Environmental Biology Unit 3 Jeopardy

Where does the largest input of solar energy occur?
A. The North pole
B. The South pole
C. At 30° N
D. At 30° S
E. The equator

The equator

What is the best explanation for why tropical regions normally receive more precipitation than other areas of the globe?
A. Increased heating increases local evaporation.
B. Tropical regions are surrounded by oceans.
C. The prevailing winds bring more rain.
D. Convectional cells bring more rain.
E. Warm ocean currents bring more precipitation.

Increased heating increases local evaporation.

The rain shadow effect refers to ____.
A. an increase in sunlight on the windward side of mountain ranges
B. an increase in moisture on the leeward side of mountain ranges
C. an increase in moisture on the windward side of mountain ranges
D. a decrease in moisture on the windward side of mountain ranges
E. less light available on the leeward side of mountain ranges

an increase in moisture on the windward side of mountain ranges

Which of the following is one of the major factors that influences global air circulation as described in the textbook?A. The location of mountain ranges
B. The rotation of the earth on its axis
C. The lunar cycle
D. ENSOE. The shape of the continents

The rotation of the earth on its axis

Which term describes the temperature, precipitation, and humidity of an area over hours or days?
A. Climate
B. Weather
C. Biomes
D. Ecosystems
E. Currents

Weather

Suppose you are walking through a forest dense with oak and hickory trees, and with a thick litter layer underfoot. What type of forest are you most likely to be in?
A. Tropical savanna
B. Temperate deciduous forest
C. Tropical rain forest
D. Temperate rain forest
E. Coniferous forest

Temperate deciduous forest

In a tropical rain forest, dropped leaves, fallen trees, and dead animals decompose ____.
A. quickly due to the abundance of decomposers
B. slowly due to the nutrient-poor soils
C. slowly due to the abundant rainfall
D. moderately and nutrients are taken up by the roots of the lianas
E. quickly due to the dense ground vegetation

quickly due to the abundance of decomposers

How do the tropical rain forests differ from the temperate deciduous forest?
A. Rain forests have more foliage at ground level than deciduous forests.
B. Rain forests have fewer lianas than deciduous forests.
C. Deciduous forests have a slower rate of decomposition than rain forests.
D. Rain forests have lower species diversity than deciduous forests.
E. Deciduous forests have a dense canopy of broad leaves, compared with an open canopy of the rain forest.

Deciduous forests have a slower rate of decomposition than rain forests.

The large grazing animals such as wildebeests and gazelles are best associated with which biome?
A. savanna
B. temperate grassland
C. temperate deciduous forest
D. tropical desert
E. tundra

savanna

The biome with the highest diversity is the ____.
A. cold desert
B. tropical rain forest
C. temperate rain forest
D. savanna
E. temperate evergreen forest

tropical rain forest

A jellyfish would be considered a type of ____.
A. benthos
B. zooplankton
C. nekton
D. phytoplankton
E. ultraplankton

zooplankton

Oysters, sea stars, and lobsters would be considered what type of organism?
A. phytoplankton
B. zooplankton
C. nekton
D. benthos
E. decomposers

benthos

Strongly swimming consumers are most likely to be ____.
A. phytoplankton
B. zooplankton
C. nekton
D. benthos
E. decomposers

nekton

On a fishing boat, someone catches a swordfish. As a biologist, you would consider this organism a type of ____.
A. phytoplankton
B. zooplankton
C. nekton
D. benthos
E. decomposer

nekton

Several key factors help to determine the types and numbers of organisms found in the various layers of both freshwater and marine systems. What is not one of these?
A. algal bloom
B. availability of nutrients
C. temperature
D. dissolved oxygen levels
E. availability of food

algal bloom

What is an area where a river meets the sea, and includes some of the earth's most productive wetlands?
A. Euphotic zone
B. Estuary
C. Inlets
D. Bays
E. Coastal marshes

Estuary

The deepest part of the ocean is the ____.
a. Abyssal zone
b. Euphotic zone
c. Estuary zone
d. Bathyal zone
e. Benthic zone

Abyssal zone

Most photosynthesis in the open ocean occurs in the ____.
A. Abyssal zone
B. Euphotic zone
C. Estuary zone
D. Bathyal zone
E. Benthic zone

Euphotic zone

The dimly lit zone in which zooplankton and smaller fishes predominate is the ____.
a. Abyssal zone
b. Euphotic zone
c. Estuary zone
d. Bathyal zone
e. Benthic zone

Bathyal zone

In certain areas of the open sea, winds, ocean currents, and other factors cause water to come up from the depths to the surface, bringing nutrient from the ocean bottom. This process is called a(n) ____.
A. Downdraft
B. Updraft
C. El Niño
D. La Niña
E. Upwelling

Upwelling

The rate at which extinctions occurred prior to the evolution of modern humans is called the ____.
A. E.O. Wilson postulate
B. species diversity index
C. living planet index
D. baseline extinction rate
E. background extinction rate

background extinction rate

The extinction of many species in a relatively short period of geologic time is called ____.
A. mass extinction
B. secondary extinction
C. biological extinction
D. background extinction rate
E. tertiary extinction

mass extinction

Biodiversity hotspots are ____.
A. tropical areas where extinction is occurring
B. islands where extinction is occurring
C. areas with a variety of threatened or endangered species
D. large areas with a variety of thriving species
E. ecosystems that are acting to slow climate change

areas with a variety of threatened or endangered species

____ are most threatened with extinction because of human activities.
A. Amphibians
B. Mammals
C. Birds
D. Reptiles
E. Insects

Amphibians

HIPPCO is a(n) ____.
A. species of hippopotamus
B. company specializing in solving environmental problems
C. government program
D. acronym summarizing causes of extinction
E. environmental rock band

acronym summarizing causes of extinction

Which invasive species threatens the Florida Everglades?
A. kudzu
B. pythons
C. zebra mussels
D. nutrias
E. sea lampreys

pythons