Practice Ecology Test

Transcription

1 1. A fundamental concept of ecology is that living organisms A) are independent and do not interact with each other or with the physical environment. B) do not interact with other living organisms, but do interact with the physical environment C) interact with each other, but do not interact with the physical environment D) interact with other living organisms and interact with the physical environment 2. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below and on your knowledge of biology. The diagram represents a food web in an ecosystem. Missing from the diagram of this ecosystem are the A) biotic factors and decomposers B) abiotic factors and decomposers C) autotrophs, only D) heterotrophs, only

2 3. The chart below shows three ecological terms used to describe levels of organization on Earth. Which diagram best represents the relationship of these ecological terms? A) B) C) D) 4. The science of ecology is best defined as the study of A) the classification of plants and animals B) the interactions of living organisms and their environment C) technology and its effects on society D) weather and its effects on food production in the ocean 5. Due to overfishing, the number of fish in the ocean could drastically decrease. This will cause 6. An earthworm lives and reproduces in the soil. It aerates the soil and adds organic material to it. The earthworm is a source of food for other organisms. All of these statements together best describe A) a habitat B) autotrophic nutrition C) an ecological niche D) competition A) an increase in the stability of the oceans B) an increase in the salt content of the oceans C) a decrease in the stability of the oceans D) a decrease in the oxygen available in the oceans

3 7. Which statement most accurately predicts what would happen in the aquarium shown below if it were tightly covered and maintained in natural light for one month? 10. Which statement best describes an ecosystem maintaining a state of approximate equilibrium? A) Nutrients from decayed organisms are recycled in a forest ecosystem. B) All the frog species in a South American rain forest become extinct. C) A mutation spreads through a species of bacterium, making them unable to decompose wastes. D) Mice are released into a field ecosystem as food for a declining predator population A) The water temperature would rapidly decrease. B) The process of respiration in the snail would decrease. C) The rate of reproduction of the fish would be affected. D) The organisms would probably survive because materials would cycle. 8. A stable ecosystem would not contain A) materials being cycled B) consumers without producers C) decomposers D) a constant source of energy 9. For a natural ecosystem to be self-sustaining, many essential chemical elements must be A) converted to energy B) changed into fossil fuels such as oil and coal C) permanently removed from the environment D) cycled between organisms and the environment 11. A scientist was studying a population of fish in a pond over a period of 10 years. He observed that the population increased each year for 3 years, and then remained nearly constant for the rest of the study. The best explanation for this observation is that the population had A) stopped reproducing B) reached carrying capacity C) mutated into a different species D) run out of food and migrated to a different pond 12. A limiting factor unique to a field planted with corn year after year is most likely A) temperature B) sunlight C) water D) soil nutrients 13. Abiotic factors that could affect the stability of an ecosystem could include A) hurricanes, packs of wolves, and temperature B) blizzards, heat waves, and swarms of grasshoppers C) droughts, floods, and heat waves D) species of fish, number of decomposers, and supply of algae

4 14. One biotic factor that affects consumers in an ocean ecosystem is A) number of autotrophs B) temperature variation C) salt content D) ph of water 15. Which statement regarding the ecosystem shown in the diagram below is correct? A) The community within this ecosystem consists of seven guppies and one catfish. B) The energy source for this ecosystem is the gas from the air stone. C) A population within this ecosystem is the three snails. D) Cycling of materials is not necessary in this self-sustaining ecosystem. 16. All the red foxes inhabiting a given forest constitute a 18. Base your answer to the following question on An aquarium ecosystem is shown below. A) population B) community C) biome D) biosphere 17. In order for an ecosystem to remain stable there must be A) drastic modifications to the environment B) interrelationships and interdependencies among organisms C) limited biodiversity D) gradual changes in the climate A community in this aquarium consists of the A) plants and gravel B) fish, water, and snails C) fish, plants, and snails D) water and gravel

5 19. A moss-covered log is overturned by a hungry bear looking for insects to eat. The bear disturbs an ant colony, and some chipmunks leave the hollow log to search for another home in the forest. Which relationship do these organisms have with each other? A) They are all of the same species. B) They all require the same type of food. C) They are part of a community. D) They are abiotic factors in a forest. 20. When two different bird species temporarily occupy the same niche, they would most likely 22. Which graph best shows the relationship between the amount of biodiversity and the number of different populations in an ecosystem? A) A) change their nesting behaviors B) not affect one another C) interbreed to form a new species D) compete with one another B) 21. Two species of animals with a similar appearance live in the same habitat but do not compete for food. This is because they most likely A) reproduce at different times of the year B) are the same size C) occupy different ecological niches D) are active at night C) D)

6 23. Researchers have reported that the number of different species of fish found in certain areas of the ocean has been greatly reduced over the past 50 years. This situation is an example of A) a loss of biodiversity B) an increase in ecological succession C) a lack of differentiation D) an increased carrying capacity 24. Cutting down a rain forest and planting agricultural crops, such as coffee plants, would most likely result in A) a decrease in biodiversity B) an increase in the amount of energy recycled C) a decrease in erosion D) an increase in the amount of photosynthesis Base your answers to questions 25 and 26 on the map below, which shows the general location of some major biomes of Earth, and on your knowledge of biology. A different biome is represented by each of the following symbols: 25. Permanently frozen subsoil is characteristic of which biome? A) B) C) D) 26. Which symbol indicates an area with coniferous trees; long, severe winters; and black bears? A) B) C) D)

7 Base your answers to questions 27 and 28 on the biomes below. For each statement in questions select the biome, chosen from the list below, that is best described by that statement. 30. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below of a biome and on your knowledge of biology. Biomes (1) Tundra (2) Desert (3) Tropical forest (4) Taiga (5) Temperate deciduous forest 27. Plants that grow here, such as mesquite and saguaro cactus, develop extensive root systems for absorbing water and have water storage cells in their stems and roots. A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4 E) A coniferous forest growing just below the tree line and mountains is densely populated by climax communities of spruce and fir trees. A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4 E) Which type of biome occupies the largest area of Earth? A) marine B) grassland C) tropical rain forest D) temperate deciduous forest Why are most of the organisms that live in region A heterotrophs? A) Large quantities of salt are dissolved at this depth B) Oxygen does not dissolve in the water at this depth C) Water temperature varies greatly at this depth D) Sunlight cannot penetrate to this depth 31. In which areas does the greatest amount of photosynthesis occur? A) mountains B) oceans C) deserts D) tundras 32. A new island formed by volcanic action may eventually become populated with biotic communities as a result of A) a decrease in the amount of organic material present B) decreased levels of carbon dioxide in the area C) the lack of abiotic factors in the area D) the process of ecological succession

8 33. Changes in an ecosystem over a long period of time are shown in the diagram below. These changes will most likely lead to a A) stable ecosystem that can last for many years B) loss of heterotrophs that cannot be recovered C) long-term rise in environmental temperatures D) forest consisting of only producers and decomposers 34. Which statement concerning the climax stage of an ecological succession is correct? A) It changes rapidly. B) It persists until the environment changes. C) It is the first community to inhabit an area. D) It consists entirely of plants.

9 35. An ecological process is represented below. Which statement describes an event in this process? A) Community B modifies the environment, making it suitable for community C. B) Community D modifies the environment, making it suitable for community C. C) Community E will develop into community A, if the environment remains stable. D) Community A organisms will develop directly into community D organisms. 36. Which two processes are responsible for keeping the percentage of atmospheric oxygen at relatively constant levels? A) circulation and coordination B) respiration and coordination C) respiration and photosynthesis D) photosynthesis and circulation

10 37. Base your answer to the following question on Processes involved in the water cycle are represented by letters in the diagram below. 39. Many families now use compost to make the soil in their gardens more fertile. They collect vegetable scraps and yard trimmings, place them in a compost pile or special container, and let them decompose. The organisms primarily responsible for decomposing the vegetable scraps and yard trimmings are A) plant parasites B) autotrophs C) bacteria and fungi D) scavengers and viruses 40. Decomposers are necessary in an ecosystem because they In which group are these processes correctly identified? A) A-deamination; B-transpiration; C -condensation; D evaporation B) A-transpiration; B-evaporation; C -condensation; D-precipitation C) A-condensation; B-precipitation; C -transpiration; D evaporation D) A-transpiration; B-deamination; C -condensation; D-precipitation 38. Which term refers to the ecological niche of many bacteria and fungi in an ecosystem? A) decomposer B) herbivore C) producer D) scavenger A) produce food for plants by the process of photosynthesis B) provide energy for plants by the process of decay C) can rapidly reproduce and evolve D) make inorganic materials available to plants 41. Which organisms directly help to reduce overpopulation in a deer herd? A) parasites and predators B) parasites and scavengers C) decomposers and predators D) decomposers and consumers 42. During its annual migration, the red knot, a medium-size shorebird, flies the entire length of North and South America. During one critical stop to feed on the eggs of horseshoe crabs, the birds nearly double their body mass. The relationship between the red knot and the horseshoe crab is that of A) parasite host B) consumer producer C) scavenger producer D) predator prey

11 43. Deer ticks are responsible for spreading Lyme disease. This organism, which feeds on the blood of warm-blooded organisms like mice, deer, and humans, is best described as a A) predator B) scavenger C) parasite D) host 44. The relationship that exists when athlete s foot fungus grows on a human is an example of A) predator/prey B) producer/consumer C) parasite/host D) decomposer/autotroph 45. A symbiotic relationship exists between two organisms of different species. If only one organism benefits from the relationship and the other is not harmed, the relationship is known as A) commensalism B) mutualism C) parasitism D) saprophytism 46. Microorganisms living in the intestines of termites break down cellulose, providing food for both the termites and the microorganisms. This nutritional relationship is known as A) predation B) mutualism C) parasitism D) commensalism Base your answers to questions 47 and 48 on the information below and on your knowledge of biology. Lichens are composed of two organisms, a fungus that cannot make its own food and algae that contain chlorophyll. Lichens may live on the bark of trees or even on bare rock. They secrete acids that tend to break up the rock they live on, helping to produce soil. As soil accumulates from the broken rock and dead lichens, other organisms, such as plants, may begin to grow. 47. The ability of lichens to alter their environment, enabling other organisms to grow and take their places in that environment, is one step in what process? A) biological evolution B) ecological succession C) maintenance of cellular communication D) differentiation in complex organisms 48. What is the role of the algae component of a lichen in an ecosystem? A) decomposer B) parasite C) herbivore D) producer

12 49. The diagram below represents an energy pyramid. 51. Base your answer to the following question on The diagram below represents a food web. Which organisms would most likely be found at level A? A) birds B) worms C) mammals D) algae 50. The diagram below represents a woodpecker finch. Two of the herbivores represented in this food web are A) toads and snakes B) deer and mice C) wolves and raccoons D) grasshoppers and toads 52. The removal of nearly all the predators from an ecosystem would most likely result in? This bird may best be described as A) an increase in the number of carnivore species B) a decrease in new predators migrating into the ecosystem C) a decrease in the size of decomposers D) an increase in the number of herbivores A) a decomposer that most likely feeds on nectar (a sugary liquid) from flowers B) a heterotroph that may eat insects and is more closely related to a robin than to an earthworm C) a scavenger that feeds on animals and reproduces asexually D) an autotroph that probes tree bark for insects and is pathogenic

13 53. The diagram below represents a food web. 55. Scientists have been concerned about the reduction of shark populations due to overfishing off the east coast of the United States. Sharks feed on rays, which feed on scallops. Scallops feed on microscopic algae, which they filter from seawater. Without sharks, the rays consume and eliminate scallop beds, harming the scallop fishing industry. This situation demonstrates that Which statement regarding organisms in this food web is correct? A) There would be more snakes than pocket gophers. B) There would be more coyotes than rabbits. C) There would be more insects than insect eating birds. D) There would be more hawks than seed eating birds. A) sharks are not important for the stability of this ecosystem B) reducing the shark population increases the quantity of scallops that can be harvested C) humans can upset ecosystem stability by removing species D) humans improve ecosystem diversity by removing predators 54. In lakes that are exposed to acid rain, fish populations are declining. This is primarily due to changes in which lake condition? A) size B) temperature C) ph D) location

14 56. Base your answer to the following question on the food chain and information below. The food chain involves organisms in Yellowstone National Park. Grasses Elk Wolves Wolves in the park were killed or driven off by humans in the 1920s and 1930s. In the winter of 1995, humans released 17 wolves from Canada into the park. A year later, 14 more wolves were released. After the wolves were released, the populations of some scavengers increased. This was most likely due to A) a reduction in predator populations B) a decrease in the number of grasses C) an increase in the number of dead elk D) an increase in water supplies 57. Which farming practice causes the least harm to the environment? A) using natural predators to reduce insect numbers B) adding chemical fertilizers to all the crops in the area C) planting the same crop for 1 year on all the fields in the area D) planting the same crop in the same field each year for 10 years 58. Environmentalists are hoping to protect endangered organisms by calling for a reduction in the use of pesticides, because loss of these organisms would A) increase the mutation rate in plants B) cause pesticides to become more toxic to insects C) reduce biodiversity in various ecosystems D) decrease the space and resources available to other organisms 59. DDT and other pesticides used over 50 years ago are still affecting the environment today. Scientists have found these substances in recent glacier runoff. Glacier runoff occurs during the summer, when precipitation that has fallen on glaciers during the winter is released. Ice layers from existing glaciers have been analyzed. The results of this analysis show that the concentrations of DDT and other pesticides were highest about 10 years after the use of these substances was banned. This information shows that A) DDT and other pesticides cause glacier runoff during the summer B) it takes humans over 50 years to analyze a glacier C) precipitation helps to break down pesticides D) the decision of one human generation may have an impact on future generations

15 60. Damage to the ozone shield over the United States is likely to cause 62. Which graph best illustrates the change in the human population over the past 2000 years? A) increased warming of local ecosystems B) increased exposure to ultraviolet light C) reduction in the ph of acid precipitation D) reduction in the frequency of floods and droughts 61. In New York State, cars are inspected to be sure they are not releasing excessive amounts of several gases into the atmosphere. This is done in an effort to A) recycle more nutrients B) reduce biodiversity C) reduce global warming D) increase the growth rates of forests A) B) C) D) 63. In which row in the chart below is a human action correctly paired with its environmental impact? A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4

16 64. Windmills that generate electricity are being built in coastal areas. The main benefit of these windmills is that they A) produce finite resources B) reduce dependency on fuels that cause air pollution C) absorb the noise of passing boats D) maintain the salt concentration in the ocean 65. New fuels are being produced by converting corn and grasses into compounds containing alcohols that can be broken down for energy in various engines. The purpose of this research is to A) reduce the use of finite resources B) increase the rate of air pollution C) reduce the rate of homeostasis in organisms D) cause a loss of biodiversity in the rain forests 66. Ethanol-fueled vehicles have increased in popularity as people try to be more environmentally responsible. Ethanol can be made from corn. Some farmers are clearing forests and planting large expanses of corn to meet the rising demand. Which statement describes a likely result of this increased corn production? A) There will be a reduction in the biodiversity of areas that are converted to grow corn. B) The corn will produce more carbon dioxide than it uses, contributing to global warming. C) Insect biodiversity in the area will increase. D) Growing more corn will increase the nutrient content of the soil. 67. Which action will result in the greatest decrease in rain forest stability? A) removing one species of plant for medicine B) harvesting nuts from some trees C) cutting down all the trees for lumber D) powering all homes with wind energy 68. A serious threat to biodiversity is A) habitat destruction B) maintenance of food chains C) competition within a species D) a stable population size 69. Deforestation will most directly result in an immediate increase in A) atmospheric carbon dioxide B) atmospheric ozone C) wildlife populations D) renewable resources 70. Which practice will help conserve soil resources? A) filling in wetlands with construction waste B) planting cover crops on slopes along highways C) opening more forests to unregulated hunting D) increasing the expansion of urban areas