Question 1

Which of the following require endosymbiotic protists and bacteria to digest plant material such as lignin and cellulose?

Accepted Answer

A)  termites 
B)  cattle 
C)  gorillas 
D)  humans 
E)  microplankton 
A)  termites 
B)  cattle 
C)  gorillas 
D)  humans 
E)  microplankton

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT true regarding food webs in ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)  Primary producers assimilate minerals into biomass. 
B)  Primary producers absorb energy from outside the ecosystem. 
C)  Grazers convert 10% of carbon back to carbon dioxide. 
D)  Consumers convert 90% of biomass carbon to atmospheric CO2. 
E)  All energy gained by an ecosystem is eventually lost as heat. 
A)  Primary producers assimilate minerals into biomass. 
B)  Primary producers absorb energy from outside the ecosystem. 
C)  Grazers convert 10% of carbon back to carbon dioxide. 
D)  Consumers convert 90% of biomass carbon to atmospheric CO2. 
E)  All energy gained by an ecosystem is eventually lost as heat.

Question 3

All of the following are likely to be found among the benthic microbes EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  barophiles. 
B)  psychrophiles. 
C)  thermophiles. 
D)  phototrophs. 
E)  methanogens. 
A)  barophiles. 
B)  psychrophiles. 
C)  thermophiles. 
D)  phototrophs. 
E)  methanogens.

Question 4

The net biomass of a population does not indicate productivity within an ecosystem. Explain.

Accepted Answer

At each trophic level above the producer

Question 5

Synechococcus, a cyanobacterium, is a free-living marine organism that fixes CO₂ into biomass while producing molecular oxygen utilized by swarms of heterotrophic bacteria. Which of the following is the most likely habitat of this bacterium?

Accepted Answer

A)  euphotic zone of the pelagic environment 
B)  the benthos 
C)  the littoral zone 
D)  lake sediments 
E)  aphotic zone 
A)  euphotic zone of the pelagic environment 
B)  the benthos 
C)  the littoral zone 
D)  lake sediments 
E)  aphotic zone

Question 6

How do microbes live if their metabolic process to generate energy has a positive $$\Delta$$G?

Accepted Answer

They live in association with another or

Question 7

What are the benefits and limitations of different environmental sequencing methods? Explain why ribosomal gene sequencing can be used as an initial screen.

Accepted Answer

SSU rRNA gene sequence libraries generat

Question 8

The high biological oxygen demand that accompanies algal bloom in eutrophic lakes increases the span of the ________ zone.

Accepted Answer

A)  oxygenic epilimnion 
B)  anoxic hypolimnion 
C)  coastal shelf 
D)  anoxic benthic 
E)  oxygenic neuston 
A)  oxygenic epilimnion 
B)  anoxic hypolimnion 
C)  coastal shelf 
D)  anoxic benthic 
E)  oxygenic neuston

Question 9

The term "metagenome" was coined by Jo Handelsman and colleagues in 1998 to refer to

Accepted Answer

A)  shotgun cloning. 
B)  screening of libraries for expression of genes. 
C)  the DNA sequence obtained directly from a mixture of genomes. 
D)  the DNA sequence taken directly from a colony. 
E)  all uncultured organisms from a community. 
A)  shotgun cloning. 
B)  screening of libraries for expression of genes. 
C)  the DNA sequence obtained directly from a mixture of genomes. 
D)  the DNA sequence taken directly from a colony. 
E)  all uncultured organisms from a community.

Question 10

Lakes that have dilute concentrations of nutrients are termed

Accepted Answer

A)  eutrophic. 
B)  syntrophic. 
C)  aphotic. 
D)  oligotrophic. 
E)  atrophic. 
A)  eutrophic. 
B)  syntrophic. 
C)  aphotic. 
D)  oligotrophic. 
E)  atrophic.

Question 11

Fungi play a much larger and more significant role in the decomposition of terrestrial biomass than they do in marine ecosystems. This is because fungi

Accepted Answer

A)  do not thrive in a marine environment. 
B)  outcompete bacteria in terrestrial habitats. 
C)  can degrade the abundant lignin in terrestrial habitats. 
D)  decompose leghemoglobin rapidly. 
E)  degrade human waste faster than bacteria. 
A)  do not thrive in a marine environment. 
B)  outcompete bacteria in terrestrial habitats. 
C)  can degrade the abundant lignin in terrestrial habitats. 
D)  decompose leghemoglobin rapidly. 
E)  degrade human waste faster than bacteria.

Question 12

Describe the technique pioneered by Robert Hungate of the University of California at Davis to study anaerobic microbiology of the rumen. What types of questions can be answered with this technique?

Accepted Answer

Robert Hungate pioneered the use of the

Question 13

In wetlands, Beggiatoa oxidize H₂S for energy. Removal of H₂S enables growth of other microbes for which H₂S is toxic. However, Beggiatoa derives no benefit from these microbes. This interaction is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  syntrophy. 
B)  mutualism. 
C)  commensalism. 
D)  amensalism. 
E)  synergism. 
A)  syntrophy. 
B)  mutualism. 
C)  commensalism. 
D)  amensalism. 
E)  synergism.

Question 14

Lichens consist of an intimate mutualistic symbiosis between a fungus, an alga, and/or cyanobacteria. What is one primary role of the cyanobacteria in this association?

Accepted Answer

A)  protection of the symbionts 
B)  nitrogen fixation 
C)  decomposition of toxic compounds 
D)  recycling of waste products 
E)  degradation of lignin 
A)  protection of the symbionts 
B)  nitrogen fixation 
C)  decomposition of toxic compounds 
D)  recycling of waste products 
E)  degradation of lignin

Question 15

Explain how metagenomics and metatranscriptomics have been used to assess ocean diversity.

Accepted Answer

A 2015 study led by Shinichi Sunagawa sh

Question 16

The ________ is a set of conditions, including its habitat, resources, and relations with other species of the ecosystem, that enable an organism to grow and reproduce.

Accepted Answer

A)  benthos 
B)  environment 
C)  niche 
D)  metagenome 
E)  resource requirement 
A)  benthos 
B)  environment 
C)  niche 
D)  metagenome 
E)  resource requirement

Question 17

Rhizosphere bacteria benefit their host plant by

Accepted Answer

A)  degrading plant lignin. 
B)  attracting symbiotic nematodes. 
C)  improving water uptake. 
D)  producing large amounts of photosynthate. 
E)  discouraging growth of plant pathogens. 
A)  degrading plant lignin. 
B)  attracting symbiotic nematodes. 
C)  improving water uptake. 
D)  producing large amounts of photosynthate. 
E)  discouraging growth of plant pathogens.

Question 18

Which region of marine habitat refers to the microscopic interface between water and air?

Accepted Answer

A)  pelagic zone 
B)  neuston 
C)  euphotic zone 
D)  aphotic zone 
E)  benthic zone 
A)  pelagic zone 
B)  neuston 
C)  euphotic zone 
D)  aphotic zone 
E)  benthic zone

Question 19

A rarefaction curve is the

Accepted Answer

A)  number of sequences generated from a metagenome. 
B)  number of SSU rRNA sequences found in a metagenome. 
C)  number of OTUs found as a function of increasing sample size. 
D)  total number of OTUs from all combined genes in a metagenome. 
E)  number of organisms in an environment. 
A)  number of sequences generated from a metagenome. 
B)  number of SSU rRNA sequences found in a metagenome. 
C)  number of OTUs found as a function of increasing sample size. 
D)  total number of OTUs from all combined genes in a metagenome. 
E)  number of organisms in an environment.

Question 20

One of the most important ecological roles of the Florida Everglades is that

Accepted Answer

A)  it is home to beautiful birds. 
B)  it filters much of the water supply for Florida communities. 
C)  many bacteria reside in it. 
D)  nutrients can easily be leached to the lakes. 
E)  tourists come to see it in large numbers. 
A)  it is home to beautiful birds. 
B)  it filters much of the water supply for Florida communities. 
C)  many bacteria reside in it. 
D)  nutrients can easily be leached to the lakes. 
E)  tourists come to see it in large numbers.

Exam 21: Microbial Ecology

Which of the following require endosymbiotic protists and bacteria to digest plant material such as lignin and cellulose?

Which of the following is NOT true regarding food webs in ecosystems?

All of the following are likely to be found among the benthic microbes EXCEPT

The net biomass of a population does not indicate productivity within an ecosystem. Explain.

Synechococcus, a cyanobacterium, is a free-living marine organism that fixes CO₂ into biomass while producing molecular oxygen utilized by swarms of heterotrophic bacteria. Which of the following is the most likely habitat of this bacterium?

How do microbes live if their metabolic process to generate energy has a positive Δ\DeltaΔ G?

What are the benefits and limitations of different environmental sequencing methods? Explain why ribosomal gene sequencing can be used as an initial screen.

The high biological oxygen demand that accompanies algal bloom in eutrophic lakes increases the span of the ________ zone.

The term "metagenome" was coined by Jo Handelsman and colleagues in 1998 to refer to

Lakes that have dilute concentrations of nutrients are termed

Fungi play a much larger and more significant role in the decomposition of terrestrial biomass than they do in marine ecosystems. This is because fungi

Describe the technique pioneered by Robert Hungate of the University of California at Davis to study anaerobic microbiology of the rumen. What types of questions can be answered with this technique?

In wetlands, Beggiatoa oxidize H₂S for energy. Removal of H₂S enables growth of other microbes for which H₂S is toxic. However, Beggiatoa derives no benefit from these microbes. This interaction is an example of

Lichens consist of an intimate mutualistic symbiosis between a fungus, an alga, and/or cyanobacteria. What is one primary role of the cyanobacteria in this association?

Explain how metagenomics and metatranscriptomics have been used to assess ocean diversity.

The ________ is a set of conditions, including its habitat, resources, and relations with other species of the ecosystem, that enable an organism to grow and reproduce.

Rhizosphere bacteria benefit their host plant by

Which region of marine habitat refers to the microscopic interface between water and air?

A rarefaction curve is the

One of the most important ecological roles of the Florida Everglades is that

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