Deck 18: General Principles of Ecology

Question 1

Humans are ________ factors ________ the biosphere.

A) biotic; within
B) biotic; outside
C) abiotic; within
D) abiotic; outside

Answer 1

A

Question 2

An example of a study focused on the biosphere is one that measures how

A) introducing wolves into an area affects the deer population.
B) building a dam affects plants and animal populations in an area.
C) human habitation has changed the population size of caribou in a decade.
D) acidification of the oceans affects aquatic and terrestrial organisms.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Cooking ________ would decrease one's food footprint the most.

A) chicken instead of steak
B) steak instead of chicken
C) steak instead of vegetables
D) vegetables instead of steak

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following would best be considered an aspect of climate?

A) a large thunderstorm
B) average rainfall
C) a shifting hurricane
D) a widespread blizzard

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of climate change?

A) increased droughts
B) decreased flooding
C) decreased biodiversity
D) increase in ocean temperature

Question 6

Over one particular week in August,the average air temperature is 36°C in the Midwestern United States.This is a reference to

A) climate.
B) weather.
C) climate change.
D) global warming.

Question 7

Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have contributed to acidification of the oceans. This change of the water's pH due to a change in CO₂ concentrations is an example of how ________ has/have affected a(n)________ factor in the biosphere.

A) global warming; biotic
B) global warming; abiotic
C) human activities; biotic
D) human activities; abiotic

Question 8

The term "biotic" includes

A) all living organisms.
B) all nonliving components of the biosphere.
C) both living and nonliving components of the biosphere.
D) only those living and nonliving factors that interact with each other.

Question 9

The Amazon rainforest

A) is an example of a biosphere.
B) is part of the biosphere.
C) contains one biosphere.
D) contains multiple biospheres.

Question 10

Atmospheric scientists anticipate a 3.5°C temperature rise in the next century.What impacts would such a change bring?

A) Some plant and animal species would migrate to cooler locations, whereas others would become extinct.
B) There would be a positive impact on the world's agricultural systems as ocean evaporation and terrestrial rainfall increase.
C) Sea levels could rise high enough to improve the ease of navigability and shipping.
D) The polar ice caps would increase in size.

Question 11

Species that will most likely prosper as projected climate change occurs will

A) have narrow tolerances and can live in specialized environments.
B) have broad tolerances and can live in a variety of habitats.
C) live in very stable environments.
D) live only if they form mutualistic relationships with other organisms.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a major factor in shaping the climate of a local region?

A) the intensity of solar radiation
B) global patterns of atmospheric circulation
C) the dominant herbivorous organisms of a region
D) global patterns of oceanic circulation

Question 13

Cutting down trees in a forest can affect the flow of a river.This is an example of a(n)________ factor affecting a(n)________ factor.

A) biotic; biotic
B) abiotic; biotic
C) biotic; abiotic
D) abiotic; abiotic

Question 14

Ecologists study ________ factors.

A) only biotic
B) only abiotic
C) both biotic and abiotic
D) neither biotic nor abiotic

Question 15

Although the terms "climate" and "weather" are often used interchangeably,they are not the same thing.Climate differs from weather in that

A) weather includes amount of rainfall per year and climate does not.
B) climate is based on biomes, whereas weather is not.
C) climate describes long-term patterns, whereas weather describes short-term fluctuations.
D) climates are described in terms of long-term average temperature, and weather is described by other factors, such as prevailing winds.

Question 16

Which of the following terms describes all organisms on Earth plus their environments?

A) biosphere
B) ecosystem
C) habitat
D) species

Question 17

What will happen in the future if humans continue to impact natural systems at the same rates as today?

A) The environment is much too big and the human population much too small in comparison to have any serious consequences.
B) Human societies may experience severe disruptions in the services ecosystems provide on which human societies depend.
C) Some short-term changes may be experienced, but the magnitude will likely be no greater than those that have occurred naturally.
D) Some beneficial and necessary reductions in population growth will occur.

Question 18

One consequence of climate change is ________ in the Amazon.

A) increased fires
B) decreased fires
C) increased clear-cutting
D) decreased clear-cutting

Question 19

Biology is the study of life.Would biologists study abiotic components in an ecosystem?

A) Yes; biologists study all living organisms regardless of size.
B) No; biologists study only those living organisms that have a significant effect on the ecosystem.
C) Yes; understanding living organisms includes understanding the nonliving factors on which they depend.
D) No; biologists only study living components of the ecosystem; the nonliving components would be studied by chemists or geologists.

Question 20

An individual's home is part of his or her ________ footprint.

A) carbon
B) food
C) built-up land
D) goods-and-services

Question 21

In comparison to past estimates,extinction rates are currently high.Which of the following is the MOST plausible explanation?

A) Natural fluctuations in climate causes extinctions.
B) Continental drift is causing rapid changes in climate, which, in turn, causes extinctions.
C) Previous extinctions make survival of contemporary species more difficult.
D) Humans are affecting many aspects of the global environment.

Question 22

The movement of warm air at the equator is caused because warm air is ________ than cool air.

A) less dense
B) denser
C) able to hold less water
D) able to hold more water

Question 23

Which of the following does NOT represent evidence for global warming?

A) The 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 1990.
B) In Europe, bird and butterfly species have shifted their ranges northward.
C) The hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica has been growing.
D) Plants in northern latitudes have increased the length of their growing seasons.

Question 24

The levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

A) peaked around 1950 and have begun slowly decreasing since then.
B) are high but not higher than the highest estimated levels in the last 420,000 years.
C) are estimated to be higher than at any time in the past 420,000 years.
D) began decreasing when the burning of fossil fuels increased.

Question 25

An increase in average temperatures worldwide is called

A) climate change.
B) global warming.
C) the greenhouse effect.
D) weather pattern shift.

Question 26

The hydrologic cycle includes ________ factors.

A) only biotic
B) only abiotic
C) both biotic and abiotic
D) neither biotic nor abiotic

Question 27

Climate change will affect

A) animals but not plants.
B) all organisms in the biosphere.
C) natural organisms but not humans.
D) weak organisms but not strong organisms.

Question 28

Increasing carbon sinks will ________ global warming and ________ climate change.

A) increase; decrease
B) increase; increase
C) decrease; increase
D) decrease; decrease

Question 29

Which of the following choices is a major difference between human-caused global change and that which occurs naturally?

A) Human-caused global change occurs more quickly, leaving organisms less time to adapt.
B) Human-caused global changes are of a smaller scale than naturally caused changes.
C) Naturally caused global change occurs only at one place on Earth at a time.
D) Naturally caused global changes are limited to the terrestrial habitats where humans live.

Question 30

Not all gases are greenhouse gases.A greenhouse gas is a gas that

A) participates in biogeochemical cycling in the biosphere.
B) absorbs heat that radiates away from Earth's surface.
C) does not participate in biogeochemical cycling in the biosphere.
D) does not absorb heat that radiates away from Earth's surface.

Question 31

Global warming occurs

A) mainly at the equator.
B) mainly at the North Pole.
C) mainly at the South Pole.
D) equally at both the equator and the poles.

Question 32

Greenhouse gases warm the planet by

A) absorbing and dispersing solar radiation.
B) magnifying the energy of solar radiation.
C) producing and emitting infrared radiation.
D) absorbing and reemitting infrared radiation.

Question 33

Decreasing ________ would have the greatest effect in decreasing greenhouse gases.

A) logging
B) burning of forests
C) construction in cities
D) fossil fuel consumption

Question 34

The graph below indicates that global temperatures have

A) varied randomly over the last 160 years.
B) shown no real trend over the last 160 years.
C) tended to increase, especially in the last 100 years.
D) tended to decrease over the last 160 years.

Question 35

How much has Earth's mean surface temperature increased since the early twentieth century?

A) 32° F (0°C)
B) 1.4° F (0.8°C)
C) 2o F (1.1°C)
D) 11.5o F (1.8°C)

Question 36

There are many deserts at 30° latitude because at this altitude,dry air

A) rises.
B) sinks.
C) cools.
D) warms.

Question 37

One of the major effects of an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is

A) an increase in average global temperatures.
B) cooler average temperatures as carbon dioxide reflects sunlight back into space.
C) an acceleration of the depletion of ozone.
D) an increase in the pH of oceans and lakes.

Question 38

Historically,an unusual aspect of the recent rise in CO₂ levels is that

A) there is no known mechanism for its occurrence.
B) CO₂ reacts so quickly with other compounds that it should not be occurring.
C) it has occurred relatively slowly.
D) it has occurred relatively rapidly.

Question 39

Which term encompasses all the others?

A) climate change
B) global warming
C) greenhouse effect
D) weather patterns

Question 40

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are shown below.This graph was developed by measurements that were obtained in which of the following two ways?

A) direct measurements on Mauna Loa, Hawaii, and from air bubbles trapped in ice.
B) studies of plant structures in response to differing CO₂ levels and measurements of carbon dioxide within rock layers.
C) carbon isotope levels in seafloor sediments and from air bubbles trapped in ice.
D) measurements from undisturbed bat droppings in caves on a South Pacific island and carbon isotope levels in sea floor sediments.

Question 41

What best describes the relationship between cutting down forests and changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels?

A) Herbivore populations decline in the absence of forests, and without their respiration, less carbon dioxide is recycled into the atmosphere.
B) The carbon dioxide used by the plants for cellular respiration would all be released into the atmosphere at once.
C) Trees naturally die and decompose, but when turned into lumber, their carbon is prevented from recycling back to the atmosphere.
D) In the absence of forest plants, there would be less carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere for use during photosynthesis.

Question 42

Drought,species extinction,and melting of glaciers are all consequences of ________.

Question 43

According to the infographic below,which of the following activities would have the LEAST impact on preventing forest degradation in Latin America?

A) reducing timber logging
B) increasing fire suppression
C) finding alternative fuel sources
D) prohibiting the use of forests for livestock grazing

Question 44

Scientists have started to record what happens to areas in the Amazon that have been burned.They are recording which plants grow back and how water and carbon cycles are affected by the new growth.They are also performing experiments to look for ways to encourage the return of rainforest.This work is significant because if the burned rainforests do not recover,

A) water and carbon cycles will be disrupted.
B) they will absorb more carbon than they release.
C) they will become carbon sinks.
D) a primary source of food for most of the world's population will be lost.

Question 45

During a debate on sustainability,a presenter states that humans do not need to protect the planet because our technology puts us outside of the biosphere.Evaluate the validity of this statement.

Question 46

Biodiesel fuel is produced from oils synthesized by and harvested from living plants.How does the use of biodiesel fuel compare to the use of fossil fuels with respect to the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere?

A) There is no difference; the combustion of the fuel produces carbon dioxide regardless of its source.
B) It is beneficial; converting plant material to biodiesel permanently traps carbon dioxide and prevents its entry to the atmosphere.
C) It is detrimental; because biodiesel produces lower mileage, more must be burned, causing a proportional increase in carbon dioxide release.
D) It is beneficial; because living plants are the source of the biodiesel, burning it simply represents nutrient recycling.

Question 47

As a group,________ gases allow light energy to pass through the atmosphere but absorb heat energy as it passes through the atmosphere to outer space.

Question 48

Burning forests will ________ carbon levels in the atmosphere,which will ________ climate change.

A) increase; increase
B) increase; decrease
C) decrease; increase
D) decrease; decrease

Question 49

The widespread,long-term pattern of weather in a region is called ________.

Question 50

Carbon dioxide levels are increasing because

A) human agriculture has greatly increased the amount of carbon dioxide given off by plants during respiration.
B) humans have begun releasing carbon that was formerly sequestered in fossil fuels into the atmosphere.
C) holes in the ozone layer have reduced the total amount of photosynthesis occurring in the biosphere.
D) the huge growth in the human population and domestic livestock has increased the amount of carbon dioxide being released through respiration.

Question 51

One of the primary forces that causes atmospheric circulation is convection,which occurs when

A) the rotation of Earth exerts friction on the atmosphere.
B) warm air at the surface rises and displaces the cooler air above it.
C) winds blowing north or south are deflected to the left or right by Earth's rotation.
D) the tilt of Earth's axis of rotation causes the atmosphere to slide toward the equator.

Question 52

Carbon dioxide makes up approximately ________ percent of Earth's atmosphere.

A) 94
B) 44
C) 14
D) 0.04

Question 53

According to the infographic below,which of the following activities would MOST reduce deforestation?

A) expanding public transportation
B) finding alternative ways to provide for global food demands
C) limiting the amount of mining activity in Latin America
D) finding alternative ways to provide food for subsistence farmers

Question 54

Burning of fossil fuels releases the greenhouse gas ________,which is correlated to an increase in Earth's surface temperature.

Question 55

Scientists predict that current increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations will cause temperatures on Earth to rise,a phenomenon known as ________.

Question 56

Nonliving factors in the biosphere are called ________ factors.

Question 57

Climate change increases fires in the rainforest.This will

A) decrease climate change as carbon sinks are formed.
B) decrease climate change as carbon reservoirs are released.
C) further increase climate change as carbon sinks are formed.
D) further increase climate change as carbon reservoirs are released.

Question 58

The single most significant human-caused contribution (about 75 percent)to the worldwide increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is

A) acid rain and the subsequent chemical reactions that release carbon dioxide from the soil.
B) nitrogen supplements that accelerate decompositional activity and recycle carbon before it can become sequestered in the soil.
C) the burning of fossil fuels and the subsequent emission of carbon dioxide.
D) deforestation and the subsequent decline in photosynthesis.

Question 59

The biosphere is defined as all the living organisms on Earth along with the ________ in which they live.

Question 60

The term ________ describes the process of water released to the atmosphere from plants.

Question 61

How do trees in the Amazon act as both a carbon sink and a carbon source?

Question 62

How does deforestation in a tropical rainforest affect the water cycle?

Question 63

Describe how a decrease in plant populations can affect the water cycle.

Question 64

How do trees in the Amazon help prevent global warming?

Question 65

Describe how burning fossil fuels can warm the planet.

Question 66

What trend is apparent when comparing the two graphs below?

Question 67

MATCHING
Match the term to the correct example.
a.biotic
b.abiotic
c.biosphere
d.weather
e.climate
a redwood tree

Question 68

In what way are greenhouse gases considered beneficial?

Question 69

A friend notes that this winter was a particularly cold one and states that this is evidence that global warming is not occurring.Evaluate the validity of this statement.

Question 70

MATCHING
Match the term to the correct example.
a.biotic
b.abiotic
c.biosphere
d.weather
e.climate
Earth

Question 71

Your friend is upset about deforestation in Latin America and suggests that people living in areas where deforestation is occurring should stop using forested land to grow food for their families.Would a ban on cutting down trees for family farms remove the main driver of deforestation? Explain your answer using information from the infographic shown below.

Question 72

The graph below indicating average global temperature only shows recorded temperatures back to 1880.If there is a correlation between carbon dioxide levels and average global temperature,what would be expected if the average global temperature graph was extended back to the year 1500?

Question 73

MATCHING
Match the term to the correct example.
a.biotic
b.abiotic
c.biosphere
d.weather
e.climate
a rock formation

Question 74

Describe an analogy between greenhouse gases and an inanimate object such as a winter jacket.

Question 75

Describe how both biotic and abiotic factors can affect the population size of deer in a forest.

Question 76

How has the increase in global temperatures impacted coastal cities around the planet?

Question 77

What is an ecological footprint,and what unit is used to express one's ecological footprint?

Question 78

MATCHING
Match the term to the correct example.
a.biotic
b.abiotic
c.biosphere
d.weather
e.climate
a single storm

Question 79

A skeptic states that climate change may affect polar bears and other organisms,but not humans.Evaluate the validity of this statement.

Question 80

How do "weather" and "climate" differ?