CAMPBELL BIO CHAPTER 52 TEST BANK
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1) If an ecologist were studying the regional interactions among multiple populations of different species
and how they influence the exchange of materials between their various environments, then this would
be an example of which kind of research? - ANS-A) landscape ecology
2) What would happen to the seasons if Earth were tilted 35 degrees off its orbital plane instead of the
usual 23.5 degrees? - ANS-B) Winters and summers would be more severe.
3) Which of the following causes seasons on Earth? - ANS-B) the constant tilt of the Earth, combined
with its orbit around the sun
4) Which of the following might be an investigation of microclimate? - ANS-D) how sunlight intensity
affects plant community composition in the zone where a forest transitions into a meadow
5) In creating global climate patterns, which of the following factors is the primary cause of all of the
other factors that are listed? - ANS-D) variation in the heating of Earth's surface
6) For mountain ranges that are subjected to prevailing winds, why is the climate drier on the leeward
(downwind) side? - ANS-C) Pushed by the prevailing winds on the windward side, air is forced to rise,
cool, condense, and drop its precipitation, leaving drier air to descend the leeward side.
7) What would be the effect on climate in the temperate latitudes if Earth were to slow its rate of
rotation from a 24-hour period of rotation to a 48-hour period of rotation? - ANS-D) There often would
be a larger range between daytime high and nighttime low temperatures.
8) Subtropical plants are commonplace in Land's End, England, whose latitude is the equivalent of
Labrador in coastal Canada, where the local flora is instead subarctic. Which statement best explains
why this apparent anomaly exists between North America and Europe? - ANS-B) Warm ocean currents
interact with England, whereas cold ocean currents interact with Labrador.
9) In mountainous areas of western North America, north-facing slopes would be expected to ________.
- ANS-D) support biological communities similar to those found at higher elevations on similar south-
facing slopes
10) In the region of the Rocky Mountains, imagine that one local variety of Ponderosa pine (Pinus
ponderosa) predominantly occurs between 5,000-8,500 feet in elevation, where it can best tolerate
temperatures and precipitation. If future climate change in this region causes the temperature to
, increase and rainfall to decrease, then which of the following changes might an ecologist predict about
the variety's range? - ANS-D) that variety will occur at higher elevations and/or higher latitudes
11) Imagine some cosmic catastrophe jolts Earth so that its axis is perpendicular to the orbital plane
between Earth and the sun. The most obvious effect of this change would be ________. - ANS-D) the
elimination of seasonal variation
12) The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is that ________. - ANS-A) solar radiation
strikes the poles at a lower angle and travels through more atmosphere
13) The success of plants extending their range northward following glacial retreat is primarily
determined by ________. - ANS-C) their seed dispersal rate
14) As climate changes because of global warming, plant species' ranges in the northern hemisphere
may move northward. The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are
those that ________. - ANS-A) have larger, more contiguous established populations to begin with
15) Generalized global air circulation and precipitation patterns are caused by ________. - ANS-A) solar
radiation that warms moist air masses near the equator, which then cool and release precipitation as
they rise, and then, at high altitude, move north or south of the tropics and sink back to the surface as
dry air masses
16) At 15-30°N, air masses formed over the Pacific Ocean are moved by prevailing westerlies, where
they encounter extensive north-south mountain ranges. Which statement best describes the outcome
of this encounter between a landform and an air mass? - ANS-B) The warm, moist Pacific air rises and
cools, releasing precipitation as it moves up the windward side of the range. This now cool and dry air
mass heats up as it descends on the leeward side of the range.
17) Coral reefs occur on the southeast coast of the United States but not at similar latitudes on the
southwest coast. Differences in which of the following most likely account for this? - ANS-C) water
temperatures driven by ocean currents
18) Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the future distribution of
organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change? - ANS-B) Look at the climatic
changes that occurred since the last ice age and how species redistributed as glaciers melted, then make
predictions on future distribution in species based on past trends.
19) Generally speaking, deserts are located in places where air masses are usually ________. - ANS-D)
descending
20) When climbing a mountain, we can observe transitions in biological communities that are analogous
to the changes ________. - ANS-A) in biomes at different latitudes
21) If the direction of Earth's rotation reversed, the most predictable effect would be ________. - ANS-B)
winds blowing from west to east along the equator
22) Use the following figures to answer the question below. Based on the data in the figures, which of
the following statements are correct? I) Area 1 would be considered a desert because of its high average
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1) If an ecologist were studying the regional interactions among multiple populations of different species
and how they influence the exchange of materials between their various environments, then this would
be an example of which kind of research? - ANS-A) landscape ecology
2) What would happen to the seasons if Earth were tilted 35 degrees off its orbital plane instead of the
usual 23.5 degrees? - ANS-B) Winters and summers would be more severe.
3) Which of the following causes seasons on Earth? - ANS-B) the constant tilt of the Earth, combined
with its orbit around the sun
4) Which of the following might be an investigation of microclimate? - ANS-D) how sunlight intensity
affects plant community composition in the zone where a forest transitions into a meadow
5) In creating global climate patterns, which of the following factors is the primary cause of all of the
other factors that are listed? - ANS-D) variation in the heating of Earth's surface
6) For mountain ranges that are subjected to prevailing winds, why is the climate drier on the leeward
(downwind) side? - ANS-C) Pushed by the prevailing winds on the windward side, air is forced to rise,
cool, condense, and drop its precipitation, leaving drier air to descend the leeward side.
7) What would be the effect on climate in the temperate latitudes if Earth were to slow its rate of
rotation from a 24-hour period of rotation to a 48-hour period of rotation? - ANS-D) There often would
be a larger range between daytime high and nighttime low temperatures.
8) Subtropical plants are commonplace in Land's End, England, whose latitude is the equivalent of
Labrador in coastal Canada, where the local flora is instead subarctic. Which statement best explains
why this apparent anomaly exists between North America and Europe? - ANS-B) Warm ocean currents
interact with England, whereas cold ocean currents interact with Labrador.
9) In mountainous areas of western North America, north-facing slopes would be expected to ________.
- ANS-D) support biological communities similar to those found at higher elevations on similar south-
facing slopes
10) In the region of the Rocky Mountains, imagine that one local variety of Ponderosa pine (Pinus
ponderosa) predominantly occurs between 5,000-8,500 feet in elevation, where it can best tolerate
temperatures and precipitation. If future climate change in this region causes the temperature to
, increase and rainfall to decrease, then which of the following changes might an ecologist predict about
the variety's range? - ANS-D) that variety will occur at higher elevations and/or higher latitudes
11) Imagine some cosmic catastrophe jolts Earth so that its axis is perpendicular to the orbital plane
between Earth and the sun. The most obvious effect of this change would be ________. - ANS-D) the
elimination of seasonal variation
12) The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is that ________. - ANS-A) solar radiation
strikes the poles at a lower angle and travels through more atmosphere
13) The success of plants extending their range northward following glacial retreat is primarily
determined by ________. - ANS-C) their seed dispersal rate
14) As climate changes because of global warming, plant species' ranges in the northern hemisphere
may move northward. The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are
those that ________. - ANS-A) have larger, more contiguous established populations to begin with
15) Generalized global air circulation and precipitation patterns are caused by ________. - ANS-A) solar
radiation that warms moist air masses near the equator, which then cool and release precipitation as
they rise, and then, at high altitude, move north or south of the tropics and sink back to the surface as
dry air masses
16) At 15-30°N, air masses formed over the Pacific Ocean are moved by prevailing westerlies, where
they encounter extensive north-south mountain ranges. Which statement best describes the outcome
of this encounter between a landform and an air mass? - ANS-B) The warm, moist Pacific air rises and
cools, releasing precipitation as it moves up the windward side of the range. This now cool and dry air
mass heats up as it descends on the leeward side of the range.
17) Coral reefs occur on the southeast coast of the United States but not at similar latitudes on the
southwest coast. Differences in which of the following most likely account for this? - ANS-C) water
temperatures driven by ocean currents
18) Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the future distribution of
organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change? - ANS-B) Look at the climatic
changes that occurred since the last ice age and how species redistributed as glaciers melted, then make
predictions on future distribution in species based on past trends.
19) Generally speaking, deserts are located in places where air masses are usually ________. - ANS-D)
descending
20) When climbing a mountain, we can observe transitions in biological communities that are analogous
to the changes ________. - ANS-A) in biomes at different latitudes
21) If the direction of Earth's rotation reversed, the most predictable effect would be ________. - ANS-B)
winds blowing from west to east along the equator
22) Use the following figures to answer the question below. Based on the data in the figures, which of
the following statements are correct? I) Area 1 would be considered a desert because of its high average
