could be used?
no tillage or conservation tillage
37
Mycorrhizal symbiosis reveals fungi to be more damaging to plant growth than originally believed.
False
38
Mineral particles in the soil are derived from
All of these are correct
39
The stratified horizontal layers of soils are called soil ________.
horizons
40
Annual row crops such as ________ cause the highest erosion rates because ________.
corn and beans; soil is left bare for the majority of the year
41
In terms of mineral resources, recycling is ________ as raw materials become more ________ and ________ are more plentiful.
slowly increasing; scarce; wastes
42
The country with the largest production of rare earth metals is
China
43
The physical breakdown of a rock into smaller pieces is called
mechanical weathering
44
Which of the following statements is false?
Tsunamis are generally caused by volcanic eruptions
45
Rocks formed from solidified magma are known as ________ rocks.
igneous
46
Earth's largest mountains are found
under the sea
47
Which step in the rock cycle is responsible for the formation of sedimentary rocks?
Soil and rock particles get compressed and glued together as additional soil accumulates above forming sedimentary rocks
48
A major environmental implication of the quest for more gold at lower concentrations in the ore compared to higher concentrations is that
more material has to be moved to get to the gold.
49
The metal(s) that is/are most important in global economies is/are
iron
50
Iron and aluminum are examples of minerals based on their unique crystal structure.
False
51
Reclamation of strip-mined land is difficult chiefly because
topsoil is mixed up and buried so topsoil must take time to develop again for plants to grow.
52
Why are distant communities interested in the mining activities of other regions? For example, why was Georgia interested in Tennessee’s emission standards related to the Ducktown smelters?
Air and water pollution don’t stay in one place.
53
A mineral is composed of
inorganic elements
54
Heap-leach extraction removes gold from ore by
spraying cyanide on a pile of ore gravel.
55
Mechanical weathering changes both the physical and chemical composition of rocks.
False
56
Crude oil is derived from ________.
phytoplankton and algae
57
The fundamental characteristic(s) that distinguish(es) a mineral is/are its
chemical composition and its crystal structure.
58
The basic material of rocks is a cohesive group of
one or more minerals.
59
The biggest risk to communities surrounding mountain top removal is ________.
infiltrating water flows through the rock debris and picks up toxic metals and chemicals, taking them to drinking water supplies.
60
Which of the following is NOT a major type of rock?
bituminious
61
In the process of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), water mixed with chemicals is used to break rock to access natural gas. Because of the added chemicals, this water cannot be returned to surface waters. This wastewater is injected deep underground to be stored away from groundwater resources that could be contaminated. This is an example of
water consumption
62
Which of the following factors is the MOST important factor in determining whether a country is "water rich" or "water poor"?
renewable water supplies
63
Groundwater recharge in most areas of the United States is just barely keeping up with the rate of water withdrawal.
False
64
Which of the following is NOT an effect that urbanization has on water?
Urbanization increases transpiration.
65
The hydrologic compartment that contains the greatest amount of fresh water is
ice and snow.
66
Many experts think that in the future, water conflicts will be a major cause of international conflict. Currently, however, there are no international conflicts over water.
False
67
Aquifers are porous underground geological formations from which water can be extracted.
True
68
Worldwide per capita use of water has
increased substantially.
69
The place where aquifers are most likely to be contaminated is at
recharge zones.
70
Which of the following is the largest compartment of fresh water on Earth?
ice and snow
71
Rain shadows
are areas known for receiving little precipitation.
72
The San Joaquin Valley in California has sunk because groundwater is withdrawn faster than it is replaced causing collapse of pore spaces underground. This is called
subsidence
73
One of the major reasons for the removal of dams in the United States is
to restore fish populations.
74
Water scarcity occurs when
the demand for water exceeds the available amount or when poor quality restricts its use.
75
Which of the following withdraws the highest amount of water yearly?
agriculture
76
Evaporation is greatest at
mid-latitudes (20 to 40 degrees).
77
In general, water use worldwide is dominated by
agricultural use.
78
Natural evaporation processes are mainly driven by
solar energy
79
The largest single use of water for industrial purposes is for
power production
80
Approximately ________ percent of Earth's water is freshwater.
two
81
Soil
composed of mineral grains, organic matter, organisms, water, and air
82
Soil erosion
when too much nutrients are washed away from runoff
83
Salinization
a process in which mineral salts accumulate in the soil, killing plants; occurs when soils in dry climates are irrigated profusely
84
Crust
lightweight outermost layer of the earth’s surface that floats on the soft, pliable, underlying layers; similar to the “skin” on a bowl of warm pudding
85
Mantle
a hot, pliable layer of rock that surrounds the earth’s core and underlies the cool, outer crust
86
Core
the dense, intensely hot mass of molten metal, mostly iron and nickel, thousands of kilometers in diameter at the earth’s center
87
Asthenosphere
soft part of earth’s mantle
88
Lithosphere
crust and uppermost mantle
89
Subduction
the process by which one tectonic plate is pushed down below another as plates crash into each other
90
Collision
when two tectonic plates collide
91
Convergence
when two tectonic plates slide past each other
92
Tsunami
powerful waves triggered by earthquakes and landslides
93
Fossil fuels
petroleum, natural gas, and coal created by ecological forces from organic wastes and the dead bodies of formerly living organisms
94
Coal
a mineral deriving from leaves and other plant material accumulated in the bed of ancient swamps
95
Mineral
a naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline solid with definite chemical composition and characteristic physical properties
96
Rocks
a solid, cohesive aggregate of one or more crystalline minerals
97
Smelting
roasting ore to release metals
98
Faults
trapping accumulations of oil
99
Epilimnion
the most light and oxygen levels of a lake
100
Thermocline
a distinctive temperature transition zone that separates an upper layer that is mixed by the epilimnion and the hypolimnion
101
Hypolimnion
the colder, deeper layer that isn’t mixed
102
Benthos
the very bottom of the lake
103
Littoral zone
shorelines
104
Estuary
a bay or drowned valley where a river empties into the sea
105
Coral reefs
prominent oceanic features composed of hard, limy skeletons produced by coral animals
106
Mangroves
trees from a number of genera that live in shallow saltwater
107
Barrier islands
low, narrow, sandy islands that form offshore from a coastline, protecting the shore from storms
108
Wetlands
ecosystems of several types in which rooted vegetation is surrounded by standing water during part of the year
109
Benthic organism
organisms at the bottom of the sea or lake
110
Continental shelf
the undersea area
111
Intertidal zone
the place between high and low tides
112
Pelagic zone
the vertical water column of a water body
113
Abyssal zone
the deepest layer
114
Epipelagic zone
the layer on top
115
Saturation point
moisture condensing into either rain or snow
116
Barrier islands are formed of
wind- and wave-deposited sand.
117
________ is the basis of marine food webs.
Phytoplankton
118
Unlike terrestrial communities, aquatic communities are rarely determined by the physical characteristics of the environment (other than the water itself).
False
119
Which of the following is NOT a region in a lake ecosystem?
pelagic zone
120
Estuaries are noted by biologists because they have few, but highly specialized biological niches.
False
121
This ecosystem is based on a symbiosis between a small animal and photosynthetic algae. Name the ecosystem described.
coral reef
122
Estuaries are characterized as being
important nurseries for many fish and other animal species.
123
The thermocline is the layer in a lake at which
the warm upper zone meets the cold lower zone
124
One of the drawbacks of leaving crop residues on a field after harvest is increased
pest and disease problems.
125
Wind erosion is most likely to cause problems in
open, arid regions
126
This component of soil is important for making nutrients available to plants.
bacteria, algae, and fungi
127
Salinization is a common agricultural problem in what type of region?
arid
128
How much of the earth’s land is currently in crop production?
11%
129
Good farming soils have a thick
A horizon
130
Which of the following is the BEST way to ensure soil health?
strip farming and leaving residues on fields after harvest
131
Which of the following would have nearly zero topsoil?
desert
132
Soil organisms usually stay ________ the soil.
close to the surface of
133
Contour plowing and strip farming are methods designed to
prevent water and soil loss.
134
________in the mantle and core make tectonic plates move.
convection currents
135
Coal is derived from ________ compressed and hardened over millennia
plant material from swamps
136
The selective removal or alteration of specific components of a rock that leads to its weakening is called
chemical weathering
137
The continental crust of the earth is thicker and lighter than the oceanic crust.
True
138
Subduction is the process of a tectonic plate
being forced below another plate.
139
Which of the following is classified as a non-metal mineral?
sand
140
Using recycled materials utilizes about as much energy as required to process virgin ore.
False
141
The "ring of fire" is the source of more earthquakes and volcanic activity than any other place on earth.
What causes the ring of fire?
the subduction of Pacific plates under continental plates
142
Where do the toxic gases and leachates come from that are the result of mining for gold?
sulfur compounds in the ore
143
Metamorphic rocks are produced when rocks are
recrystallized by heat and pressure
144
What gas is released in the process of smelting?
sulfur dioxide
145
Recycling aluminum beverage cans
consumes 1/20 of the energy required to make new aluminum.
146
Which of the following is water consumption?
bottling groundwater and shipping it to other states
147
Withdrawal is the total amount of water
taken from rivers, lakes, or aquifers
148
Evaporation is
liquid water turning to vapor well below boiling temperature.
149
The largest river in the world is the
Amazon
150
In the twentieth century, half of the new dams that were built are in
China
151
The atmosphere has the greatest ________ of the earth's hydrologic compartments
Turnover rate and smallest water volume
152
Water enters groundwater by
infiltration
153
The dip in the water table below wells is called the
cone of depression
154
Cause and effects of water stress may include
All of the above are potential causes or effects of water stress
155
The place where aquifers are most likely to be contaminated is at
recharge zones
156
The activity that uses the greatest share of U.S. household water is
flushing the toilet
157
Monsoon
A seasonal reversal of wind patterns caused by the different heating and cooling rates of the oceans and continents
158
Albedo
A description of a surface's reflective properties
159
Polar cells
polar cells
160
Hadley cells
equatorial convection cells
161
Ferrell cells
mid-latitude cells
162
Coriolis effect
The influence of friction and drag on layers near earth; deflects air currents to the direction of the earth's rotation
163
Cold front
a moving boundary of cooler air displacing warmer air
164
Tornadoes
a violent storm characterized by strong whirling winds and updrafts. Tornadoes form when a strong cold front pushes under a warm, moist air mass over the land
165
Hurricanes
Large cyclonic oceanic storms with heavy rains and winds exceeding 119 km/hr
166
El Nino
A climatic change marked by the shifting of a large warm water pool from the western Pacific Ocean toward the east. Wind direction and precipitation patterns are changed over much of the Pacific and perhaps around the world
167
Warm front
a long, wedge-shaped boundary caused when a warmer advancing air mass slides over neighboring cooler air parcels
168
The coral reef is among the most endangered biological communities.
True
169
Which of the following is a common characteristic of shoreline communities such as mangroves, estuaries, and salt marshes?
They are all nursery habitats for marine animals including commercially important species
170
Coral reefs form in
warm, clear tropical seas
171
Freshwater ecosystems
include lakes, marshes, bogs, and fens.
172
Chemicals were first used to kill or ward off pests
thousands of years ago
173
It is possible to simulate _________ in a flower pot. If a plant is overwatered, the salts in the water can build up in the flower pot. The roots of some plants are very sensitive to build up of salts, which can impact their growth or kill the plant.
salinization
174
Soil color and texture are important for recognizing soils good for farming. Which of the following would be a soil richer in organic material and nutrients?
deep black soils
175
What type of soil is sticky, elastic, and impermeable?
clay
176
To reduce carbon losses in soil, which of the following management practices could be used?
no tillage
177
The efficiency of irrigation water use is ________ in most countries. One of the reasons for this is ________.
low; evaporative losses from unprotected water channeling
178
Which of the following uses the LEAST amount of energy in industrialized farming practices?
drying the crops in the field
179
Which of the following would have nearly zero topsoil?
deserts
180
Rill erosion can lead to
gully erosion
181
Underground coal mines have a high risk of fires, which can burn for many years.
True
182
Which of the following bodies of water is growing due to tectonic movement?
Atlantic Ocean
183
Salts such as halite are often produced as ________ deposits.
sedimentary
184
A lesson from the Ducktown, Tennessee mining experience is that mineral exploitation can
produce great wealth but at great social and environmental cost.
185
The continents are the lightest part of Earth's crust.
True
186
Which of the following saves the most amount of energy when derived from scrap rather than producing new from ore or raw source materials?
aluminum
187
Which term means a solid aggregation of minerals?
rock
188
What era is marked by the presence of the first humans?
cenozoic
189
The most common element in the earth's crust is
oxygen
190
Forces of weathering are most directly responsible for ________ rocks.
sedimentary
191
In many places, it is possible to collect your aluminum drink cans and sell them to a scrap metal recycling business. Why will these businesses buy your collected drink cans?
They can sell the scrap to companies who manufacture aluminum cans.
192
Of all the world's fresh water, nearly ________ percent is tied up in glaciers, ice caps, and snowfields.
90
193
Subsidence and sinkholes
are probably a permanent loss of an aquifer.
194
As population has increased since 1900, all of the following uses have increased. Which of the following water withdrawals cannot be directly reduced by conservation efforts?
evaporation from reservoirs
195
The Ogallala Aquifer supplies water to ________ and once held more water than all of the surface water ________
The Great Plains states; in the world
196
Principal problems that have resulted from the construction of large dams include the relocation of people.
True
197
Wetlands are important for the infiltration of water into aquifers.
True
198
Which of the following is NOT a part of the hydrologic cycle?
photosynthesis
199
According to the United Nations, by 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will be living in drought-stressed conditions.
True
200
The zone of saturation is the portion of groundwater where
all soil or rock pore spaces are filled with water.
201
The regions of the world with the most precipitation annually are
the tropical region near the equator.
202
Withdrawal of groundwater often causes subsidence, a situation where
porous rocks settle and ground level falls.
203
A country's renewable water supplies are generally made up of
surface runoff and infiltration into accessible aquifers.
