Question 1

Vast numbers of microorganisms are being genetically characterized without culturing them in the laboratory today through ______.

Accepted Answer

A) mass spectrometry and proteomics 
B) polymerase chain reaction 
C) column chromatography 
D) metagenomic sequencing 
A) mass spectrometry and proteomics 
B) polymerase chain reaction 
C) column chromatography 
D) metagenomic sequencing

Question 2

The oxidation of ammonia (NH4+) to nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) is called ______.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

The mutualistic partnership between plant roots and microbes is ______.

Accepted Answer

A) basidia 
B) lichens 
C) mycorrhizae 
D) rhizopods 
E) hyphae 
A) basidia 
B) lichens 
C) mycorrhizae 
D) rhizopods 
E) hyphae

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

The combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, have contributed to the steady increase in atmospheric CO2 gas over the last 25 years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Living or dead organisms that occupy an organism's habitat are called biotic factors.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 8

The bacterium Thiobacillus secretes sulfuric acid into the environment.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

The physical location in the environment to which an organism has adapted is its ______.

Accepted Answer

A) biome 
B) community 
C) habitat 
D) niche 
E) population 
A) biome 
B) community 
C) habitat 
D) niche 
E) population

Question 10

Which of the following statements concerning metagenomic sequencing is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A) Software aligns sequences and assemble large portions of genomes. 
B) The samples are subject to polymerase chain reaction for amplification. 
C) The sequences of the amplified fragments are determined by next-generation methods. 
D) Proteins are extracted from an environment, fragmented, and adaptors are added. 
A) Software aligns sequences and assemble large portions of genomes. 
B) The samples are subject to polymerase chain reaction for amplification. 
C) The sequences of the amplified fragments are determined by next-generation methods. 
D) Proteins are extracted from an environment, fragmented, and adaptors are added.

Question 11

The primary role of producers is the recycling of nutrients in an ecosystem.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

The warmest area of a lake during the summer is the ______.

Accepted Answer

A) benthic zone 
B) limnion 
C) thermocline 
D) hypolimnion 
E) epilimnion 
A) benthic zone 
B) limnion 
C) thermocline 
D) hypolimnion 
E) epilimnion

Question 13

A group of organisms of the same genus within a community is called a ______.

Accepted Answer

A) biome 
B) community 
C) habitat 
D) niche 
E) population 
A) biome 
B) community 
C) habitat 
D) niche 
E) population

Question 14

Organisms whose sole source of carbon for growth is CO2 are called ______.

Accepted Answer

A) consumers 
B) autotrophs 
C) decomposers 
D) saprophytes 
E) lithotrophs 
A) consumers 
B) autotrophs 
C) decomposers 
D) saprophytes 
E) lithotrophs

Question 15

You are "living off the grid" meaning that you are not using any public utilities: no water supply, sewer connection, natural gas, or electricity.You do have a septic tank, whose pipe carries sewage underground where it is released over a wide area, the leaching field.There is also a small pond out there that you have stocked with fish.However, you notice that the fish are floating dead in the water, and the pond has a green scum on it.What happened?

Accepted Answer

A) There is oxygen depletion in the pond due to the leakage of phosphates and other compounds from your septic tank. 
B) There are not enough nutrients in the water, so the fish died. 
C) Chemical toxins from your septic tank cleaner have killed the fish. 
D) The fish died due to a lack of calcium, which then caused the algae to overgrow. 
A) There is oxygen depletion in the pond due to the leakage of phosphates and other compounds from your septic tank. 
B) There are not enough nutrients in the water, so the fish died. 
C) Chemical toxins from your septic tank cleaner have killed the fish. 
D) The fish died due to a lack of calcium, which then caused the algae to overgrow.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

The thin envelope of life that surrounds the earth's surface is called the ______.

Accepted Answer

A) hydrosphere 
B) lithosphere 
C) biosphere 
D) atmosphere 
E) ecosystem 
A) hydrosphere 
B) lithosphere 
C) biosphere 
D) atmosphere 
E) ecosystem

Question 18

Which of the following statements regarding the phosphorus cycle is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  Phosphorus is released naturally by mining. 
B) The phosphorus pool is in sedimentary rock. 
C)  Phosphorus mineralization occurs by microbial action. 
D) Thiobacillus produces sulfuric acid that dissolves phosphate rock. 
E) Phosphorus must be phosphatized to enter biological systems. 
A)  Phosphorus is released naturally by mining. 
B) The phosphorus pool is in sedimentary rock. 
C)  Phosphorus mineralization occurs by microbial action. 
D) Thiobacillus produces sulfuric acid that dissolves phosphate rock. 
E) Phosphorus must be phosphatized to enter biological systems.

Question 19

Which of the following statements regarding biogeochemical cycles is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A) Recycling keeps nutrients in balance. 
B) All elements originate from a nonliving, long-term reservoir. 
C) All organisms directly participate in recycling. 
D)  Cycles are simple systems between living and nonliving components. 
E) Elements cycle through biotic and abiotic environments. 
A) Recycling keeps nutrients in balance. 
B) All elements originate from a nonliving, long-term reservoir. 
C) All organisms directly participate in recycling. 
D)  Cycles are simple systems between living and nonliving components. 
E) Elements cycle through biotic and abiotic environments.

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

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

Exam 24: Microbes and the Environment

Vast numbers of microorganisms are being genetically characterized without culturing them in the laboratory today through ______.

The oxidation of ammonia (NH4+) to nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) is called ______.

The mutualistic partnership between plant roots and microbes is ______.

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

The combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, have contributed to the steady increase in atmospheric CO2 gas over the last 25 years.

Living or dead organisms that occupy an organism's habitat are called biotic factors.

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

The bacterium Thiobacillus secretes sulfuric acid into the environment.

The physical location in the environment to which an organism has adapted is its ______.

Which of the following statements concerning metagenomic sequencing is incorrect?

The primary role of producers is the recycling of nutrients in an ecosystem.

The warmest area of a lake during the summer is the ______.

A group of organisms of the same genus within a community is called a ______.

Organisms whose sole source of carbon for growth is CO2 are called ______.

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

The thin envelope of life that surrounds the earth's surface is called the ______.

Which of the following statements regarding the phosphorus cycle is incorrect?

Which of the following statements regarding biogeochemical cycles is incorrect?

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

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

An Introduction to the Viruses

Microbial Nutrition, Ecology, and Growth

Microbial Metabolism: The Chemical Crossroads of Life

Microbial Genetics

Genetic Engineering and Recombinant Dna

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

Filters

The oxidation of ammonia (NH₄⁺) to nitrate (NO₃^-) and nitrite (NO₂^-) is called ______.

The combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, have contributed to the steady increase in atmospheric CO₂ gas over the last 25 years.

Organisms whose sole source of carbon for growth is CO₂ are called ______.