LIVING WITH THE EARTH
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Another word for the "layer of life" is _______.
2 What effects climate the most? _________________.
3 Circle example(s) of an ecosystem.
4. Circle two examples of physical or abiotic components of an ecosystem.
5. Tropical rainforests contain what percentage of the world's plants and animals.
6. Most life in the tropical rainforests occur in what part of the forest.
7. What is the process by which plants use energy from the sun to turn carbon dioxide and water into simple sugars.
8. What is the best example(s) from the list below of an organism belonging to the first trophic level.
9. Give an example of a primary consumer.
10. Since each higher trophic level requires a greater expenditurre of energy to survive, what is the perceived maximum number of trophic levels the earth can support?
11. Circle three macronutrients listed below.
12. Circle all the ways carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
13. What gas makes up the largest percent of the earth's air?
20. Circle the two examples of secondary succession.
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TRUE/ FALSE
1. The theoretical layer of life is five miles above and below the ocean's surface.
True ______ False ______ True- pg. 1-2
2. Life is equally distributed throughout the biosphere.
True ______ False ______ False - pg. 1-2
3. Biomes are based on dominant types of animals which are strongly correlated to whether or not humans are present in the area.
True ______ False ______ False - 1-2
4. The seasons are caused by the earth's distance from the sun.
True ______ False ______ False -pg. 1-3
5. Warmer air holds more moisture, so areas with warm air tend to have a lot of precipitation.
True ______ False ______ True - pg. 1-4
6. Warm air molecules are packed more closely together than cold air, making the air seem warmer.
True ______ False ______ False -pg. 1-4
7. The Coriolis effect is influenced strongly by sunspots.
True ______ False ______ False - pg. 1-6
8. Tundra biomes are found close to the equator.
True ______ False ______ False - pg. 1-8
9. Tundras are the biomes found farthest north.
True ______ False ______ True - pg. 1-8
10. Tundra biomes receive over one hundred inches of rain a year.
True ______ False ______ False- pg. 1-8
11. Massachusetts is an example of a taiga biome.
True ______ False ______ False - pg. 1-11
12. Tropical rainforests and deserts may occur in the same latitude.
True ______ False ______ True -pg. 1-16
13. Zinc, iron, and copper are examples of macronutrients.
True ______ False ______ False - pg1-24
14. Humans are nitrogen-based life forms.
True ______ False ______ False - pg. 1-24
15. The sedimentary cycle refers to calcium, iron, and phosphorus getting leached from sedentary rocks by water erosion.
True ______ False ______ True - pg. 1-27
16. Primary succession is the first step of succession.
True ______ False ______ True - pg. 1-28
17. A climax community is the final step of succession.
True ______ False ______ True - pg. 1-28
18. A spruce tree is an example of a pioneer plant.
True ______ False ______ False - pg. 1-29
19. Retrogression in an area can result in fewer species.
True ______ False ______ True - pg 1-29
20. Oxygen, not sunlight, is what ultimately powers most life.
True ______ False ______ False - pg. 1-29
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SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Briefly describe what retrogression is.
When something negative occurs to reduce the diversity of an ecosystem leading to fewer organisms and weakening the food web. pg. 1-28
2. Name at least three things the word climate takes into consideration.
Temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind velocity and direction, and cloud cover and solar radiation. - pg. 1-3
3. Name two phenomena associated with climatic change.
4. How is the climate most effected. _________________.
temperature / the sun- pg. 1-3
5. Give two examples of ecosystem.
the planet, an ant farm, tidal pool, pond, river valley, and garbage can. pg. 1-7
6. Give two examples of physical or abiotic components of an ecosystem.
Water, air, sunlight, and minerals. pg. 1-8
7. What is the process by which plants turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar and water.
Photosynthesis - pg. 1-19
8. What is the term associated with the accumulation of organic material in an ecosystem?
Biomass - pg. 1-19
9. What term describes the amount of energy stored by a plant to be used as chemical energy?
Kilocalories - pg. 1-19
10. Give an example of an organism in the first trophic level.
Plant -pg. 1-21
11. Give an example of a primary consumer.
Caterpillar, grasshopper, cattle, elephants - pg. 1-21
12. About how many trophic levels can the earth support?
5 -pg. 1-22
13. Name three macronutrients.
Sulfur, carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen, hydrogen - pg. 1-23
14. List three sources from which carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
a. Respiratory process of plants and animals who consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
b. Combustion of fossil or organic fuels.
c. Decomposition of organic matter. pg. 1-24
15. What part of the carbon cycle do scientists think is contributing to the greenhouse effect?
The increase of carbon dioxide due to the burning of forests and fossil fuels. pg. 1-26
16. What macronutrient makes up the largest percent of the earth s air?
Nitrogen pg. 1-26
17. Briefly describe what retrogression is.
When something negative occurs to reduce the diversity of an ecosystem leading to fewer organisms and weakening the food web. pg. 1-28
18. Give an example of secondary succession.
a. abandoned farm field to forest b. abandoned parking lot to forest pg. 1-29
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ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. What is permafrost, in what biome is it found, and what is its effect on that biomes' vegetation?
Permafrost is ice or frozen soil that is found a few inches below the topsoil. It is usually found in a Tundra biome. Because there is only a few inches of topsoil and then frozen earth, plants cannot send their roots deep into the soil. This prevents larger trees and bushes from growing. pg. 1-8
2. Discuss the types and numbers of species available in the different biomes.
The more extremely cold biomes, the Tundra and the Tiaga, have fewer total species but many of one species compared with the other biomes. The animals in the Tundra and Tiaga have thick skin or fur. Some of the animals migrate for the long, cold winters and others hibernate. The Temperate Areas have large number of species and fairly large numbers within the species. Some of the birds and animals also migrate or hibernate for the winters in this area. In the Tropical Rainforest there is the largest variety of species for one biome. Within each species though the numbers of organisms is fairly small. Deserts species have adapted themselves to weather conditions opposite of the Tundra. Their bodies tend to be long with short appendages so they can maximize heat radiation. These organisms may have no sweat glands, concentrate their urine, and/or may be nocturnal to avoid the hot days. pg. 1-9 - 1-18
.3. Discuss the benefits of being an herbivore in relation to preserving the environment.
When an animal, insect, or human eats a plant, 90% of the energy goes toward respiration leaving only 105 to be turned into energy. When another animal or human eats that organism that has eaten the plant, the second organism is only getting 1/10 x 1/10 =1/100 of the original energy found in the plant. The amount of plant life used to feed a cow and then a human could support twenty people over the same amount of time if the twenty people were served plants instead of meat.pg. 1-20 - 1-23
4. Discuss the different types of desert plants and their root systems and leaves.
The majority of plant life in the desert are deciduous shrubs (instead of plants that keep their leaves). Their root system usually extends far out from the shrub to absorb whatever rain falls in the area. Some plants do have roots that extend far into the soil, over 30 feet, to reach underground water. Desert plants store their water in different parts of the plant; roots, stem, flower, or leaves. Their leaves are drought resistant and may have thorns or spines to protect themselves from other organisms. pg. 1-18
5. Describe the carbon cycle.
Carbon can be found in three different states; gas, liquid, and solid.Carbon is released into the atmosphere in many ways; burning of fossil or organic fuels, respiration of organisms that take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide, and the decomposition of dead matter. There is a large amount of carbon in the sea; 71%. The carbon, in the form of carbon dioxide, evaporates into the atmosphere. Rain is slightly acidic. Carbon dioxide can be used by healthy plants. The plants consume the carbon dioxide and release oxygen. With all the cutting of forests, there is becoming a decreasing amount of plants to produce oxygen. pg. 1-24 -1-26