Lesson 3: The Biosphere

Question 1

A large-scale terrestrial biological community shaped by the regional climate, soil, and disturbance patterns where it is found, usually classified by the growth form of the dominant plants.

Answer 1

biome

Question 2

A rooted or floating aquatic vascular plant.

Answer 2

macrophyte

Question 3

A subsurface soil layer that remains frozen year-round for at least 3 years.

Answer 3

permafrost

Question 4

A vegetation type dominated by grasses with intermixed trees and shrubs.

Answer 4

savanna

Question 5

All the different species of an ecosystem are referred to as the:

Answer 5

Community

Question 6

Biodiversity is greatest in which biome?

Answer 6

Rainforest

Question 7

Characterized by seasonally high precipitation (>120 mm) and temperatures that go below freezing

Answer 7

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Question 8

Characterized by sediments carried to shorelines by rivers:

Answer 8

Salt Marsh

Question 9

Degradation of formerly productive land in arid regions resulting in loss of plant cover and acceleration of soil erosion.

Answer 9

desertification

Question 10

Freshly dead or partially decomposed remains of organisms.

Answer 10

detritus

Question 11

In which biome of Africa would you find lions, giraffes, and elephants?

Answer 11

Savanna

Question 12

Non-photosynthetic plankton.

Answer 12

zooplankton

Question 13

Of or referring to still water.

Answer 13

lentic

Question 14

Of or relating to flowing water.

Answer 14

lotic

Question 15

Patterns of rising and falling of ocean water generated by the gravitational attraction between Earth and the moon and sun.

Answer 15

tides

Question 16

Photosynthetic plankton.

Answer 16

phytoplankton

Question 17

Referring to the portion of the shoreline that is affected by the rise and fall of the tides.

Answer 17

intertidal

Question 18

Small, often microscopic organisms that live suspended in water; although many are mobile, none can swim strongly enough to overcome water currents.

Answer 18

plankton

Question 19

Swimming organisms capable of overcoming water currents.

Answer 19

nekton

Question 20

The alteration of terrestrial surface, including vegetation and landforms, by human activities such as agriculture, forestry, or mining.

Answer 20

land use change

Question 21

The bottom of a body of water, including the surface and shallow subsurface layers of sediment.

Answer 21

benthic zone

Question 22

The evolution of similar growth forms among distantly related species in response to similar selection pressures.

Answer 22

convergence

Question 23

The highest level of biological organization, consisting of all living organisms on Earth plus the environments in which they live; located between the lithosphere and the troposphere.

Answer 23

biosphere

Question 24

The nearshore zone of a lake where the photic zone reaches to the bottom.

Answer 24

littoral zone

Question 25

The open water column of a lake or ocean.

Answer 25

pelagic zone

Question 26

The portion of the substrate below and adjacent to a stream bed where water movement still occurs, either from the stream or from groundwater moving into the stream.

Answer 26

hyporheic zone

Question 27

The surface layer of a lake or ocean where enough light penetrates to allow photosynthesis.

Answer 27

photic zone

Question 28

Which biome is characterized by a layer of permafrost?

Answer 28

Boreal forest

Question 29

Which of the following would represent an ecosystem?
a. A prairie
b. A lake
c. A fish tank
d. None of the above
e. All of the above

Answer 29

e. All of the above

Question 30

Which two biomes are the most similar with regard to rainfall?

Answer 30

tundra and taiga