Week 9.2 - Pre-Class Questions

- food web; trophic pyramid

A _____ depicts the flow of carbon through an ecosystem, whereas a _____ depicts the transfer of energy. - trophic pyramid, food web - niche; food web - food web; trophic pyramid - food web; niche

- keystone

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on a community is called a _____ species. - engineer - producer - keystone - central - linchpin

- ecosystem

A(n) _____ is a community of organisms and the physical environment it occupies. - interaction - metapopulation - community - population - ecosystem

- trophic pyramid.

Energy flow through ecosystems can be depicted using a(n): - Calvin cycle. - ecosystem. - food chain. - trophic pyramid. - food web.

- succession.

Following a disturbance, the process by which species replace each other over time is/are called: - disturbances. - ecosystem engineers. - keystone species. - competition. - succession.

- Kelp populations would increase due to a decrease in sea urchins.

In the example of the giant kelp forests on the Pacific coast, a rise in the otter population would have what effect on the kelp populations? - Kelp populations would decrease due to an increase in sea urchins. - Kelp populations would be totally unaffected by the otter population. - Kelp populations would increase due to an increase in sea urchins. - Kelp populations would decrease due to increased predation by otters. - Kelp populations would increase due to a decrease in sea urchins.

- effect on high amounts of biomass and energy transfer between populations.

Keystone species can have significant influences over several populations in a community through their: - large body sizes. - ability to leave their environment relatively unchanged. - effect on high amounts of biomass and energy transfer between populations. - roles as prey species for predator populations in the community. - avoidance of antagonistic interactions.

- primary producers.

Organisms that take up inorganic nutrients and convert them to organic molecules such as carbohydrates and proteins are called: - predators. - herbivores. - consumers. - primary producers. - heterotrophs.

- False

Predator/prey relationships are always linear, with one species affecting only one other in the community. (T/F)

- primary producers.

The broadest level in a trophic pyramid is primarily composed of: - primary consumers. - tertiary consumers. - primary producers. - secondary consumers.

- False

The sequence of species that colonize a recently disturbed area through succession is unpredictable. (T/F)

- community.

The sum total of the populations that live in a given area is called a(n): - ecosystem. - community. - interaction. - habitat.

- Not all energy is transferred to the next trophic level.

What is generally true about biomass and energy as we move from one trophic level to the next? - They both increase. - Organisms at one trophic level always consume all of the resources from the level below them. - All of the energy stored initially in organic molecules by the primary producers will be available to the secondary consumers. - Biomass increases but energy decreases. - Not all energy is transferred to the next trophic level.

- decomposers

Which group in a food web is responsible for returning inorganic compounds back to the environment? - decomposers - primary producers - tertiary consumers - primary consumers - secondary consumers

- plant species in a community

Which of the following is a good predictor of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems? - predator species in a community - prey species in a community - pollinator species in a community - plant species in a community

- unique phylogenetic lineages.

While biodiversity includes the number of species in a given area, it also includes: - abiotic factors that define the community. - amount of primary productivity. - unique phylogenetic lineages. - overall number of trophic levels in a food web.

- True

While food chains show linear energy transfer between organisms, food webs depict more realistically what occurs in an ecosystem. (T/F)

- ecological disturbance

You decide to plant a garden in your backyard. You dig up a strip of grass in a sunny spot. When you have finished digging up the grass, but you haven't planted anything, you have created a(an) _____ in the lawn. - None of the answer options is correct. - ecological disturbance - new community - ecological disturbance and a new community