Practice Unit Four Midterm Test Exam

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  • 1/38 Questions

    If our biosphere is vital to our survival, the central theme of human activity should be?

    • Sustainability
    • Better technology
    • Higher profits
    • None of the above
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About This Quiz


In this midterm test exam, we’ll be quizzing you on your knowledge of environmental science, which is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical, biological and information sciences to the study of the environment. What can you tell us?

Practice Unit Four Midterm Test Exam - Quiz

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  • 2. 

    Which of the following terms can best be defined as "the systematic study of our environment"?

    • Ecology

    • Environmental science

    • Biology

    • Oceanography

    Correct Answer
    A. Environmental science
    Explanation
    p. 4 or glossary

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  • 3. 

    A dieback, or population crash, often occurs after a species ________ its environmental carrying capacity.

    • Meets

    • Overshoots

    • Undershoots

    • Oscillates around

    • Decreases

    Correct Answer
    A. Overshoots
    Explanation
    p. 61; When does a dieback or population crash occur? When a population overshoots or exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment, resources become limited and death rates rise. If deaths exceed births, the growth rate becomes negative and the population may suddenly decrease, a change called a population crash or dieback.

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  • 4. 

    The fact that no two species can occupy the same niche indefinitely is an example of:

    • Competitive exclusion principle

    • Cooperation

    • Mutualism

    • Coevolution

    Correct Answer
    A. Competitive exclusion principle
    Explanation
    p. 53

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  • 5. 

    If we are trying to be critical thinkers and my peer group convinces me that political party X is responsible for all science on issue Y, I am most likely to make this error:

    • Skeptical

    • Bias

    • Logical

    • Angry

    Correct Answer
    A. Bias
    Explanation
    pp. 15-16; What is bias? An inclination or preference preventing unprejudiced consideration of information. For example, being swayed by popular or mainstream ideas.

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  • 6. 

    A generalist species that is moved into a new ecosystem is called:

    • A native species

    • A dominant species

    • A subspecies

    • An invasive species

    Correct Answer
    A. An invasive species
    Explanation
    p. 52; pp. 113&114

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  • 7. 

    Which of the following terms can best be defined as "the scientific study of relationships between organisms and their environment"?

    • Ecology

    • Biology

    • Bottany

    • Entomology

    Correct Answer
    A. Ecology
    Explanation
    Glossary, p. 336; What is ecology? The scientific study of relationships between organisms and their environment.

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  • 8. 

    Housefly reproduction would be mathematically expressed best:

    • S curve

    • J curve, exponential

    • U curve

    • Linear relationship

    Correct Answer
    A. J curve, exponential
    Explanation
    pp. 61-62, section 3.3

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  • 9. 

    Empiricism depends on which of these?

    • Statistics

    • Observation

    • Critical thinking

    • Skepticism

    Correct Answer
    A. Observation
    Explanation
    p. 11, Table 1.2. What is empiricism? Empiricism is careful observation of the world’s fundamental processes and natural laws to gain understanding.

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  • 10. 

    Which is NOT a unique property of water?

    • Expands upon freezing

    • Cohesive molecules

    • Low specific heat

    • Liquid at normal temperatures

    Correct Answer
    A. Low specific heat
    Explanation
    p. 31; What are the unique properties of water?
    1. Expands upon crystallization at freezing temperatures
    2. Cohesive molecules allow capillary action and surface tension
    3. Polar molecules allows water to readily dissolve substances
    4. Inorganic liquid at normal temperatures
    5. High specific heat
    6. High heat of vaporization

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  • 11. 

    The normal sequence for the scientific method would NOT include:

    • Observation

    • Hypothesis

    • Interpretation

    • Consensus

    Correct Answer
    A. Consensus
    Explanation
    p. 12 or Figure 1.16. The normal sequence for the scientific method includes:
    1. Identify question
    2. Form testable hypothesis
    3. Collect data to test hypothesis
    4. Interpret results
    5. Report for peer review
    6. Publish findings

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  • 12. 

    The world human population reached 1 billion in about:

    • 1400

    • 1804

    • 1600

    • 1780

    • 1540

    Correct Answer
    A. 1804
    Explanation
    p. 77; When did the world human population reach 1 billion?1804

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  • 13. 

    Malthus and Marx:

    • Worked together to form their theories.

    • Agreed about the root causes of overpopulation, poverty, and social upheaval.

    • Disagreed about the root causes of overpopulation, poverty, and social upheaval.

    • Held the same beliefs but worked on different issues.

    • Disagreed about the severity of overpopulation, poverty, and social upheaval.

    Correct Answer
    A. Disagreed about the root causes of overpopulation, poverty, and social upheaval.
    Explanation
    pp. 77&78, section 4.2; Why did Malthus and Marx disagree?Malthus believed population growth is the ultimate cause of poverty and environmental degradation. Marx argued that poverty, environmental degradation, and overpopulation are all merely symptoms of deeper social and political factors.

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  • 14. 

    A classic example of Batesian mimicry would be the:

    • Monarch and viceroy

    • Swallowtail and dagger wing

    • Ant lion and dragonfly

    • Luna moth and Io moth

    Correct Answer
    A. Monarch and viceroy
    Explanation
    pp. 58&59

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  • 15. 

    The Apo Island project is a successful example of what?

    • Sustainable living

    • Commercial fishing

    • Reducing destructive species

    • None of these

    Correct Answer
    A. Sustainable living
    Explanation
    p. 2, Saving the reefs of Apo Island. One of the preeminent challenges of environmental science is sustainable living.

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  • 16. 

    Which of the following terms can best be defined as "a process for producing empirical knowledge about the natural world"?

    • Science

    • Deductive reasoning

    • Inductive reasoning

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. Science
    Explanation
    p. 11, section 1.4

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  • 17. 

    Peer review is vital to science because it ensures ___?

    • Integrity

    • Conformity

    • Creativity

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. Integrity
    Explanation
    p. 11; The peer review process is an essential part of ensuring integrity.

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  • 18. 

    Why does increasing entropy contradict our existence in the universe?

    • Because we are organized

    • Because we are disorganized

    • Because we are intelligent

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. Because we are organized
    Explanation
    p. 34; Why does the existence of the human species in the universe contradict entropy? According to the second law of thermodynamics, disorder--or entropy--tends to increase in all natural systems. Because of this loss, everything in the universe tends to fall apart, slow down, and get more disorganized. Humans are organized.

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  • 19. 

    The late Dr. Sagan was a famous astronomer who invented many tools for revealing junk science or claims. Which of the following were his contribution(s)?

    • Dr. Sagan's Baloney Detector

    • Reproducibility

    • Peer review

    • All of these

    Correct Answer
    A. Dr. Sagan's Baloney Detector
    Explanation
    p. 17, Table 1.3. What tool did astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan propose to evaluate scientific claims? Questions for Baloney Detection

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  • 20. 

    Salmon in the Northwest have complex ties to the foundations of the ecosystem and would be considered:

    • A keystone species

    • An endangered species

    • A predator species

    • A threatened species

    Correct Answer
    A. A keystone species
    Explanation
    p. 60, p. 67, p. 120

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  • 21. 

    Today, we are subject to many false messages. Which tool should we use to identify these?

    • Dr. Sagan's Baloney Detector

    • Reproducibility

    • Peer review

    • All of these

    Correct Answer
    A. All of these
    Explanation
    p. 11, p. 17, Table 1.2, Table 1.3. What tools can be used to identify false messages?
    1. Reproducibility
    2. Peer review
    3. Skepticism
    4. Critical thinking
    5. Dr. Sagan’s Baloney Detector

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  • 22. 

    Which of these contradicts the First Law of Thermodynamics?

    • Energy is conserved

    • Perpetual motion

    • Cars are not 100% efficient

    • A/C units give off heat

    Correct Answer
    A. Perpetual motion
    Explanation
    p. 34; Why is perpetual motion impossible? The first law of thermodynamics states that energy is conserved; that is, it is neither created nor destroyed under normal conditions. Therefore, the first law demands all machines have a source of energy. Perpetual motion procures energy from nothingness, contradicting the first law of thermodynamics.

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  • 23. 

    A demographic transition is expected to accompany:

    • Colonization, as in Africa and Asia.

    • Economic development and stabilization.

    • The development of capitalism.

    • The introduction of modern medicine.

    • All of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. Economic development and stabilization.
    Explanation
    pp. 85&86, section 4.5

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  • 24. 

    Habitat specialists who may occupy a very narrow niche are said to be:

    • Invasive

    • Endemic

    • Alien

    • Pioneers

    Correct Answer
    A. Endemic
    Explanation
    pp. 52&53; glossary p. 381: endemism

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  • 25. 

    Sound experimental design avoids the following:

    • Cost

    • Controversy

    • Replication

    • Bias

    Correct Answer
    A. Bias
    Explanation
    p. 15; Sound experimental design should…
    1. have extremely strong controls
    2. strictly define variables into measurable factors
    3. avoid bias

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  • 26. 

    In a fungus partnership, the lichen provides _________ and the relationship is best described as _______.

    • Most of the photosynthesis; symbiosis

    • Poisons that deter predation; commensalism

    • Structure and moisture-holding ability; mutualism

    • Very little to the algal partner; parasitism

    • Some of the photosynthesis; commensalism

    Correct Answer
    A. Most of the photosynthesis; symbiosis
    Explanation
    p. 59; What is symbiosis? The intimate living together of members of two species. For example, In lichens, a fungus and a photosynthetic partner (either an alga or a cyanobacterium) combine tissues to mutual benefit.

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  • 27. 

    What is an example of a pioneering species that became an invasive species?

    • Kudzu

    • Fire ants

    • Kiler bees

    • Peper tree

    Correct Answer
    A. Kudzu
    Explanation
    p. 115

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  • 28. 

    After observing many species of birds fly, I conclude that all birds fly. This is an example of __?

    • Inductive reasoning

    • Deductive reasoning

    • Critical thinking

    • The scientific method

    Correct Answer
    A. Inductive reasoning
    Explanation
    p. 12; What is inductive reasoning? Reasoning from many observations to produce a general rule. We observe, for example, that birds appear and disappear as a year goes by. Through many repeated observations in different places, we can infer that the birds move from place to place. We can develop a general rule that birds migrate seasonally.

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  • 29. 

    Which concept is best described by the phrase "in chemical reactions, matter is neither created nor destroyed"?

    • Conservation of matter

    • First Law of Thermodynamics

    • Thermodynamics

    • A and c

    Correct Answer
    A. Conservation of matter
    Explanation
    p. 34; What is conservation of matter? In chemical reactions, matter is neither created nor destroyed.

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  • 30. 

    A species that successfully produces a new generation demonstrates:

    • Mutualism

    • Symbiosis

    • Natural selection

    • Fertility

    Correct Answer
    A. Natural selection
    Explanation
    p. 50

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  • 31. 

    A particular species can withstand a narrow range of temperatures. Above 100 deg. F there are no members of the species present. In the range from 97-100 deg. F and 90-94 deg. F there are a few members of the species present. Below 90 deg. F there are no members of the species present. What would you label the range of temperature from 90-94 deg. F for this particular species?

    • Zone of intolerance

    • Zone of physiological stress

    • Optimal range

    • Range of tolerance

    Correct Answer
    A. Zone of physiological stress
    Explanation
    p. 51, Figure 3.5; What is the tolerance limit range? The range along the environmental gradient for that factor (e.g., temperature), within which a particular species can survive and reproduce.

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  • 32. 

    Marx's view was formed primarily by:

    • Feudalism

    • The Industrial Revolution

    • Human greed

    • Stalin's communism

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. The Industrial Revolution
    Explanation
    p. 77

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  • 33. 

    Technological optimists argue that technological advances have:

    • Led to the increase in human population, but whether we can continue is of great concern.

    • Proven Marx wrong in his predictions of famine and disaster.

    • Proven Malthus wrong in his predictions of famine and disaster.

    • Been developed because there are more people, supporting the view that more people are the "ultimate resource."

    • Been a neutral factor in the issue of population growth.

    Correct Answer
    A. Proven Malthus wrong in his predictions of famine and disaster.
    Explanation
    p. 78; What proved Malthus wrong in his predictions of famine and disaster? Malthus was wrong in his predictions of famine and disaster 200 years ago because he failed to account for scientific and technical progress. In fact, food supplies have increased faster than population growth since Malthus’ time.

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  • 34. 

    Carbon backbones are typical of which molecules?

    • Polymers

    • Inorganic molecules

    • Organic molecules

    • A and c

    Correct Answer
    A. A and c
    Explanation
    p. 31; What are polymers? Chains or rings with carbon backbones.
    What are organic compounds? Complex molecules organized around carbon backbones.

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  • 35. 

    Birds' interaction with caterpillars is a primary:

    • Selection pressure

    • Prey to predator act

    • Extinction force

    • None of these

    Correct Answer
    A. Selection pressure
    Explanation
    p. 386; Bird is a predator, caterpillar is the prey. The caterpillar wants to avoid predation; adaptations help avoid predation (p. 58). Caterpillars do not pressure birds, inasmuch as birds pressure caterpillars.

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  • 36. 

    An especially effective strategy for reducing intraspecific competition is:

    • The same ecological niches for juveniles and adults

    • Rapid reproduction

    • Eating prey before they are "ready" (ripe) for other species

    • Resource partitioning

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. Resource partitioning
    Explanation
    pp. 52 & 53, Figure 3.8, p. 57; What is resource partitioning? No two species can occupy the same ecological niche for long. The one that is more efficient in using available resources will exclude the other, reducing intraspecific competition.

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  • 37. 

    What is the difference in the adaptation of a sled dog's (such as a Husky) thick coat of hair to help it withstand the cold temperatures of Arctic winters and a dog that adapts to cold temperatures in the fall by growing a thickened coat? The adaptation of the sled dog best describes adaptation at the ____________ level while the dog exposed to seasonal colder temperatures has _____________.

    • Regional; natural selection at the individual level

    • Individual; physiological modifications at the population level

    • Population; physiological modifications at the individual level

    • Species; natural selection at the population level

    • Ecosystem; physiological modifications at the individual level

    Correct Answer
    A. Species; natural selection at the population level
    Explanation
    p. 50; What is adaptation at the species level? Physical adaptations that allow a species to survive in a given environment. For example, as a sled dog species’ year round thick coat of hair.

    What is natural selection at the population level? The mechanism for evolutionary change in which environmental pressures (such as seasonal colder temperatures) cause certain genetic combinations in a population to become more abundant. For example, dogs that adapt to cold temperatures in the fall by growing thickened coats.

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  • 38. 

    Select the paradigm shift:

    • Gradual change

    • Cars double their mpg

    • Digital replaces analog

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. Digital replaces analog
    Explanation
    p. 16; What is a paradigm shift? A dramatic change to scientific consensus occurring when new ideas emerge.

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