Question 1

Which is NOT an example of a major human alteration to the global nitrogen cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)  animal waste from agriculture 
B)  combustion of fossil fuels 
C)  production of nitrogen fertilizers 
D)  planting of nitrogen-fixing crops 
A)  animal waste from agriculture 
B)  combustion of fossil fuels 
C)  production of nitrogen fertilizers 
D)  planting of nitrogen-fixing crops

Question 2

What is the largest pool of water on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  wetlands 
B)  underground aquifers 
C)  oceans 
D)  lakes 
E)  glaciers 
A)  wetlands 
B)  underground aquifers 
C)  oceans 
D)  lakes 
E)  glaciers

Question 3

Which organisms are primarily responsible for terrestrial decomposition?

Accepted Answer

A)  bacteria and insects 
B)  fungi and insects 
C)  detritivores and fungi 
D)  bacteria and fungi 
A)  bacteria and insects 
B)  fungi and insects 
C)  detritivores and fungi 
D)  bacteria and fungi

Question 4

Stratification occurs in all of the following aquatic systems EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  temperate oceans. 
B)  tropical streams. 
C)  polar lakes. 
D)  coastal estuaries. 
A)  temperate oceans. 
B)  tropical streams. 
C)  polar lakes. 
D)  coastal estuaries.

Question 5

Nitrogen-fixing plants such as soybeans are able to convert

Accepted Answer

A)  soil nitrate and ammonium to gaseous nitrogen. 
B)  atmospheric nitrogen to nitrate and ammonium. 
C)  atmospheric nitric oxide to ammonium. 
D)  ammonia gas to nitrate. 
E)  soil ammonium to gaseous nitrogen. 
A)  soil nitrate and ammonium to gaseous nitrogen. 
B)  atmospheric nitrogen to nitrate and ammonium. 
C)  atmospheric nitric oxide to ammonium. 
D)  ammonia gas to nitrate. 
E)  soil ammonium to gaseous nitrogen.

Question 6

Nitrogen mineralization in the soil is primarily carried out by

Accepted Answer

A)  producers. 
B)  consumers. 
C)  decomposers. 
D)  cyanobacteria. 
E)  nitrogen-fixing plants. 
A)  producers. 
B)  consumers. 
C)  decomposers. 
D)  cyanobacteria. 
E)  nitrogen-fixing plants.

Question 7

What is the ultimate destination of water in the hydrologic cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)  deep aquifers 
B)  oceans 
C)  lakes, rivers, and streams 
D)  the atmosphere 
A)  deep aquifers 
B)  oceans 
C)  lakes, rivers, and streams 
D)  the atmosphere

Question 8

Phosphatizing bacteria convert phosphorus compounds into

Accepted Answer

A)  phosphate ions. 
B)  phosphite ions. 
C)  calcium phosphate. 
D)  phosphoric acid. 
A)  phosphate ions. 
B)  phosphite ions. 
C)  calcium phosphate. 
D)  phosphoric acid.

Question 9

Chose a logical path for a molecule of water starting and ending in the atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A)  precipitation, evaporation, infiltration, condensation 
B)  infiltration, precipitation, condensation, evaporation 
C)  evaporation, infiltration, condensation, precipitation 
D)  precipitation, infiltration, evaporation, condensation 
A)  precipitation, evaporation, infiltration, condensation 
B)  infiltration, precipitation, condensation, evaporation 
C)  evaporation, infiltration, condensation, precipitation 
D)  precipitation, infiltration, evaporation, condensation

Question 10

What is lignin?

Accepted Answer

A)  cellulose 
B)  silica deposits that resist decomposition in leaves 
C)  material that makes up thorns on plant stems 
D)  woody component of plant tissues 
A)  cellulose 
B)  silica deposits that resist decomposition in leaves 
C)  material that makes up thorns on plant stems 
D)  woody component of plant tissues

Question 11

Carbon dioxide exchange between the atmosphere and aquatic ecosystems occurs

Accepted Answer

A)  unidirectionally from atmosphere to aquatic ecosystems, with net gain to aquatic ecosystems. 
B)  unidirectionally from aquatic ecosystems to the atmosphere, with net gain to the atmosphere. 
C)  bidirectionally, with net gain to aquatic ecosystems. 
D)  bidirectionally and nearly equally. 
E)  bidirectionally, with net gain to the atmosphere. 
A)  unidirectionally from atmosphere to aquatic ecosystems, with net gain to aquatic ecosystems. 
B)  unidirectionally from aquatic ecosystems to the atmosphere, with net gain to the atmosphere. 
C)  bidirectionally, with net gain to aquatic ecosystems. 
D)  bidirectionally and nearly equally. 
E)  bidirectionally, with net gain to the atmosphere.

Question 12

Stratification of lake waters is due to differences in

Accepted Answer

A)  salinity. 
B)  temperature. 
C)  pH. 
D)  nutrients. 
A)  salinity. 
B)  temperature. 
C)  pH. 
D)  nutrients.

Question 13

Which of the following does NOT significantly affect terrestrial decomposition rates?

Accepted Answer

A)  pH 
B)  phosphorus content of litter 
C)  moisture 
D)  temperature 
A)  pH 
B)  phosphorus content of litter 
C)  moisture 
D)  temperature

Question 14

Nitrogen mineralization is the process by which

Accepted Answer

A)  producers take up soil nitrogen and incorporate it into their tissues. 
B)  primary consumers ingest producers in the soil and absorb or excrete nitrogen from their tissues. 
C)  soil microbes produce organic nitrogen compounds from inorganic soil nitrogen. 
D)  soil microbes break down organic nitrogen into inorganic nitrogen. 
E)  nitrogen waste products in the soil are converted to atmospheric nitrogen by soil microbes. 
A)  producers take up soil nitrogen and incorporate it into their tissues. 
B)  primary consumers ingest producers in the soil and absorb or excrete nitrogen from their tissues. 
C)  soil microbes produce organic nitrogen compounds from inorganic soil nitrogen. 
D)  soil microbes break down organic nitrogen into inorganic nitrogen. 
E)  nitrogen waste products in the soil are converted to atmospheric nitrogen by soil microbes.

Question 15

Describe the process by which solar radiation drives the hydrologic cycle.

Accepted Answer

Solar radiation drives the hydrologic cy

Question 16

Topics: The hydrologic cycle moves many elements through ecosystems. Nitrogen cycles through ecosystems in many different forms. The phosphorus cycle moves between land and water.
Level: Difficult
A lake in the U.S. state of New York is fed by a watershed consisting of a single river on its northern end. For many decades this watershed has been forested. However, recently all of the trees on the northern end of the lake were logged. The roots were also removed, and all that remains is bare soil. What effect will this logging have on the watershed's hydrology over the next few decades? How will these effects influence the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in the lake?

Accepted Answer

Removal of the trees and roots will decr

Question 17

Which of the following reactions describes how some species of archaea produce carbon dioxide under anaerobic conditions?

Accepted Answer

A)  3 CH3OH → CO2 + 6 H2O + 3 CH4 
B)  4 CH3OH → CO2 + 2 H2O + 3 CH4 
C)  CO2 + H2O + 3 CH4→ 2 CH3OH 
D)  3 CH3OH + O2 → CO2 + H2O2 + 2 CH4 
A)  3 CH3OH → CO2 + 6 H2O + 3 CH4 
B)  4 CH3OH → CO2 + 2 H2O + 3 CH4 
C)  CO2 + H2O + 3 CH4→ 2 CH3OH 
D)  3 CH3OH + O2 → CO2 + H2O2 + 2 CH4

Question 18

A common pesticide used to control insect herbivory of crops is found in an aquifer. Using what you know about the hydrologic cycle, describe how the pesticide could have contaminated the water.

Accepted Answer

Precipitation rinsed the pesti

Question 19

Which statement is TRUE about the global hydrologic cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)  Precipitation is greater than evaporation in terrestrial ecosystems. 
B)  Evaporation is greater than precipitation in terrestrial ecosystems. 
C)  Precipitation and evaporation are about equal in terrestrial ecosystems. 
D)  Precipitation exceeds evaporation in aquatic ecosystems. 
E)  Precipitation and evaporation are about equal in aquatic ecosystems. 
A)  Precipitation is greater than evaporation in terrestrial ecosystems. 
B)  Evaporation is greater than precipitation in terrestrial ecosystems. 
C)  Precipitation and evaporation are about equal in terrestrial ecosystems. 
D)  Precipitation exceeds evaporation in aquatic ecosystems. 
E)  Precipitation and evaporation are about equal in aquatic ecosystems.

Question 20

Denitrification occurs under _____ conditions.

Accepted Answer

A)  aerobic 
B)  anaerobic 
C)  both aerobic and anaerobic 
D)  neither aerobic nor anaerobic 
A)  aerobic 
B)  anaerobic 
C)  both aerobic and anaerobic 
D)  neither aerobic nor anaerobic

Exam 21: Movement of Elements in Ecosystems

Which is NOT an example of a major human alteration to the global nitrogen cycle?

What is the largest pool of water on Earth?

Which organisms are primarily responsible for terrestrial decomposition?

Stratification occurs in all of the following aquatic systems EXCEPT

Nitrogen-fixing plants such as soybeans are able to convert

Nitrogen mineralization in the soil is primarily carried out by

What is the ultimate destination of water in the hydrologic cycle?

Phosphatizing bacteria convert phosphorus compounds into

Chose a logical path for a molecule of water starting and ending in the atmosphere.

What is lignin?

Carbon dioxide exchange between the atmosphere and aquatic ecosystems occurs

Stratification of lake waters is due to differences in

Which of the following does NOT significantly affect terrestrial decomposition rates?

Nitrogen mineralization is the process by which

Describe the process by which solar radiation drives the hydrologic cycle.

Which of the following reactions describes how some species of archaea produce carbon dioxide under anaerobic conditions?

A common pesticide used to control insect herbivory of crops is found in an aquifer. Using what you know about the hydrologic cycle, describe how the pesticide could have contaminated the water.

Which statement is TRUE about the global hydrologic cycle?

Denitrification occurs under _____ conditions.

Introduction: Ecology, Evolution, and the Scientific Method

Adaptations to Aquatic Environments

Adaptations to Terrestrial Environments

Adaptations to Variable Environments

Climates and Soils

Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes

Evolution and Adaptation

Life Histories

Reproductive Strategies

Social Behaviours

Population Distributions

Population Growth and Regulation

Population Dynamics Over Space and Time

Predation and Herbivory

Parasitism and Infectious Diseases

Competition

Community Structure

Community Succession

Movement of Energy in Ecosystems

Landscape Ecology, Biogeography, and Global Biodiversity

Global Conservation of Biodiversity

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