GEOL 1340 Exam 4

1. An ecosystem is composed of many communities.

True

FALSE

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

2. Which of the following structures is a breakwater?

A

B

C

D

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

3. Which of the following factors influences the distribution and biogeography of plant species?

Soil type

Air and soil temperatures

Solar insolation

Amount of precipitation

E. Regional climateF. All of the above

Chapter 16
Correct Answer: F. All of the above

Explanation

Chapter 16
Correct Answer: F. All of the above

4. Which of the following factors can affect global climate on a time scale of several decades?

Plate tectonics

Milankovitch cycles

Changes in overall sunspot activity

Human activity such as burning of fossils fuels

Both C and D

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

5. Sea ice and ice shelves in the Arctic and Antarctica have increased in area over the past two decades in spite of recent global warming.

True

False

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

6. Loam consists of...

Sand and clay only

Clay only

Sand, silt and clay

Humus and sand only

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

7. The photo below is most likely that of a _____________ biome.

Tropical rain forest

Tropical savanna

Needleleaf forest

Temperate rain forest

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

8. How can sunspot activity possibly affect Earth's climate?

Higher sunspot activity pushes Earth's orbit further from the sun, thus cooling the planet

Lower sunspot activity allows more solar radiation to escape the Sun and reach Earth, thus warming the planet

Higher sunspot activity increases the solar wind, which in turn warms Earth's upper atmosphere

The amount of sunspot activity never changes and therefore cannot affect Earth's climate

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

9. Which of the following terrestrial biomes occurs at the highest latitudes and highest altitudes?

Tundra

Broadleaf forest

Rain forest

Savanna

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

10. The function or occupation of a life form within a community is called a(n) _________.

Niche

Habitat

Ecosystem

Web

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

11. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Coastlines are always in equilibrium with oceans and therefore never change.

The sea surface is everywhere smooth and flat.

Global sea level has risen and fallen many times throughout Earth history.

Ocean currents generate the tides.

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

12. Which of the following will cause a global rise in sea level?

Global cooling during an ice age

Assembly of continents into a supercontinent.

Decrease in the volume of mid-ocean ridges

Global warming during an interglacial cycle

Removing fish from the oceans

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

13. Which of the following terrestrial biomes is characterized by three levels of canopy, high insolation, high average annual temperature, and contains the most diverse body of life on earth?

Needleleaf forest

Tropical savanna

Mediterranean shrubland

Tropical rain forest

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

14. Within a community, which level in the food chain would contain the fewest members?

Producers

Primary consumers

Secondary consumers

Tertiary consumers

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

15. Which of the following lines is (are) pointing to an Arete?

A

B

C

D

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

16. For the illustration below, which of the following is the secondary consumer?

Leaf

Caterpillar on the leaf

Bobolink bird ready to devour the caterpillar

Hawk attacking the bobolink bird

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

17. The salinity of oceans vary from 34 to 37 parts per thousand. What is the definition of salinity?

Grams of sodium per kilogram of dissolved ions.

Grams of solution per cubic kilometer of seawater.

Grams of dissolved ions in 1 kilogram of solution.

Grams of water in 1 kilogram of solution.

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

18. For incoming ocean waves approaching a coast, which of the following wave forms occur closest to the beach?

Crests

Swells

Surf

Breakers

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

19. Where would soil be best developed?

Cold, dry climate and scarce vegetation

Temperate climate and flat to gently-rolling topography

Dry climate and steep slopes

Area of abundant rainfall but scarce vegetation

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

20. Which of the following statements regarding biodiversity is correct?

Agricultural ecosystems with single crops like wheat are more stable than ecosystems containing many different crops

Agricultural ecosystems with single crops like wheat generally do not require fertilizers or pesticides to remain vibrant

Greater biodiversity in an ecosystem results in greater stability and greater productivity

Ecosystems with large numbers of species are less likely to survive relative to ecosystems containing only a few species

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

21. What happens in allopatric speciation?

A natural disaster reduces the number of species within an ecosystem

A small group is separated (isolated) from the larger (main) population and eventually evolves into a new species

Any new variant within a large population is quickly swamped by interbreeding with normal individuals

Several different species eventually evolve into one common species

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

22. Which of the following statements about beach drift and longshore currents is TRUE?

Beach drift causes beach sand to remain in place.

Longshore currents prevent waves from striking the beach.

Beach drift transports sediment in the same direction as does longshore current.

The zigzag motion of sand describes sediment transport by longshore currents.

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

23. Which of the following statements best describes an esker?

Small hill or knob of poorly sorted gravel deposited by a melting glacier

Hole in the ground left behind after a large block of ice melts

Sinuous, narrow ridge of coarse sand and gravel formed by a meltwater stream that flowed beneath a glacier

Elongated deposit of till streamlined in the direction of ice movement by a continental glacier

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

24. Which of the following does NOT add fertility to a soil?

Rich in humus

Available water

Good porosity

Presence of soil colloids

Leaching of cations

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

25. Which of the following cannot be directly used by plants, but rather must first be coverted into usable compounds by lightening and certain soil bacteria?

Atmospheric oxygen

Carbohydrates (sugars)

Atmospheric nitrogen

Water

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

26. Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding surface water in the oceans?

Motion of the surface layer is primarily driven by wind and deflected by the Coriollis force.

The surface layer is heated by the sun.

The temperature of surface water varies with latitude and the seasons.

Most surface water originates near Greenland and Antarctica and afterwards flows as surface water towards the equator.

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

27. The following configuration of the Earth-Moon-Sun system will result in__________.

Neap tide

Ocean gyres

Spring tide

A lunar eclipse

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

28. Ice cores recovered in Greenland and Antarctica provide a record of changes in atmospheric temperature and composition dating back to over 100,000 years ago. Based on ice core data, which of the following statements is TRUE?

The atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane have actually decreased over the last 50 years.

Ice cores indicate that global temperatures have been fairly constant over the last few tens of thousands of years.

Atmospheric temperature has been steadily increasing over the last 12 thousand years and we are presently in an interglacial cycle

The concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases increase dramatically during periods of glaciation and global cooling.

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

29. Why does ocean water have higher salinity in subtropical regions than along the equatorial belt?

Rainfall within subtropical regions has a higher salt content than along the equator.

Precipitation is greater in the subtropics than along the equatorial belt.

Evaporation exceeds precipitation in the subtropical region, whereas the reverse occurs along the equator.

More streams and rivers empty into the ocean within subtropical regions than along the equatorial belt.

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

30. For the following figure, where is the greatest amount of coastal erosion occuring?

Cove

Bay

Headlands

Coastal erosion is the same everywhere

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

31. Which of the following is LEAST LIKELY associated with wetlands?

Mangroves

Salt marshes

Bogs

Wave-cut platform

Flood plain

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

32. The figure below illustrates features associated with a continental glacier. Which of the following letters corresponds to the outwash plain?

A

B

C

D

E or F (check explanation for the correct answer)

Answer= A
Chapter 14

Explanation

Answer= A
Chapter 14

33. Which of the following events MOST-LIKELY occurred during the last ice age when glaciers reached maximum extent ~18,000 years ago?

Global sea level rose

Plants and animals characteristic of colder climates migrated southward to lower latitudes

Earth's crust in areas covered by glaciers rebounded to higher elevations

Land bridges and continental shelves became submerged under water

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

34. Changes in the angle of tilt of Earth's rotational axis occurs approximately in _________ year cycles.

100,000

26,000

1

41,000

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

35. Which of the following statements about patch dynamics is FALSE?

An ecosystem is a pathwork of habitats

Once an individual patch (habitat) arises, it will never fail

Adjoining patches may be at different stages of development

When existing organisms within a patch are disturbed or removed, a new community can emerge to fill the void

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

36. Within which soil horizon does clay, iron and aluminum brought down from overlying horizons accumulate?

B-horizon

C-horizon

A-horizon

O-horizon

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

37. The figure below illustrates the soil-forming process known as ____________.

Calcification

Cryoturbation

Laterization

Podzolization

chapter 15

Explanation

chapter 15

38. Which of the following statements is LEAST consistent with a Mediterranean Shrubland Biome?

Monsoonal rains

Stunted, woody shrubs

Southern California is an example

Dry summer climate

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

39. Which of the following statements regarding waves approaching a coast is FALSE?

Wave crests bunch closer together when approaching the beach.

Approaching wave crests align parallel with the coastline in what is known as wave refraction.

Waves speed up when approaching the beach.

Wave crests increase in height when approaching the beach.

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

40. Atoll, barrier, and fringing describe different types of ________.

Coastal erosional features

Coastal depositonal features

Wetlands

Coral reefs

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

41. Where do plants with deep roots, spreading root systems, water-holding tissue, and leaves with waxy coatings and fine hair most likely occur?

Tropical savannas

Deserts

Temperate rain forest

Montane forest

Alpine tundra

Chapter 16

Explanation

Chapter 16

42. Which of the following processes is NOT part of the carbon cycle?

Use of fertilizers on crops

Construction of shells by marine organisms

Storage of oil, coal, and gas below Earth's surface

D. Plant photosynthesisE. Subduction of carbon-bearing oceanic sediments and rocks along a convergent plate boundary

F. Release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere via volcanic eruptions G. Methane escape onto the seafloor via hydrothermal vents near mid-ocean ridges

Chapter 16
Correct Answer: A. Use of fertilizers on crops

Explanation

Chapter 16
Correct Answer: A. Use of fertilizers on crops

43. Which of the following depositional features along a coast is called a Bay barrier or baymouth bar?

A

B

C

D

E

Chapter 13

Explanation

Chapter 13

44. Stratified drift is most likely deposited by ___________

Glacial meltwater

Glacial ice and snow

Terminal moraines

Drumlins

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

45. How did global climate overall change throughout the last 60 million years of the Cenozoic Era?

Global climate was cold throughout the entire Cenozoic Era as evidenced by 60 million year old glaciers found today in Antarctica

Cenozoic climate started out cold, then warmed about 30 million years ago, and has since cooled again.

Cenozoic climate was warmest 60 million years ago and has gradually cooled since then, culminating in the Pleistocene Ice Age beginning 2 million years ago

Global climate today is the warmest it has ever been over the last 60 million years

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

46. The terms blocky, platy, and granular describe the soil's __________

Consistency

Structure

Permeability

Texture

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

47. This type of soil consists largely of partially decomposed organic material associated with bogs and is commonly referred to as peat.

Entisol

Histosol

Vertisol

Aridosol

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

48. Which of the following would most likely be a result of calcification?

An O- and A-horizon rich in humus

A hardened layer in the B horizon called caliche

A leached soil high in iron and aluminum

A churned and mixed soil resulting from repeated freezing and thawing

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

49. Which of the following examples will result in positive feedback?

Greater snow cover during climatic cooling reduces the activity of carbon dioxide sinks such as photosynthesis and formation of carbonate rocks, thus causing carbon dioxide to build up in the atmosphere

Warming of the climate increases evaporation in the oceans, leading to greater cloud cover such that more solar radiation is reflected back into space.

An increase in plant activity during global warming results in more carbon dioxide being removed from the atmosphere

Climate cooling increases the snow cover on land, thus increasing global albedo and causing more solar radiation to be reflected back into space

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

50. Oxisols form by a process known as ___________

Podzolization

Calcification

Cryoturbation

Laterization

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

51. For an alpine glacier, which of the following features or processes occurs within the zone of accumulation?

Terminal moraine

Calving

Crevasses

Cirque

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

52. Which of the following would LEAST LIKELY characterize a periglacial landscape?

Patterned ground forms due to frost action in the soil.

Expansion of water when freezing disrupts the soil and fractures rocks.

Melting of permafrost beneath a building constructed on the ground surface causes the structure to collapse.

Ice wedges develop in fractures below the ground surface.

Areas in subarctic and polar climates where the ground is cold but never freezes.

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

53. Which of the following is LEAST characteristic of Spodosols and the process of Podzolization?

Surface horizon consists of acid-rich forest litter

Sandy-bleached layer occurs below the A-horizon

Oxides and clays brought down from higher horizons accumulate in the B-horizon

Common in northern coniferous forests

Form from young volcanic ash and cinders

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

54. ___________ soils occur in regions of permafrost where cryoturbation is common and supports tundra-type of vegetation.

Ultisols

Histosols

Andisols

Gelisols

Chapter 15

Explanation

Chapter 15

55. Which of the following features of an Alpine glacier is (are) formed by deposition rather than erosion?

U-shaped valley

Paternoster lakes

Horn

Lateral moraine

Cirque

Chapter 14

Explanation

Chapter 14

Geol 1340 Exam 4