Question 1

Why are waterlogged soils often infertile?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nitrifying bacteria require oxygen, and the excess water takes the place of oxygen- containing air. 
B)  There is less carbon in waterlogged soil than dry soil. 
C)  The lack of physical space in this type of soil blocks bacterial growth. 
D)  Water molecules are used instead of oxygen for cellular respiration. 
A)  Nitrifying bacteria require oxygen, and the excess water takes the place of oxygen- containing air. 
B)  There is less carbon in waterlogged soil than dry soil. 
C)  The lack of physical space in this type of soil blocks bacterial growth. 
D)  Water molecules are used instead of oxygen for cellular respiration.

Question 2

The terrestrial realm of the biosphere is distributed into particular climatic regions called ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  populations 
B)  habitats 
C)  communities 
D)  biomes 
E)  niches 
A)  populations 
B)  habitats 
C)  communities 
D)  biomes 
E)  niches

Question 3

Organisms that inhabit soil or water and breakdown and absorb the organic matter of dead organisms are called ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  secondary consumers 
B)  autotrophs 
C)  primary consumers 
D)  decomposers 
A)  secondary consumers 
B)  autotrophs 
C)  primary consumers 
D)  decomposers

Question 4

The slowly decaying organic litter from plant and animal tissues that is found in the soil is called ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  a bioﬁlm 
B)  aggregate 
C)  detritus 
D)  the lithosphere 
A)  a bioﬁlm 
B)  aggregate 
C)  detritus 
D)  the lithosphere

Question 5

Which of the following is a source of methane?

Accepted Answer

A)  Gastrointestinal tract of cattle and sheep 
B)  Photosynthesis from halophiles in the Dead Sea 
C)  Decomposition of organic detritus on the forest ?oor 
D)  Degradation of cellulose and lignin by fungi 
E)  All of these processes produce methane. 
A)  Gastrointestinal tract of cattle and sheep 
B)  Photosynthesis from halophiles in the Dead Sea 
C)  Decomposition of organic detritus on the forest ?oor 
D)  Degradation of cellulose and lignin by fungi 
E)  All of these processes produce methane.

Question 6

You have drained a pond on your property to make it deeper. In the process of using a machine to dig, you ?nd that the mud is black and smells terrible. Your prediction is that ______ bacteria predominate in this area of the mud.

Accepted Answer

A)  sulfur-reducing 
B)  sulfur-oxidizing 
C)  denitrifying 
D)  nitrogen-?xing 
E)  nitrifying 
A)  sulfur-reducing 
B)  sulfur-oxidizing 
C)  denitrifying 
D)  nitrogen-?xing 
E)  nitrifying

Question 7

Which of the following processes is not a part of metagenomic analysis of an environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  DNA sequence assembly 
B)  Polymerase chain reaction 
C)  High-throughput sequencing 
D)  Extraction of DNA from original sample 
E)  Reverse transcription 
A)  DNA sequence assembly 
B)  Polymerase chain reaction 
C)  High-throughput sequencing 
D)  Extraction of DNA from original sample 
E)  Reverse transcription

Question 8

Both energy and nutrients cycle through an ecosystem.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Mycorrhizae are the mutualistic relationship between fungi and the roots of certain plants.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

The energy of the sun is converted into chemical energy during ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  photosynthesis 
B)  ammoniﬁcation 
C)  nitriﬁcation 
D)  denitriﬁcation 
E)  nitrogen ﬁxation 
A)  photosynthesis 
B)  ammoniﬁcation 
C)  nitriﬁcation 
D)  denitriﬁcation 
E)  nitrogen ﬁxation

Question 11

When methanogens convert carbon dioxide to methane, it is a/an ______ reaction.

Accepted Answer

A)  reduction 
B)  aerobic 
C)  oxidation 
D)  ammoniﬁcation 
A)  reduction 
B)  aerobic 
C)  oxidation 
D)  ammoniﬁcation

Question 12

The study of interactions between microbes and their environment and how those interactions affect the earth is called ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  industrial microbiology 
B)  biotechnology 
C)  microbial ecology 
D)  bioengineering 
E)  applied microbiology 
A)  industrial microbiology 
B)  biotechnology 
C)  microbial ecology 
D)  bioengineering 
E)  applied microbiology

Question 13

Which of the following statements considering the human body as an ecosystem is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  An infection can be considered a habitat's response to an alteration in environmental conditions. 
B)  Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus jensenii are populations within the vaginal community. 
C)  The microbes present in dental plaque constitute a community. 
D)  The skin, the gut, and the nasopharynx are all habitats. 
A)  An infection can be considered a habitat's response to an alteration in environmental conditions. 
B)  Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus jensenii are populations within the vaginal community. 
C)  The microbes present in dental plaque constitute a community. 
D)  The skin, the gut, and the nasopharynx are all habitats.

Question 14

A Paramecium is an example of a ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  primary producer 
B)  quaternary consumer 
C)  secondary consumer 
D)  primary consumer 
E)  tertiary consumer 
A)  primary producer 
B)  quaternary consumer 
C)  secondary consumer 
D)  primary consumer 
E)  tertiary consumer

Question 15

Using microbes to break down or remove toxic wastes in water and soil is called ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  recycling 
B)  bioremediation 
C)  synergism 
D)  decomposition 
E)  mineralization 
A)  recycling 
B)  bioremediation 
C)  synergism 
D)  decomposition 
E)  mineralization

Question 16

The advantage of nitrogen ﬁxation to the host plant is _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  the production of nucleotides required for nucleic acid synthesis 
B)  the ability to synthesize amino acids and proteins from the ammonia produced 
C)  the ability to use nitrogen gas instead of oxygen gas in cellular respiration, particularly when the soil is compacted 
D)  the production of antibiotics that protect the plant against pathogenic soil bacteria 
A)  the production of nucleotides required for nucleic acid synthesis 
B)  the ability to synthesize amino acids and proteins from the ammonia produced 
C)  the ability to use nitrogen gas instead of oxygen gas in cellular respiration, particularly when the soil is compacted 
D)  the production of antibiotics that protect the plant against pathogenic soil bacteria

Question 17

Which of the following is true of water-saturated soils?

Accepted Answer

A)  They contain anaerobes. 
B)  They provide gases for soil microbes. 
C)  They have a high oxygen content. 
D)  They have a low carbon dioxide content. 
A)  They contain anaerobes. 
B)  They provide gases for soil microbes. 
C)  They have a high oxygen content. 
D)  They have a low carbon dioxide content.

Question 18

The full extent of the diversity and abundance of life on earth has only been understood in the past few years as a result of _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  advances in deep oceanography and deep earth mining engineering 
B)  techniques to identify organisms that do not rely on culturing 
C)  microscopy techniques to identify the vast quantity of viruses present in all environments 
D)  environmental movements to preserve parks, coral reefs, and glaciers 
A)  advances in deep oceanography and deep earth mining engineering 
B)  techniques to identify organisms that do not rely on culturing 
C)  microscopy techniques to identify the vast quantity of viruses present in all environments 
D)  environmental movements to preserve parks, coral reefs, and glaciers

Question 19

Which crop plant would likely have a mutualistic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria?

Accepted Answer

A)  Peas 
B)  Cotton 
C)  Corn 
D)  Wheat 
E)  Potatoes 
A)  Peas 
B)  Cotton 
C)  Corn 
D)  Wheat 
E)  Potatoes

Question 20

Which of the following statements regarding the infection of root hairs by Rhizobium species is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  Attachment of Rhizobium cells to plant root hair cells induce curling of the root hair. 
B)  This is a mutualistic relationship between plant and bacteria. 
C)  Nodules begin to form in the roots as both plant and bacterial partners differentiate. 
D)  The presence of Rhizobium triggers the formation of syncytial cells. 
A)  Attachment of Rhizobium cells to plant root hair cells induce curling of the root hair. 
B)  This is a mutualistic relationship between plant and bacteria. 
C)  Nodules begin to form in the roots as both plant and bacterial partners differentiate. 
D)  The presence of Rhizobium triggers the formation of syncytial cells.

Exam 24: Microbes and the Environment

Why are waterlogged soils often infertile?

The terrestrial realm of the biosphere is distributed into particular climatic regions called ______.

Organisms that inhabit soil or water and breakdown and absorb the organic matter of dead organisms are called ______.

The slowly decaying organic litter from plant and animal tissues that is found in the soil is called ______.

Which of the following is a source of methane?

You have drained a pond on your property to make it deeper. In the process of using a machine to dig, you ?nd that the mud is black and smells terrible. Your prediction is that ______ bacteria predominate in this area of the mud.

Which of the following processes is not a part of metagenomic analysis of an environment?

Both energy and nutrients cycle through an ecosystem.

Mycorrhizae are the mutualistic relationship between fungi and the roots of certain plants.

The energy of the sun is converted into chemical energy during ______.

When methanogens convert carbon dioxide to methane, it is a/an ______ reaction.

The study of interactions between microbes and their environment and how those interactions affect the earth is called ______.

Which of the following statements considering the human body as an ecosystem is incorrect?

A Paramecium is an example of a ______.

Using microbes to break down or remove toxic wastes in water and soil is called ______.

The advantage of nitrogen ﬁxation to the host plant is _______.

Which of the following is true of water-saturated soils?

The full extent of the diversity and abundance of life on earth has only been understood in the past few years as a result of _______.

Which crop plant would likely have a mutualistic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria?

Which of the following statements regarding the infection of root hairs by Rhizobium species is incorrect?

The Main Themes of Microbiology

The Chemistry of Biology

Tools of the Laboratory: Methods for the Culturing of Microscopic Analysis of Microorganisms

Bacteria and Archaea

Eukaryotic Cells and Microorganisms

Viruses and Prions

Microbial Nutrition and Growth

Microbial Metabolism: the Chemical Crossroads of Life

Microbial Genetics

Genetic Analysis and Genetic Engineering

Physical and Chemical Control of Microbes

Antimicrobial Treatment

Microbe-Human Interactions: Health and Disease

Host Defenses I: Overview and Nonspecific Defenses

Host Defenses Ii: Specific Immunity and Immunization

Disorders in Immunity

Diagnosing Infections

Infectious Diseases Affecting the Skin and Eyes

Infectious Diseases Affecting the Nervous System

Infectious Diseases Affecting the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems

Infectious Diseases Affecting the Respiratory System

Infectious Diseases Affecting the Gastrointestinal Tract

Infectious Diseases Affecting the Genitourinary System

Applied Microbiology and Food and Water Safety

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