Question 1

Use the following figure to answer the question below.
 
In the figure, which number would designate the arctic tundra biome?

Accepted Answer

A)  2 
B)  3 
C)  4 
D)  5 
A)  2 
B)  3 
C)  4 
D)  5

Question 2

Imagine that a deep temperate zone lake did not turn over during the spring and fall seasons. Based on the physical and biological properties of limnetic ecosystems, what would be the difference from normal seasonal turnover?

Accepted Answer

A)  The lake would fail to freeze over in winter. 
B)  An algal bloom of algae would result every spring. 
C)  Lakes would suffer a nutrient depletion in surface layers. 
D)  The pH of the lake would become increasingly alkaline. 
A)  The lake would fail to freeze over in winter. 
B)  An algal bloom of algae would result every spring. 
C)  Lakes would suffer a nutrient depletion in surface layers. 
D)  The pH of the lake would become increasingly alkaline.

Question 3

The oceans affect the biosphere in all of the following ways except

Accepted Answer

A)  producing a substantial amount of the biosphere's oxygen. 
B)  removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 
C)  moderating the climate of terrestrial biomes. 
D)  regulating the pH of freshwater biomes and terrestrial groundwater. 
A)  producing a substantial amount of the biosphere's oxygen. 
B)  removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 
C)  moderating the climate of terrestrial biomes. 
D)  regulating the pH of freshwater biomes and terrestrial groundwater.

Question 4

Use the following figures to answer the question below.
 
East of the Mississippi River, in Hopkinsville Kentucky, the mean annual precipitation is 130 cm. The mean annual temperature is 14.3°C. In the winter, the mean temperature is 7.3°C, while in summer it is 20.6°C. Using the climograph shown here, how would we classify the biome found in Hopkinsville?

Accepted Answer

A)  temperate rainforest 
B)  temperate broadleaf forest 
C)  shrubland during the winter, temperate forest during the summer 
D)  temperate forest during the winter, tropical seasonal forest during the summer 
E)  Biomes are not defined by annual values. It really depends on what season you're in. 
A)  temperate rainforest 
B)  temperate broadleaf forest 
C)  shrubland during the winter, temperate forest during the summer 
D)  temperate forest during the winter, tropical seasonal forest during the summer 
E)  Biomes are not defined by annual values. It really depends on what season you're in.

Question 5

If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga)?

Accepted Answer

A)  temperate broadleaf forest and grassland 
B)  desert and chaparral 
C)  tropical forest and savanna 
D)  chaparral and temperate broadleaf forest 
A)  temperate broadleaf forest and grassland 
B)  desert and chaparral 
C)  tropical forest and savanna 
D)  chaparral and temperate broadleaf forest

Question 6

If you are interested in observing a relatively simple community structure in a clear water lake, you would do well to choose diving into ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  an oligotrophic lake 
B)  a eutrophic lake 
C)  a relatively shallow lake 
D)  a nutrient-rich lake 
A)  an oligotrophic lake 
B)  a eutrophic lake 
C)  a relatively shallow lake 
D)  a nutrient-rich lake

Question 7

For mountain ranges that are subjected to prevailing winds, why is the climate drier on the leeward (downwind) side?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deserts create dry conditions on the leeward side of mountain ranges. 
B)  The sun illuminates the leeward side of mountain ranges at a more direct angle, converting to heat energy, which evaporates most of the water present. 
C)  Pushed by the prevailing winds on the windward side, air is forced to rise, cool, condense, and drop its precipitation, leaving drier air to descend the leeward side. 
D)  Air masses pushed by the prevailing winds are stopped by mountain ranges and the moisture is used up in the stagnant air masses on the leeward side. 
A)  Deserts create dry conditions on the leeward side of mountain ranges. 
B)  The sun illuminates the leeward side of mountain ranges at a more direct angle, converting to heat energy, which evaporates most of the water present. 
C)  Pushed by the prevailing winds on the windward side, air is forced to rise, cool, condense, and drop its precipitation, leaving drier air to descend the leeward side. 
D)  Air masses pushed by the prevailing winds are stopped by mountain ranges and the moisture is used up in the stagnant air masses on the leeward side.

Question 8

Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the future distribution of organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change?

Accepted Answer

A)  Remove, to the mineral soil, all of the organisms from an experimental plot, and monitor the colonization of the area over time in terms of both species diversity and abundance. 
B)  Look at the climatic changes that occurred since the last ice age and how species redistributed as glaciers melted, then make predictions on future distribution in species based on past trends. 
C)  Compare and contrast the flora and fauna of warm/cold/dry/wet climates to shed light on how they evolved to be suited to their present-day environment. 
D)  Quantify the impact of man's activities on present-day populations of threatened and endangered species to assess the rate of extirpation and extinction. 
A)  Remove, to the mineral soil, all of the organisms from an experimental plot, and monitor the colonization of the area over time in terms of both species diversity and abundance. 
B)  Look at the climatic changes that occurred since the last ice age and how species redistributed as glaciers melted, then make predictions on future distribution in species based on past trends. 
C)  Compare and contrast the flora and fauna of warm/cold/dry/wet climates to shed light on how they evolved to be suited to their present-day environment. 
D)  Quantify the impact of man's activities on present-day populations of threatened and endangered species to assess the rate of extirpation and extinction.

Question 9

Which of the following biomes spans the largest annual mean temperature range, but the narrowest mean precipitation range?

Accepted Answer

A)  tropical forest 
B)  temperate forest 
C)  desert 
D)  taiga 
A)  tropical forest 
B)  temperate forest 
C)  desert 
D)  taiga

Question 10

Subtropical plants are commonplace in Land's End, England, whose latitude is the equivalent of Labrador in coastal Canada, where the local flora is instead subarctic. Which statement best explains why this apparent anomaly exists between North America and Europe?

Accepted Answer

A)  Labrador does not get enough rainfall to support the subtropical flora found in Land's End. 
B)  Warm ocean currents interact with England, whereas cold ocean currents interact with Labrador. 
C)  Rainfall fluctuates greatly in England; rainfall is consistently high in Labrador. 
D)  Labrador receives sunlight of lower duration and intensity than does Land's End. 
A)  Labrador does not get enough rainfall to support the subtropical flora found in Land's End. 
B)  Warm ocean currents interact with England, whereas cold ocean currents interact with Labrador. 
C)  Rainfall fluctuates greatly in England; rainfall is consistently high in Labrador. 
D)  Labrador receives sunlight of lower duration and intensity than does Land's End.

Question 11

If an ecologist were studying the regional interactions among multiple populations of different species and how they influence the exchange of materials between their various environments, then this would be an example of which kind of research?

Accepted Answer

A)  landscape ecology 
B)  population ecology 
C)  global ecology 
D)  ecosystem ecology 
A)  landscape ecology 
B)  population ecology 
C)  global ecology 
D)  ecosystem ecology

Question 12

Use the following figures to answer the question below.

Based on the data in the figures, which of the following statements are correct?
I. Area 1 has more average precipitation than Area 2.
II. Area 1 has a higher average temperature than Area 2.
III.Both areas have low variation in monthly precipitation.
IV.Area 2 has a lower annual temperature variation compared to Area 1.

Accepted Answer

A)  only I and III 
B)  only II and IV 
C)  only II, III, and IV 
D)  only I, II, and III 
A)  only I and III 
B)  only II and IV 
C)  only II, III, and IV 
D)  only I, II, and III

Question 13

As climate changes because of global warming, plant species' ranges in the northern hemisphere may move northward. The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are those that ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  have larger, more contiguous established populations to begin with 
B)  produce well-provisioned seeds 
C)  have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire 
D)  disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree 
A)  have larger, more contiguous established populations to begin with 
B)  produce well-provisioned seeds 
C)  have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire 
D)  disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree

Question 14

At 15-30°N, air masses formed over the Pacific Ocean are moved by prevailing westerlies, where they encounter extensive north-south mountain ranges. Which statement best describes the outcome of this encounter between a landform and an air mass?

Accepted Answer

A)  The cool, moist Pacific air heats as it rises, releasing its precipitation as it passes the tops of the mountains. This now warm and dry air cools as it descends on the leeward side of the range. 
B)  The warm, moist Pacific air rises and cools, releasing precipitation as it moves up the windward side of the range. This now cool and dry air mass heats up as it descends on the leeward side of the range. 
C)  The cool, dry Pacific air heats up and picks up moisture from evaporation of the snowcapped peaks of the mountain range, releasing this moisture as precipitation when the air cools while descending on the leeward side of the range. 
D)  These air masses are blocked by the mountain ranges, producing high annual amounts of precipitation on the windward sides of these mountain ranges. 
A)  The cool, moist Pacific air heats as it rises, releasing its precipitation as it passes the tops of the mountains. This now warm and dry air cools as it descends on the leeward side of the range. 
B)  The warm, moist Pacific air rises and cools, releasing precipitation as it moves up the windward side of the range. This now cool and dry air mass heats up as it descends on the leeward side of the range. 
C)  The cool, dry Pacific air heats up and picks up moisture from evaporation of the snowcapped peaks of the mountain range, releasing this moisture as precipitation when the air cools while descending on the leeward side of the range. 
D)  These air masses are blocked by the mountain ranges, producing high annual amounts of precipitation on the windward sides of these mountain ranges.

Question 15

Which of the following statements regarding turnover in a lake is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  In fall turnover, dense water at 4°C sinks and disturbs sediments in the benthic zone. 
B)  In fall turnover, dense water at 4°C rises and disturbs sediments in the benthic zone. 
C)  The surface water gets to 4°C only by cooling. 
D)  Fall turnovers and spring turnovers are exactly the same. 
A)  In fall turnover, dense water at 4°C sinks and disturbs sediments in the benthic zone. 
B)  In fall turnover, dense water at 4°C rises and disturbs sediments in the benthic zone. 
C)  The surface water gets to 4°C only by cooling. 
D)  Fall turnovers and spring turnovers are exactly the same.

Question 16

Which of the following is characteristic of most terrestrial biomes?

Accepted Answer

A)  a distribution predicted almost entirely by rock and soil patterns 
B)  clear boundaries between adjacent biomes 
C)  vegetation demonstrating vertical layering 
D)  cold winter months 
A)  a distribution predicted almost entirely by rock and soil patterns 
B)  clear boundaries between adjacent biomes 
C)  vegetation demonstrating vertical layering 
D)  cold winter months

Question 17

If the direction of Earth's rotation reversed, the most predictable effect would be

Accepted Answer

A)  a big change in the length of the year. 
B)  winds blowing from west to east along the equator. 
C)  a loss of seasonal variation at high latitudes. 
D)  the elimination of ocean currents. 
A)  a big change in the length of the year. 
B)  winds blowing from west to east along the equator. 
C)  a loss of seasonal variation at high latitudes. 
D)  the elimination of ocean currents.

Question 18

Use the following figures to answer the question below.

Based on the data in the figures, which of the following statements are correct?
I. Area 1 would be considered a desert because of its high average temperature.
II. Area 1 has more average precipitation than Area 2.
III.Area 2 would be considered a desert because of its low average precipitation.
IV.Area 2 has a larger annual temperature variation.

Accepted Answer

A)  only I and III 
B)  only II and IV 
C)  only I, II, and IV 
D)  only II, III, and IV 
A)  only I and III 
B)  only II and IV 
C)  only I, II, and IV 
D)  only II, III, and IV

Question 19

Which of the following statements can be accurately made about light in aquatic environments?

Accepted Answer

A)  Water equally reflects and absorbs all wavelengths of light. 
B)  Longer wavelengths penetrate to greater depths. 
C)  Light penetration largely limits the distribution of photosynthetic species. 
D)  Most photosynthetic organisms avoid the surface where the light is too intense. 
A)  Water equally reflects and absorbs all wavelengths of light. 
B)  Longer wavelengths penetrate to greater depths. 
C)  Light penetration largely limits the distribution of photosynthetic species. 
D)  Most photosynthetic organisms avoid the surface where the light is too intense.

Question 20

Suppose that the number of bird species is determined mainly by the number of vertical strata found in the environment. If so, in which of the following biomes would you find the greatest number of bird species?

Accepted Answer

A)  tundra 
B)  savanna 
C)  temperate broadleaf forest 
D)  temperate grassland 
A)  tundra 
B)  savanna 
C)  temperate broadleaf forest 
D)  temperate grassland

Exam 52: An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

Use the following figure to answer the question below. In the figure, which number would designate the arctic tundra biome?

Imagine that a deep temperate zone lake did not turn over during the spring and fall seasons. Based on the physical and biological properties of limnetic ecosystems, what would be the difference from normal seasonal turnover?

The oceans affect the biosphere in all of the following ways except

If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga)?

If you are interested in observing a relatively simple community structure in a clear water lake, you would do well to choose diving into ________.

For mountain ranges that are subjected to prevailing winds, why is the climate drier on the leeward (downwind) side?

Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the future distribution of organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change?

Which of the following biomes spans the largest annual mean temperature range, but the narrowest mean precipitation range?

Subtropical plants are commonplace in Land's End, England, whose latitude is the equivalent of Labrador in coastal Canada, where the local flora is instead subarctic. Which statement best explains why this apparent anomaly exists between North America and Europe?

If an ecologist were studying the regional interactions among multiple populations of different species and how they influence the exchange of materials between their various environments, then this would be an example of which kind of research?

As climate changes because of global warming, plant species' ranges in the northern hemisphere may move northward. The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are those that ________.

At 15-30°N, air masses formed over the Pacific Ocean are moved by prevailing westerlies, where they encounter extensive north-south mountain ranges. Which statement best describes the outcome of this encounter between a landform and an air mass?

Which of the following statements regarding turnover in a lake is correct?

Which of the following is characteristic of most terrestrial biomes?

If the direction of Earth's rotation reversed, the most predictable effect would be

Which of the following statements can be accurately made about light in aquatic environments?

Suppose that the number of bird species is determined mainly by the number of vertical strata found in the environment. If so, in which of the following biomes would you find the greatest number of bird species?

Evolution, the Themes of Biology, and Scientific Inquiry

The Chemical Context of Life

Water and Life

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

A Tour of the Cell

Membrane Structure and Function

An Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

Cell Communication

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Mendel and the Gene Idea

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Gene Expression: From Gene to Protein

Regulation of Gene Expression

Viruses

DNA Tools and Biotechnology

Genomes and Their Evolution

Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life

The Evolution of Populations

The Origin of Species

The History of Life on Earth

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

Plant Diversity II: The Evolution of Seed Plants

Fungi

An Overview of Animal Diversity

An Introduction to Invertebrates

The Origin and Evolution of Vertebrates

Vascular Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular Plants

Soil and Plant Nutrition

Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology

Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

Animal Nutrition

Circulation and Gas Exchange

The Immune System

Osmoregulation and Excretion

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Synapses, and Signaling

Nervous Systems

Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

Animal Behavior

Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology

Conservation Biology and Global Change

Filters