AP Environmental The Living World Test
Which of the following best shows the process of evolution?
A population of mosquitoes develops resistance to a pesticide
Exemplified by moss growing on a tree trunk in a forest.
Commensalism
Of the following organisms, which occupies the lowest trophic level?
Deer
Which of the following best explains why there are seldom more than five trophic levels in a food chain?
Energy is lost from each trophic level.
Why do the populations of invasive species grow so quickly?
invasive species have no natural predators.
The efficiency of energy transfer from a lower trophic level to the next highest level is roughly
10%
Why is genetic diversity important?
Allows for species to adapt to and thrive in different environments.
Traveling southward from the Arctic regions of Canada to the tropics of Panama, one passes through several biomes-tundra, coniferous forest, temperate deciduous forest, and tropical rain forest. This pattern of change in vegetation is primarily the result of
An increase in both mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation
Two types of birds subsist on the same type of berries in the same location. One type of bird lays claim to all the berries in that particular area, forcing out the other birds. What is the principle that says the best competitor will always win and exclude the other from the habitat?
Competitive exclusion principle
A species of pine tree is capable of surviving from Northern Canada down to the Grand Canyon, but is only actually found growing in Northern California and Oregon. Which of the following is the realized niche?
Northern California and Oregon
In general, which of the following is the best long-term method of preventing extinctions?
Protecting the habitats of endangered species
A one-hectare pond is sampled in early September. The sample yields 1 small catfish as well as 17 benthic invertebrates that represent 10 species. Which of the following can be estimated from the sample for the invertebrates in the pond?
The species richness
Why do introduced species often become pests?
They displace native species
Which of the following is generally true of K-strategist species as compared to r-strategist species?
They have longer life spans
Most invasive species move out of their native ecosystem by:
all of these are possible
Which of the following illustrates the correct ordering of trophic levels?
autotrophs-herbivores-carnivores-decomposers
In traveling from a forest ecosystem to a grassland, one notes that the trees gradually give way to prairie grasses. The critical factor governing this shift is usually the
availability of water
In the nitrogen cycle, the transformation of gaseous nitrogen into nitrogen-containing compounds is performed primarily by
bacteria
Compared with people in developing countries, people in industrialized countries are more likely to eat
beef
Some toxic compounds are ingested and retained in the tissues. These pollutants pose special risks to humans and other organisms high on the food chain because of which process?
biomagnification
Competitive exclusion is most likely to occur between two
closely related species occupying the same niche
The process by which some bacteria use nitrates for their own respiration and release nitrogen into the atmosphere is
denitrification
A species that maintain biodiversity by keeping prey populations controlled are called...
keystone species
Vegetarianism is often cited as a partial solution to the growing problem of deforestation and other types of habitat destruction as the human population continues to grow. The reason for this is
more people can be fed using less agricultural land because vegetarians eat at a lower trophic level
Exemplified by bees consuming nectar and carrying pollen from one flower to another
mutualism
Growing legumes such as alfalfa or soy beans increases
nitrogen fixation
Eutrophication in lakes is frequently the direct result of
nutrient enrichment
During the carbon cycle, which of the following carbon compounds would be utilized as an energy source by heterotrophs?
organic molecules
In a certain population, disruptive selection is occurring. In this population, which is most likely to survive?
organisms with extreme traits
Exemplified by ticks on a deer.
parasitism
Which biogeochemical cycle does not involve a stage where the chemical enters the atmosphere?
phosphorus cycle
What process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?
photosynthesis
starts with bare rock followed by lichen or moss
primary succession
Fragmenting one large park or preserve into many small parks with human habitation in between them is most likely to lead to which of the following?
reduction in species diversity
Which of the following is a keystone species?
sea otter
Which process occurs after a forest fire?
secondary succession
succession that occurs in an area where soil is already present
secondary succession
The number of species in a given area is known as _____________________.
species richness
The ultimate source of energy for terrestrial ecosystems is
the sun
In which organism in the food chain below would the biological magnification of DDT concentration be most obvious? Grass → Cricket → Prairie chicken → Coyote → Vulture
vulture