Deck 15: Ecosystems and the Biosphere

Question 1

The polar ice caps are not considered biomes because they

A)lack any major plant communities.
B)do not sustain animals and bacteria.
C)are located outside of areas that can be considered as biomes.
D)are too cold for any life.
E)melt and refreeze on a regular basis.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In estuaries,

A)temperature and salinity remain relatively constant throughout the day.
B)temperature and salinity vary sharply during the day.
C)temperature varies greatly but salinity remains constant.
D)salinity varies greatly but temperature remains constant.
E)organisms are not well adapted to wide swings in salinity.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

All of the following are greenhouse gases except

A)chlorofluorocarbons.
B)carbon monoxide.
C)methane.
D)carbon dioxide.
E)nitrous oxide.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The amount of energy stored in plant tissue is an ecosystem's

A)gross primary productivity.
B)net primary productivity.
C)biomass ratio.
D)greenhouse cofactor.
E)production limit.

Question 5

A lake that is supplied with a large amount of phosphorus is likely to

A)be devoid of living organisms.
B)support large numbers of fish.
C)be crystal clear.
D)become eutrophic.
E)support many feeding levels.

Question 6

In tropical forests, the vast majority of water returning to the atmosphere is through

A)evaporation from the leaves of plants.
B)sweat from animals.
C)evaporation of urine secreted by animals.
D)evaporation from puddles and ponds.
E)evaporation from rivers and lakes.

Question 7

Certain chemicals like DDT undergo biological magnification because

A)reactions within prey convert similar compounds into DDT.
B)many smaller prey animals consume DDT as a nutrient.
C)consumers store all of the DDT present in the prey they consume.
D)more DDT in the environment sticks to larger consumers.
E)DDT accumulates in water supplies and larger consumers drink more water.

Question 8

The term biome refers to

A)the animals present in a given area.
B)the interaction of living organisms and the physical environment in a region.
C)large regions with distinctive plant communities.
D)all the living organisms in an area.
E)only the bacteria in a region.

Question 9

Organisms that take complex organic molecules and break them into smaller inorganic subunits that can be used by producers are called

A)detritivores.
B)heterotrophs.
C)autotrophs.
D)decomposers.
E)consumers.

Question 10

The carbon cycle is closely linked to energy flow within an ecosystem because

A)carbon can be used as an energy source.
B)all organisms are made of carbon compounds.
C)carbon can form four covalent bonds.
D)energy and carbon are both fixed into nutrient molecules by producers.
E)carbon compounds can be both inorganic and organic.

Question 11

Weather and climate differ from each other because

A)the effect of weather is temporary whereas the effect of climate is not.
B)weather determines the diversity of organisms in an area.
C)weather is local and climate is global.
D)weather determines climate.
E)man can affect weather but not climate.

Question 12

Some environmental scientists think that global warming will lead to an even greater increase in the amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This would most likely be due to

A)increased use of air conditioners.
B)developing nations maturing into developed nations, thereby increasing use of fossil fuels.
C)more people driving to cooler regions to escape the heat.
D)decreases in the protective ozone layer surrounding the Earth.
E)melting of the polar ice caps and thawing of large regions of permafrost.

Question 13

In general, the pool of materials in living organisms is

A)much greater than the pool found in the physical environment.
B)constantly changing over a wide range.
C)usually equal to the pool found in the soil.
D)about the same as the pool found in the physical environment.
E)much less than the pool found in the physical environment.

Question 14

How much of the available sunlight energy is usually converted into an ecosystem's gross primary productivity?

A)1 %
B)2 %
C)5 %
D)10 %
E)25 %

Question 15

Primary consumers are found at

A)the lowest trophic level.
B)the highest trophic level.
C)the second trophic level.
D)all trophic levels.
E)the third trophic level.

Question 16

This compound is capable of destroying ozone molecules.

A)carbon dioxide
B)methane
C)water vapor
D)chlorofluorocarbon
E)nitrous oxide

Question 17

Climate

A)changes with the seasons.
B)refers to the atmospheric conditions at a particular place at a particular time.
C)is determined by temperature and availability of water.
D)is determined by the organisms living in a particular area.
E)is the same throughout the globe.

Question 18

Which of the following organisms would be considered a primary producer?

A)a spider
B)an antelope
C)an oak tree
D)a wolf
E)a bass

Question 19

Edith's checkerspot butterflies are considered "indicator species" because they

A)can determine the make up of the community of organisms through predation.
B)are signals for the presence of predators that prey on the butterflies.
C)are important signals of ecological change.
D)are only present during certain seasons.
E)indicate when food supplies are low by changing their behavior.

Question 20

The progressive accumulation of toxins such as DDT in higher trophic levels is known as

A)biological magnification.
B)toxic ascension.
C)metabolic compensation.
D)tolerance deficit.
E)secondary productivity.

Question 21

Which of the following are cycled in an ecosystem?

A)carbon
B)heat
C)phosphorous
D)carbon and heat
E)carbon and phosphorous

Question 22

Five hundred minnows consume 1000 kilograms of algae over a four-month period. Five bass consume these 500 minnows over a period of two weeks. Louisa catches and eats the bass. How much of the original 1000 kilograms of algae would you expect to become the biomass of Louisa?

A)1
B)10
C)100
D)1000
E)10,000

Question 23

The most probable consequence of ozone depletion is

A)global warming.
B)an increase in skin cancers.
C)eutrophication.
D)fish kills in shallow lakes.
E)groundwater contamination.

Question 24

Which greenhouse gas can be generated in the guts of cattle?

A)carbon dioxide
B)nitrous oxide
C)oxygen
D)chlorofluorocarbons
E)methane

Question 25

In the water cycle approximately what percent of water evaporates from the surfaces of plant leaves?

A)10
B)22
C)48
D)70
E)90

Question 26

Which of the following occurs fourth in the eutrophication process?

A)Bacteria use oxygen to decompose plant material.
B)Prolific plant and algal growth occurs.
C)Nutrients enter the body of water.
D)A drop in oxygen occurs that may cause a fish kill.
E)Plants and algae die during winter months.

Question 27

What climatological phenomenon is the result of the Earth's tilted axis?

A)day and night
B)snow
C)drought
D)seasons
E)clouds

Question 28

Which of the following food chains will allow the most energy to be available for human use?

A)corn $\rarr$ cow $\rarr$ humans
B)corn $\rarr$ humans
C)algae $\rarr$ minnows $\rarr$ fish $\rarr$ humans
D)alfalfa $\rarr$ cow $\rarr$ milk $\rarr$ humans
E)corn $\rarr$ hen $\rarr$ eggs $\rarr$ humans

Question 29

Increased carbon dioxide concentrations may contribute to

A)ozone depletion.
B)global warming.
C)eutrophication.
D)groundwater contamination.
E)biomagnification.

Question 30

The carbon source for a heterotroph is

A)breathing carbon dioxide from the air.
B)water.
C)sunlight.
D)ingesting organic matter.
E)various inorganic molecules found in all ecosystems.

Question 31

Which of the following is not true of estuaries?

A)The organisms living there are often tolerant of large fluctuations in salinity.
B)They are nursery grounds for many fish species.
C)Temperatures can vary widely.
D)They are the least productive of aquatic habitats.
E)They are found where rivers dump into oceans.

Question 32

Coniferous forests are found across Canada and northern Europe. How have conifers adapted to minimize water loss through evaporation and handle the short growing seasons in these regions?

Question 33

What organisms convert gaseous nitrogen into ammonium or nitrates that can be used by plants?

A)tertiary consumers
B)nitrogen-fixing bacteria
C)fish
D)legumes
E)corn and other grains

Question 34

Which greenhouse gas also destroys the ozone layer?

A)chlorofluorocarbons
B)carbon dioxide
C)nitrous oxide
D)methane
E)oxygen

Question 35

Which trophic level usually contains more energy than any other trophic level in an ecosystem?

A)producers
B)primary consumers
C)secondary consumers
D)tertiary consumers
E)This answer has not been determined for most ecosystems.

Question 36

Which of the following is true regarding the concept of biomagnification?

A)Toxic materials that biomagnify are lost just as energy is lost from a natural system.
B)Toxic materials that biomagnify often accumulate in fat tissues of animals.
C)Toxic materials that biomagnify become more concentrated as they move up a food chain.
D)b and c
E)a and b

Question 37

Which biome is home to almost half of the world's species?

A)savanna
B)coniferous forest
C)tropical rain forest
D)temperate forest
E)desert

Question 38

Which of the following is the best description of decomposition?

A)breaking down inorganic molecules such as carbon dioxide and water into organic molecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins
B) building organic molecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins from inorganic molecules such as carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen-containing compounds
C)building macromolecules from smaller organic molecules
D)breaking down organic molecules into inorganic molecules
E)a process undertaken by producers in an ecosystem

Question 39

Why are food chains limited to a small number of links?

Question 40

Explain an impact of human development on the water cycle.

Question 41

The state of Iowa is in the temperate grassland (prairie)while much of the neighboring state of Wisconsin is in the deciduous forest. Why are these two states in different biomes?

Question 42

Explain the importance of decomposition in an ecosystem. Cite an application of this process for human systems.

Question 43

A toxic material that has the potential to accumulate in the fat tissue of animals is accidentally released into an ecosystem. Plants and animals in this system include red-tailed hawks, mice, corn, and weasels. Arrange the organisms in order according to the level of toxins that they would be expected to accumulate.

Question 44

Your community has a wonderful lake as a recreational resource. The water is relatively clear, nuisance algae are minimal, and the fishing is great. Swimming is one of the many popular activities in this clean water. Devise a community plan that will protect the water quality of your lake and protect against an algal bloom (a thick growth of algae).

Question 45

Compare the movement of energy and materials through an ecosystem.

Question 46

A mountain stream can be divided into several sections. In each of these sections the biological diversity varies greatly. What factors influence the diversity in this mountain stream?

Question 47

Plants and algae need phosphates for growth. Many fish and other animals feed on aquatic plants and algae. Why, then, is an excess of phosphates in the water (eutrophication)harmful to the organisms in a lake?

Question 48

The human population may reach 12 billion people by the year 2100. Applying your knowledge of energy flow, suggest the feeding habits necessary to support this large number of people.

Question 49

Explain how an herbivore, carnivore, omnivore and detritivore are similar.

Question 50

Your book lists several ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle (using alternative energy sources and natural fertilizers, rotating crops, and preventing soil erosion). What other sustainable activities can you list?

Question 51

Explain why a food web is a more accurate representation of energy flow than a food chain.

Question 52

What does the phrase "eat low on the food chain" mean? Why is this sound advice ecologically?

Question 53

What does sustainability mean? What strategies might be employed to reach sustainable levels of agriculture?