Name _______________________
Environmental Science
Exam III
1. We are usually referring to species diversity when we talk about biodiversity. However, genetic
diversity is also important to ecological systems because diverse genes
A. Increase the efficiency and productivity of a system because all niches are filled
B. Allow an individual organism to adapt to its changing environment
C. Are necessary for a population to evolve in a changing environment
D. Lead to diverse ecological processes in a biological community
E. Are important for a balanced ecosystem
2. Ecological diversity is a measure of the number of
A. Different kinds of organisms within a community or ecosystem
B. Different versions of the same gene in an ecological community
C. Sizes, colors and shapes of organisms within an ecological community
D. Niches, trophic levels and ecological processes of a biological community
E. Different species in an ecosystem
Use the following scenario:
There are three ecological communities, each with differing species, but all of them have 100
individual plants and animals.
Community A has 21 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 50 individuals of one species and 3
each of the other 20 species.
Community B has 11 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 90 individuals of one species and 2
each of the other 10 species.
Community C has 11 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 10 individuals of each species.
3. In this scenario, which community has the highest species richness?
A. Community A
C. Community C
B. Community B
D. Community A and C are the same
E. Community A and B are the same
4. In this scenario, which communities have the same species evenness?
A. Community A and C
C. Community C and B
B. Community B and A
D. All three communities have the same species evenness
E. None of the communities has the same species evenness
5. In this scenario, which communities have the same species richness?
A. Community A and B
C. Community B and C
B. Community A and C
D. All three communities have the same species richness
E. None of the communities has the same species richness
6. Most of the species that are yet undiscovered are probably
A. Mammals and reptiles
B. Birds and fish
C. Vertebrates
7. Which of the following is not a benefit of biodiversity for humans?
A. Ecological services
B. Food
C. Drugs and medicines
D. All of these are benefits of biodiversity
D. Invertebrates
8. The pharmaceutical industry has an interest in preventing species extinction because
A. People are healthier in a healthy environment
B. Undiscovered species may provide lucrative new drugs
C. Most taxonomists are drug makers
D. It wants to increase diversity in North America
E. They see the benefits of eco-design
9. Extinction is the term used when all members of a species
A. Disappear in a locality
B. Die
C. Are threatened with imminent habitat loss
10. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Humans may have been causing extinctions thousands of years ago, but our impact has recently
increased
B. Humans are responsible for many of the mass extinctions in the geologic record
C. Humans only began causing extinctions in the past 150 years
D. Humans have never had significant impact on species extinctions until the past four decades
11. The main reason for the current high rate of animal extinctions is
A. Uncontrolled sport hunting in the developed world
B. Commercial harvesting of wildlife in Africa
C. Drought conditions caused by the greenhouse effect
D. Habitat destruction worldwide
12. Habitat fragmentation usually leads to a(n)
A. Decrease in biodiversity
B. Reduction in the number of introduced species
C. Increase in biodiversity due to the isolated populations
13. Wetlands control flooding by
A. Temporarily storing water
B. Diverting water to other drainage basins
E. All of these methods
C. Evaporating most of the water
D. Helping rain flow faster into rivers
14. Introduced (exotic) species tend to __________ the balance of ecosystems and ______
biodiversity.
A. Increase; decrease
C. Maintain; enhance
B. Increase; enhance
D. Upset; decrease
E. Upset; increase
15. A species in imminent danger of extinction is classified by the U.S. Endangered Species Act as
A. Vulnerable
B. Threatened
C. Valuable
D. Endangered
16. A species that is naturally rare or that has been depleted to dangerous levels is known, according
to the Endangered Species Act, as a(n) ________ species.
A. Endangered
B. Threatened
C. Unusual
D. Vulnerable
17. The objective of a species recovery plan is to
A. Interbreed threatened species with common species
B. Increase an endangered species population until it is no longer endangered
C. Protect the species to aid other organisms and resources in the ecosystem
18. Although most of the world's forests are shrinking, biologists are especially concerned about
tropical forest loss because
A. They contain such high biodiversity
B. Tropical trees are the biggest trees in the world
C. They contain irreplaceable wood resources
D. There are fewer remaining tropical forests than any other forest type
E. All of these are reasons that biologists are especially concerned about tropical forest loss
19. World deserts are
A. Decreasing as world climate becomes wetter
B. Increasing because of the increase in global carbon dioxide
C. Increasing because of logging and grazing
20. Poor people in developing countries often threaten wildlife preserves because
A. They dislike unsettled territory
C. They enjoy sport hunting
B. They need the resources to survive
D. Vandalism is a popular use of spare time
21. If managed carefully, ecotourism benefits natural areas by giving economic value to land and
water resources
A. That have no other value
C. That never existed before
B. That no one is interested in
D. Without destroying them
E. All of these are economic benefits of carefully managed ecotourism
22. The loss of forests can affect rainfall patterns.
True False
23. Restoring coastal marshes has become a priority in protecting coastal cities from
A. Hurricanes
B. Flooding C. Invasive species D. Both hurricanes and flooding
E. All of these
24. Efforts to repair or reconstruct ecosystems are known as
A. Land stewardship
B. Conservation reserve programs
D. Restoration ecology
E. Mitigation
C. Landscape ecology
25. The word "mitigation" has come to mean to
A. Let nature heal itself
B. Partially restore an ecosystem
C. Restore or create an ecosystem in exchange for a similar damaged one
26. ________________ uses chemical, physical or biological methods to remove pollution.
A. Remediation
B. Reclamation
C. Mitigation D. Restoration E. Rehabilitation
27. Restoration draws on which of the following fields of science the most?
A. Ecology B. Hydrology
C. Soil science
D. Ecology and hydrology
E. All of these are correct
28. Which of the following is not a main component of restoration of any ecosystem?
A. Replanting
B. Monitoring
C. Controlling invasive species
D. Removing physical stressors
E. Removal of indigenous peoples
29. Some of the advantages of planting trees in cities include
A. Acting as noise barriers B. Providing shade C. Improving air quality
D. Improving the aesthetics E. All of these are correct
30. All of the following are things that can be done toward ecological restoration except
A. Pick up litter
B. Replant native species
C. Remove native species
D. Grow a garden
E. Burn unwanted vegetation
31. The majority of the mixed grass section of the Great Plains has been converted to
A. Oak savanna
B. Tall grass prairie C. Crop lands
32. Wetlands are critical for wildlife survival because they
A. Are highly productive and are sources of food C. Contain few, but rare, species
B. Allow animals to cool off
D. Provide vast amounts of habitat
E. All of these are correct
33. Wetlands control flooding by
A. Temporarily storing water
B. Diverting water to other drainage basins
E. All of these methods
C. Evaporating most of the water
D. Helping rain flow faster into rivers
34. The following is the correct order of soil horizons from top to bottom/ _________
A. A, E, O
B, E, O, A
C, O, A, E
D, O, D, A
Name ___________________
Exam III
Answer Sheet
1. __________
26. __________
2. __________
27. __________
3. __________
28. __________
4. __________
29. __________
5. __________
30. __________
6. __________
31. __________
7. __________
32. __________
8. __________
33. __________
9. __________
34. __________
10. __________
11. __________
12. __________
13. __________
14. __________
15. __________
16. __________
17. __________
18. __________
19. __________
20. __________
21. __________
22. __________
23. __________
24. __________
25. __________
Exam III Key
1. We are usually referring to species diversity when we talk about biodiversity. However, genetic
diversity is also important to ecological systems because diverse genes
A. Increase the efficiency and productivity of a system because all niches are filled
B. Allow an individual organism to adapt to its changing environment
C. Are necessary for a population to evolve in a changing environment
D. Lead to diverse ecological processes in a biological community
E. Are important for a balanced ecosystem
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #2
Level: Difficult
2. Ecological diversity is a measure of the number of
A. Different kinds of organisms within a community or ecosystem
B. Different versions of the same gene in an ecological community
C. Sizes, colors and shapes of organisms within an ecological community
D. Niches, trophic levels and ecological processes of a biological community
E. Different species in an ecosystem
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #3
Level: Medium
Use the following scenario:
There are three ecological communities, each with differing species, but all of them have 100
individual plants and animals.
Community A has 21 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 50 individuals of one species and 3
each of the other 20 species.
Community B has 11 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 90 individuals of one species and 2
each of the other 10 species.
Community C has 11 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 10 individuals of each species.
Cunningham - Chapter 11
3. In this scenario, which community has the highest species richness?
A. Community A
B. Community B
C. Community C
D. Community A and C are the same
E. Community A and B are the same
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #4
Level: Medium
4. In this scenario, which communities have the same species evenness?
A. Community A and C
B. Community B and A
C. Community C and B
D. All three communities have the same species evenness
E. None of the communities has the same species evenness
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #5
Level: Medium
5. In this scenario, which communities have the same species richness?
A. Community A and B
B. Community A and C
C. Community B and C
D. All three communities have the same species richness
E. None of the communities has the same species richness
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #6
Level: Medium
6. Most of the species that are yet undiscovered are probably
A. Mammals and reptiles
B. Birds and fish
C. Vertebrates
D. Invertebrates
E. Multicellular plants
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #11
Level: Medium
7. Which of the following is not a benefit of biodiversity for humans?
A. Aesthetics
B. Ecological services
C. Food
D. Drugs and medicines
E. All of these are benefits of biodiversity
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #15
Level: Medium
8. The pharmaceutical industry has an interest in preventing species extinction because
A. People are healthier in a healthy environment
B. Undiscovered species may provide lucrative new drugs
C. Most taxonomists are drug makers
D. It wants to increase diversity in North America
E. They see the benefits of eco-design
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #16
Level: Difficult
9. Extinction is the term used when all members of a species
A. Disappear in a locality
B. Die
C. Live in zoos
D. Are threatened with imminent habitat loss
E. Are in danger of disappearing in a locality
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #18
Level: Easy
10. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Humans may have been causing extinctions thousands of years ago, but our impact has recently
increased
B. Humans are responsible for many of the mass extinctions in the geologic record
C. Humans only began causing extinctions in the past 150 years
D. Humans have never had significant impact on species extinctions until the past four decades
E. Humans have been causing extinctions for thousands of years and we are still causing extinctions
at about the same rate
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #19
Level: Difficult
11. The main reason for the current high rate of animal extinctions is
A. Uncontrolled sport hunting in the developed world
B. Commercial harvesting of wildlife in Africa
C. Drought conditions caused by the greenhouse effect
D. Habitat destruction worldwide
E. None of these by themselves cause high rates of animal extinctions, but together they combine to
cause high rates
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #20
Level: Medium
12. The acronym that stands for habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, human population
and over harvesting is
A. HIPHO
B. HDIAPHPO
C. HIPPO
D. DIPPS
E. None of these
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #21
Level: Easy
13. Habitat fragmentation usually leads to a(n)
A. Decrease in biodiversity
B. Reduction in the number of introduced species
C. Increase in biodiversity due to the isolated populations
D. Increase in the number of introduced species
E. More stable environment
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #25
Level: Difficult
14. Introduced (exotic) species tend to __________ the balance of ecosystems and ______
biodiversity.
A. Increase; decrease
B. Increase; enhance
C. Maintain; enhance
D. Upset; decrease
E. Upset; increase
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #26
Level: Medium
15. A species in imminent danger of extinction is classified by the U.S. Endangered Species Act as
A. Vulnerable
B. Threatened
C. Valuable
D. Endangered
E. At risk
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #37
Level: Easy
16. A species that is naturally rare or that has been depleted to dangerous levels is known, according
to the Endangered Species Act, as a(n) ________ species.
A. Endangered
B. Threatened
C. Unusual
D. Vulnerable
E. At risk
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #39
Level: Easy
17. The objective of a species recovery plan is to
A. Interbreed threatened species with common species
B. Increase an endangered species population until it is no longer endangered
C. Invest corporate capital in species maintenance
D. Study the species for a better understanding of its role in the biological community
E. Protect the species to aid other organisms and resources in the ecosystem
Cunningham - Chapter 11 #42
Level: Medium
18. Although most of the world's forests are shrinking, biologists are especially concerned about
tropical forest loss because
A. They contain such high biodiversity
B. Tropical trees are the biggest trees in the world
C. They contain irreplaceable wood resources
D. There are fewer remaining tropical forests than any other forest type
E. All of these are reasons that biologists are especially concerned about tropical forest loss
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #7
Level: Medium
19. When fuelwood demand exceeds supplies,
A. Forest regeneration becomes more difficult
B. Fewer people rely on fuelwood
C. Closed canopy forests are greatly threatened
D. Agricultural land usually improves and expands
E. Technology for alternative ways of cooking improves dramatically
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #9
Level: Medium
20. "Forest management" means planning for
A. Gaining maximum, quick profit from trees
B. Sustainable harvests and forest regeneration
C. A continual increase in forest complexity
D. Building the maximum biodiversity in a forest
E. Old-growth status in the managed forests
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #10
Level: Medium
21. A promising approach to encourage conservation and preservation in developing countries is
A. Utilitarian conservation
B. Biocentric preservation
C. Debt-for-nature swaps
D. Ecosystem management
E. Pastoralism
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #15
Level: Easy
22. Most commercial loggers prefer "clear-cut" harvesting because it
A. Is the most environmentally sustainable type of harvest
B. Is the most efficient way to get valuable small timber without disturbing the larger early
successional trees
C. Is the most efficient, cheapest harvest method using large, fast machinery instead of costly labor
D. Is the most effective way to refresh soil with sun and rain
E. Does not waste any trees
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #26
Level: Difficult
23. Why is there a need to reeducate people about the role of fire in natural systems?
A. People are still throwing away cigarette butts that can start forest fires
B. People who camp are not putting their campfires out causing fires in inaccessible areas
C. People do not understand that fire is a natural part of many biological ecosystems
D. People are well educated about fire and do not need to be reeducated
E. People are starting fires in wilderness areas to make the area available for logging
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #28
Level: Difficult
24. World deserts are
A. Decreasing as world climate becomes wetter
B. Increasing because of the increase in global carbon dioxide
C. Increasing because of logging and grazing
D. Decreasing because of massive reforestation
E. About the same in area but have many threatened species of plants
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #34
Level: Difficult
25. Poor people in developing countries often threaten wildlife preserves because
A. They dislike unsettled territory
B. They need the resources to survive
C. They enjoy sport hunting
D. Vandalism is a popular use of spare time
E. Their religion often emphasizes the action of dominating wildlife
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #40
Level: Medium
26. If managed carefully, ecotourism benefits natural areas by giving economic value to land and
water resources
A. That have no other value
B. That no one is interested in
C. That never existed before
D. Without destroying them
E. All of these are economic benefits of carefully managed ecotourism
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #41
Level: Difficult
27. The loss of forests can affect rainfall patterns.
TRUE
Cunningham - Chapter 12 #50
Level: Easy
28. Restoring coastal marshes has become a priority in protecting coastal cities from
A. Hurricanes
B. Flooding
C. Invasive species
D. Both hurricanes and flooding
E. All of these
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #1
Level: Medium
29. Efforts to repair or reconstruct ecosystems are known as
A. Land stewardship
B. Conservation reserve programs
C. Landscape ecology
D. Restoration ecology
E. Mitigation
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #3
Level: Medium
30. The word "mitigation" has come to mean to
A. Let nature heal itself
B. Partially restore an ecosystem
C. Restore or create an ecosystem in exchange for a similar damaged one
D. Move to a new environment when one has been damaged
E. Use natural processes to treat sewage water
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #4
Level: Medium
31. ________________ uses chemical, physical or biological methods to remove pollution.
A. Remediation
B. Reclamation
C. Mitigation
D. Restoration
E. Rehabilitation
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #5
Level: Easy
32. Restoration draws on which of the following fields of science the most?
A. Ecology
B. Hydrology
C. Soil science
D. Ecology and hydrology
E. All of these are correct
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #6
Level: Medium
33. Which of the following is not a main component of restoration of any ecosystem?
A. Replanting
B. Monitoring
C. Controlling invasive species
D. Removing physical stressors
E. Removal of indigenous peoples
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #8
Level: Medium
34. Some of the advantages of planting trees in cities include
A. Acting as noise barriers
B. Providing shade
C. Improving air quality
D. Improving the aesthetics
E. All of these are correct
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #14
Level: Medium
35. All of the following are things that can be done toward ecological restoration except
A. Pick up litter
B. Replant native species
C. Remove native species
D. Grow a garden
E. Burn unwanted vegetation
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #15
Level: Medium
36. The majority of the mixed grass section of the Great Plains has been converted to
A. Oak savanna
B. Tall grass prairie
C. Crop lands
D. Grazing lands
E. Wetlands
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #19
Level: Easy
37. Wetlands are critical for wildlife survival because they
A. Are highly productive and are sources of food
B. Allow animals to cool off
C. Contain few, but rare, species
D. Provide vast amounts of habitat
E. All of these are correct
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #21
Level: Medium
38. Wetlands control flooding by
A. Temporarily storing water
B. Diverting water to other drainage basins
C. Evaporating most of the water
D. Helping rain flow faster into rivers
E. All of these methods
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #22
Level: Medium
39. Artificial wetlands can be used for
A. Filtering and treating sewage effluent
B. Cooling of industrial water
C. Recreation
D. Collecting storm runoff
E. All of these are correct
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #26
Level: Medium
40. "Brown fields" is another name for
A. Tall grass prairies
B. Degraded wetlands
C. Prairies converted into croplands
D. Abandoned contaminated industrial sites
E. Abandoned, contaminated surface mines
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #30
Level: Easy
41. To use a site to create a new and different kind of biological community rather than the existing
one is known as reallocation.
TRUE
Cunningham - Chapter 13 #32
Level: Easy
Exam III Summary
Category
# of Questions
Cunningham - Chapter 11
Cunningham - Chapter 12
Cunningham - Chapter 13
Level: Difficult
Level: Easy
Level: Medium
18
10
14
8
10
23