OMG
1. Which of the following best describes the feedback loop triggered by melting permafrost?
A. Melting permafrost absorbs CO2, cooling the global temperature.
B. Melting permafrost releases stored carbon which increases the greenhouse effect and leads to more melting and more fires.
C. Permafrost melting allows new trees to grow instantly, removing all carbon.
D. The feedback loop is a one-time event that stops once the geosphere is frozen.
B. Melting permafrost releases stored carbon which increases the greenhouse effect and leads to more melting and more fires.
6. In the carbon cycle, which process is responsible for moving carbon from the atmosphere into the biosphere?
A. Cellular respiration
B. Geologic lifting
C. Photosynthesis
D. Anaerobic fermentation
C. Photosynthesis
11. How does photosynthesis support the claim that "fire is burning the Sun's energy"?
A. Photosynthesis turns heat into carbon atoms.
B. Photosynthesis releases CO2 to cool the planet.
C. Fire breaks the bonds that were created using the sun’s energy during photosynthesis.
D. The Sun directly fuels the fire without any help from plants or peat.
C. Fire breaks the bonds that were created using the sun’s energy during photosynthesis.
16. Which three types of atoms are used by organisms to build large carbon-based molecules.
A) Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur
B) Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen
C) Iron, Magnesium, and Sodium
D) Carbon, Helium, and Nitrogen
B) Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen
21. How would a decrease in phytoplankton (the base of the marine food web) affect the other trophic levels?
A. Higher trophic levels would receive more energy to balance.
B. Predator numbers would increase due to more ocean space.
C. Energy would recycle perfectly with no loss between levels.
D. Less energy and matter would be available for higher trophic levels.
D. Less energy and matter would be available for higher trophic levels.
2. Why are zombie fires more dangerous for the climate than normal forest fires?
A. Normal forest fires burn for thousands of years.
B. Zombie fires release carbon stored in peat that won't be replaced quickly.
C. Normal fires do not release any CO2.
D. Zombie fires only happen in the hydrosphere.
B. Zombie fires release carbon stored in peat that won't be replaced quickly.
7. Why is a zombie fire considered an energy shortcut compared to natural decomposition?
A. Fire creates matter out of nothing.
B. Fire releases a large amount of CO2 quickly rather than the small amounts released slowly through decomposition.
C. Decomposition requires sunlight, whereas fire happens in darkness.
D. Fire stores chemical energy into the soil.
B. Fire releases a large amount of CO2 quickly rather than the small amounts released slowly through decomposition.
12. What would happen to a population of herbivores if their primary food source increased?
A) Herbivores will decrease as rising predator numbers lead to more hunting.
B) Herbivores will stay the same; carrying capacity depends on habitat size.
C) Herbivores will decrease due to more competition from other herbivore species.
D) Herbivores will increase until they reach a new, higher carrying capacity.
D) Herbivores will increase until they reach a new, higher carrying capacity.
17. What are limiting factors?
A) Conditions that restrict the growth or size of a population.
B) The maximum number of individuals an environment can sustain.
C) The process where traits change over time to help survival.
D) The total variety of life and species found in one area.
A) Conditions that restrict the growth or size of a population.
22. How do top predators help keep an ecosystem healthy?
A) They control prey populations which prevents overconsumption of vegetation.
B) They increase energy and nutrients at the base of the food web.
C) They hunt weak species to ensure only strong herbivores survive.
D) They prevent scavengers from entering the habitat which makes more resources available to other species.
A) They control prey populations which prevents overconsumption of vegetation.
3. A carbon atom starts in Arctic moss, becomes peat, and is eventually released during a zombie fire. In what form does it enter the atmosphere?
A. As liquid nitrogen.
B. As solid sugar molecules.
C. As CO2 gas.
D. As light energy from the sun.
C. As CO2 gas.
8. In the Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone," why do fish die after a massive algae bloom?
A. The algae provide too much oxygen.
B. Decomposing dead algae depletes the water's dissolved oxygen.
C. The algae eat the fish directly.
D. High nitrogen levels cause the water to turn into a solid geosphere.
B. Decomposing dead algae depletes the water's dissolved oxygen.
13. Which trophic level has the greatest biomass and energy?
A) Tertiary consumers
B) Secondary consumers
C) Primary consumers
D) Producers
D) Producers
18. Which of the following best explains how a high diversity of producers affects the biodiversity of consumers?
a. With high diversity if one species of plant dies out there will still be others for the consumers to eat.
b. High diversity leads forces consumers to become generalists instead of specialists.
c. High diversity in producers causes an increase in competition and causes a decrease in the consumer population.
d. High diversity increase the biomass and causes the ecosystem to stabilize.
a. With high diversity if one species of plant dies out there will still be others for the consumers to eat.
23. What is the role of a keystone species in an ecosystem?
A) They have a large influence on the ecosystem even if their population is small.
B) They are the largest and most widespread population in an area.
C) They are always the top predators that eat every other species.
D) They are producers that form the base of the food web.
A) They have a large influence on the ecosystem even if their population is small.
4. If a carbon atom visited the atmosphere more often now than in previous centuries, what does this indicate?
A. The carbon cycle is perfectly balanced and healthy.
B. Carbon is moving out of carbon sinks and into the atmosphere much faster than it used to.
C. Humans have stopped all activities that release CO2.
D. The biosphere is growing faster than the atmosphere can handle.
B. Carbon is moving out of carbon sinks and into the atmosphere much faster than it used to.
9. When does anaerobic respiration occur?
A) When there is an abundance of sunlight for photosynthesis
B) When oxygen is not available
C) Only when organisms are consuming fats instead of sugars
D) When there is a surplus of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
B) When oxygen is not available
14. Why is there usually a smaller number of organisms at higher levels of a food web?
A) Matter and energy are not conserved at higher levels
B) Energy transfer between levels is inefficient so only a small fraction moves up to the next level
C) Organisms at higher levels do not engage in cellular respiration
D) Higher-level organisms store all consumed matter as newly made structures
B) Energy transfer between levels is inefficient so only a small fraction moves up to the next level
19. How does an increase in agriculture impact the carbon cycle?
A. No effect; carbon only cycles through the atmosphere and not the geosphere.
B. It changes the rate carbon moves between the biosphere and atmosphere.
C. Agriculture permanently removes all carbon from the biosphere.
D. Plants in agricultural systems aren't part of the carbon cycle.
B. It changes the rate carbon moves between the biosphere and atmosphere.
24. What is biomass?
A) The maximum number of individuals an ecosystem can sustainably support.
B) A resource or condition that limits a population's growth or distribution.
C) The total mass of the organisms in an ecosystem.
D) The ability of an entire ecosystem to withstand environmental changes.
C) The total mass of the organisms in an ecosystem.
5. In the Arctic, why does peat form instead of dead plant matter fully rotting away?
A. Cold temperatures and low oxygen slow down the process of cellular respiration and decomposition.
B. Photosynthesis happens underground in the geosphere.
C. Permafrost prevents plants from ever dying.
D. The carbon atoms are converted directly into liquid water.
A. Cold temperatures and low oxygen slow down the process of cellular respiration and decomposition.
10. How do all organisms use matter to maintain life?
A) Organisms take in matter and rearrange the atoms through chemical reactions.
B) Organisms consume matter and convert it into sunlight for storage.
C) Organisms create new atoms from energy to build their bodies.
D) Organisms absorb matter but do not change its chemical structure.
A) Organisms take in matter and rearrange the atoms through chemical reactions.
15. Which statements best explains how non-living (abiotic) factors influence carrying capacity?
A) Abiotic factors like rainfall only affect the survival of individuals, not the entire population.
B) Larger habitat areas always result in higher carrying capacities so abiotic factors aren’t important.
C) Abiotic factors like rainfall determine the growth of producers, and producers determine how much food is available for all other species.
D) Carrying capacity is only affected by "living" factors like predation.
C) Abiotic factors like rainfall determine the growth of producers, and producers determine how much food is available for all other species.
20. As the human population density increases, what is the likely effect on the earth’s carrying capacity?
A. Carrying capacity will increase due to human management.
B. Ecosystems will be unchanged; humans don't affect biological systems.
C. Biodiversity will automatically increase for new residents.
D. Carrying capacity for native wildlife will decrease due to increased competition for resources.
D. Carrying capacity for native wildlife will decrease due to increased competition for resources.
25. What is biodiversity?
A) The variety of species in an ecosystem.
B) The maximum number of individuals an ecosystem can support.
C) A resource or condition that limits a population's growth or distribution.
D) A measure of how a population increases or decreases over time.
A) The variety of species in an ecosystem.