APES UNIT 3

Which is considered the most important element in living organisms? a. Carbon b. Hydrogen c. Oxygen d. Phosphorus e. Nitrogen

a. Carbon

What is the major source of phosphorus on land? a. Compounds released from the weathering of rocks b. Compounds formed from biological weathering c. Compounds dissolved in precipitation d. Compounds formed by producers during photosynthesis e. Deposition from atmospheric phosphorus

a. Compounds released from the weathering of rocks

Starting at a latitude of zero degrees and moving north or south with increasing latitude, which is the proper order for the three atmospheric convection cells? a. Hadley, Ferrell, Polar b. Polar, Hadley, Ferrell c. Ferrell, Polar, Hadley d. Polar, Ferrell, Hadley e. Ferrell, Hadley, Polar

a. Hadley, Ferrell, Polar

Which is used to measure the diversity of an ecosystem? I. Species extinction rate II. Species richness III. Species evenness a. II and III b. I only c. II only d. III only e. I, II and III

a. II and III

Which element is the most abundant in the atmosphere? a. Nitrogen b. Sulfur c. Hydrogen d. Phosphorus e. Oxygen

a. Nitrogen

What is a watershed? a. A reservoir of water stored underground b. An area of land that drains to a particular water body c. A network of rivers and bays that lead to the ocean d. A network of streams leading to a larger river e. An extensive wetland system leading to a bay

b. An area of land that drains to a particular water body

Which of the following is the approximate efficiency of the energy transfer as energy flows through the food chain? a. 1 percent b. 10 percent c. 90 percent d. 50 percent e. 25 percent

b. 10 percent

What occurs when a small group from a population colonizes a new area? a. Artificial selection b. Founder effect c. Genetic drift d. Sympatric speciation e. Bottleneck effect

b. Founder effect

Which of the following are examples of wetlands? I. Swamps II. Marshes III. Bogs a. I only b. I, II, and III c. II only d. III only e. I and II

b. I, II, and III

Which of the following types of organisms carry out cellular respiration? I. Producers II. Scavengers III. Secondary consumers a. II b. I, II, and III. c. I and III d. II and III e. I

b. I, II, and III

Which is NOT considered to be a factor in the current increase in extinction rates? a. Climate change b. Natural selection c. Introduction of invasive species d. Habitat destruction e. Overharvesting

b. Natural selection

Which nutrient is most often limiting in aquatic ecosystems? a. Carbon b. Phosphorus c. Nitrogen d. Hydrogen e. Sulfur

b. Phosphorus

Under what conditions would sympatric speciation most likely occur? a. Genetic drift b. Polyploidy c. Inbreeding depression d. Geographic isolation e. Bottleneck effect

b. Polyploidy

Which is biotic? I. Decomposers II. Energy flow III. Producers a. II only b. I only c. III only d. I, II and III e. I and III

3. I and III

Approximately how much of the potential energy available from the Sun's rays hitting Earth is used in photosynthesis? a. 1 percent b. 90 percent c. 25 percent d. 10 percent e. 50 percent

a. 1 percent

Which of the following is the best description of a region's climate? a. The average weather that occurs over a long time b. The average high and low temperatures of a region c. The average temperature and precipitation over 5 years d. The average precipitation that occurs over a long time e. The amount of precipitation in a typical year

a. The average weather that occurs over a long time

Following the last ice age over 10,000 years ago, glacial melting in Greenland and the Arctic decreased the salinity of the northern Atlantic Ocean. Lower salinity caused the water to become less dense and therefore less likely to sink. How might this decrease in salinity have affected the temperature in northwest Europe? a. The temperature would have decreased because the thermohaline circulation within the Gulf Stream shut down b. The temperature would have increased because the end of the ice age led to warmer temperatures everywhere. c. The temperature would have increased since the El Niño-Southern Oscillation was occurring at the same time. d. The temperature would have decreased because the melting glaciers reflected less sunlight back into the atmosphere. e. The temperature would have increased because the decrease in glaciers led to warmer water temperatures.

a. The temperature would have decreased because the thermohaline circulation within the Gulf Stream shut down.

Which biome is characterized by the presence of permafrost? a. Tundra b. Woodland/shrubland c. Boreal forest d. Temperate seasonal forest e. Temperate grassland/cold desert

a. Tundra

Two species that have a high degree of niche overlap will a. compete intensely. b. interbreed. c. be a predator-prey pair. d. coexist peacefully. e. speciate.

a. compete intensely

Eutrophic lakes a. have very high productivity as a result of high levels of nutrients. b. usually have no fish. c. have low nutrient levels. d. have very low productivity as a result of acid rain. e. are formed by glaciers.

a. have very high productivity as a result of high levels of nutrients

Which level of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer? a. Stratosphere b. Troposphere c. Thermosphere d. Exosphere e. Mesosphere

a. stratosphere

Which biome has plants with adaptations that prevent water loss, such as smaller leaves with few pores for gas exchange? a. Subtropical desert b. Woodland/shrubland c. Tropical rainforest d. Temperate seasonal forest e. Temperate rain forest

a. subtropical desert

Loblolly pine requires a minimum temperature to grow and thrive. Under current conditions, it is common in the southeastern region of the United States. If average temperatures increase throughout the United States, how would you expect the distribution of the loblolly pine to change? a. Spread east b. Spread north c. Spread west d. Not change e. Spread south

b. Spread north

What is a primary reason for the seasons on Earth? a. The changing period of daylight over the course of the year b. The tilt of Earth on its axis c. The Coriolis effect d. The change in distance between Earth and the Sun that occurs with Earth's orbit e. The speed of Earth's orbit around the Sun

b. The tilt of Earth on its axis

In what location does El Niño occur? a. Northern Pacific Ocean b. Tropical Pacific Ocean c. Indian Ocean d. Northern Atlantic Ocean e. Tropical Atlantic Ocean

b. Tropical Pacific Ocean

If a bird of a species that normally has green feathers produces an offspring with blue feathers, this is most likely the result of a. genotypic variation. b. a genetic mutation c. evolution. d. natural variation. e. natural selection.

b. a genetic mutation

A population of rabbits lives in a meadow with a depression that runs through the middle. The depression fills in with water and becomes a river that separates the population into two groups. Over a very long period the two populations develop into entirely different species, no longer capable of reproducing with each other. This is an example of a. artificial selection. b. allopatric speciation. c. the bottleneck effect. d. sympatric speciation. e. mutation.

b. allopatric speciation

You are an environmental scientist familiar with the Hubbard Brook Watershed study. Immediately after observing the clear-cutting of a forest near your New England home, you would expect a. an increase in a nearby stream's water temperature. b. an increase in a nearby stream's nitrate concentrations. c. a decrease in levels of erosion. d. a decrease in a nearby stream's nitrate concentrations. e. a decrease in a nearby stream's water temperature.

b. an increase in a nearby stream's nitrate concentrations.

Which process can be controlled most directly by humans? a. Mutation b. Artificial selection c. Genetic drift d. Genetic bottleneck e. Natural selection

b. artificial selection

In which step of the nitrogen cycle do plants absorb nitrogen compounds? a. Nitrification b. Assimilation c. Denitrification d. Ammonification e. Nitrogen fixation

b. assimilation

The change in genetic composition of a population over time is called a. mutation. b. evolution c. artificial selection. d. phenotype. e. genotype.

b. evolution

Coral bleaching refers to a. the effect of a coral parasite. b. the death of algae within the tissue of corals. c. an invasive species of white corals found in the Caribbean. d. the effect of phosphates on coral reefs. e. the result of overfishing in coral reefs.

b. the death of algae within the tissue of corals

Which activity is currently changing the carbon cycle? a. Formation of carbonate rocks b. Photosynthesis c. Combustion of fossil fuels d. Cellular respiration e. Formation of fossil fuels

c. Combustion of fossil fuels

Which of the following would be the best example of an individual's phenotype? a. Having two dominant genes for brown eyes b. Having two recessive genes for blue eyes c. Having brown eyes d. Having one dominant gene for brown eyes and one recessive gene for blue eyes e. Having a mutated gene for eye color

c. Having brown eyes

Which is the best example of artificial selection? a. Bees pollinate different species of flowers. b. An isolated population of frogs develops a phenotype distinct from the original population. c. Humans breed horses for speed. d. A small population has an unusually high percentage of a rare phenotype. e. Finches adapt to different sources of food on different islands.

c. Humans breed horses for speed

Which of the following is NOT considered a macronutrient? a. Calcium b. Nitrogen c. Hydrogen d. Magnesium e. Sulfur

c. Hydrogen

What factors are used to classify a biome? I. Average temperature II. Average precipitation III. Distinctive plants adapted to area a. III only b. I and II c. I, II, and III d. I only e. II only

c. I, II, and III

Which of the following are needed for photosynthesis? a. Water, solar energy, and glucose b. Oxygen, water, and solar energy c. Water, solar energy, and carbon dioxide d. Oxygen and glucose e. Carbon dioxide, solar energy, and glucose

c. Water, solar energy, and carbon dioxide

Which factor would lead to the most rapid rate of evolution? a. Low genetic variation b. Large population size c. Genetically modified organisms d. Long generation time e. Natural selection

c. genetically modified organisms

How is the majority of energy within an ecosystem lost? a. Energy used to grow biomass b. Cellular respiration c. Heat loss d. Cellular metabolism e. Energy used to capture prey

c. heat loss

How many known mass extinctions have occurred since the evolution of complex life 500 million years ago? a. 4 b. 3 c. 10 d. 5 e. 7

d. 5

What is the overall direction of global air currents at the equator? a. Air currents move horizontally to the north at the equator. b. Air currents move horizontally to the south at the equator. c. Air currents are relatively stable at the equator. d. Air currents rise at the equator. e. Air currents sink at the equator.

d. Air currents rise at the equator.

Which best describes the concept of net primary production? a. Total amount of cellular respiration conducted within an ecosystem b. Total amount of energy available within an ecosystem c. Total amount of energy available from the Sun d. Energy captured minus energy lost e. Total amount of energy produced from photosynthesis

d. Energy captured minus energy lost

Which example supports the intermediate disturbance hypothesis? a. Forests with no disturbances have the highest level of species diversity. b. A clear-cut forest will have a high level of species diversity. c. The biodiversity in a coral reef is diminished following the opening of fishing grounds. d. Forests that are prone to natural forest fires have a greater diversity of species. e. Low species diversity in the Arctic is the result of no ecological disturbances.

d. Forests that are prone to natural forest fires have a greater diversity of species

Which species would be most vulnerable to environmental changes? a. Species with a large population b. Species with rapid reproductive rates c. Niche generalists d. Niche specialists e. Species with high genetic variation

d. Niche specialists

What is most significant when determining the diversity of an ecosystem? a. The amount of land the ecosystem covers b. The number of organisms present c. The amount of precipitation an ecosystem receives d. The number of species present e. The interactions between producers and consumers

d. The number of species present

The rain shadow effect can have a large effect on local climate. When a rain shadow effect occurs, which side of the mountain tends to receive more rain? a. Foot of the mountain b. Leeward side c. Windward in winter, leeward in summer d. Windward side. e. Top of the mountain

d. Windward side

Macroevolution refers to evolution that a. occurs quickly. b. cannot be seen on a micro level. c. affects only an organism's phenotype. d. gives rise to new species, genera, families, classes, or phyla. e. alters the genetic makeup of the species, without creating a new species.

d. gives rise to new species, genera, families, classes, or phyla

In a particular freshwater ecosystem, phosphorous is required to sustain plant growth. Regardless of the amounts of nitrogen or other mineral nutrients in the lake, aquatic plants in this system have been unable to mature without an increase in phosphorous. In this example, phosphorous can be described as a a. micronutrient. b. negative feedback. c. hypoxic chemical. d. limiting nutrient. e. recycled element.

d. limiting nutrient

At which stage of the hydrologic cycle are conditions most likely to contribute to the development of an algal bloom? a. Infiltration b. Transpiration c. Evaporation d. Runoff e. Precipitation

d. runoff

When a population suddenly reduces in size from habitat loss, natural disaster, or other environmental changes, and its subsequent genetic variation is affected, we say it has experienced a. genetic drift. b. the founder effect. c. geographic isolation. d. the bottleneck effect. e. mutation.

d. the bottleneck effect

What is one significant effect of upwelling? a. It creates an area of high precipitation b. It creates an area of high nutrients in the center of the ocean basin c. It brings warm water to the surface of the ocean d. It drives thermohaline circulation e. It creates an area of high nutrient levels along the coast

e. It creates an area of high nutrient levels along the coast

Which measure of biodiversity takes into account the number of species present and the relative abundance of the species present? a. Hardy-Weinberg index b. Biodiversity index c. Species richness d. Species evenness e. Shannon's index

e. Shannon's index

Which of the following is NOT true about the Sun's energy heating Earth? a. The Sun's rays are concentrated over a smaller surface area at the equator than in higher latitudes. b. The unequal heating of Earth helps determine an area's climate. c. The polar regions reflect more sunlight than the tropical regions. d. The angle at which the Sun's rays hit Earth depends on the latitude. e. The Sun's rays are more strongly reflected in the lower latitudes.

e. The Sun's rays are more strongly reflected in the lower latitudes.

Which level of the atmosphere is the densest? a. Stratosphere b. Mesosphere c. Thermosphere d. Exosphere e. Troposphere

e. Troposphere

Question 4 Organisms that eat dead or decaying matter are called a. primary consumers. b. heterotrophs. c. tertiary consumers. d. autotrophs. e. scavengers.

e. scavengers

What type of weather would you expect to find at the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)? a. Dry and cool b. Warm in the summer and cool in the winter c. Dry and warm d. Cool and rainy e. Warm and rainy

e. warm and rainy