Unit Test

Which statement explains the most realistic way to model energy flow in an ecosystem? A food chain is most realistic because many organisms eat one type of food, and energy moves through a single pathway. A food chain is most realistic because many organisms eat a variety of foods, and energy moves through different pathways. A food web is most realistic because many organisms eat one type of food, and energy moves through a single pathway. A food web is most realistic because many organisms eat a variety of foods, and energy moves through different pathways.

A food web is most realistic because many organisms eat a variety of foods, and energy moves through different pathways.

Which of the following is not true about energy in ecosystems? a. Energy is transferred between organisms. b. Energy is recycled after flowing through ecosystems. c. Most energy enters ecosystems as sunlight. d. Ecosystems require a continuous influx of new energy.

B

In Environment A, trees are growing back and some of the larger animals are returning to a logged forest. In Environment B, lichens and moss are growing on a rocky mountainside that was scraped bare as a glacier retreated. Now, hundreds of years later, some small grasses, shrubs, and animals live there. Which statement best describes both situations? Environment A is undergoing succession, and Environment B is not. Environment A is not undergoing succession, and Environment B is. Both environments are undergoing the same kind of succession. Both environments are undergoing succession, but different kinds.

Both environments are undergoing succession, but different kinds.

The mice living in an area changed from having brightly colored fur to having darkly colored fur. How did natural selection most likely result in this evolutionary change? Bright mice were not able to blend into their environment as easily as dark mice, so they did not continue to survive and reproduce. Bright mice produced fewer offspring than dark mice, so the bright mice became outnumbered within days. Random changes in the genetics of bright mice produced more dark mice, so the bright mice quickly died off. Random changes in the genetics of dark mice produced fewer bright mice, so the dark mice took over the population.

Bright mice were not able to blend into their environment as easily as dark mice, so they did not continue to survive and reproduce.

Which statement best describes a climax community? Climax communities contain few species, including those with large body sizes. Climax communities contain few species and include only those with small body sizes. Climax communities contain many species, including those with large body sizes. Climax communities contain many species and include only those with small body sizes.

Climax communities contain many species, including those with large body sizes.

Lightning strikes are dangerous _______. a. if a person is in the path of the lightning discharge b. if a person is not in the path of the lightning discharge c. up to 10 miles away from the rain area in a thunderstorm d. all of the above

D

The hydrosphere does not overlap with any other spheres.

F

Which are characteristics of natural selection? Check all that apply. It affects populations. It affects only individuals. It occurs when there is genetic variation. It occurs when organisms are genetically identical. It selects organisms with certain traits to survive. It selects organisms at random to survive.

It affects populations. It occurs when there is genetic variation. It selects organisms with certain traits to survive.

When moving upward on an energy pyramid from one level to the next, what happens to the usable energy in an ecosystem? It increases by about 10%. It increases by about 90%. It decreases by about 10%. It decreases by about 90%.

It decreases by about 90%.

A moss begins to grow on a rock in an area that was previously uninhabited by life. This is an example of a .

PIONEER SPECIES

What is the difference between the grassland and savanna biomes? Grassland biomes are closer to the equator and receive more rain. Savanna biomes are closer to the equator and receive more rain. Grassland biomes contain mostly grasses. Savanna biomes contain mostly grasses.

Savanna biomes are closer to the equator and receive more rain.

is the gradual change in the types of species that live in a community. This can include primary and secondary situations.

Succession

The energy in fossil fuels is derived from the energy stored in plant and animal matter.

TRUE

In a mouse population, some mice have thicker fur than others, but there are more mice with thinner fur. The climate in which these mice live has slowly gotten colder. How will this change in the environment most likely affect the mouse population? The adaptation of thinner fur will be selected over thicker fur, and the population will remain unchanged. The adaptation of thicker fur will be selected over thinner fur, and the population will remain unchanged. The adaptation of thinner fur will be selected over thicker fur, and the population will evolve. The adaptation of thicker fur will be selected over thinner fur, and the population will evolve.

The adaptation of thicker fur will be selected over thinner fur, and the population will evolve.

In a rainforest food chain, caterpillars and butterflies eat orchid plants. Toucans eat the caterpillars and butterflies. Leopards eat the toucans. Which statement describes the energy in this food chain? The leopards gain energy directly from the butterflies. The orchids have the least amount of available energy. The caterpillars gain energy directly from the orchids. The toucans have more available energy than the butterflies.

The caterpillars gain energy directly from the orchids.

Study the diagram of a desert food chain. What would most likely happen if the kangaroo rats were killed off and removed from the food chain? The number of snakes would increase. The number of cactus plants would increase. The number of foxes would be unaffected. The number of cactus plants would be unaffected.

The number of cactus plants would increase.

Which statement describes how favorable traits in a population relate to natural selection? They are the only traits that ever exist in the population. They build in the population over time. They are rarely passed on to offspring. They are found only in a few individuals within the population.

They build in the population over time.

Pioneer species move into an area after which event? the formation of a climax community a disturbance that forms new land without soil a disturbance that clears away all plants the enrichment of soil by plants

a disturbance that forms new land without soil

Glacial episodes are an example of _______. Glacial episodes are an example of _______. a. positive feedback b. negative feedback c. the "Daisy model" d. the Gaia hypothesis b. negative feedback c. the "Daisy model" d. the Gaia hypothesis

a. positive feedback

Secondary succession would most likely be taking place in a(n) abandoned field. exposed rock after a glacier melts. area of cooling lava. climax community.

abandoned field.

Primary productivity is not limited by _______. a. the availability of sunlight b. time c. the availability of nutrients d. access to water

b

What is the most likely effect a decrease of plant life in the biosphere would have on the atmosphere? a. A decrease in plant life would have no effect on the atmosphere. b. A decrease in plant life would cause carbon dioxide levels to increase and oxygen levels to decrease. c. A decrease in plant life would cause carbon dioxide levels to decrease and oxygen levels to increase. d. A decrease in plant life would cause an increase in all gases in the atmosphere.

b. A decrease in plant life would cause carbon dioxide levels to increase and oxygen levels to decrease.

Which of the following is a function of the atmosphere? a. facilitating the movement of water through spheres through transpiration b. providing a moderate, livable climate c. facilitating the process of photosynthesis d. serving as the interface between all spheres

b. providing a moderate, livable climate

Which is not an example of an earth system cycle? a. seasons b. tsunamis c. food web d. day and night

b. tsunamis

Which of the following is true about the efficiency of energy transfer in an ecosystem? a. The more energy the organism requires, the more efficient the energy transfer. b. All energy transfers have the same efficiencies. c. The less energy the organism requires, the more efficient the energy transfer. d. The most efficient energy transfers are in large, warm-blooded animals.

c

Which of the following best explains why ecosystems need a continual influx of new energy? a. Photosynthesis feeds herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers. b. As energy is recycled, a small amount is lost as heat. c. Energy flows through an ecosystem and cannot be recycled. d. Cellular respiration does not feed back into other processes.

c. Energy flows through an ecosystem and cannot be recycled.

Earth's systems interact through _______. a. humans b. glacial episodes c. feedback mechanisms d. none of the above

c. feedback mechanisms

This Venn diagram is being used to compare primary and secondary successions. Which statement belongs in the region marked X? occurs only in cases of volcanic activity changes occur gradually begins when lichens populate an area results in a reduction of the number of species

changes occur gradually

A community that has progressed so much that it is stable and balanced is called a(n) community.

climax

Study the ocean food web. Which organism gains energy directly from eating the krill? phytoplankton cod leopard seal zooplankton

cod

Which of the following is not true concerning the flow of energy through an ecosystem? a. Most solar energy is used in photosynthesis. b. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are performed by plants. c. Not all solar energy is used for photosynthesis. d. Most of the energy from photosynthesis flows out as heat.

d. Most of the energy from photosynthesis flows out as heat.

Energy must be transformed in ecosystems because _______. a. energy cannot be created or destroyed b. an organism's energy must go somewhere c. an organism's energy must come from somewhere d. all of the above

d. all of the above

What system facilitates the movement of water between spheres through the process of transpiration? a. geosphere b. hydrosphere c. atmosphere d. biosphere

d. biosphere

Karen is studying an area that has many trees and goes through all four seasons. The trees lose their leaves as the seasons progress. Which biome is she studying? deciduous forest grassland desert topical rain forest

deciduous forest

Kangaroo rats are rodents that eat seeds and nuts and burrow in the ground to keep cool. These animals do not need to drink water because they get all the water they need from their food. Where are these organisms adapted to live? temperate rain forests tundras deserts savannas

deserts

An energy pyramid shows the amount of available at each feeding level in an ecosystem.

energy

Rosa has a vegetable garden. She places earthworms, which are decomposers, in the garden soil. What is Rosa most likely trying to do? prevent insects from eating the plants create usable food energy for the plants enrich the soil with nutrients kill the bacteria in the soil

enrich the soil with nutrients

Positive feedback interactions in Earth's systems are always a result of human action.

f

Skunks eat fruits, worms, plants, fish, insects, and more. Which describes the role of a skunk? autotrophic omnivore heterotrophic omnivore autotrophic carnivore heterotrophic carnivore

heterotrophic omnivore

Which is an example of a pioneer species? lichens ferns spiders squirrels

lichens

Which organism is a carnivore? giraffe elephant lion bear

lion

Genetic variations in a population are caused by random .

mutations

Tropical rain forests tend to have soils that are nutrient poor, and most of the nutrients are found in the top few inches of the soil. Which adaptation is most likely found in tropical trees? deep root systems shallow root systems needles pine cones

shallow root systems

Earth is a system comprised of interacting processes.

t

The biosphere is the only one of Earth's systems that contains life.

t

Which biome would contain the most trees? tundra grassland desert taiga

taiga

White-headed woodpeckers are adapted to have strong beaks that can break into tree trunks to find bugs and can also open pine cones to get at the seeds. White-headed woodpeckers are best adapted to living in the biome.

temperate rain forest

A species of butterfly lives in a warm climate. The butterflies feed on the nectar of tropical flowers. Birds eat the butterflies, and they prefer to eat the butterflies with brighter wings. What would most likely cause this species to become extinct? a mutation resulting in darker wings a decrease in the birds that eat the butterflies the destruction of the butterflies' environment overproduction of butterfly offspring

the destruction of the butterflies' environment

If there are only a few remaining members of an insect species living in one area, which would most likely cause this species to become extinct? the introduction of new predators to the insects' environment a genetic mutation in an individual that causes it to be very small a disease that causes a mother insect to die shortly after laying eggs the introduction of a new food source to the insects' environment

the introduction of new predators to the insects' environment

A tree that has leaves that are shaped to help water drip off them would most likely live where? taiga savanna desert tropical rain forest

tropical rain forest

Which biomes would be found nearest to the equator? tropical rain forests and savannas tundras and taigas tropical rain forests and taigas tundras and savannas

tropical rain forests and savannas

Every time energy is transferred between organisms in a food web, some of the energy is lost as heat.

true