BIO 1002 - EXAM 3
A moth and a beetle both lay eggs on the same species of plant and the larvae of both develop on the plant. Removal experiments show that the moth and the beetle each performs less well on the plant when the other species is removed. The relationship between the moth and the beetle is best described as a) mutualism b) commensalism c) consumer-resource d) herbivory e) amensalism
a
During primary succession at Glacier Bay, what is the composition of the oldest communities on well-drained slopes? a) spruce and hemlock b) liverworts, mosses, fireweed, scattered Dryas, and willows c) primarily Dryas d) sphagnum moss e) primarily alder
a
From the choices below, select the best natural example of uniform distribution. a) territorial songbirds in a mature forest during mating season b) a cultivated cornfield in the Midwest c) bees collecting pollen in a wildflower meadow d) snails in an intertidal zone at low tide e) mushrooms growing on the floor of an old-growth forest
a
Here are two facts. The open ocean produces the highest net primary productivity of Earth's ecosystems. The net primary productivity per square meter of the open ocean is relatively low. How can both these statements be true? a) Oceans have the largest area of all ecosystems on Earth b) Ocean ecosystems have less species diversity c) Oceans contain greater concentrations of nutrients compared to other ecosystems d) Oceanic producers are generally much smaller than oceanic consumers e) Oceans receive a lesser amount of solar energy per unit area
a
In July 2008, the U.S. population was approximately 302,000,000. Approximately how many Americans were there in July 2009 if the estimated 2008 growth rate was 0.88%? a) 304,700,000 b) 2,710,800,000 c) 303,000,000 d) 2,700,000 e) 5,500,000
a
In a food web with energy flowing up, a(n) ________ is one trophic level above a primary consumer. a) secondary consumer b) autotroph c) herbivore d) primary producer e) decomposer
a
In a particularly nasty case of secondary succession, three species of wild grass invaded a field. A fourth species' seeds were also dispersed to this field, but despite being adapted to the abiotic conditions, this fourth species did not establish. A possible factor that shut out the fourth species was a) inhibition b) facilitation c) equilibrium d) immigration e) parasitism
a
In the nineteenth century, a few dozen European starlings were deliberately introduced to New York City's Central Park in an effort to reconstruct familiar surroundings from Western Europe. The descendants of the initial introduction now number in the millions, and have spread widely across North America. The starlings found in North America today are thus _____________. a) invasive b) native c) accidental d) non-invasive non-natives e) None of the answers are correct
a
In the oceans, only the ________ zone has appreciable NPP. a) photic b) Keeling c) metabolic d) Hadley e) abyssmal
a
Nitrogen is often in short supply in terrestrial ecosystems because a) atmospheric nitrogen cannot be used by most organisms b) nitrogen solubility in water is very low, and therefore aquatic nitrogen enters cell very slowly c) atmospheric nitrogen exists primarily in the stratosphere and does not come into contact with terrestrial ecosystems d) atmospheric nitrogen varies widely from location to location, and local shortages occur frequently e) there is very little free nitrogen in the air
a
Organisms that receive their energy from several trophic levels are said to be a) omnivores b) herbivores c) secondary consumers d) primary consumers e) detritivores
a
There are more species in tropical areas than in places more distant from the equator. This is probably a result of a) more intense annual solar radiation b) fewer predators c) more frequent ecological disturbances d) increased mutation due to sunlight e) fewer agents of the disease
a
Two species of beetles are both herbivores on the same host plant, and the presence of either beetle species reduces the population growth of the other. The relationship between these beetles is best described as a) competition b) predation c) commensalism d) amensalism e) herbivory
a
What are the minimum requirements for an ecosystem to recycle nutrients? a) the ecosystem must contains producers and decomposers b) the ecosystem must contain producers, primary consumers, and decomposers c) the ecosystem must contain producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and decomposers d) the ecosystem must contain producers e) the ecosystem must contain producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, top carnivores, and decomposers
a
What is caused by excessive nutrient runoff into aquatic ecosystems? a) eutrophication b) polar insulation c) acid precipitation d) biological magnification e) greenhouse effect
a
Which of the following statements about NPP is false? a) With only a few exceptions, the NPP from cultivated land is much higher than the NPP from nearly all natural ecosystems b) Climate is a major factor determining NPP c) Nutrient availability is a major factor determining NPP d) Some aquatic ecosystems have high levels of NPP e) All of the answers are true; none is false
a
Which of the following statements best explains the relationship between temperature and NPP for most terrestrial plants? a) NPP increases with temperature because photosynthetic enzymes are more active at higher temperatures b) If the temperature is consistently above freezing, changes in temperature have little effect on NPP because photosynthesis is relatively insensitive to temperature c) If the temperature is consistently above freezing, changes in temperature have little effect on NPP because NPP rates are primarily affected by nutrient availability d) NPP decreases with temperature because increasing temperature leads to higher rates of respiration e) NPP increases with temperature because primary producer respiration increases with temperature
a
Which of these ecosystems has the highest net primary productivity per square meter annually? a) tropical rain forest b) open ocean c) savanna d) tundra e) salt marsh
a
Which statement most accurately describes how matter and energy are used in ecosystems? a) Energy flows through ecosystems; matter cycles within and through ecosystems b) Matter can be converted into energy; energy cannot be converted into matter c) Matter flows through ecosystems; energy cycles within ecosystems d) Matter is used in ecosystems; energy is not e) Energy can be converted into matter; matter cannot be converted into energy
a
Why do logged tropical rain forests typically have nutrient-poor soils? a) most of the nutrients in the ecosystem are removed in the harvested timber. b) Nutrients evaporate easily into the atmosphere in the post-logged forest c) Tropical bedrock contains little phosphorous d) Loggers urinate on the ground and cause the soil to be poisoned by too much phosphorous e) Logging results in soil temperatures that are lethal to nitrogen-fixing bacteria
a
Your evil roommate made a giant space shield that blocked all sunlight from reaching planet Earth. Your evil roommate wants to see which of the following ecosystems would likely survive the longest without sunlight. Pick the best answer. a) deep-sea hydrothermal vent community b) tundra c) tropical rain forest d) desert e) grassland
a
Select the following statements about net primary production that are true. a) NPP is a measure of the influx of energy into a community b) NPP includes all exchanges of materials between organisms and the external environment c) NPP is a measure of the influx of materials into a community
a and c
Imagine Pa Ingalls just harvested the corn from his big field. The next day a fall rainstorms causes runoff from the field into nearby stream. Select all the biogeochemical cycles that are involved in the runoff. a) nitrogen b) phosphorous c) water d) carbon
a b c
Select all the true statements. a) Energy loss from primary producers occurs in an ecosystem b) Consumers can exist in an ecosystem with primary producers c) Chemoautotrophic prokaryotes near deep-sea vents are primary producers d) The trophic level that ultimately supports all others consists of detritivores
a b c
Select all of the following factors that would influence the productivity of an ocean aquatic community. a) seasonality b) the number of autotrophs c) nitrogen-fixing bacteria d) a limiting nutrient e) the amount of rainfall
a b c d
A beetle that was introduced to Hawaii some time ago, has rapidly increased in number, and now causes damage to native vegetation would be considered a) evasive b) invasive c) amensal d) commensal e) endemic
b
Agricultural lands frequently require nutrient augmentation because a) land that is available for agriculture tends to be nutrient-poor b) the nutrients that become the biomass of plants are not cycled back to the soil on lands where they are harvested c) cultivation of agricultural land inhibits the decomposition of organic matter d) grains raised for feeding livestock must be fortified and thus require additional nutrients e) nitrogen-fixing bacteria are not as plentiful in agricultural soils because of the use of pesticides
b
By definition, autotrophs are a) secondary consumers b) primary producers c) primary consumers d) secondary producers e) decomposers
b
Elephants are not the most dominant species in African grasslands, yet they influence community structure. The grasslands contain scattered woody plants, but they are kept in check by the uprooting activities of the elephants. If the elephants are taken away, the grasslands convert to forests or to scrublands. The newly growing forests support fewer species than the previous grasslands. Which of the following describes why elephants are the keystone species in this scenario? a) Elephants are the biggest herbivore in this community b) Elephants exhibit a disproportionate influence on the structure of the community relative to their abundance c) Elephants help other populations survive by keeping out many of the large African predators d) Grazing animals depend upon the elephants to convert forests to grassland e) Elephants prevent drought in African grasslands
b
Grain is eaten by cows, and cows are eaten by humans. If the ecological transfer efficiency between each trophic level is 10 percent, how much grain is required to produce 70 kg of human biomass? a) 70,000 kg b) 7,000 kg c) 700 kg d) 70 kg e) 7 kg
b
In an ecosystem, the amount of organic matter produced in a given time that is available for heterotrophs is known as a) effective vitality b) net primary productivity c) gross primary productivity d) daily yield e) net yield
b
Owls are really awesome. Typically, owls eat rats, mice, shrews, and small birds. Assume that, over a period of time, an owl consumes 5,000 J of animal material. The owl loses 2,300 J in waste (feces and owl pellets) and uses 2,600 J for cellular respiration. What is the production efficiency of this owl? a) 40% b) 4% c) 1% d) 10% e) 0.02%
b
Select all of the following that is an example of an ecosystem. a) all of the brook trout in a 500-square-hectare river drainage system b) all of the organisms and their physical environment in a tropical rain forest c) the intricate interactions of the various plant and animal species on a savanna during a drought d) the plants, animals, and decomposers that inhabit an alpine meadow e) a pond and all of the plant and animal species that live in it
b
The symbols +, -, and 0 are to be used to show the results of interactions between individuals and groups of individuals in the examples that follow. The symbol + denotes a positive interaction, - denotes a negative interaction, and 0 denotes an interaction that has no effect on the individuals involved. The first symbol refers to the first organism mentioned. What interactions exist between a tick on a dog and the dog? a) -/- b) +/- c) -/0 d) 0/- e) +/0 f) 0/+ g) +/+ h) 0/0 i) -/+
b
The total biomass of photosynthetic autotrophs in an ecosystem is known as a) secondary productivity b) standing crop c) trophic efficiency d) net primary productivity e) gross primary productivity
b
What factor contributed the most to the 1988 Yellowstone National Park lodgepole pine forest fires? a) unextinguished campfires b) drought c) overgrazing by elk d) the backfire from a 1968 VW microbus e) geysers
b
What is the first step in the restoration of an extremely degraded ecosystem? a) to restore native species that have been extirpated due to disturbance b) to restore the physical structure c) to identify the limiting factors of the producers d) to remove toxic pollutants e) to remove competitive invasive species
b
Which of the following is an accurate definition of a metapopulation? a) A metapopulation is family units within a single population b) A metapopulation is populations that are linked by immigration and emigration c) A metapopulation is all of the populations of different species within a community d) A metapopulation is the exponential growth in a population's numbers over time
b
Which of the following is most likely to contribute to density-dependent regulation of populations? a) floods b) infraspecific competition for nutrients c) earthquakes d) the conversion of ethanol to carbohydrates by yeast e) fires
b
Which of the following statements about climate is true? a) On average, regions near the equator receive substantially more hours of sun each year than do regions near the 45° latitudes. b) The rate at which solar energy arrives on any surface depends on the angle of the sunlight. c) There is no difference between "weather" and "climate." d) Air temperature usually increases with increasing elevation. e) None of the answers are correct.
b
Select all the true statements regarding mineral nutrients in soils and their implication for primary productivity. a) globally, only phosphorous availability is most limiting to primary productivity b) phosphorous is sometimes unavailable to producers due to leaching c) there are situations when adding more of a limiting nutrient will not increase primary productivity, regardless of other nutrient availability d) Alkaline soils are more productive than acidic soils e) Adding a non-limiting nutrient will stimulate primary productivity
b and c
In which of the following ways does species richness affect ecosystem function? Check all that apply. a) Low species richness can contribute to ecosystem stability b) High species richness can increase ecosystem resistance to drought c) Species richness does not affect ecosystem function d) Low species richness can make an ecosystem more susceptible to invasive species e) High species richness reduces overall ecosystem productivity
b and d
Select all the true statements regarding mineral nutrients in soils and their implication for primary productivity. a) Globally, only phosphorous availability is most limiting to primary productivity. b) Phosphorous is sometimes unavailable to producers due to leaching. c) Adding a non-limiting nutrient will stimulate primary productivity. d) There are situations when adding more of a limiting nutrient will not increase primary productivity, regardless of other nutrient availability. e) Alkaline soils are more productive than acidic soils.
b d
Select the two factors that most limit aquatic primary productivity. a) water pressure b) nutrient availability c) predation by primary consumers d) temperature e) light
b e
Approximately 1% of the solar radiation that strikes a plant is converted into the chemical bond energy of sugars. Which of the following is a reasonable explanation of why this number is so low? a) only the green wavelengths are absorbed by plants for photosynthesis b) approximately 99% of the solar radiation is converted to heat energy c) only 1% of the wavelengths of visible light is absorbed by photosynthetic pigment d) most solar energy strikes water and land surfaces e) approximately 99% of the solar radiation is reflected
c
Aquatic ecosystems are most likely to be limited by which of the following nutrients? a) potassium b) iron c) nitrogen d) zinc e) carbon
c
Consider the following food chain: grass-cricket-garden spider-blue jay- red tailed hawk Which one of the likes in the food chain shown below does the garden spider represent? a) tertiary consumer b) primary producer c) secondary consumer d) detritivore e) primary consumer
c
How is it that satellites can detect differences in primary productivity on Earth? a) Satellites detect differences by measuring the amount of water vapor emitted by transpiring producers b) Sensitive satellite instruments can measure the amount of NADPH produced in the summative light reactions of different ecosystems c) Satellites detect differences by comparing the wavelengths of light captured and reflected by photoautotrophs to the amount of light reaching different ecosystems d) Photosynthetic organisms absorb more visible light in the 350- to 750-nm wavelengths e) Satellite instruments can detect reflectance patterns of the photosynthetic organisms of different ecosystems
c
In the study of ecosystems, cycling used to describe the transfer of chemical elements and flow is used for energy exchange. From the list below, select the best explanation for this distinction. a) Energy cannot be created or destroy so it can only flow from one state to another, whereas elements are continually transforming from one element to another and thus they cycle b) Chemical elements are transferred into ecosystems from other ecosystems, but energy is only transferred within a single ecosystem c) Chemical elements are repeatedly used, but energy flows through and out of ecosystems d) Photosynthesis and feeding relationships result in transforming chemical elements, but not energy e) In an ecosystem, the total amount of chemical elements dow not change, whereas the total amount of energy can change
c
In this experiment, Balanus was removed from the habitat shown on the left. Chthalamus and Balanus belong to the same trophic level. Based on this information and their distributions in the low tide zone in Connell's experiment, what is the best way to represent the interaction between the two species? a) +/+ b) 0/0 c) 0/- d) +/0 e) -/+ f) -/-
c
Low levels of net primary production would most likely be found a) in the Amazon b) in a moist area of Africa near the equator c) in northern Canada d) in Vietnam e) None of the answers are correct
c
NPP is usually low at _____ latitude(s) because this is where _______. a) 45; seasons are most variable b) 30; temperatures are highest c) 30; moisture levels are lowest d) 0; temperatures are highest e) 0; Hadley cells are most active
c
Photosynthesis moves CO2 from ________ compartment and respiration moves it from __________ compartment. a) the organic to the inorganic; the inorganic to the organic b) the inorganic to the organic; the inorganic to the organic c) the inorganic to the organic; the organic to the inorganic d) the organic to the inorganic; the organic to the inorganic e) the inorganic to the organic; one organic to another organic
c
Scientists estimate ________ most directly by measuring wavelengths of light reflected from Earth's surface. a) CO2 concentrations b) the extent of nitrogen fixation c) NPP d) GPP e) None of the answers are correct
c
The fecal matter from dogs helps fertilize a particular species of plant, thus increasing the plant's ability to grow in a particular area. The plant has no effect on dogs. The relationship between the dogs and the plants is best described as a) consumer-resource b) mutualism c) commensalism d) herbivory e) amensalism
c
The success with which plants extend their range northward following glacial retreat is best determined by a) their tolerance to shade b) their growth rate c) their seed dispersal rate d) whether there is simultaneous migration of herbivores e) their size
c
Trees are rare in the savanna biome because of a) large variations in seasonal rainfall b) acidic soils c) frequent fires d) insufficient annual precipitation e) permafrost
c
We all learned in BIOL 1001 that matter cannot be created, and yet matter is sometimes gained or lost to an ecosystem. How the heck can this seeming contradiction be explained? a) Heterotrophs convert heat to energy b) Chemoautotrophic organisms can convert matter to energy c) Ecosystems are open systems; therefore, matter can be over in/out of an ecosystem from/to another ecosystem d) Detritivores convert matter to energy e) Photosynthetic organisms convert sugars to more complex organic molecules
c
Which of the following locations is the main reservoir for nitrogen in Earth's nitrogen cycle? a) soil b) sedimentary bedrock c) atmosphere d) fossilized plant and animal remains (coal, oil, and natural gas) e) plant and animal biomass
c
Which of the following statements best describes the interaction between fire and ecosystems? a) Unlike northern coniferous forests, temperate broadleaf forests contain many species that depend on fire to regenerate. b) Fires maintain the low, widely scattered vegetation found in deserts. c) Many kinds of plants and plant communities have adapted to frequent fires. d) Fire is unnatural in ecosystems and should be prevented. e) Chaparral communities have evolved to the extent that they rarely burn.
c
Which one of the following explanations for why the tropics have greater species diversity than the temperate zone is LEAST convincing? a) greater spatial heterogeneity in the tropics creates more niches b) seasonality variability is less in the tropics c) fewer predators in the tropics allow more prey species to flourish d) the tropics have greater plant production, which supports greater overall species richness e) niches are narrower in the tropics
c
White-breasted nuthatches and Downy woodpeckers both eat insects that hide in the furrows of bark in hardwood trees get eaten by both White-breasted nuthatches and Downy woodpeckers. The Downy woodpecker searches for insects by hunting from the bottom of the tree trunk toward the top, whereas white-breasted nuthatch searches from the top of the trunk down. These hunting behaviors best illustrate which of the following ecological concepts? a) character displacement b) keystone species c) resource partitioning d)bottom-up and top-down hypotheses e) competitive exclusion
c
Select all of the following that is true of detritivores. a) they synthesize organic molecules that are used by primary producers b) some species are autotrophic, whereas others are heterotrophic c) they convert organic materials from all trophic levels to inorganic compounds usable by primary producers d) they recycle chemical nutrients to a form capable of being used by autotrophs e) they secrete enzymes that convert the organic molecules of detritus into CO2 and H2O
c and d
Which of the following statements about biogeochemical cycling are correct? a) The carbon cycle is a localized cycle that primarily involves the burning of fossil fuels b) The nitrogen cycle involves movement of diatomic nitrogen between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem c) The phosphorous cycle involves the weathering of rocks d) The phosphorous cycle doesn't include any significant recycling of atmospheric phosphorous e) The carbon cycle has not maintained constant atmospheric concentration of CO2 for the past million years
c d e
Corn production in many states of the Midwest is limited by nitrogen levels in the soil. Some farmers reduce the need to apply expensive anhydrous ammonia to their fields by rotating corn crops with nitrogen-fixing soybean crops. Using soybeans to add nitrogen to degraded soils is an example of a) bioremediation b) promoting leaching efficiency c) the biomass pyramid d) biological augmentation e) trophic efficiency
d
Energy enters most ecosystems by the process of a) fermentation b) biogeochemical weathering c) biosynthesis d) photosynthesis e) respiration
d
From the list below, select all the choices that are acceptable definition of secondary production. a) energy that is not used by consumers for growth and reproduction b) solar energy that is converted to chemical energy by photosynthesis c) growth that takes place during the second year of life in consumers d) chemical energy in food that is converted to new biomass by consumers e) energy converted by secondary consumers from primary consumers
d
How can human-caused environmental changes create problems for selecting a site for a preserve? a) Nutrient enrichment prevents preserves from being connected by corridors b) Global warming makes all climates less suitable for maintaining high diversity c) Only lands that are not useful to human activities are available for preserves d) The environmental conditions of almost any site may change because of climate change
d
If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga)? a) tundra b) tropical rain forest and savanna c) polar ice d) temperate broadleaf forest and grassland e) tropical and temperate broadleaf forest
d
Photosynthetic organisms are critical to most ecosystems for a variety of reasons. From the choices below, select the most significant way that photosynthetic organisms are critical to most ecosystems. a) photosynthetic organisms convert light energy into matter b) photosynthetic organism synthesize organic compounds they obtain from decaying heterotrophs c) photosynthetic organisms use chemical energy to synthesize organic compounds d) photosynthetic organisms use light energy to synthesize organic compounds from inorganic compounds e) photosynthetic organisms synthesize inorganic compounds from organic compounds
d
Starting with the European settlers, humans have introduced earthworms from Europe and Asia into North American forests. Clearly, these humans are the ancestors of your evil roommate. These introductions continue through the transport of soil that contains non-native earthworms, such as during construction, and through the release of non-native earthworms used for fishing. The effect of non-native earthworms are especially large in forests that did not have any native earthworms. For example, forests of the Great Lakes region did not previously have earthworms until humans introduced them. When non-native earthworms are introduced, the thick layer of leaf litter disappears quickly, thereby altering biogeochemical cycles. You conduct an experiment to compare the nitrogen cycle in soils with and without non-native earthworms. Predict the results of your experiment. a) The soils with earthworms will have a faster rate of nitrogen fixation. b) The soils with earthworms will have a slower rate of nitrification. c) The soils with earthworms will have a slower rate of denitrification. d) The soils with earthworms will have a faster rate of ammonification.
d
There are many theories to explain why tropical communities have greater species diversity than temperate or polar communities. Select the most reasonable one from the list below. a) tropical communities are less likely to be affected by human disturbance b) there are fewer parasites to negatively affect the health of polar communities c) tropical communities are low in altitude, whereas temperate and polar communities are high in altitude d) tropical communities are generally older than temperate and polar communities e) more competitive dominant species have evolved in temperate and polar communities
d
Two days ago, Jimmy the monarch caterpillar ate a milkweed leaf. Jimmy got eaten by a goldfinch today. Bummer for Jimmy. What happened to the chemical energy contained in the milkweed leaf that Jimmy ate that was not converted to new biomass in Jimmy's body? a) It is only used by organisms to maintain their life processes through the reactions of cellular respiration b) All of it is undigested and winds up in the feces and was not passed on to the goldfinch c) It is recycled by decomposers to a form that is once again usable by primary producers d) It is eliminated as feces or is dissipated into space as heat in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics e) Heat produced by cellular respiration is used by heterotrophs to thermoregulate
d
What is the goal of restoration ecology? a) to replace a ruined ecosystem with a more suitable ecosystem for that area b) to manage competition between species in human-altered ecosystems c) to completely restore a disturbed ecosystem to its former undisturbed state d) to speed up the restoration of a degraded ecosystem e) to prevent further degradation by protecting an area with park status
d
What percentage of solar radiation striking a plant is converted to into chemical energy? a) 10% b) 99% c) 50% d) 1% e) 25%
d
Which of the following best describes describes the relationships among the following four factors: the relative amount of evaporation of water from the oceans, the amount of precipitation into the oceans, the evaporation of water from the land, and the precipitation onto the land? a) Evaporation of ocean > precipitation into the ocean > evaporation from land > precipitation onto land b) Precipitation onto land > evaporation from land > precipitation into ocean > evaporation of ocean c) Precipitation into ocean > evaporation of ocean > precipitation onto land > evaporation from land d) Evaporation of ocean > precipitation into ocean > precipitation onto land > evaporation from land e) Evaporation from land > precipitation onto land > precipitation into ocean > evaporation of ocean
d
Which of the following does not involve negative effects for at least one of the species in the interaction? a) competition b) predation c) herbivory d) commensalism e) all of the above involve negative effects for at least one of the species.
d
Which of the following is a physical factor that can limit the geographic distribution of species? a) predation b) pH c) nutrients d) soil structure e) disease
d
Which of the following is a primary consumer? a) a predatory fish b) a detritus-eating roundworm c) an oak tree d) an herbivorous beetle larva e) none of the answers are correct
d
Which of the following levels of ecological organization is arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive? a) individual, community, population, ecosystem b) individual, population, community, ecosystem c) population, ecosystem, individual, community d) ecosystem, community, population, individual e) community, ecosystem, individual, population
d
Which of these ecosystems accounts for the largest amount of Earth's net primary productivity? a) tundra b) salt marsh c) savanna d) open ocean e) tropical rain forest
d
Select all of the terrestrial biomes that are dependent upon periodic burning. a) temperate broadleaf forest b) tropical forest c) desert d) chaparral e) savanna f) tundra
d and e
The most prevalent gas in Earth's atmosphere is a) ozone b) argon c) oxygen d) nitrogen e) carbon dioxide
d) nitrogen
A cow is a methane producing herbivore. This means that a flatulent cow is a(n) a) decomposer b) autotroph c) secondary consumer d) producer e) primary consumer
e
Biomanipulation can best be described as a) replacing plant pollen with mechanical sperm b) adjusting the numbers of each of the trophic levels back to the numbers that they were before human disturbance c) an example of how one would use the bottom-up model fro community restoration d) monitoring and adjusting the nutrient and energy flow through a community with new technologies e) removing many of the organisms at the next higher trophic level so that the struggling trophic level below can recover
e
Climate change will not be uniform across all areas. Some localities may actually decrease in temperature despite global warming, and some areas may get wetter while others will get drier. In general, a temperate grassland (one that now receives less than 1,000 mm of precipitation a year) will have an increased NPP if it becomes a) warmer and drier b) cooler and drier c) warmer, and either wetter or drier d) cooler and wetter e) warmer and wetter
e
Consider the following food chain: grass-cricket-garden spider- blue jay- red-tailed hawk Which one of the links in the food chain shown below does the blue jay represent? a) primary producer b) secondary consumer c) primary consumer d) detritivore e) tertiary consumer
e
Here are two facts. The open ocean produces the highest net primary productivity of Earth's ecosystems. The net primary productivity per square meter of the open ocean is relatively low. How can both these statements be true? a) Oceans receive a lesser amount of solar energy per unit area b) Ocean ecosystems have less species diversity c) Oceans contain greater concentration of nutrients compared to other ecosystems d) Oceanic producers are generally much smaller than oceanic consumers. e) Oceans have the largest area of all the ecosystems on Earth
e
How is net ecosystem production (NEP) typically estimated in ecosystems? a) the ratio of producers to consumers b) the annual total of incoming solar radiation per unit of area c) the amount of heat energy released by the ecosystem d) the rate of decomposition by detritivores e) the net flux of CO2 or O2 in or out of an ecosystem
e
Net primary production (NPP) and gross primary production (GPP) are both useful measurements of ecosystem. Which of the following is an accurate statement that explains why NPP is often more useful than GPP to ecologists? a) NPP shows the rate at which the standing crop is utilized by consumers b) NPP is the same as standing crop c) NPP can be expressed in terms of carbon fixed by photosynthesis for an entire ecosystem d) NPP can be expressed in energy per unit of area per unit of time e) NPP represents the stored chemical energy that will be available to consumers in the ecosystem
e
On average, NPP from the temperate grassland ecosystem is higher than NPP from the _________ ecosystem. a) swamp b) estuary c) boreal forest d) temperate forest e) None of the answers are correct
e
Select all of the following that is an example of an ecosystem. a) the plants, animals, and decomposers that inhabit an alpine meadow b) all of the brook trout in a 500-square-hectare river drainage system c) the intricate interactions of the various plant and animal species on a savanna during a drought d) a pond and all of the plant and animal species that live in it e) all of the organisms and their physical environment in a tropical rain forest
e
Select the following statements about ecosystems that are false. a) most interactions within an ecosystem happen at a local scale b) ecosystems are linked by slowly-acting exchanges that act on a large scale c) NPP is an important measure of ecosystem function d) an ecosystem includes both biotic and abiotic components e) the GPP of an ecosystem is limited only by nutrients
e
The net wavelength of all of the organisms living in an ecosystem is its a) vital force b) combined output of metabolism and photosynthesis c) photosynthesis minus metabolism d) productivity e) biomass
e
The symbols +, -, and 0 are to be used to show the results of interactions between individuals and groups of individuals in the examples that follow. The symbol + denotes a positive interaction, - denotes a negative interaction, and 0 denotes an interaction that has no effect on the individuals involved. The first symbol refers to the first organism mentioned. What interactions exist between the gut biome living inside your intestine and you? a) +/0 b) -/- c) -/0 d) 0/0 e) +/+ f) 0/- g) -/+ h) +/- i) 0/+
e
Which of the following groups do not contain any species that are autotrophs? a) Plants b) Bacteria c) Protista d) Archaea e) Fungi
e
Which of the following represents the correct ranking of average NPP, from the greatest to the smallest? a) Estuary > marsh > river b) Estuary > river > marsh c) River > estuary > marsh d) Marsh > river > estuary e) Marsh > estuary > river
e
Which of the following statements about an ecosystem receiving a moderate level of continued disturbance are true? Check all that apply. a) an example of a moderate level of continued disturbance would be a tree fall in a mature rain forest b) a moderate level of continued disturbance tends to lead to the dominance of K-selected species c) a moderate level of continued disturbance predicts that most communities eventually reach an end-state or climax community d) a moderate level of continued disturbance should lead to all successional stages being present in the community at the same time e) a moderate level of continued disturbance should lead to increases in species richness
e
Which of the following statements is the most accurate? a) Some human activities are actually increasing the temperature of the Earth, but on balance, human activity is leading to a cooler Earth. b) All human activities are leading to increased warming of Earth's climate c) Some human activities are leading to warming, while others are leading to cooling; at this point, the net effect is unclear. d) Human activity has no effect on Earth's temperature. e) Some human activities are actually reducing the temperature of Earth, but on balance, human activity is leading to a warmer Earth.
e
Which of the following will result in an increase of species richness? a) a decrease in evapotranspiration b) moving from islands close to the mainland to islands far from the mainland c) communities that experience frequent disturbance events d) Diving underwater e) Traveling southward from the North Pole to the equator
e
