Deck 19: Communities and Ecosystems

Question 1

If a species makes up a small portion of the community by weight,yet exerts a disproportionate influence on community diversity,it is recognized as a ________ species.

A) keystone
B) cornerstone
C) capstone
D) flagstone
E) No answer is correct.

Answer 1

A
Explanation:

Question 2

A type of symbiosis in which one member of the relationship benefits with no effect on the other is

A) predation.
B) mutualism.
C) commensalism.
D) parasitism.
E) intraspecific competition.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: Lichens do not benefit trees on which they live but derive benefit from the habitat provided. That makes the symbiosis a commensalism.

Question 3

The ________ states that two species cannot coexist indefinitely in the same niche.

A) endosymbiotic theory
B) zonal exclusion theory
C) co-inclusion principle
D) second law of thermodynamics
E) competitive exclusion principle

Answer 3

E
Explanation: Competitive exclusion means that if two species try to live with the same ecological niche, only one will remain in the end.

Question 4

A food chain is a series of organisms that

A) transfer energy through feeding relationships.
B) compete for the same food source.
C) exhibit mutualism with each other.
D) exhibit parasitism with each other.
E) succeed one another as a climax community develops.

Question 5

When a tapeworm steals nutrients from the gut of a mammalian host,that symbiosis is called 

A) predation.
B) mutualism.
C) commensalism.
D) parasitism.
E) intraspecific competition.

Question 6

The type of succession that occurs in an area where no community previously existed is ________ succession.

A) keystone
B) tertiary
C) secondary
D) climax
E) primary

Question 7

A relationship between different species in which one species lives in or on another is

A) resource partitioning.
B) coevolution.
C) symbiosis.
D) predation.
E) niche sharing.

Question 8

The total of all the resources,both biotic and abiotic,that a species exploits for its survival,growth,and reproduction is its

A) competitive zone.
B) habitat.
C) food web.
D) niche.
E) biosphere.

Question 9

A gradual change in a community's species composition,occurring as competing organisms respond to and modify the physical environment,is referred to as ecological

A) completion.
B) conversion.
C) climax.
D) magnification.
E) succession.

Question 10

All the organisms plus the nonliving components of a defined area is a(n)

A) population.
B) community.
C) ecosystem.
D) habitat.
E) niche.

Question 11

A species that is so important to its community that its removal can dismantle a food web is termed a

A) capstone species.
B) flagstone species.
C) cobblestone species.
D) cornerstone species.
E) keystone species.

Question 12

In ________,multiple species use the same resource in a slightly different way or at a different time.

A) symbiotic inclusion
B) resource partitioning
C) mutualism
D) intraspecific competition
E) No answer is correct.

Question 13

You observe a situation in which a worm and a species of mustard grow better when both are present in an ecosystem,helping one another exploit resources.You are observing

A) predation.
B) parasitism.
C) mutualism.
D) commensalism.
E) intraspecific competition.

Question 14

Which of the following is not a type of symbiosis?

A) parasitism
B) mutualism
C) commensalism
D) predation
E) No answer is correct.

Question 15

A genetic change in one species that selects for a subsequent change in a different species is termed

A) coevolution.
B) genetic dispersion.
C) gene dynamics.
D) competitive exclusion.
E) evolutionary dynamics.

Question 16

When two or more species vie for the same limited resource,________ occurs.

A) succession
B) symbiosis
C) coevolution
D) stotting
E) competition

Question 17

Species that are the first to colonize an area are termed ________ species.

A) keystone
B) primary
C) tertiary
D) pioneer
E) secondary

Question 18

Abiotic components of an ecosystem include

A) living components only.
B) both nonliving and living components.
C) only plant life.
D) nonliving components only.
E) only animal life.

Question 19

The physical place where members of a population live is termed a

A) competitive zone.
B) community.
C) habitat.
D) symbiont.
E) niche.

Question 20

In ecology,a ________ community is one that remains fairly constant over time.

A) punctuated
B) climax
C) keystone
D) primary
E) tertiary

Question 21

Carbon returns to the atmosphere

A) as carbon dioxide.
B) from respiration of plants.
C) by the burning of fossil fuels.
D) from respiration of animals.
E) All answers are correct.

Question 22

Which is not an important biogeochemical cycle on Earth?

A) ATP cycle
B) water cycle
C) carbon cycle
D) phosphorus cycle
E) nitrogen cycle

Question 23

Which ecosystem would have the highest net primary production?

A) desert
B) tropical rain forest
C) temperate forest
D) boreal forest
E) tundra

Question 24

An organism's ________ is its position in the food chain relative to the ecosystem's energy source.

A) habitat
B) niche
C) climax level
D) trophic level
E) keystone level

Question 25

As an overall average,about ________ of the energy at one trophic level is generally available to the next highest rank in the food chain.

A) 2%
B) 10%
C) 4%
D) 7%
E) 20%

Question 26

If you were to shine a lightbulb on a puddle,and the water in the puddle disappeared,you would say that you had added energy to the puddle and had seen 

A) sublimation.
B) condensation.
C) convection.
D) evaporation.
E) All answers are correct.

Question 27

The remaining energy in the producer level that is available for consumers is the

A) net primary consumption.
B) gross primary production.
C) gross primary consumption.
D) net primary production.
E) net energy fixation.

Question 28

If you gave N₂ to a culture of nitrogen-fixing bacteria,you would expect to detect 

A) nitrates.
B) ammonium ions.
C) nitrites.
D) carbon dioxide.
E) methane.

Question 29

Biomagnification occurs with chemicals that

A) dissolve in only acidic solvents.
B) dissolve in water.
C) are not readily degraded and dissolve in fat.
D) are not readily degraded and dissolve in water.
E) dissolve in only basic solvents.

Question 30

An organism that can use solar energy and inorganic substances to produce all the organic material it requires is a(n)

A) primary producer and heterotroph.
B) heterotroph.
C) autotroph and primary producer.
D) autotroph.
E) primary producer.

Question 31

In the pyramid of energy,organisms that obtain their energy from only eating primary producers are called

A) secondary producers.
B) tertiary consumers.
C) secondary consumers.
D) tertiary producers.
E) primary consumers.

Question 32

In the water cycle,animals return water to the environment by

A) both transpiration and excretion.
B) excretion only.
C) transpiration only.
D) both respiration and excretion.

Question 33

Decomposers

A) obtain nutrients from detritus.
B) return organic molecules to their inorganic form.
C) include bacteria.
D) include fungi.
E) All answers are correct.

Question 34

Based on the 10% rule,if there are 10,000 calories of net primary productivity in an ecosystem,how much energy will be generally available to a primary consumer?

A) 100 calories
B) 10,000 calories
C) 10 calories
D) 1,000 calories
E) 1 calorie

Question 35

________ bacteria return nitrogen to the atmosphere by converting nitrates to N₂.

A) Nitrogen-fixing
B) In nitrification,
C) In denitrification,
D) In transpiration,
E) In respiration,

Question 36

In this system,mercury released from coal-burning power plants would be at the highest concentration in

A) the phytoplankton.
B) the zooplankton.
C) the minnows.
D) the walleye pike fish.
E) The amount of mercury would be the same in all organisms.

Question 37

In this system,the zooplankton are the

A) tertiary consumers.
B) secondary consumers.
C) producers.
D) decomposers.
E) primary consumers.

Question 38

Walleye pike fish are what?

A) secondary consumers
B) tertiary consumers
C) primary consumers
D) producers
E) decomposers

Question 39

"Net primary productivity" is the amount of energy 

A) used in metabolism by producers.
B) given off as heat by producers.
C) trapped by the autotrophs of an ecosystem.
D) available for consumers.
E) used in metabolism by consumers.

Question 40

If a person takes an antibiotic for a bacterial infection,this can reduce the amount of bacteria in their normal microbiota and allow yeast in their genitourinary tract to flourish,which could result in a yeast infection.This is an example of

A) predation.
B) symbiosis.
C) the competitive exclusion principle.
D) the co-inclusion principle.
E) endosymbiosis.

Question 41

The species that appear in a climax community usually are short-lived,early-maturing,r-selected species that are strong competitors in a stable environment.

Question 42

The term abiotic means nonliving.

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT an abiotic component or condition of an ecosystem?

A) water
B) archaea
C) rock
D) salinity
E) temperature

Question 44

The reliance of a plant on one type of insect for pollination and that insect having only the nectar of that plant as its food source is an example of coevolution.

Question 45

Some scientists predict that as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase,the pH of the oceans will drop,threatening coral and organisms with shells.What is the best explanation for this hypothesis?

A) Carbon dioxide combines with water to form a base.
B) Carbon dioxide combines with water to form an acid.
C) As the pH of the ocean decreases, more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
D) As the pH of the ocean increases, more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
E) As the oceans warm, more water is evaporated, lowering the pH of the remaining water.

Question 46

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the roots of soybeans help provide a source of nitrogen to the plants,and in exchange,the bacteria obtain food from the plants.Which type of interaction is this?

A) mutualism
B) commensalism
C) parasitism
D) predation
E) herbivory

Question 47

The concentration of the pesticide DDT is likely highest in which organism?

A) a minnow
B) a mosquito larva
C) a seagull
D) plankton
E) algae

Question 48

A network of interconnected food chains is a food web.

Question 49

An example of a keystone species is a root-associated fungus that conifer trees need in order to survive and also supplies food for rodents.

Question 50

On Earth,solar energy is most intense at

A) the South Pole.
B) the North Pole.
C) 60°N latitude.
D) the equator.
E) 60°S latitude.

Question 51

If you found a durable organism growing on bare rock and breaking it down into small particles of soil,it would be considered a pioneer species.

Question 52

The concentration of the pesticide DDT is likely lowest in which organism?

A) a seagull
B) a minnow
C) a mosquito larvae
D) algae
E) plankton

Question 53

Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which neither member of the relationship benefits.

Question 54

Based on the 10% rule,if there are 10,000 calories of net primary productivity in an ecosystem,how much energy will be generally available to a secondary consumer?

A) 1,000 calories
B) 100 calories
C) 10,000 calories
D) 10 calories
E) 1 calorie

Question 55

Mycorrhizal fungi contribute to nutrient cycles by aiding in the absorption of minerals,which they share with plants in return for carbohydrates.This shows that nutrient cycling can be an example of

A) commensalism.
B) parasitism.
C) mutualism.
D) predation.
E) herbivory.

Question 56

Energy can be depleted within an ecosystem.

Question 57

The major types of ecosystems are termed

A) habitats.
B) niches.
C) biospheres.
D) terrestrial zones.
E) biomes.

Question 58

If asked to put an arrow in a diagram showing energy flow through an ecosystem,you would use a single-headed arrow.

Question 59

Some scientists predict that as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase,plant growth will also increase.What is the best explanation for this hypothesis?

A) Plants consume carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis.
B) Plants release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during photosynthesis.
C) Plants consume carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during respiration.
D) Plants release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during respiration.
E) No answer is correct.

Question 60

Raw sewage affects nutrient flow through an ecosystem more than energy flow.

Question 61

Trees that lose only a few leaves at a time are

A) deciduous trees.
B) carnivorous trees.
C) maple trees.
D) hickory trees.
E) coniferous trees.

Question 62

The area where the fresh water of a river meets the salt water of the ocean is a(n)

A) intertidal zone.
B) continental shelf.
C) hydrothermal vent.
D) open ocean.
E) estuary.

Question 63

At the equator,the Earth receives the

A) maximum amount of solar radiation per unit area.
B) minimum amount of solar radiation per unit area.
C) maximum amount of solar radiation only over the ocean.
D) maximum amount of solar radiation only over the land mass.
E) None of the answer choices are correct.

Question 64

What types of plants would you expect to find in an alpine tundra?

A) tall trees
B) aquatic plants
C) lichens and mosses
D) tall grasses
E) cactus

Question 65

The different seasons of the year are caused by the

A) tilt of the Earth's axis as the Earth travels around the Sun.
B) rotation of the Earth around the Sun.
C) rotation of the Earth on its axis.
D) rotation of the moon around the Earth.
E) gravitational pull of the moon as it travels around the Earth.

Question 66

If global temperatures increase,which biome will the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA)turn into?

A) tropical rainforest
B) deciduous forest
C) boreal forest
D) short grass prairie
E) tundra

Question 67

The taiga

A) consists of mostly coniferous trees.
B) has nutrient-rich soil.
C) has a long growing season.
D) is warm and dry.
E) consists of mosses and lichens.

Question 68

Which item helps compose a living thing rather then being a major component of soil?

A) rock fragments
B) organic matter
C) microbes
D) bacteria
E) chloroplasts

Question 69

Along coastlines,the area between high tide and low tide is the

A) open ocean.
B) hydrothermal vent.
C) intertidal zone.
D) estuary.
E) continental shelf.

Question 70

A grassland biome

A) consists of mostly coniferous trees.
B) has nutrient-rich soil.
C) has many self-pollinating flowering plants.
D) is warm and dry.
E) consists of mosses and lichens.

Question 71

As you climb the mountain,why are the biomes changing?

A) The air is thinner.
B) The latitude is changing.
C) More rain falls in a rain shadow.
D) Some animals live better at higher elevations.
E) It is colder.

Question 72

Water covers about ________ of the Earth's surface.

A) 33%
B) 40%
C) 50%
D) 70%
E) 80%

Question 73

The Earth has a constant tilt of ________ on its axis from its plane of orbit.

A) 12.5 degrees
B) 23.5 degrees
C) 30 degrees
D) 9 degrees
E) 5.5 degrees

Question 74

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA)is an example of which biome?

A) temperate coniferous forest
B) tropical rainforest
C) short grass prairie
D) tundra
E) temperate rainforest

Question 75

Which of the following eats free-floating photosynthetic organisms found in lakes?

A) phytoplankton
B) green algae
C) zooplankton
D) cyanobacteria
E) diatom

Question 76

Which two parameters most influence the location of biomes?

A) altitude and latitude
B) latitude and temperature
C) temperature and precipitation
D) precipitation and altitude
E) precipitation and latitude

Question 77

Tropical rain forest soils are usually

A) nutrient-rich.
B) low in organic matter.
C) nutrient-poor and low in organic matter.
D) nutrient-rich and low in organic matter.
E) nutrient-poor.

Question 78

Which of the following is not a major terrestrial biome of Earth?

A) the temperate grasslands
B) the tundra
C) the taiga
D) the Antarctic
E) the tropical rain forest

Question 79

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the tropical rain forest biome?

A) warm climate
B) nutrient-rich soil
C) a year-round growing season for plants
D) a tremendous diversity of animal life
E) a location near the equator

Question 80

The yearly rainfall of a desert biome is

A) 150 to 200 centimeters per year.
B) more than 300 centimeters per year.
C) less than 20 centimeters per year.
D) more than 200 centimeters per year.
E) 50 to 100 centimeters per year.