Question 1

Which of the following associations is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  omnivore - eats both producers and consumers 
B)  herbivore - eats producers and performs photosynthesis 
C)  detritivore - feeds on decomposing organic matter 
D)  autotroph - performs photosynthesis or chemosynthesis 
E)  carnivore - feeds on other consumers 
A)  omnivore - eats both producers and consumers 
B)  herbivore - eats producers and performs photosynthesis 
C)  detritivore - feeds on decomposing organic matter 
D)  autotroph - performs photosynthesis or chemosynthesis 
E)  carnivore - feeds on other consumers B

Question 2

Consider the consequences of a harmless prey that evolves toward mimicry of a model that has an antipredator defense (Batesian mimicry). What happens to the effectiveness of this defense as more and more prey in the population are harmless mimics? Then consider what happens when a species with bad taste evolves to resemble a model that stings (Mullerian mimicry).

Accepted Answer

A)  The number of Mullerian mimics is limited because they dilute the protection afforded by the warning color pattern, but the addition of more Batesian mimics only strengthens the protective mimicry complex. 
B)  The increase number of Batesian mimics dilutes or weakens the protection afforded by the warning color pattern, but the addition of more Mullerian mimics only strengthens the protective mimicry complex. 
C)  The number of both Batesian and Mullerian mimics is limited because both dilute the protection afforded by the warning color pattern. 
D)  The number of both Batesian and Mullerian mimics is unlimited because they both reinforce the protection afforded by the warning color pattern. 
A)  The number of Mullerian mimics is limited because they dilute the protection afforded by the warning color pattern, but the addition of more Batesian mimics only strengthens the protective mimicry complex. 
B)  The increase number of Batesian mimics dilutes or weakens the protection afforded by the warning color pattern, but the addition of more Mullerian mimics only strengthens the protective mimicry complex. 
C)  The number of both Batesian and Mullerian mimics is limited because both dilute the protection afforded by the warning color pattern. 
D)  The number of both Batesian and Mullerian mimics is unlimited because they both reinforce the protection afforded by the warning color pattern. B

Question 3

Consider the following food chain: hawk - rabbit - clover. Each species will contain a different amount of calories in its body (clover: 10 calories, rabbit: 500 and hawk: 1200). Each species has a different daily caloric requirement (clover: sunlight, rabbit: 100 calories, hawk: 300).
How many clover plants, per day, does it take to support one rabbit?

Accepted Answer

A)  approximately 100 plants 
B)  approximately 10 plants 
C)  approximately 50 plants 
D)  approximately 3 plants 
E)  approximately 1000 plants 
A)  approximately 100 plants 
B)  approximately 10 plants 
C)  approximately 50 plants 
D)  approximately 3 plants 
E)  approximately 1000 plants A

Question 4

Consider the following food chain: hawk - rabbit - clover. Each species will contain a different amount of calories in its body (clover: 10 calories, rabbit: 500 and hawk: 1200). Each species has a different daily caloric requirement (clover: sunlight, rabbit: 100 calories, hawk: 300).
How many rabbits, per day, does it take to support the hawk?

Accepted Answer

A)  approximately 6 
B)  about 1/2 a rabbit 
C)  2 whole rabbits 
D)  12 rabbits 
A)  approximately 6 
B)  about 1/2 a rabbit 
C)  2 whole rabbits 
D)  12 rabbits

Question 5

Chemosynthetic producers obtain energy by the oxidation of ammonia, nitrites, and sulfides, using this energy to make organic compounds.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Two communities may have exactly the same number of species, yet one might be measured as having a greater species diversity. Why?

Accepted Answer

A)  composition or a listing of the various species in a community 
B)  a community and all of the abiotic factors associated with it 
C)  the native species plus the introduced species 
D)  the potential number of species that should exist in a community minus the species that have gone locally extinct 
E)  both the number of species and the evenness or relative abundance of individuals of the different species 
A)  composition or a listing of the various species in a community 
B)  a community and all of the abiotic factors associated with it 
C)  the native species plus the introduced species 
D)  the potential number of species that should exist in a community minus the species that have gone locally extinct 
E)  both the number of species and the evenness or relative abundance of individuals of the different species

Question 7

Clements proposed the climax-pattern model of succession. Governing factors for this model include

Accepted Answer

A)  climate. 
B)  soil conditions. 
C)  each successive community preparing the way for the next. 
D)  All of the choices are correct. 
A)  climate. 
B)  soil conditions. 
C)  each successive community preparing the way for the next. 
D)  All of the choices are correct.

Question 8

Energy flow in an ecosystem begins with

Accepted Answer

A)  omnivores. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  autotrophs. 
D)  detritivores. 
E)  carnivores. 
A)  omnivores. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  autotrophs. 
D)  detritivores. 
E)  carnivores.

Question 9

Over two decades ago in the People's Republic of China, it was noticed that songbirds were eating rice and millet drying on the grain floors. Since there were large numbers of people to feed, and the population was very near to carrying capacity, it was proposed that the songbird population should be reduced in order to preserve more grain. However, the songbirds also ate a larger number of insects that fed on the rice and millet when it was young. Draw a food web including the above items, indicating energy flow in the direction of the arrows, and representing the general proportion of energy consumed by the breadth of each arrow. State briefly why this decision was disastrous.

Accepted Answer

In this scenario, rice and millet are co

Question 10

Which of the following features is not part of the ecological niche of a white tailed deer?

Accepted Answer

A)  The number of acorns it consumes during the fall. 
B)  The availability of woods for it to use as cover in order to escape from predators. 
C)  The presence of a water source within its habitat. 
D)  All of these are part of a white tailed deer's ecological niche. 
A)  The number of acorns it consumes during the fall. 
B)  The availability of woods for it to use as cover in order to escape from predators. 
C)  The presence of a water source within its habitat. 
D)  All of these are part of a white tailed deer's ecological niche.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about parasitism is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The host is generally larger than the parasite. 
B)  An efficient parasite usually kills its host. 
C)  Smaller parasites often live as endoparasites within the body of the host. 
D)  Ectoparasites are attached to the outside of the host's body by specialized organs. 
E)  Some organisms and all viruses are obligate parasites and must live inside a host. 
A)  The host is generally larger than the parasite. 
B)  An efficient parasite usually kills its host. 
C)  Smaller parasites often live as endoparasites within the body of the host. 
D)  Ectoparasites are attached to the outside of the host's body by specialized organs. 
E)  Some organisms and all viruses are obligate parasites and must live inside a host.

Question 12

Which of the following is (are) correct in a predator-prey cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)  A decline in the numbers of predators causes a decline in the number of prey. 
B)  A decline in the numbers of prey causes a decline in the number of predators. 
C)  An increase in the number of predators triggers an increase in the numbers of prey. 
D)  All of these are correct, causing an up-and-down cycle for each animal. 
A)  A decline in the numbers of predators causes a decline in the number of prey. 
B)  A decline in the numbers of prey causes a decline in the number of predators. 
C)  An increase in the number of predators triggers an increase in the numbers of prey. 
D)  All of these are correct, causing an up-and-down cycle for each animal.

Question 13

Which of the following statements about ecological pyramids is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pyramids built upon the biomass of organisms at each level eliminate size as a factor. 
B)  Energy gains between trophic levels occur based upon biomass conversion. 
C)  The limited number of trophic levels in an ecological pyramid is due to increasing complexity and size of organisms at each greater trophic level. 
D)  A pyramid of organism numbers will always have a large base and a small top. 
E)  None of the choices are true. 
A)  Pyramids built upon the biomass of organisms at each level eliminate size as a factor. 
B)  Energy gains between trophic levels occur based upon biomass conversion. 
C)  The limited number of trophic levels in an ecological pyramid is due to increasing complexity and size of organisms at each greater trophic level. 
D)  A pyramid of organism numbers will always have a large base and a small top. 
E)  None of the choices are true.

Question 14

Chemical cycling may involve which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  a reservoir unavailable to producers 
B)  an exchange pool as a source from which organisms can acquire chemicals 
C)  a biotic community in which chemicals move through food chains 
D)  a geological component, in which chemicals move through the soil or the air 
E)  All of the choices are correct. 
A)  a reservoir unavailable to producers 
B)  an exchange pool as a source from which organisms can acquire chemicals 
C)  a biotic community in which chemicals move through food chains 
D)  a geological component, in which chemicals move through the soil or the air 
E)  All of the choices are correct.

Question 15

The first species to begin secondary succession are called pioneer species, or colonizers.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

_____ is the interaction between two species as both attempt to use the same environmental resources.

Accepted Answer

A)  Competition 
B)  A community 
C)  An ecosystem 
D)  Predation 
E)  Symbiosis 
A)  Competition 
B)  A community 
C)  An ecosystem 
D)  Predation 
E)  Symbiosis

Question 17

A community that contains a low species diversity will often have a high species richness.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Which of the following statements about the value of the nitrogen cycle to an ecosystem is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Denitrification removes nitrogen from the atmosphere and converts it to a form that plants can use. 
B)  Nitrogen fixation can occur in aquatic systems or in soil bacteria. 
C)  Nitrification occurs as ammonium is converted to nitrate. 
D)  Nitrification occurs as nitrogen gas is converted to nitrate. 
E)  Both ammonium and nitrate ions are highly water-soluble 
A)  Denitrification removes nitrogen from the atmosphere and converts it to a form that plants can use. 
B)  Nitrogen fixation can occur in aquatic systems or in soil bacteria. 
C)  Nitrification occurs as ammonium is converted to nitrate. 
D)  Nitrification occurs as nitrogen gas is converted to nitrate. 
E)  Both ammonium and nitrate ions are highly water-soluble

Question 19

A small marine amphipod has recently been discovered that carries a bad-tasting organism on its back, which is contrary to its normal behavior. If a fish ingests the pair, it immediately spits them back out. If the amphipod is alone, however, it is readily eaten. There is no apparent benefit or harm in this relationship for the "backpack" organism. This is probably a case of

Accepted Answer

A)  mutualism. 
B)  parasitism. 
C)  commensalism. 
D)  competitive exclusion. 
A)  mutualism. 
B)  parasitism. 
C)  commensalism. 
D)  competitive exclusion.

Question 20

Consider the following food chain: hawk - rabbit - clover. Each species will contain a different amount of calories in its body (clover: 10 calories, rabbit: 500 and hawk: 1200). Each species has a different daily caloric requirement (clover: sunlight, rabbit: 100 calories, hawk: 300).
How many clover plants, per day, does it take to support one hawk?

Accepted Answer

A)  approximately 600 clover plants 
B)  approximately 30 clover plants 
C)  approximately 60 clover plants 
D)  approximately 3 clover plants 
E)  None, clover plants do not support hawks. 
A)  approximately 600 clover plants 
B)  approximately 30 clover plants 
C)  approximately 60 clover plants 
D)  approximately 3 clover plants 
E)  None, clover plants do not support hawks.

Exam 45: Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Which of the following associations is incorrect?

Chemosynthetic producers obtain energy by the oxidation of ammonia, nitrites, and sulfides, using this energy to make organic compounds.

Two communities may have exactly the same number of species, yet one might be measured as having a greater species diversity. Why?

Clements proposed the climax-pattern model of succession. Governing factors for this model include

Energy flow in an ecosystem begins with

Which of the following features is not part of the ecological niche of a white tailed deer?

Which of the following statements about parasitism is NOT true?

Which of the following is (are) correct in a predator-prey cycle?

Which of the following statements about ecological pyramids is true?

Chemical cycling may involve which of the following?

The first species to begin secondary succession are called pioneer species, or colonizers.

_____ is the interaction between two species as both attempt to use the same environmental resources.

A community that contains a low species diversity will often have a high species richness.

Which of the following statements about the value of the nitrogen cycle to an ecosystem is NOT true?

A View of Life

Basic Chemistry

The Chemistry of Organic Molecules

Cell Structure and Function

Membrane Structure and Function

Metabolism: Energy and Enzymes

Photosynthesis

Cellular Respiration

The Cell Cycle and Cellular Reproduction

Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction

Mendelian Patterns of Inheritance

Molecular Biology of the Gene

Regulation of Gene Expression

Biotechnology and Genomics

Darwin and Evolution

How Populations Evolve

Speciation and Macroevolution

Origin and History of Life

Taxonomy, Systematics, and Phylogeny

Viruses, Bacteria, and Archaea

Protist Evolution and Diversity

Fungi Evolution and Diversity

Plant Evolution and Diversity

Flowering Plants: Structureand Organization

Flowering Plants: Nutrition and Transport

Flowering Plants: Control of Growth Responses

Flowering Plants: Reproduction

Invertebrate Evolution

Vertebrate Evolution

Human Evolution

Animal Organization and Homeostasis

Circulation and Cardiovascular Systems

The Lymphatic and Immune Systems

Digestive Systems and Nutrition

Respiratory Systems

Body Fluid Regulation and Excretory Systems

Neurons and Nervous Systems

Sense Organs

Locomotion and Support Systems

Hormones and Endocrine Systems

Reproductive Systems

Animal Development

Behavioral Ecology

Population Ecology

Major Ecosystems of the Biosphere

Conservation of Biodiversity

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