Biome Topic Quiz

ES 302Photostory Recap

Tundra

1. Which is untrue of a tundra?

• a. has a layer of soil that is permanently frozen beneath the top soil.

• b. is too cold to support insect life.• c. is resistant to environmental damage

because it is usually frozen.• d. has coniferous forests throughout

True or False?

2. The tundra is the most fragile biome

Fill in…

3. In the tundra, the frozen layer of soil just beneath the surface is called _____________

4. Name a specific adaptation of a plant from the tundra biome Why does it exist?

5. Name a specific adaptation of an animal from this biome. Why does it exist?

Taiga

1. Taiga is…

• A. a cold, treeless, desert-like biome found near the North and South Poles.

• B. found mostly in Africa.• C. a forest biome dominated by coniferous

trees, such as pine, fir, and spruce.• D. a dry, rocky biome found in the central part

of South America.

2. Which of the following is an adaptation of coniferous trees in the

taiga?• A. They have a shallow root system, due to

the acidic soil.• B. They have leaves that retain water, due to

their shape and waxy coating.• C. They have a unique overall shape in order

to accumulate snow, which acts as a heavy insulating layer.

• D. All of the above

3. Which of the following are examples of plants found here?

a) maples and oaksb) bacteriac) mosses and fernsd) algae and seaweede) pines and cedars

4. The distance north or south of the equator, as measured in degrees, is

called• A. altitude.• B. longitude.• C. latitude.• D. magnitude.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

1. Which of the following is not true about temperate deciduous forests?• A. Trees grow lush green leaves in the spring,

but lose their leaves in late summer.• B. The soil is rich, and plants cover much of

the forest floor.• C. Animals such as squirrels, bears, and deer

find food in the form of nuts, berries, and leaves.

• D. Both (a) and (b)

True or False?

2. This type of forest has the greatest species diversity

3. This forest has very little rainfall and has acidic soil.

4. Which of the following are examples of deciduous plants?

a) maples and oaks b) bacteria c) mosses and fernsd) algae and seaweed e) pines and cedars

5. Which statement is false about deciduous trees?

a) change significantly during four distinct seasons

b) are dominated by a few species of broadleaf trees

c) have trees that survive winter by dropping their leaves

d) have nutrient-poor soile) those that originally grew in the U.S. have

mostly been cleared.

6. Biomes

• A. contain two ecosystems, hence the name “biome.”

• B. are usually described by their vegetation.• C. exist in limited regions of the world.• D. All of the above

Temperate Grassland: Prairie

1. Temperate grasslands are found in areas where temperate forests are not

found because of differences in

• a. annual precipitation.• B. temperature cycles.• C. large predators.• d. latitude.

True or False

2. This is the hottest biome

3. This biome is very resilient – it recovers well from disturbances

4. Which term is not synonymous with temperate grassland?

a) steppesb) savannac) prairie

5. As you travel from the North Pole toward the equator, you would expect

to see• a. tropical rain forests, then deserts, then

taiga.• b. temperate deciduous forests, then taiga,

then tropical rain forests.• c. tundra, then grasslands, then tropical rain

forests.• d. taiga, then desert, then tundra.

Tropical Grassland: Savanna

1. If you visited a savanna, you would likely see

• A. large herds of grazing animals, such as rhinos, gazelles, and giraffes.

• B. a dense forest.• C. snow and ice.• D. a coastal ecosystem.

True or False?

2. Long winters are found here without much sunlight on some days, but the temperature is not cold

3. Many plants in this biome have the ability to store large quantities of water

4. Biomes with higher temperatures and less precipitation tend to have

• A. shorter and less dense vegetation.• B. taller and less dense vegetation.• C. taller and denser vegetation.• D. shorter and denser vegetation.

5. The main factor that determines what type of plants grow in a biome is• A. temperature.• B. altitude.• C. precipitation.• D. Both (a) and (c)

Tropical Forest

True or False?

1. The tropical rain forest is characterized by a wet season and a dry season

2. Which of the following best describes a tropical rain forest?

• a. dense, thick soil that supports a dense layer of plants on the forest floor

• b. species of animals with specialized ways of surviving in order to avoid competition

• c. very few species of trees, due to poor soil quality

• d. plants and animals that are very similar due to year-round warmth and moisture

3. Adaptations demonstrated by plants in tropical rain forests include

• A. trees with aboveground roots called buttresses, which increase stability.

• B. orchids and vines that use tall tree trunks for support.

• C. herbs with large flat leaves located in the understory.

• D. All of the above

4. Which of the following terms is not appropriate to use when describing a

tropical rain forest?

a) Humidb) rich soilc) stratified (layered)d) diversee) consistent temperatures

Amount of Tropical Rain ForestCountry Amount of tropical rain

forest (km2)Amount of annual deforestation (km2/yr)

A 1,800,000 50,000

B 55,000 3,300

C 22,000 6,000

D 530,000 12,000

E 80,000 700

5. What percentage of tropical rain forest is being destroyed each year in country B? 6. At this rate, how many years will it take before the entire rain forest is destroyed?

Desert

1. Describe three ways that desert organisms can adapt to survive in their environment.

2. Deserts are

• a. covered with sand and contain no plant life.• b. found only in North America.• c. often formed on the dry side of mountain

ranges.• d. never located in cooler climates.

3. Adaptations of desert animals that help them survive in the hot, dry

desert often include• A. searching for water at midday.• B. thin skin that readily absorbs water.• C. large, bulky size to retain body heat on cold

nights.• D. searching for food at night.

4. Deserts vary greatly depending on elevation and latitude. What characteristic do all deserts share?

5. Which of the following is not characteristic of desert plants

a) widespread, shallow root systemsb)deep root systemsc) large leaves that droop in bright sunlightd)succulent leaves or stemse)wax-coated leaves

Freshwater Systems

Wetlands: swamp/bog/marsh

1. Which one of the following statements is NOT true of freshwater

wetlands?• a. Freshwater wetlands include bogs,

marshes, and swamps.• B. Water may be present near the surface of

the soil for part of the year.• C. The water in freshwater wetlands is always

brackish.• D. Wetlands are important breeding grounds

for migratory birds.

2. All of the following are examples of saltwater ecosystems except…

• A. mangrove swamps• B. Coral reefs• C. Salt marshes• D. The Florida Everglades

3. What are the two main types of freshwater wetlands?

• A. lakes and ponds• B. rivers and streams• C. littoral zones and benthic zones• D. marshes and swamps

4. Which of the following is NOT an environmental function of wetlands?• A. increasing runoff• B. absorbing and removing pollutants from

water• C. trapping carbon that would otherwise be

released into the air• D. controlling floods

5. Which is not a correct statement?

• A. Grasslands have rich soil that supports abundant plant life.

• B. The tundra is a fragile biome because conditions are severe, and the ecosystem is easily disrupted.

• C. Chaparral fires are beneficial because they destroy trees that compete for light and space.

• D. Tropical rain forests are resistant to change because the plants contain so many nutrients.

Ocean areas

Open ocean, ocean zones

1. The photic zone

• a. extends to the bottom of the open ocean.• b. extends to a depth of about 200 meters.• c. is deep, cold, and permanently dark.• d. is where chemosynthetic bacteria are the

producers.

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the open ocean?

• A. The open ocean has very low levels of nutrients.

• B. Organisms in the deep ocean are exposed to frigid temperatures and total darkness.

• C. The open ocean begins at the low-tide mark and extends to the end of the continental shelf.

• D. Most of the photosynthetic activity on Earth occurs in the open ocean within the photic zone.

3. Most of the food for an aquatic ecosystem is produced by…

• A. worms• B. phytoplankton• C. zooplankton• D. fish

3. The majority of marine organisms are found in…

• A. deep ocean waters• B. shallow, coastal waters• C. hydrothermal vents• D. Salt marshes

4. Why doesn’t photosynthesis occur in deep ocean water?

• A. The water temperature is too cold.• B. There is no sunlight.• C. There are not enough nutrients.• D. The salinity level of the water is too high.

5. True or False

• Hydrothermal vents support life through photosynthesis.

Coastal areas

Coral reefs, estuaries, coastlines

1. Estuaries

• A. are always saltwater ecosystems• B. are always freshwater ecosystems.• C. are ecosystems where both fresh water and

salt water are present.• D. prevent the development of salt marshes.

2.

Organisms that live in estuaries must be able to tolerate variations in what two things?

3.

Coral reefs cannot survive more than 40 meters below the ocean surface because of their relationship with __________________.

4. Coral reefs are:

a) algaeb) chemosynthetic bacteriac) animalsd) large rocks and sedimentse) kelp formations

5. True or False

• Estuaries are very productive ecosystems because they constantly receive fresh nutrients from rivers.