Deck 54: An Introduction to Ecology and Biomes

Question 1

What is allowing new diseases that are driving the Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus sp.) to extinction?

A) deforestation
B) new predators
C) climate change
D) introduced species
E) All of the choices are correct

Answer 1

climate change

Question 2

The Panamanian golden frog is in decline from what specific threat?

A) a virus
B) a fungus
C) an introduced competitor
D) a new road
E) overharvesting

Answer 2

a fungus

Question 3

Abiotic interactions are

A) between organisms.
B) between organisms and the environment.
C) usually mutually costly.
D) most important in tropical ecosystems.
E) rare.

Answer 3

between organisms and the environment.

Question 4

Populations are best defined as

A) all members of a species.
B) all organisms found in an environment.
C) metacommunities.
D) families.
E) groups of interbreeding populations.

Question 5

The study of species interactions includes

A) predation.
B) parasitism.
C) competition.
D) all of the choices.

Question 6

Patterns of species change and succession are one focus of

A) behavioral ecology.
B) environmental science.
C) biological control.
D) community ecology.
E) physiological ecology.

Question 7

Invasive Eurasian grass species can outcompete native North American grasses through

A) secretion of allelochemicals.
B) producing more viable seeds.
C) producing seeds year-round.
D) avoiding grazing animals.
E) faster seed germination.

Question 8

What is replication in scientific inquiry?

A) Asking several different hypotheses at once.
B) Testing both biotic and abiotic factors.
C) Finding different species for experiments.
D) Performing experiments several times.
E) Having a well defined time frame for experiments.

Question 9

How do corals react when water temperatures are too high?

A) They leave the shelter of the reef.
B) Corals release water at higher temperatures.
C) Symbiotic algae living within corals are expelled.
D) The metabolic optimum can adapt.
E) Corals are more pigmented at higher temperatures.

Question 10

The northern boundary of the distribution of Saguaro cacti is defined by

A) areas in which temperatures do not drop below freezing.
B) the availability of water year round.
C) the presence of pollinating insects.
D) proximity to coastal environments.
E) the frequency of low-intensity fires.

Question 11

Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. What is its current concentration?

A) 1.5 ppm
B) 1.75 ppm
C) 385 ppm
D) 560 ppm
E) 700 ppm

Question 12

The tree line in alpine areas is often determined by a combination of

A) wind and water.
B) water and soil type.
C) salts in the soil.
D) low temperatures and high winds.
E) high temperatures and high winds.

Question 13

A common adaptation of coastal plants that grow on sand dunes is

A) deep roots to extract moisture.
B) broad leaves for enhanced photosynthesis.
C) secretion of proteinaceous threads.
D) increased transpiration of water.
E) elevated growth rates.

Question 14

The photic zone in aquatic environments is typically about how deep?

A) 10 m
B) 50 m
C) 100 m
D) 500 m
E) 1000 m

Question 15

Freshwater fishes are hypoosmotic.

Question 16

The distribution of biomes is primarily determined by weather/wind cycles due to latitudinal gradients in

A) temperature.
B) elevation.
C) rivers.
D) biodiversity.
E) rainfall.

Question 17

Our understanding of what drives atmospheric circulation and precipitation is based on

A) cooling of the land.
B) rising masses of warm air, and sinking masses of cool air.
C) CO₂ production by trees.
D) sea surface temperature.
E) winds blowing off of the world's major mountain chains.

Question 18

The deflection by the earth's rotation of atmospheric flow to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, is known as the

A) Hadley effect.
B) Gulf Stream.
C) Coriolis effect.
D) intertropical convergence zone.
E) solar radiation effect.

Question 19

What is adiabatic cooling?

A) The effect of rainfall on windward side of a mountain.
B) The influence of polar air masses on tropical mountains.
C) Increasing elevation leads to a decrease in air pressure and cooler air.
D) The influence of sinking cooler air in a Hadley cell.
E) The enhanced cooling caused by cloud cover at higher elevations.

Question 20

Ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere such as the Gulf Stream run in what direction?

A) counterclockwise
B) clockwise
C) north to south
D) south to north
E) always from the tropics to the pole

Question 21

Chaparral is

A) a type of shrubland/grassland.
B) a type of forest.
C) restricted to serpentine soils.
D) widespread in Africa.
E) distinguished by tall trees.

Question 22

The Hadley effect is

A) why water in a toilet bowl spins counter clockwise.
B) an explanation for climate patterns that links solar radiation and the spin of the Earth.
C) one of the reasons for the extinction of the Panamanian golden frog.
D)why water in a toilet bowl spins counter clockwise and an explanation for climate patterns that links solar radiation and the spin of the Earth.
E) Only important in southern hemisphere forests on the western sides of mountains.

Question 23

Tropical forests are known for

A) their high diversity relative to other forests.
B) their abundance of large mammals relative to other forests.
C) high temperatures relative to other forests.
D) their high diversity relative to other forests and high temperatures relative to other forests.
E) their high diversity relative to other forests, their abundance of large mammals relative to other forests, and high temperatures relative to other forests.

Question 24

Exotic species are

A) from the tropics.
B) species moved by humans from a native location to another location.
C) species moved by natural forces from a native location to a new location.
D) from the tropics and species moved by humans from a native location to another location.
E) from the tropics, species moved by humans from a native location to another location, and species . moved by natural forces from a native location to a new location.

Question 25

Only temperature can limit a species' fundamental niche.

Question 26

Microclimate is a term used to describe local variation in climatic conditions.

Question 27

Saltwater fishes are hypoosmotic.

Question 28

Rain shadows are found on the windward sides of mountains.

Question 29

Land next to the sea has more variable climate than land farther from the sea.

Question 30

Lakes with elevated dissolved nutrients and low water clarity are called ____.

A) lotic
B) oligotrophic
C) eutrophic
D) adibiatic
E) headwaters