Physical Geography Final Exam Review

In North America, zebra mussels, kudzu, and purple loosestrife are all examples of ___ species.

___ is the type of environment in which an organism resides or is biologically adapted to live.

A dead zone forms when ____ is depleted or removed from an aquatic environment.

The uppermost soil horizon, composed of organic material and humus, is the ____ horizon.

Barrier spits, bay barriers, and lagoons are three characteristic landforms of ____ coastlines.

____ is the interdisciplinary (chemistry, hydrology, etc.) study of soil as a natural resource.

Which of the following characteristics best characterizes mangrove swamps?

Solar energy, temperature, and precipitation are important examples of __ ecosystem components.

The key physical force responsible for the actions of tides is _____.

When backwash from a breaker flows out to sea in a concentrated right angle column, a __ forms.

Ocean surface salinity is virtually the same in all locations on Earth, regardless of latitude.

An important biogeographic boundary in the S. Pacific that separates distinct ecosystems:

A(n) ___ is a geographic region where a group of plant and animal species evolved.

A ___ is a portion of an ocean or sea that is partially enclosed by land.

A(n) _____ coastline is one where more sediment is removed than deposited.

____ is the common term for the balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay in a soil sample.

_____ are organisms that manufacture their own food through the process of photosynthesis.

____ contain >30% clay and are dark black in color due to their unique mineral content.

Ocean's compose the majority of a planet's ______.

Which of the following statements about island biogeography is INCORRECT?

A vertical section of soil used by scientists to evaluate its characteristics is a soil _____.

The Munsell Guide categorizes soils by ____, indicating their composition and chemical makeup.

Highly weathered, agriculturally-productive soils found in the US Southeast (and N. Kentucky!):

When a community is disturbed enough that most or all of its species are eliminated, __ occurs.

Worldwide coastal dead zones are more abundant in S. Hemisphere regions with low populations.

____ refers to the function or occupation of a life form within a given community.

Since the early 2000s, the field of conservation biogeography has focused on:

___ is the study of relationships between organisms and their environment and among ecosystems.

There are more than ____ distinct soil types in the U.S. and Canada alone.

Acidification refers to the fact that oceans absorb excess ____ from human activities.

Although its effects were experienced across much of the country, the Dust Bowl began in the:

Which of the following types of water is highest in salinity levels?

___ species are those that occur naturally in a particular biome as a consequence of evolution.

The three key elements in Earth's biogeochemical cycles are:

Soil ____ refers to the arrangement (fine, medium, or coarse) of soil particles.

Permafrost-affected, cold and frozen soils found in high latitudes and mountains:

The transition zone in oceans that lacks surface motion and decreases in temperature with depth

A consumer that feeds on both producers and consumers is a(n) _____.

Soil ____ is the ability of soil to sustain plants.

A self-sustaining association of plants and animals and their physical environment is a(n):

Swells, breakers, and rogue are three types of _____.

Most scientific classifications today define ___ biomes, based on dominant vegetation.

Changes in environmental conditions cause coral to expel algae and whiten in the process of:

Tropical, highly-oxidized soils found in hot, humid areas:

Since the Pleistocene (Ice Age) global mean sea levels have _____.

Which of the following is an agricultural practice adopted to combat soil erosion?

Which of the following characteristics of soil is INCORRECT?

The Greater Cincinnati region is located within which terrestrial biome type?

____ species evolved, and live in, only one geographic location on Earth.

__ is the variety of life that exists on Earth and is a critical aspect of ecosystem stability.

Low temperatures, lack of water, and differences in elevation can all be examples of:

____ feed on dead and decaying organic material and release inorganic compounds and nutrients.

The line of actual contact between the sea and land is the _____.

____ represent the single largest soil order in the world. These are salinized desert soils.

___ water is water that contains a significant proportion of dissolved salts.