Question 1

An organism that uses energy to produce its own food supply from inorganic compounds is called a(an)

Accepted Answer

A) heterotroph. 
B) consumer. 
C) detritivore. 
D) autotroph. 
A) heterotroph. 
B) consumer. 
C) detritivore. 
D) autotroph. D

Question 2

A bird stalks, kills, and then eats an insect. Based on its behavior, which ecological terms describe the bird?

Accepted Answer

A) herbivore, decomposer 
B) producer, heterotroph 
C) carnivore, consumer 
D) autotroph, herbivore 
A) herbivore, decomposer 
B) producer, heterotroph 
C) carnivore, consumer 
D) autotroph, herbivore C

Question 3

Organisms that obtain nutrients by breaking down dead and decaying plants and animals are called

Accepted Answer

A) decomposers. 
B) omnivores. 
C) autotrophs. 
D) producers. 
A) decomposers. 
B) omnivores. 
C) autotrophs. 
D) producers. A

Question 4

Biogeochemical cycling ensures that

Accepted Answer

A) human activity will have no effect on elements, chemical 
B) c compounds, and other forms of matter. living organisms will not become limited in any one nutrient. nutrients will be circulated throughout the biosphere. 
C) nutrients will be circulated throughout the biosphere. 
D) many nutrients will not reach toxic concentrations in the biosphere. 
A) human activity will have no effect on elements, chemical 
B) c compounds, and other forms of matter. living organisms will not become limited in any one nutrient. nutrients will be circulated throughout the biosphere. 
C) nutrients will be circulated throughout the biosphere. 
D) many nutrients will not reach toxic concentrations in the biosphere.

Question 5

The total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level is called the

Accepted Answer

A) organic mass. 
B) trophic mass. 
C) energy mass. 
D) biomass. 
A) organic mass. 
B) trophic mass. 
C) energy mass. 
D) biomass.

Question 6

Only 10 percent of the energy stored in an organism can be passed on to the next trophic level. Of the remaining energy, some is used for the organism's life processes, and the rest is

Accepted Answer

A) used in reproduction. 
B) stored as body tissue. 
C) stored as fat. 
D) eliminated as heat. 
A) used in reproduction. 
B) stored as body tissue. 
C) stored as fat. 
D) eliminated as heat.

Question 7

How is carbon stored in the biosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide 
B) underground as fossil fuels and calcium carbonate rock 
C) in the oceans as dissolved carbon dioxide 
D) all of the above 
A) in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide 
B) underground as fossil fuels and calcium carbonate rock 
C) in the oceans as dissolved carbon dioxide 
D) all of the above

Question 8

What is an ecological model of the relationships that form a network of complex interactions among organisms in a community from producers to decomposers?

Accepted Answer

A) food web 
B) an ecosystem 
C) food chain 
D) a population 
A) food web 
B) an ecosystem 
C) food chain 
D) a population

Question 9

The trophic levels in Figure 3-2 illustrate

Accepted Answer

A) the relative amount of energy at each level. 
B) the amount of living organic matter at each level. 
C) the relative number of individual organisms at each level. 
D) that the producers outnumber first-level consumers. 
A) the relative amount of energy at each level. 
B) the amount of living organic matter at each level. 
C) the relative number of individual organisms at each level. 
D) that the producers outnumber first-level consumers.

Question 10

Which of the following descriptions about the organization of an ecosystem is correct?

Accepted Answer

A) Communities make up species, which make up populations. 
B) Populations make up species, which make up communities. 
C) Species make up communities, which make up populations. 
D) Species make up populations, which make up communities. 
A) Communities make up species, which make up populations. 
B) Populations make up species, which make up communities. 
C) Species make up communities, which make up populations. 
D) Species make up populations, which make up communities.

Question 11

What is the term for each step in the transfer of energy and matter within a food web?

Accepted Answer

A) energy path 
B) food chain 
C) trophic level 
D) food pyramid 
A) energy path 
B) food chain 
C) trophic level 
D) food pyramid

Question 12

Which of the following has a direct role in the nitrogen cycle?

Accepted Answer

A) bacteria 
B) legumes 
C) decomposers 
D) all of the above 
A) bacteria 
B) legumes 
C) decomposers 
D) all of the above

Question 13

Matter can recycle through the biosphere because

Accepted Answer

A) matter is passed out of the body as waste. 
B) matter is assembled into chemical compounds. 
C) biological systems do not use up matter, they transform it. 
D) biological systems use only carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. 
A) matter is passed out of the body as waste. 
B) matter is assembled into chemical compounds. 
C) biological systems do not use up matter, they transform it. 
D) biological systems use only carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen.

Question 14

Which type of pyramid shows the amount of living tissue at each trophic level in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A) a numbers pyramid 
B) an energy pyramid 
C) a biomass pyramid 
D) a food pyramid 
A) a numbers pyramid 
B) an energy pyramid 
C) a biomass pyramid 
D) a food pyramid

Question 15

A snake that eats a frog that has eaten an insect that fed on a plant is a

Accepted Answer

A) first-level producer. 
B) first-level consumer. 
C) second-level producer. 
D) third-level consumer. 
A) first-level producer. 
B) first-level consumer. 
C) second-level producer. 
D) third-level consumer.

Question 16

The movements of energy and nutrients through living systems are different because

Accepted Answer

A) energy flows in one direction and nutrients recycle. 
B) energy is limited in the biosphere and nutrients are always available. 
C) nutrients flow in one direction and energy recycles. 
D) energy forms chemical compounds and nutrients are lost as heat. 
A) energy flows in one direction and nutrients recycle. 
B) energy is limited in the biosphere and nutrients are always available. 
C) nutrients flow in one direction and energy recycles. 
D) energy forms chemical compounds and nutrients are lost as heat.

Question 17

Plants are

Accepted Answer

A) producers. 
B) consumers. 
C) herbivores. 
D) omnivores. 
A) producers. 
B) consumers. 
C) herbivores. 
D) omnivores.

Question 18

Carbon cycles through the biosphere in all of the following processes EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A) photosynthesis. 
B) transpiration. 
C) burning of fossil fuels. 
D) decomposition of plants and animals. 
A) photosynthesis. 
B) transpiration. 
C) burning of fossil fuels. 
D) decomposition of plants and animals.

Question 19

Organisms need nutrients in order to

Accepted Answer

A) utilize hydrogen and oxygen. 
B) carry out essential life functions. 
C) recycle chemical compounds. 
D) carry out nitrogen fixation. 
A) utilize hydrogen and oxygen. 
B) carry out essential life functions. 
C) recycle chemical compounds. 
D) carry out nitrogen fixation.

Question 20

Most of the energy available to a consumer trophic level is used by organisms for

Accepted Answer

A) transfer to the next trophic level. 
B) respiration, movement, and reproduction. 
C) producing inorganic chemical compounds. 
D) performing photosynthesis. 
A) transfer to the next trophic level. 
B) respiration, movement, and reproduction. 
C) producing inorganic chemical compounds. 
D) performing photosynthesis.

Exam 1: Ecology and Ecosystems: Understanding Interactions and Energy Flow