Chapter 51

Adiabatic cooling causes rising air masses to: a. absorb moisture from Earth's surface. b. release precipitation. c. change the direction of the El Nino current. d. flow toward the equator from the poles. e. be deflected from a strictly northward or southward flow.

The term rain shadow describes the: a. low rainfall that is typical on the leeward side of mountains. b. low rainfall that is typical at \(30^{\circ}\) latitude. c. high rainfall that is typical on the windward side of mountains. d. blocking of rain by vegetation in dense tropical forests. low rainfall that is typical in the interior of continents.

The major climatic factors that govern the distributions of terrestrial biomes are: a. temperature only. b. rainfall only. c. wind speed only. d. temperature and rainfall. e. temperature, rainfall, and wind speed.

The major source of nutrients in the headwaters of a small stream is from: a. dead leaves and other organic matter from adjacent land. b. photosynthesis by phytoplankton. c. photosynthesis by floating aquatic plants. d. the activity of chemoautotrophic bacteria. e. minerals from the underlying bedrock.

Which biome experiences the highest annual rainfall? a. tropical rainforest b. tropical savanna c. chaparral d. temperature grassland e. arctic tundra

From which biome are trees excluded by periodic fires and grazing herbivores? a. tropical rainforest b. thorn forest c. chaparral d. temperate grassland e. arctic tundra

During the spring overturn in a temperate zone lake: a. oxygen is carried from the surface to the bottom, and nutrients are carried from the bottom to the surface. b. nutrients are carried from the surface to the bottom, and oxygen is carried from the bottom to the surface. c. nutrients and oxygen are carried from the bottom waters to the surface waters. d. nutrients and oxygen are carried from the surface waters to the bottom waters. e. oxygen concentration remains constant at all depths, and nutrients sink to the bottom.

In which habitat must organisms adjust regularly to changing salinity? a. salt marsh b. coral reef c. benthic province d. estuary e. riffle

(a) Temperate grassland and chaparral often burn in lightning-induced fires, which stimulate the germination of seeds and regrowth of existing vegetation. Do you think that companies or the government should sell fire insurance to people who build expensive homes in places where periodic fires are virtually inevitable? (b) Boreal forests generally harbor many fewer species of trees than tropical forests do. Develop three hypotheses to explain this pattern. What data would you collect to test your hypotheses? (c) Many regions have been developed for agriculture, industry, and human habitation. Have our activities created new biomes? What physical environments are created by development, and what plants and animals occupy developed areas?

Design an experiment to test the hypothesis that streams receive much of their nutrients and energy from material that falls into them from overhanging vegetation.

If the geographical ranges of species change in response to global warming, what new selection pressures will organisms face as they move into ecological communities where they have not previously occurred? Your answer should address the effects of novel species interactions, as well as the effects of encountering different physical environments.