ecology unit test
Which of the following processes returns carbon to the atmosphere? A. transpiration B. photosynthesis C. evaporation D. cellular respiration
cellular respiration
Predation is the act of one organism killing another for food. Which of the following sets of organisms list a predator and its prey? A. cod fish, squid B. deer, rabbit C. lion, beaver D. scorpion, beetle
scorpion, beetle
Examine the following food chain and choose the organism that would best fill in the blank portion. Wheat-Mouse-[?]-Hawk
snake
In the following desert food web, what do scorpions consume?
spiders, moths,lizards, scorpions
According the information shown in the graph, what is the carrying capacity for eastern cottontail rabbits in Red Forest?
100
A particular environment has plenty of water, oxygen, and minerals, but it cannot recycle organic waste and dead organisms. What will happen to the organisms in this environment over time?
A decreasing number of organisms will be supported by the environment.
What does the energy pyramid demonstrate?
A great amount of energy is lost traveling up the energy pyramid.
Increases in the sizes of human populations have caused a demand for more houses. When new subdivisions are built, trees are often cut down to make space for the new houses. Which of the following is an immediate impact of this deforestation? A. Animals that live in those areas must find new homes. B. Wood from the felled trees must be used immediately. C. The deforestation will increase atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. D. A reduction in tree populations will increase global temperatures.
Animals that live in those areas must find new homes.
How might a homogeneous gene pool make the endangered cheetah more susceptible to extinction?
Diseases for which cheetahs have low resistance could kill several cubs within a short period.
There is an ecosystem that gets abundant sun, moderate temperatures and regular rain. What might you expect in this ecosystem?
Soil quality is likely very good.
Overpopulation occurs when a population exceeds its carrying capacity. White-tailed deer are considered to be an overpopulated species in the central United States. What is one consequence of white-tailed deer exceeding their carrying capacity?
The deer are less healthy and more prone to disease.
A desert with a hot, dry climate is an example of A. a population. B. a community. C. an ecosystem. D. a biome.
a biome.
A herd of cattle is an example of
a population.
Which human activity has had the greatest impact on climate change?
burning fossil fuels
Which of the following resources can be in limited supply in an ecosystem? food-sunlight-water-oxygen-shelter
food, water, shelter
An increase in the atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) is the biggest contributor to which of the following? A. global warming B. wind storms C. ozone depletion D. El Niño
global warming
Almost no species ever reaches its biotic potential—the population size that the species could produce if all individuals survived and produced offspring. Anything that prevents the species from reaching its biotic potential is called a
limiting factor.
The Toolache wallaby was a kangaroo species in Australia that became extinct in the 20th century. The wallaby was hunted by both humans and the animals humans brought to Australia. Humans also cleared the land where the wallaby lived and foraged for food. Based on the information above, which of the following contributed to the extinction of the Toolache wallaby? loss of habitat climate change non-native species pollution
loss of habitat, non-native species
In the nitrogen cycle, bacteria combine nitrogen gas with hydrogen to form ammonia in a process called
nitrogen fixation
A cheetah hunts, kills, and eats a gazelle. This interaction is an example of _______.
predation
All organisms must be able to obtain nutrients from their environment. Which of the following terms describes the process of one organism killing another organism in order to obtain nutrients?
predation
Which level in a food web contains the highest amount of total available energy?
producer
Plants require nitrogen and phosphorus but cannot efficiently absorb these nutrients from the soil. Instead, they obtain the nutrients through fungi that live in their roots. In return, the fungi have access to carbohydrates manufactured by the plants. Without the fungi, plants would not be healthy and abundant, and the food supply of all of the organisms in the ecosystem would be in danger. This is an example of how _______ relationships maintain balance within an ecosystem.
symbiotic
Hardwood trees, such as oaks, maples, and birches, are most commonly found in _______ biomes.
temperate forest
What is the ultimate source of all of the energy that flows through this food chain? plant-mouse-snake-hawk
the Sun
which of the following processes cycles matter through different parts of an ecosystem? the nitrogen cycle the water cycle the carbon cycle
the carbon cycle
During which of the following water cycle processes does water move from living, organic matter to abiotic resources?
transpiration
The image on the left is a photograph that uses visible light. The image on the right shows the concentrations of chlorophyll present in the water, which is an indication of the amount of algae present. What impact, if any, would an algal bloom likely have on its local ecosystem?
It would kill many other organisms in the ecosystem by removing oxygen and nutrients from the water.
Many types of sea stars eat mussels and other shellfish. Suppose an oil spill causes thousands of mussels in an area to die. How will this most likely affect the area's sea star population?
The sea star population will decrease in size.
Every member of a particular rodent species is found within a population living in a forest ecosystem. These rodents eat a variety of plants and live in hardwood trees. Their population growth is limited by the amount of space they have available. Human construction in the area is steadily reducing the habitat of the rodent species. Which of the following will most likely occur if the species' habitat continues to be destroyed?
The species will eventually become extinct.
Which of the following statements is true of all organisms in every environment? A. They must compete for essential resources. B. They are able to produce their own food. C. They must consume other organisms for energy. D. They avoid interaction as much as possible.
They must compete for essential resources.
What can be said about the relationship between species 1 and species 2?
When the population of species 1 increases, the population of species 2 decreases.
In 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatau in Indonesia erupted so violently that the eruption could be heard over 3,000 kilometers away. The eruption spewed massive amounts of ash and volcanic gases into the atmosphere. Which of the following was the most likely result of this volcanic eruption? A. the formation of tsunamis for several months following the eruption B. a mass extinction of plants and animals C. a global drop in temperature for several months following the eruption D. the reversing of Earth's magnetic poles
a global drop in temperature for several months following the eruption
Every member of a particular species is found within a certain population living in a desert. The growth of this population is limited by the availability of water in the ecosystem. The population has many food sources available to it. This species might become extinct if A. a disease eliminated one of the population's food sources. B. a long drought caused water to become scarce. C. food became the limiting factor for the population. D. a new food source was introduced to the ecosystem.
a long drought caused water to become scarce.
Which of the following events would most unpredictably affect an ecosystem? A. the annual birth of a new generation of deer B. a mutation in a native bacteria C. a rainstorm that causes minor flooding D. the removal of one old tree
a mutation in a native bacteria
Which of the following is a biotic factor that limits the number of deer in an ecosystem? A. drought B. flooding C. a predator D. temperature
a predator
Which of the following is a biotic factor that limits the number of deer in an ecosystem? A. temperature B. flooding C. a predator D. drought
a predator
The mouse population in a forest ecosystem becomes too large, and many individuals die from disease. Disease is a(n) __________ limiting factor in this ecosystem.
biotic
As energy flows through ecosystems, atoms and molecules cycle among
both the living and nonliving components of the biosphere.
Which of the following is an abiotic factor that limits the carrying capacity of animal species? A. increasing number of predators B. a competing species C. disease-causing bacteria D. breathable gases
breathable gases
The American bullfrog is native to much of the eastern United States. This species has successfully begun to spread west as an invasive species. It is thriving in the western United States because of its large size, high mobility, and tremendous reproductive capabilities. American bullfrogs have very generalized eating habits and often eat the same food sources as the native frog species in the western United States, causing a reduction in the overall food supply. The relationship between the American bullfrog and native frog species in the western United States can best be characterized as ______.
competition
In any ecosystem, the basic resources that organisms need for survival are always in limited supply. Which of the following is a potential result of these limitations? competition among members of an ecosystem for resources unlimited population growth of certain species in an ecosystem elimination of one or more species from an ecosystem
elimination of one or more species from an ecosystem competition among members of an ecosystem for resources
Step 2 occurs when liquid water on the surface of the Earth changes from a liquid to a gas (water vapor) and is known as Water vapor in the atmosphere can then undergo as shown in step 3. During this step, gaseous water changes back into a liquid or sometimes a solid. Finally, water returns to the surface of the Earth through as shown in step 4.
evaporation, condensation, precipitation
If a disease killed all of the frogs in the above food web, which population would be most directly affected in a negative way?
owls
Organisms in an ecosystem must either produce their own energy or receive energy from other organisms. The biological interaction in which one organism hunts, kills, and eats another organism for energy is known as _______.
predation
_______ can be defined as a long-term relationship between individuals of different biological species that typically results in a benefit for at least one of the individuals.
symbiosis
During which of these processes is oxygen consumed? when plants perform photosynthesis when aerobic bacteria break down dead algae in a pond when forests are burned to clear land for farming when plants or animals perform aerobic cellular respiration
when aerobic bacteria break down dead algae in a pond when forests are burned to clear land for farming when plants or animals perform aerobic cellular respiration
Which of the following is the most likely explanation for why the population of eastern cottontail rabbits did not continue to increase rapidly?
As the population of eastern cottontail rabbits in Red Forest increased, food resources became scarce.
According to the law of conservation of energy, energy can neither be created nor destroyed. If this is true, why is there less energy in the top of the energy pyramid than there is in the bottom of the energy pyramid?
Energy is lost between each trophic level as heat.
Which of the following interactions is an example of symbiosis? A. a tropical bird performs a courtship dance for a mate B. a population of hummingbirds migrates during the summer C. an insect acts as a pollinator for a plant species D. a mother bear feeds and protects her cubs
an insect acts as a pollinator for a plant species
A biologist studying alpine wildflowers notices that two populations of similar species are able to occupy the same niches. However, species A is mostly found at lower altitudes, while species B is mostly found at higher altitudes. What has most likely caused the realized niches of these two wildflower populations to be smaller than their fundamental niches?
Competition has restricted the ranges of both species.
In which of the following ways might humans negatively impact the environment? I. depleting the natural resources of the environment II. destroying habitats to make room for a growing population III. planting more trees to make up for those previously cut down
I and II only
Which of the following are abiotic factors that can be found in the ecosystem pictured? I. ocean currents II. fish III. plankton IV. sand
I and IV only
The amount of life that can be supported in a particular ecosystem is limited by which of the following? I. energy II. water III. minerals IV. oxygen
I, II, III, and IV
Recently, zebra mussels were found in Colorado's Lake Pueblo. Zebra mussels are not native to the lakes in Colorado, and they feed heavily on the algae and microscopic animals that form the base of the lake's food web. If the spread of zebra mussels cannot be contained, what will be the likely effect on Lake Pueblo's ecosystem? I. There will be no effect because there is always room for another organism. II. The fish population in the lake will decline because of competition for food. III. In time, a new type of bird adapted to crack mussel shells may appear. IV. Populations of second-order and third-order consumers may decline.
II, III, and IV only
Which statement explains the impact that ozone depletion has had on the Earth? A. It has increased surface levels of ultraviolet light. B. It has increased the production of ultraviolet light. C. It has decreased the production of ultraviolet light. D. It has decreased surface levels of ultraviolet light.
It has increased surface levels of ultraviolet light.
An ecosystem experiences a rapid increase in the algae population as a result of lawn fertilizer entering the system through storm drains. The food chain below is part of the ecosystem. Algae Minnows Salmon Bear As the algae and other plants begin to die, they cause the bacterial population to explode. The bacteria exhaust the supply of dissolved oxygen needed by animals living in the water. What will happen to the minnow population?
It will soon start to decline.
Microorganisms can mutate and evolve very quickly compared to most multicellular organisms. This allows pathogenic microorganisms to infect new species. Suppose a very harmful microorganism that is quite successful at infecting hardwood trees is introduced into a forest ecosystem. What effect would this pathogenic microorganism most likely have?
It would disrupt the ecosystem by greatly reducing the population of a few species.
Chemicals can affect an ecosystem. Which of the following is a result of pesticide application? A. Pesticide kills all kinds of insects, including predatory insects, which in turn can increase the population of insects for which the pesticide was intended. B. Pesticide application improves soil fertility, increasing the diversity of plants in the ecosystem. C. Pesticide application does not affect ecosystems. This is why it is widely used on farms and ranches. D. It always leaves a residue on plant leaves, reducing photosynthesis.
Pesticide kills all kinds of insects, including predatory insects, which in turn can increase the population of insects for which the pesticide was intended.
Organisms in ecosystems compete and cooperate with each other. This is part of the natural cycle of ecosystems. If the competition and cooperation balance each other out, the ecosystem can remain stable for hundreds or even thousands of years. Which of the following represents an organism interaction that encourages long-term ecosystem stability?
Plants use energy from the Sun, birds eat the plants, and cats eat the birds.
he diagram below shows a food chain. Grass Rabbit Fox Bear What would happen if human activity reduced the rabbit population? A. The grass population would decrease. B. The bear population would increase. C. The fox population would increase. D. The fox population would decrease.
The fox population would decrease.
The main predators of field mice in a certain ecosystem are rattlesnakes and foxes. Suppose humans begin building neighborhoods in the ecosystem, driving out many of the indigenous rattlesnakes and foxes. What will most likely happen to the field mice's population?
The population will increase in size.
In 1986, hundreds of islands were created out of hilltops when Venezuela was flooded because of a closed dam. On all of these new islands, the top predators in the food chain, such jaguars and eagles, either fled or died out. What most likely happened to the herbivores and smaller carnivores in those local food chains immediately after the predators disappeared?
Their populations increased.
Two populations of birds in the same ecosystem begin to compete for the same food resources. What will most likely be the result of this interspecific competition?
There will be a reduction in the population size of one or both species.
If sunlight were suddenly limited in an ecosystem, what might result?
There will be less chemical energy available in that particular ecosystem.
Which of the following events would most likely contribute to lowering the carrying capacity of a population? A. a decrease in habitats due to human development or natural disasters B. an increase in the number of predators who eat the animal C. a decrease in the number of females in the population D. an increase in the water supply in the habitat
a decrease in habitats due to human development or natural disasters
White-tailed deer are considered to be an overpopulated species in the central United States. Which of these events probably contributed the most to white-tailed deer exceeding their carrying capacity?
a decrease in natural predation of white-tailed deer
A desert biome is pictured above. Which is a biotic factor that can be found in this biome?
a lizard
Which of the following is the best example of a population? A. a nest of mockingbirds, some bullfrogs, a pond, and a sandy shore B. a school of sunfish C. a warm, humid climate with plenty of rainfall D. bees and wasps around a group of purple cornflowers
a school of sunfish
What is the name for the nonliving parts of an ecosystem?
abiotic factors
How might an environment be affected if humans introduce a new type of plant to the environment?
all of these
Theoretically, living organisms are capable of producing populations of infinite size. However, this never occurs because population sizes are limited by _______.
all of these
The organisms within an established ecosystem interact and form relationships with each other over time. This interdependence allows ecosystems to remain relatively stable for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. Which of the following would likely decrease the population size of an established plant species?
an extended drought introduction of a non-native species a sudden change in climate
The organisms within an established ecosystem interact and form relationships with each other over time. This interdependence allows ecosystems to remain relatively stable for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. Which of the following would likely decrease the population size of an established plant species? an increase in available nutrients an extended drought introduction of a non-native species a sudden change in climate
an extended drought introduction of a non-native species a sudden change in climate
The organisms within an established ecosystem interact and form relationships with each other over time. This interdependence allows ecosystems to remain relatively stable for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. Which of the following would likely increase the population size of an established plant species?
an increase in available nutrients
Which of the following is an example of predation? A. a tick attaches to the flesh of a dog and consumes its blood for energy B. an owl hunts, catches, and consumes a field mouse for energy C. a white-tailed deer consumes a plant in the forest for energy D. a tapeworm lives in the intestine of a cat and absorbs nutrients for energy
an owl hunts, catches, and consumes a field mouse for energy
The biosphere can best be defined as A. any region on Earth where life can exist. B. all of the abiotic components of the Earth. C. all of the plants on Earth. D. a region with distinct climate characteristics.
any region on Earth where life can exist.
Which substance is removed from the atmosphere so that plants can carry out photosynthesis?
carbon dioxide
Which of the following can cause the extinction of a species? climate change catastrophic events interactions with other species human activities
climate change catastrophic events interactions with other species human activities
A farmer plants two species of grass with similar nutrient needs on the same small plot of land. What kind of interaction will most likely occur between the two species?
competition
Populations of typical prey animals, such as deer, might exceed the carrying capacity of an ecosystem if top predators, such as mountain lions, are removed. Without the mountain lions, increased numbers of deer may reduce the food supply available to other herbivores, such as field mice and crickets. As a result, populations of deer, mice, and crickets might decline, causing a population decrease in species that feed on these organisms as well. This example implies that properly functioning predator/prey relationships
maintain balance within an ecosystem.
The levels of organization of the biosphere are shown below, but they are not in the correct order. Arrange the tiles in order of most specific level to broadest level.
organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome
An energy pyramid representing a forest ecosystem is shown below. Which level of the energy pyramid represents the forest's secondary consumers?
snakes and hawks
A _______ is a group of organisms that can reproduce fertile offspring. Failure to reproduce fertile offspring will cause _______ of the group.
species, extinction
Many common products, such as wooden furniture, paper, and books, are made from trees. Which of the following is a likely consequence of humans cutting down a forest in order to make use of the natural resources there?
the destruction of habitats
In the _______ biome, the vegetation is so abundant and thick that almost no sunlight reaches the soil.
tropical rainforest
