Deck 4: Organisms in Their Habitat

Question 1

All organisms have the same resource requirements.

A) True, the same resources are required for all life.
B) False, although similar resources may be required, the amount of each resource can vary among species.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Within a large lake, gobies are small fish that are found in regions with shallow water and a sandy bottom. This shallow, sandy region is the organism's __________, whereas the lake itself is the __________.

A) microhabitat; macrohabitat
B) macrohabitat; microhabitat
C) niche; macrohabitat
D) microhabitat; ecosystem

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is correctly listed from smallest to largest scale?

A) organism, microhabitat, macrohabitat, life zone
B) microhabitat, organism, life zone, macrohabitat
C) macrohabitat, microhabitat, life zone, organism
D) life zone, macrohabitat, microhabitat, organism

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Goldfish are very hardy fish, which is why they have been in the pet trade for so long. They are generalist feeders and can tolerate a wide range of oxygen concentrations as well as high levels of nitrogen (due to waste buildup in a small fish bowl). Based on this, goldfish ____________________.

A) have a large microhabitat
B) have a broad ecological niche
C) face almost no constraints or tradeoffs
D) live in macrohabitats

Question 5

In humans, there are tiny mites called follicle mites that live in hair follicles. There are follicle mites associated with eyebrow and eyelash hairs as well as different species associated with pubic hairs and beard hairs. Each mite is specific to a region of the body; thus, there can be multiple species living on a single individual human. In this scenario, the person's eyebrow would be the __________.

A) microhabitat
B) life zone
C) macrohabitat
D) niche

Question 6

The greater the amount of resources, the faster the growth and development of an organism.

A) True, resources promote growth and development.
B) False, in excess, some resources can be toxic.
C) True, a lack of resources can lead to sickness and disease.
D) False, some resources are limited.

Question 7

How many microhabitats does a redwood provide for other organisms?

A) None, but it has its own microhabitat with specific resource requirements.
B) None, but many different organisms share its habitat.
C) A few, because other organisms live on trees.
D) Many, redwoods create a variety of microhabitats because of their large size.

Question 8

This figure shows the relationship between average moisture and temperature across several different life zones. How many different life zones experience temperatures greater than 20°F and less than 100 inches of annual precipitation?

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Question 9

Many weed species such as dandelions are able to colonize new regions quickly and are very short-lived but produce lots of seeds. Other species live longer periods, sometimes many years, but also take several years to reach sexual maturity. These two different lifestyles are an example of a __________.

A) resource
B) tradeoff
C) habitat
D) constraint

Question 10

Crab spiders can be found sitting on top of flowers in fields. They are easily visible on warm sunny days. This is an example of an organism's __________.

A) microhabitat
B) macrohabitat
C) niche
D) life zone

Question 11

An organism's habitat __________.

A) is unchanging
B) includes both living and nonliving components
C) provides essential resources
D) includes both living and nonliving components and provides essential resources

Question 12

What does this figure represent?

A) an organism's niche.
B) an organism's life zone
C) an organism's habitat
D) an organism's metabolic requirements.

Question 13

In the early 1900s, many people, particularly in the southern U.S., suffered from infections with parasitic hookworms. Many of these hookworms feed on blood cells of the host and thus also consume iron that is found in red blood cells. A symptom of a heavy infection is a craving to eat dirt-particularly clay-like soils with a high iron content. Thus, for these people, iron is a __________.

A) tradeoff
B) constraint
C) part of the organism's niche
D) nonlimiting resource

Question 14

All of the following are true statements about life zones EXCEPT:

A) Life zones are very broad geographical regions with similar physical characteristics.
B) Terrestrial life zones are typically described by the dominant type of vegetation.
C) Animals typically moved readily between different life zones in a geographical area.
D) Each continent is made up of many different life zones.

Question 15

All of the following are mechanisms or adaptations of organisms to the arrival of colder winter temperatures EXCEPT

A) hibernation.
B) reduction in metabolic rates.
C) migration.
D) growth.

Question 16

Which of the following has a broad ecological niche?

A) a carnivorous plant that is found on bogs around the world-most bogs have low nutrient availability and a soil with a high pH
B) an omnivorous rodent that is active year round and can live in a variety of different habitats
C) a vulture that can crush bones and has high calcium requirements
D) a species of moss that is found on south-facing trees in a temperate forest

Question 17

Deserts across the globe are typically characterized by low rainfall and plants and animals that are well adapted to hot and dry conditions. As such, deserts are an example of a __________.

A) life zone
B) habitat
C) niche
D) limiting resource

Question 18

Many weed species such as dandelions are able to colonize new regions quickly and are very short-lived but produce lots of seeds. Other species live longer periods, sometimes many years, but also take several years to reach sexual maturity. Based on the descriptions of dandelions and weeds in general, they would be considered __________ species.

A) pioneering
B) opportunistic
C) naturalistic
D) both pioneering and opportunistic

Question 19

In humans, there are tiny mites called follicle mites that live in hair follicles. There are follicle mites associated with eyebrow and eyelash hairs as well as different species associated with pubic hairs and beard hairs. Each mite is specific to a region of the body; thus, there can be multiple species living on a single individual human. In this scenario, the human body is __________.

A) a macrohabitat
B) made up of many life zones
C) a microhabitat
D) a niche

Question 20

In 2012, the Midwest experienced unusually hot, dry conditions for long periods during the summer months. As a result, many plants suspended or reduced their growth and reproduction, which had major implications for agricultural crops such as corn. This response to environmental conditions is called __________.

A) dormancy
B) hibernation
C) niche tradeoffs
D) both dormancy and niche tradeoffs

Question 21

A researcher is studying fairy shrimp in a desert pond that is also inhabited by spadefoot toads. Which of the following is true regarding these animals?

A) They share the same niche.
B) They share the same habitat.
C) They are both detritivores.
D) They have the same resource requirements.

Question 22

Fairy shrimp are filter feeders that obtain organic particles from the water or scrape algae from surfaces. Species that are found in deserts tend to have very drought-resistant eggs that can remain dormant for many months. They are an important food source for both birds and fishes. This description describes the organism's __________.

A) niche
B) life zone
C) habitat
D) population

Question 23

A researcher is studying fairy shrimp in a desert pond that is also inhabited by spadefoot toads. How many populations does this represent?

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Question 24

What characteristic do fairy shrimp that live in temporary, fast-drying desert ponds have in common with pioneering species?

A) They reach sexual maturity and reproduce in a short time period.
B) They have the ability to become established in disturbed habitats.
C) They disperse quickly and spread widely.
D) all of these

Question 25

Fairy shrimp are filter feeders that obtain organic particles from the water or scrape algae from surfaces. Based on their feeding habits, fairy shrimp are __________.

A) primary consumers
B) primary producers
C) secondary consumers
D) detritivores

Question 26

Many plant species have evolved in ecosystems in which fire is a natural and essential component to habitat health and growth. These ecosystems include prairies, savannas, chaparrals, and conifer forests. As a result, many of these plants require fire to germinate, to establish, or to reproduce. Fire is an example of __________.

A) a disturbance
B) an opportunistic activity
C) a life zone
D) both a disturbance and opportunistic activity

Question 27

Pioneering species __________.

A) migrate seasonally
B) tend to have fast reproductive rates
C) grow slowly in disturbed areas
D) migrate seasonally and tend to have fast reproductive rates

Question 28

Pioneering species inhabiting a disturbed area alter the environment and create new habitats.

A) False, the habitat cannot be changed by a living organism.
B) True, organisms moving to a disturbed area use the resources and can themselves be a resource or can provide resources such as shade.
C) False, pioneering species are very short-lived and so do not invest enough time to change the habitat.

Question 29

Many plant species have evolved in ecosystems in which fire is a natural and essential component to habitat health and growth. These ecosystems include prairies, savannas, chaparrals, and conifer forests. As a result, many of these plants require fire to germinate, to establish, or to reproduce. In areas where fires are often suppressed, what can be said of the seeds that do not germinate for many years until stimulated by fire?

A) The seeds remain dormant.
B) The seeds hibernate.
C) The seeds are disturbed.
D) The seeds are opportunistic.

Question 30

All of the following are true about migration EXCEPT:

A) It is a seasonal activity.
B) Animals move between habitats.
C) The costs associated with the activity outweigh the benefits of moving.
D) Movement occurs due to changes in the habitat.

Question 31

Many plant species have evolved in ecosystems in which fire is a natural and essential component to habitat health and growth. These ecosystems include prairies, savannas, chaparrals, and conifer forests. As a result, many of these plants require fire to germinate, to establish, or to reproduce. Each of these regions, which can be found on a multitude of different continents, is an example of a __________.

A) disturbance
B) life zone
C) habitat
D) niche

Question 32

As a pond starts to dry out at the end of the rainy spring season, a researcher notices that toads burrow into the soil where they can hibernate for up to nine months. What is the benefit of hibernation?

A) reduced metabolic rate that ensures survival
B) increased body temperature that ensures survival
C) a period of time during which the animal completes sexual maturity
D) all of these

Question 33

Fairy shrimp that are found in deserts tend to have very drought-resistant eggs that can remain dormant for many months. Which of the following disturbances might have a positive effect on seasonal reproduction in fairy shrimp?

A) fire
B) drought
C) flooding
D) introduction of an invasive predatory fish

Question 34

Fairy shrimp are a type of crustacean that is typically found in temporary ponds across the world, including desert areas and ice-covered mountain lakes. They swim with their ventral side up (i.e., "upside down") using their leaf-like swimming legs as paddles. Based on this description, fairy shrimp have a __________ ecological niche.

A) broad
B) narrow
C) variable
D) herbivorous

Question 35

A farmer decides not to reseed one of his agricultural fields for a year. Which of the following is(are) characteristics of plants that will grow in the field during this period?

A) plants with a narrow ecological niche
B) plants that have very specific resource requirements
C) opportunistic plant species
D) plants that are pioneering and have slow rates of growth

Question 36

Which of the following characteristics make(s) an organism well adapted to colonizing a disturbed area?

A) Its seeds germinate quickly.
B) It tolerates a wide range of environmental conditions and resources.
C) It has a broad ecological niche.
D) all of these.

Question 37

What type of factors can trigger migration behavior in organisms?

A) seasonal weather changes
B) food availability
C) hormonal signals associated with maturation or reproduction
D) all of these

Question 38

Which of the following is(are) an organism's niche?

A) living and environmental factors
B) its general ecological role
C) the organism's relationship with other living organisms
D) All of these constitute part of an organism's niche.

Question 39

How do dormancy and hibernation differ?

A) Dormancy is a response to stressful environmental conditions, while hibernation can occur at any time.
B) Hibernation is a seasonal strategy, while dormancy is a response to any stressful environmental condition.
C) During dormancy, activity is greatly reduced, but the same is not true of hibernation.
D) Hibernation is a temporary condition, while dormancy usually lasts for longer periods.