Question 1

Which of the following is an example of predation?

Accepted Answer

A) a lizard's camouflage 
B) a hawk swooping down quickly to capture, kill, and eat a prairie king snake 
C) a goldfinch feeding on the seeds of a thistle plant 
D) the vivid colors of the poison-arrow frog in Costa Rica 
A) a lizard's camouflage 
B) a hawk swooping down quickly to capture, kill, and eat a prairie king snake 
C) a goldfinch feeding on the seeds of a thistle plant 
D) the vivid colors of the poison-arrow frog in Costa Rica

Question 2

One reason it is important to understand community ecology is

Accepted Answer

A) to understand the life cycle of fish, such as cichlids. 
B) for identification of stomach microbes. 
C) to aid in conservation of endangered species. 
D) to provide an enriched habitat for humans. 
A) to understand the life cycle of fish, such as cichlids. 
B) for identification of stomach microbes. 
C) to aid in conservation of endangered species. 
D) to provide an enriched habitat for humans.

Question 3

A hypothetical community on a barren mid-Atlantic island consists of two fish-eating seabirds (the booby and the noddy), the fungi and microorganisms that live on the birds' dung, a tick that feeds on these two birds, a cactus, a moth that feeds on cast-off feathers, a beetle that lives on dung organisms, and spiders that eat the other arthropods. There are no other plants and no lichens. Which of the following choices incorrectly pairs a member of this assemblage with its position in the trophic structure?

Accepted Answer

A) fungi-detritivores 
B) booby-primary consumer 
C) moth-detritivore 
D) cactus-producer 
A) fungi-detritivores 
B) booby-primary consumer 
C) moth-detritivore 
D) cactus-producer

Question 4

If an overlap develops between the ranges of two closely related species, and if the species occupy the same niche in the zone of overlap, what will probably happen in the zone of overlap?

Accepted Answer

A) A new species will arise by hybridization. 
B) Both species will coexist, provided the environment in the zone of overlap is different from that in either individual range. 
C) Both species will coexist, provided the environment in the zone of overlap is similar to that of one of the individual ranges. 
D) One species will take over most or all of the zone of overlap. 
A) A new species will arise by hybridization. 
B) Both species will coexist, provided the environment in the zone of overlap is different from that in either individual range. 
C) Both species will coexist, provided the environment in the zone of overlap is similar to that of one of the individual ranges. 
D) One species will take over most or all of the zone of overlap.

Question 5

In an average ecosystem, about how much energy is present in the organisms at a given trophic level compared to the organisms at the next higher trophic level?

Accepted Answer

A) a tenth as much 
B) half as much 
C) twice as much 
D) ten times as much 
A) a tenth as much 
B) half as much 
C) twice as much 
D) ten times as much

Question 6

Which of the following accurately represents a food chain in the grasslands of Africa?

Accepted Answer

A) grass, giraffes, lions, vultures, fungi 
B) grass, fungi, giraffes, vultures, lions 
C) grass, lions, giraffes, fungi, vultures 
D) grass, fungi, lions, vultures, giraffes 
A) grass, giraffes, lions, vultures, fungi 
B) grass, fungi, giraffes, vultures, lions 
C) grass, lions, giraffes, fungi, vultures 
D) grass, fungi, lions, vultures, giraffes

Question 7

When a crocodile eats a fish, the interspecific interaction between the two could be expressed as ________ for the crocodile and ________ for the fish.

Accepted Answer

A) -; - 
B) +; + 
C) +; - 
D) -; + 
A) -; - 
B) +; + 
C) +; - 
D) -; +

Question 8

Which of the following statements regarding food webs is true?

Accepted Answer

A) A consumer eats only one type of producer. 
B) Detritivores consume dead organic matter from a specific trophic level. 
C) Several species of primary consumers may feed on the same species of producer. 
D) energy transfer moves from producer to consumer and back. 
A) A consumer eats only one type of producer. 
B) Detritivores consume dead organic matter from a specific trophic level. 
C) Several species of primary consumers may feed on the same species of producer. 
D) energy transfer moves from producer to consumer and back.

Question 9

Which arrow shows CO₂ released as a product of cellular respiration?

Accepted Answer

A) arrow A 
B) arrow B 
C) arrow C 
D) arrow D 
A) arrow A 
B) arrow B 
C) arrow C 
D) arrow D

Question 10

Biological control is defined as

Accepted Answer

A) the use of chemicals, such as pesticides, to control pests. 
B) the intentional release of a natural enemy of a pest population. 
C) the exploitation of coevolutionary principles to produce pesticides. 
D) an intentional attempt to increase the numbers of specific prey populations. 
A) the use of chemicals, such as pesticides, to control pests. 
B) the intentional release of a natural enemy of a pest population. 
C) the exploitation of coevolutionary principles to produce pesticides. 
D) an intentional attempt to increase the numbers of specific prey populations.

Question 11

Camouflage typically evolves as a result of

Accepted Answer

A) predation. 
B) interspecific competition. 
C) mutualism. 
D) herbivory. 
A) predation. 
B) interspecific competition. 
C) mutualism. 
D) herbivory.

Question 12

Eutrophication of a lake could occur if

Accepted Answer

A) phosphate-rich detergents were dumped into the lake. 
B) fertilizers were applied in an insoluble form. 
C) runoff from overfertilized lawns was prevented from reaching the lake. 
D) fish were removed. 
A) phosphate-rich detergents were dumped into the lake. 
B) fertilizers were applied in an insoluble form. 
C) runoff from overfertilized lawns was prevented from reaching the lake. 
D) fish were removed.

Question 13

Given that CO₂ is produced by cellular respiration, why does the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere remain relatively constant? (When answering this question, exclude the impact of human activities on atmospheric CO₂.)

Accepted Answer

A) CO₂ is converted in photosynthesis to carbohydrates. 
B) CO₂ is split apart during photosynthesis. 
C) CO₂ mostly forms carbonate rocks. 
D) CO₂ is trapped in dead organisms' bodies. 
A) CO₂ is converted in photosynthesis to carbohydrates. 
B) CO₂ is split apart during photosynthesis. 
C) CO₂ mostly forms carbonate rocks. 
D) CO₂ is trapped in dead organisms' bodies.

Question 14

The sum total of a population's use of the biotic and abiotic resources of its habitat constitutes its

Accepted Answer

A) environment. 
B) evolution. 
C) range. 
D) niche. 
A) environment. 
B) evolution. 
C) range. 
D) niche.

Question 15

A keystone species that is a predator will

Accepted Answer

A) maintain the species diversity in a community. 
B) harvest prey species down to extinction. 
C) help many of its prey reproduce. 
D) reduce the diversity of the community. 
A) maintain the species diversity in a community. 
B) harvest prey species down to extinction. 
C) help many of its prey reproduce. 
D) reduce the diversity of the community.

Question 16

A community is composed of

Accepted Answer

A) potentially interacting populations of different kinds of organisms. 
B) one species of organism living in a specific environment on Earth. 
C) living organisms and their nonliving environment. 
D) the factors that constitute an organism's niche. 
A) potentially interacting populations of different kinds of organisms. 
B) one species of organism living in a specific environment on Earth. 
C) living organisms and their nonliving environment. 
D) the factors that constitute an organism's niche.

Question 17

After reading the paragraph below, answer the questions that follow.
Consider the following marine community: Sea otters prey on sea urchins and therefore help maintain a healthy sea urchin population. Sea urchins prey on kelp. By helping to maintain viable sea urchin populations, the sea otters are also allowing enough kelp to grow and act as a habitat for other organisms.
-In this marine community, the sea otter is

Accepted Answer

A) a primary consumer. 
B) a producer. 
C) a keystone species. 
D) a scavenger. 
A) a primary consumer. 
B) a producer. 
C) a keystone species. 
D) a scavenger.

Question 18

Which of the following statements about the phosphorus cycle is false?

Accepted Answer

A) The main abiotic reservoir for phosphorus is in the soil. 
B) Plants release dissolved phosphate ions into the soil. 
C) Phosphates that drain from soils into the sea becomes part of new rock and will cycle back into living organisms. 
D) Guano can be used by farmers to add phosphorus to the soil. 
A) The main abiotic reservoir for phosphorus is in the soil. 
B) Plants release dissolved phosphate ions into the soil. 
C) Phosphates that drain from soils into the sea becomes part of new rock and will cycle back into living organisms. 
D) Guano can be used by farmers to add phosphorus to the soil.

Question 19

In your backyard you overturn a large rock. In the damp soil underneath the rock, you see various insects scurrying for cover: two black beetles, five black ants, two brown beetles, and three pillbugs. In this community of organisms, relative abundance favors

Accepted Answer

A) pillbugs. 
B) ants. 
C) beetles. 
D) pillbugs and beetles equally. 
A) pillbugs. 
B) ants. 
C) beetles. 
D) pillbugs and beetles equally.

Question 20

Which trophic level in this food chain represents the secondary consumer?

Accepted Answer

A) trophic level A 
B) trophic level B 
C) trophic level C 
D) trophic level D 
A) trophic level A 
B) trophic level B 
C) trophic level C 
D) trophic level D

Exam 37: Communities and Ecosystems

Which of the following is an example of predation?

One reason it is important to understand community ecology is

If an overlap develops between the ranges of two closely related species, and if the species occupy the same niche in the zone of overlap, what will probably happen in the zone of overlap?

In an average ecosystem, about how much energy is present in the organisms at a given trophic level compared to the organisms at the next higher trophic level?

Which of the following accurately represents a food chain in the grasslands of Africa?

When a crocodile eats a fish, the interspecific interaction between the two could be expressed as ________ for the crocodile and ________ for the fish.

Which of the following statements regarding food webs is true?

Which arrow shows CO₂ released as a product of cellular respiration?

Biological control is defined as

Camouflage typically evolves as a result of

Eutrophication of a lake could occur if

Given that CO₂ is produced by cellular respiration, why does the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere remain relatively constant? (When answering this question, exclude the impact of human activities on atmospheric CO₂.)

The sum total of a population's use of the biotic and abiotic resources of its habitat constitutes its

A keystone species that is a predator will

A community is composed of

Which of the following statements about the phosphorus cycle is false?

In your backyard you overturn a large rock. In the damp soil underneath the rock, you see various insects scurrying for cover: two black beetles, five black ants, two brown beetles, and three pillbugs. In this community of organisms, relative abundance favors

Which trophic level in this food chain represents the secondary consumer?

Biology: Exploring Life

The Chemical Basis of Life

The Molecules of Cells

A Tour of the Cell

The Working Cell

How Cells Harvest Chemical Energy

Photosynthesis: Using Light to Make Food

The Cellular Basis of Reproduction and Inheritance

Patterns of Inheritance

Molecular Biology of the Gene

How Genes Are Controlled

DNA Technology and Genomics

How Populations Evolve

The Origin of Species

Tracing Evolutionary History

Microbial Life: Prokaryotes and Protists

The Evolution of Plant and Fungal Diversity

The Evolution of Invertebrate Diversity

The Evolution of Vertebrate Diversity

Unifying Concepts of Animal Structure and Function

Nutrition and Digestion

Gas Exchange

Circulation

the Immune System

Control of Body Temperature and Water Balance

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Reproduction and Embryonic Development

Nervous Systems

the Senses

How Animals Move

Plant Structure, Growth, and Reproduction

Plant Nutrition and Transport

Control Systems in Plants

the Biosphere: an Introduction to Earths Diverse Environments

Behavioral Adaptations to the Environment

Population Ecology

Conservation Biology

Filters

When a crocodile eats a fish, the interspecific interaction between the two could be expressed as for the crocodile and for the fish.