When people speak of the "rain shadow" of the California Coast Range, they are referring to _____.
A)the shadow cast by the mist and clouds that hover above the crest of the range
B)the forested condition on the eastern flank of the range compared with the western flank
C)the scarcity of rain on the eastern flank and adjacent lowlands compared with the western flank
D)the dark-colored chaparral vegetation that grows on the eastern flank
E)None of the listed responses is correct

the scarcity of rain on the eastern flank and adjacent lowlands compared with the western flank

Wet and dry seasons in tropical deciduous forests are ultimately caused by _____.
A)changes in day length
B)microclimates
C)proximity to bodies of water
D)upwelling of cold ocean water
E)the tilt of the Earth

the tilt of the Earth

The warming of the Earth is a(n) _____ effect. People are worried that it will have a(n) _____ effect, perhaps causing the extinction of a number of species.
A)ecological ... evolutionary
B)abiotic ... dispersal
C)evolutionary ... biotic
D)ecological ... dispersal
E)biotic ... abiotic

ecological ... evolutionary

Assume that the average temperature in a particular city in the year 1900 was 10.3°C. Based on known warming trends in global climate, what do you expect the average temperature to be in that city in the year 2000?
A)10.3°C
B)11.3°C
C)11.7°C
D)18.3°C

11.1°C

Which of the following statements about biomes is correct?
A)Each biome type occurs on every continent.
B)The major factors affecting the distribution of biomes are temperature and precipitation.
C)Most biomes are characterized by unique groups of particular species of plants and animals.
D)Most biomes are unaffected by human activity.
E)Each continent is home to a biome not found elsewhere on Earth.

The major factors affecting the distribution of biomes are temperature and precipitation.

A climograph shows the mean temperature and precipitation values that support different biomes. What information is missing that would help predict what biome should be found in a particular range?
A)latitude and longitude
B)day length
C)the pattern of climatic variation, including seasonal differences
D)microclimate
E)dominant plant species

the pattern of climatic variation, including seasonal differences

Different species that inhabit the same type of biome, but occur in widely separated geographic regions, often appear similar due to _____.
A)their close evolutionary relationships
B)convergent evolution
C)the occurrence of the same sets of species within a biome, wherever it is found
D)recent common ancestry
E)chance

convergent evolution

What helps produce the patchiness found in most biomes?
A)climate change
B)layered structure
C)convergent evolution
D)ecotones
E)disturbance

disturbance

Permafrost is characteristic of the _____.
A)tundra
B)temperate forest
C)taiga
D)desert
E)tropical forest

tundra

Which biome is the largest terrestrial biome on Earth?
A)temperate broadleaf forest
B)coniferous forest
C)savanna
D)desert
E)tropical forest

coniferous forest

Which of the following choices correctly pairs a terrestrial biome with some of its characteristics?
A)temperate broadleaf forest ... cold winters, wet and dry seasons
B)grassland ... moderate winter temperatures, dry summers
C)taiga ... very cold winters, short growing season
D)savanna ... long, cold winters, abundant precipitation throughout the year
E)tundra ... very cold winters, low summer productivity

taiga ... very cold winters, short growing season

Which of the following biomes is dominated by gymnosperm or conifer trees (pines, firs, spruces)?
A)taiga
B)tundra
C)desert
D)broadleaf forest
C)tropical rain forest

taiga

Of these biomes, vertical stratification (layers of plants) is most pronounced in the _____.
A)grassland
B)tundra
C)desert
D)tropical rain forest
E)savanna

tropical rain forest

What could a climograph be used for?
A)to compare the temperature and altitude of different biomes
B)to compare the latitude and precipitation of different biomes
C)to compare the temperature and precipitation of different biomes
D)to compare geographic range and diversity of organisms in different biomes
E)to compare average wind speeds and precipitation of different biomes

to compare the temperature and precipitation of different biomes

Which statement is true about the tundra?
A)Tundra only exists in the Arctic.
B)Permafrost prevents much water from infiltrating the soil.
C)Migratory birds leave the tundra during the summer to find warmer places to nest.
D)Due to rich mineral content, agriculturists have recently focused their attention on the tundra.
E)None of the listed responses is correct.

Permafrost prevents much water from infiltrating the soil.

Which choice below describes a feature of grassland that explains why its remnants are concentrated in arid regions of North America and central Asia?
A)Grassland is often consumed by fire.
B)The soil is fertile and most grassland has been converted to farmland.
C)Large grazers, such as bison and wild horses, have depleted grassland.
D)Woody shrubs and trees have taken over in areas that receive more precipitation.
E)Grassland has been found to be a good source of minerals and oil.

The soil is fertile and most grassland has been converted to farmland.

Which of the following pairs of biomes is characterized by relatively simple food webs (low biological diversity)?
A)tundra and grassland
B)tundra and desert
C)desert and grassland
D)desert and broadleaf forest
E)taiga and savanna

tundra and desert

In which of the following biomes would you expect decomposers to work most rapidly and efficiently?
A)tundra
B)savanna
C)desert
D)taiga
E)tropical rain forest

tropical rain forest

Communities that exist in the aphotic zone ultimately depend on food manufactured by chemoautotrophic bacteria or _____.
A)algae and cyanobacteria that also live in the aphotic zone
B)algae and cyanobacteria that live in the photic zone
C)decomposers
D)scavengers
E)minerals found on the ocean bottom

algae and cyanobacteria that live in the photic zone

After nutrient enrichment from sewage contamination, a lake often becomes inhospitable to fish. Why?
A)Nutrient input to a lake causes the explosive growth of algal and cyanobacterial populations. This reduces the penetration of light into the lake, the water temperature falls, and eventually the fish population dies.
B)Nutrient input to a lake poisons the fish.
C)Nutrient input to a lake causes the explosive growth of algal and cyanobacterial populations. Decomposition of dead algae and cyanobacteria by bacteria results in the depletion of oxygen in the water, which leads to the death of fish.
D)Nutrient input to a lake poisons the organisms that fish eat.
E)Nutrient input causes the death of algae and cyanobacteria and, thus, the ultimate sources of organic compounds in a lake ecosystem. Eventually, this reduces the availability of food for fish within the lake, leading to their death.

Nutrient input to a lake causes the explosive growth of algal and cyanobacterial populations. Decomposition of dead algae and cyanobacteria by bacteria results in the depletion of oxygen in the water, which leads to the death of fish.

Plankton consists of _____.
A)algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that drift near the surfaces of oceans only
B)photosynthetic organisms that drift near the surfaces of aquatic biomes
C)algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that belong to the benthic communities of oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams
D)algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that drift near the surfaces of oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams
E)algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that occupy the aphotic zones of oceans, lakes, and ponds

algae, cyanobacteria, and animals that drift near the surfaces of oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams

Which of the following is characteristic of oligotrophic lakes?
A)seasonal O2 depletion
B)summer turnover
C)frequent algal blooms
D)few littoral plants and a low density of phytoplankton
E)animals that are tolerant of low-oxygen conditions

few littoral plants and a low density of phytoplankton

Rooted plants are found only in the _____ zone of a lake.
A)pelagic
B)thermocline
C)limnetic
D)littoral
E)None of the listed responses is correct.

littoral

Fringe wetlands develop _____.
A)along shallow and periodically flooded banks of rivers and streams
B)along the coasts of lakes where water flows back and forth because of falling and rising lake levels
C)along the coasts of seas where water flows back and forth because of tidal action
D)both the second and third listed responses
E)All of the listed responses are correct.

both the second and third listed responses

Below the photic zone of the ocean, _____.
A)phytoplankton outnumber zooplankton
B)plants are rooted in the sandy bottom
C)food chains are detritus-based
D)primary producers capture the sun's energy, which is then passed up the energy pyramid
E)all the organisms are either floating or free-swimming

food chains are detritus-based

What is the importance of turnover in temperate lakes?
A)It brings oxygen-rich water to the bottom, and nutrient-rich water to the surface.
B)It helps to set up a thermocline in the lake.
C)It brings benthic organisms to the surface, where they have access to more light and oxygen.
D)It occurs constantly during the summer, giving the lakes a murky appearance.
E)It changes the relative positions of the photic and aphotic zones.

It brings oxygen-rich water to the bottom, and nutrient-rich water to the surface.

In a rather infamous case of species transplantation, starlings were introduced into North America from Europe in 1890 by an eccentric Shakespeare fan. Though the actual range of starlings was originally in the eastern hemisphere, it is clear that North America was part of its _____ range.
A)biotic
B)potential
C)biogeographical
D)natural
E)ecological

potential

An immature frog (a tadpole) lives in a pond or lake. However, the adult frog possesses special adaptations that permit it to survive in a terrestrial environment. These special adaptations _____.
A)help prevent the adult frog's body from drying out
B)maximize body temperature
C)permit the adult frog to maintain its internal water balance given the solute concentration of its hypotonic surroundings
D)maximize the rate of water loss from its body
E)maximize the interception of solar energy

help prevent the adult frog's body from drying out

Cattle egrets, originally only found in Africa and southwestern Europe, can now be found in North America, due to which of the following?
A)biogeography
B)adaptive radiation
C)dispersal
D)habitat selection
E)convergent evolution

dispersal