Question 1

Global warming refers to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the increase in the total temperature across the oceans 
B)  the increase in the total temperature across the continents 
C)  the increase in the average temperature of the whole planet 
D)  the increase in the average temperature across the continents 
E)  the increase in the total temperature across the whole planet 
A)  the increase in the total temperature across the oceans 
B)  the increase in the total temperature across the continents 
C)  the increase in the average temperature of the whole planet 
D)  the increase in the average temperature across the continents 
E)  the increase in the total temperature across the whole planet

Question 2

-Which category in the figure makes available the highest productivity per square meter?

Accepted Answer

A)  tropical wet forest 
B)  open ocean 
C)  algal beds and reefs 
D)  wetlands 
A)  tropical wet forest 
B)  open ocean 
C)  algal beds and reefs 
D)  wetlands

Question 3

Which of the following is primarily responsible for limiting the number of trophic levels in most ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)  Many primary and higher-order consumers are opportunistic feeders. 
B)  Decomposers compete with higher-order consumers for nutrients and energy. 
C)  Nutrient cycles involve both abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems. 
D)  Nutrient cycling rates tend to be limited by decomposition. 
E)  Energy transfer between trophic levels is usually less than 20 percent efficient. 
A)  Many primary and higher-order consumers are opportunistic feeders. 
B)  Decomposers compete with higher-order consumers for nutrients and energy. 
C)  Nutrient cycles involve both abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems. 
D)  Nutrient cycling rates tend to be limited by decomposition. 
E)  Energy transfer between trophic levels is usually less than 20 percent efficient.

Question 4

Use the following graph and information to answer the question below.
Flycatcher birds that migrate from Africa to Europe feed their nestlings a diet that is almost exclusively moth caterpillars. The graph shows the mean dates of arrival, bird hatching, and peak caterpillar season for the years 1980 and 2000.  
The shift in the peak of caterpillar season is most likely due to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  pesticide use 
B)  earlier migration returns of flycatchers 
C)  an innate change in the biological clock of the caterpillars 
D)  global warming 
E)  acid precipitation in Europe 
A)  pesticide use 
B)  earlier migration returns of flycatchers 
C)  an innate change in the biological clock of the caterpillars 
D)  global warming 
E)  acid precipitation in Europe

Question 5

-Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the accompanying figure. How are humans altering this cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)  industrial nitrogen fixation 
B)  nitrogen lost to the atmosphere 
C)  reduction of nitrogen available to terrestrial ecosystems 
D)  reduction of nitrogen fixation by bacteria 
E)  permanent burial of nitrogen in coastal environments through runoff 
A)  industrial nitrogen fixation 
B)  nitrogen lost to the atmosphere 
C)  reduction of nitrogen available to terrestrial ecosystems 
D)  reduction of nitrogen fixation by bacteria 
E)  permanent burial of nitrogen in coastal environments through runoff

Question 6

-Using the accompanying figure, what is the predicted change in temperature under a model with continued very high emission of greenhouse gases?

Accepted Answer

A)  7°C 
B)  1°C 
C)  −4°C 
D)  3°C 
E)  0°C 
A)  7°C 
B)  1°C 
C)  −4°C 
D)  3°C 
E)  0°C

Question 7

Detritivores ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  recycle chemical elements directly back to primary consumers 
B)  synthesize organic molecules that are used by primary producers 
C)  convert organic materials from all trophic levels to inorganic compounds usable by primary producers 
D)  secrete enzymes that convert the organic molecules of detritus into carbon dioxide and water 
E)  may be autotrophic or heterotrophic 
A)  recycle chemical elements directly back to primary consumers 
B)  synthesize organic molecules that are used by primary producers 
C)  convert organic materials from all trophic levels to inorganic compounds usable by primary producers 
D)  secrete enzymes that convert the organic molecules of detritus into carbon dioxide and water 
E)  may be autotrophic or heterotrophic

Question 8

Why are food chains relatively short?

Accepted Answer

A)  Top-level feeders tend to be more numerous than lower-trophic-level species. 
B)  Top-level feeders tend to be small but are capable of conserving more energy. 
C)  Longer chains are less stable and energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient. 
D)  There are only so many organisms that are adapted to feed on other types of organisms. 
E)  Food-chain length is ultimately determined by the photosynthetic efficiency of producers. 
A)  Top-level feeders tend to be more numerous than lower-trophic-level species. 
B)  Top-level feeders tend to be small but are capable of conserving more energy. 
C)  Longer chains are less stable and energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient. 
D)  There are only so many organisms that are adapted to feed on other types of organisms. 
E)  Food-chain length is ultimately determined by the photosynthetic efficiency of producers.

Question 9

Nitrogen is available to plants mostly in the form of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen in the atmosphere 
B)  nitrite ions in the soil 
C)  uric acid from animal excretions 
D)  nucleic acids from decomposing plants and animals 
E)  nitrate and ammonium ions in the soil 
A)  nitrogen in the atmosphere 
B)  nitrite ions in the soil 
C)  uric acid from animal excretions 
D)  nucleic acids from decomposing plants and animals 
E)  nitrate and ammonium ions in the soil

Question 10

Why is energy lost when herbivores eat primary producers?

Accepted Answer

A)  Energy is lost because most of the total energy consumed is used for cellular respiration rather than growth and reproduction 
B)  Primary producers cannot produce once eaten. 
C)  Digestion takes place so rapidly that very little energy is absorbed. 
D)  Most primary producers contain no usable energy for herbivores. 
A)  Energy is lost because most of the total energy consumed is used for cellular respiration rather than growth and reproduction 
B)  Primary producers cannot produce once eaten. 
C)  Digestion takes place so rapidly that very little energy is absorbed. 
D)  Most primary producers contain no usable energy for herbivores.

Question 11

Trophic efficiency is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the ratio of net secondary production to assimilation of primary production 
B)  the percentage of production transferred from one trophic level to the next 
C)  a measure of how nutrients are cycled from one trophic level to the next 
D)  usually greater than production efficiencies 
E)  about 90 percent in most ecosystems 
A)  the ratio of net secondary production to assimilation of primary production 
B)  the percentage of production transferred from one trophic level to the next 
C)  a measure of how nutrients are cycled from one trophic level to the next 
D)  usually greater than production efficiencies 
E)  about 90 percent in most ecosystems

Question 12

-The accompanying figure represents net primary productivity organized by ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  biome 
B)  geography 
C)  region 
D)  continent 
A)  biome 
B)  geography 
C)  region 
D)  continent

Question 13

-Which of the following human activities is impacting the water cycle the LEAST?

Accepted Answer

A)  increase in asphalt and concrete surfaces 
B)  conversion of grasslands and forests into agricultural fields 
C)  increased processing of salt water to freshwater 
D)  increases in irrigated agriculture 
A)  increase in asphalt and concrete surfaces 
B)  conversion of grasslands and forests into agricultural fields 
C)  increased processing of salt water to freshwater 
D)  increases in irrigated agriculture

Question 14

Use the following diagram of a hypothetical food web to answer the question(s) below. The arrows represent the transfer of energy between the various trophic levels.  
-Which letter represents an organism that could only be a primary consumer?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  E 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  E

Question 15

Considering the global carbon cycle, which of the following is the largest reservoir of carbon?

Accepted Answer

A)  terrestrial ecosystems 
B)  oceans 
C)  atmosphere 
D)  algae in lakes and streams 
A)  terrestrial ecosystems 
B)  oceans 
C)  atmosphere 
D)  algae in lakes and streams

Question 16

The feeding relationships among the species in a community determine the community's ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  secondary succession 
B)  ecological niche 
C)  species richness 
D)  species-area curve 
E)  trophic structure 
A)  secondary succession 
B)  ecological niche 
C)  species richness 
D)  species-area curve 
E)  trophic structure

Question 17

Considering the global carbon cycle, where are humans having a great impact?
I. terrestrial ecosystems
II. oceans
III. atmosphere

Accepted Answer

A)  only I 
B)  only II 
C)  only III 
D)  only I and III 
E)  I, II, and III 
A)  only I 
B)  only II 
C)  only III 
D)  only I and III 
E)  I, II, and III

Question 18

How does inefficient transfer of energy among trophic levels result in the typically high endangerment status of many top-level predators?

Accepted Answer

A)  Top-level predators are destined to have small populations that are sparsely distributed. 
B)  Predators have relatively large population sizes. 
C)  Predators are more disease-prone than animals at lower trophic levels. 
D)  Predators have short life spans and short reproductive periods. 
E)  Top-level predators are more likely to be stricken with parasites. 
A)  Top-level predators are destined to have small populations that are sparsely distributed. 
B)  Predators have relatively large population sizes. 
C)  Predators are more disease-prone than animals at lower trophic levels. 
D)  Predators have short life spans and short reproductive periods. 
E)  Top-level predators are more likely to be stricken with parasites.

Question 19

After looking at the accompanying figure, what can be said about productivity in this ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nothing can be said based on this information. 
B)  About 90% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels. 
C)  About 10% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels. 
D)  Productivity increases with each trophic level. 
A)  Nothing can be said based on this information. 
B)  About 90% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels. 
C)  About 10% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels. 
D)  Productivity increases with each trophic level.

Question 20

Why are changes in the global carbon cycle important?
I. Burning reduces available carbon for primary producers and, therefore, primary consumers.
II. Deforestation and suburbanization reduce an area's net primary productivity.
III. Increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide could alter Earth's climate.
IV. By using fossil fuels we are destroying a nonrenewable resource.

Accepted Answer

A)  only I and III 
B)  only II and IV 
C)  only I, II, and IV 
D)  only II, III, and IV 
E)  only I, II, III, and IV 
A)  only I and III 
B)  only II and IV 
C)  only I, II, and IV 
D)  only II, III, and IV 
E)  only I, II, III, and IV

Exam 53: Ecosystems and Global Ecology

Global warming refers to ________.

-Which category in the figure makes available the highest productivity per square meter?

Which of the following is primarily responsible for limiting the number of trophic levels in most ecosystems?

-Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the accompanying figure. How are humans altering this cycle?

-Using the accompanying figure, what is the predicted change in temperature under a model with continued very high emission of greenhouse gases?

Detritivores ________.

Why are food chains relatively short?

Nitrogen is available to plants mostly in the form of ________.

Why is energy lost when herbivores eat primary producers?

Trophic efficiency is ________.

-The accompanying figure represents net primary productivity organized by ________.

-Which of the following human activities is impacting the water cycle the LEAST?

Use the following diagram of a hypothetical food web to answer the question(s) below. The arrows represent the transfer of energy between the various trophic levels. -Which letter represents an organism that could only be a primary consumer?

Considering the global carbon cycle, which of the following is the largest reservoir of carbon?

The feeding relationships among the species in a community determine the community's ________.

Considering the global carbon cycle, where are humans having a great impact? I. terrestrial ecosystems II. oceans III. atmosphere

How does inefficient transfer of energy among trophic levels result in the typically high endangerment status of many top-level predators?

After looking at the accompanying figure, what can be said about productivity in this ecosystem?

Biology and the Tree of Life

Water and Carbon: the Chemical Basis of Life

Protein Structure and Function

Nucleic Acids and the Rna World

An Introduction to Carbohydrates

Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells

Inside the Cell

Energy and Enzymes: an Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

Cellcell Interactions

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis

Mendel and the Gene

Dna and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair

How Genes Work

Transcription, Rna Processing, and Translation

Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria

Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes

The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology and Beyond

Genes, Development, and Evolution

Evolution by Natural Selection

Evolutionary Processes

Speciation

Phylogenies and the History of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Green Algae and Land Plants

Fungi

An Introduction to Animals

Protostome Animals

Deuterostome Animals

Viruses

Plant Form and Function

Water and Sugar Transport in Plants

Plant Nutrition

Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses

Plant Reproduction and Development

Animal Form and Function

Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals

Animal Nutrition

Gas Exchange and Circulation

Animal Nervous Systems

Animal Sensory Systems

Animal Movement

Chemical Signals in Animals

Animal Reproduction and Development

The Immune System in Animals

An Introduction to Ecology

Behavioral Ecology

Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

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