CBA Practice Exam - Ecology For the following two questions, use the diagram below: 1. (TEKS 11B) The organisms in the illustration are all part of a pond community. What would likely happen to the fish population in the community if the population of the bird species were to suddenly decrease? A. It would decrease. B. It would increase. C. It would remain the same. D. Fish would leave the ecosystem. 2. (TEKS 11B) In what way is the bird s response to the fish a way of maintaining homeostasis? A. By removing one fish from the pond, the bird has increased the pond s carrying capacity. B. By catching and eating a fish, the bird increases its own range of tolerance for temperature. C. By catching and eating a fish, the bird obtains energy required for maintaining stable conditions. D. Eliminating the fish helps maintain a balance between predator and prey organisms. 3. (TEKS 11C) Antibiotics are medicines given to combat a bacterial infection. Oftentimes antibiotics are produced from other microorganisms which are toxic to bacteria. Due to the overuse of many antibiotics, bacteria are becoming resistant to them; causing the infection to remain and to possibly get worse in the individual. Each of the following are examples of how microorganisms, such as bacteria, can BENEFIT an organism or ecosystem EXCEPT: A. They keep nutrients cycling through the ecosystem B. They decompose dead plant and animal matter C. They function as an autotroph D. They help maintain and stabilize the ecosystem within the human body
4. (TEKS 11D) The picture below shows the relative diversity and number of species after a disturbance such as a fire or volcanic eruption. What is the correct order of ecological succession in this area after the disturbance? A. Lichens, trees, grassland, shrubland B. Grassland, shrubland, lichens, trees C. Grassland, lichens, shrubland, trees D. Lichens, grassland, shrubland, trees 5. (TEKS 11D) Island ecosystems are often great ways for scientist to study evolution, adaptions, and also succession. In the Pacific Ocean there is a volcanic island that has a very unique ecosystem with many tropical grasses, palm trees, birds, and reptiles. Its soil is very fertile and many of the animals on the island thrive off the grasses that grow there as the primary producers of the ecosystem. If the volcano on this island were to erupt, the ash would cover the ground and kill off all the grasses. Which organisms would most likely succeed the grasses in this island ecosystem? A. Lichens that can grow on bare rock and ash B. Birds and reptiles that are tolerant to the ash and are the top predators in the ecosystem C. Trees that do not need much sunlight for photosynthesis D. Nothing would grow on this island after the volcano erupted
6. (TEKS 12A) Nutria are native to South America, but recently they can be found in the eastern two-thirds of Texas. They have been introduced to this area because they are large herbivores that can be used as a remedy for ponds with too much vegetation. Since they are in competition with muskrats (a native species to this area), their spread is discouraged by the ecosystem. Which of the situations below would allow the nutria to be more likely to survive than a muskrat? A. The nutria have no natural enemies in the area B. Muskrats are immune to certain pathogens in the ecosystem C. Both the nutria and muskrat thrive on the same food source D. Predators prey on both the nutria and muskrat 7. (TEKS 12A) Orchids like to grow in tall tropical trees. The trees are not harmed but the orchids get lots of sunlight. Which type of relationship does the orchid have with the tropical trees? A. Mutualism B. Parasitism C. Symbiosis D. Commensalism 8. (TEKS 12A) Birds are important to many ecosystems for several reasons. One is that birds will often eat and then disperse seeds from trees in their ecosystem. In this relationship, the birds get a meal, and the trees get their seeds dispersed throughout the forest. What type of symbiotic relationship is this? A. Mutualism B. Parasitism C. Symbiosis D. Commensalism
9. (TEKS 12B) 10. (TEKS 12B) The following is a description of a biome. Which answer is the best adaptation for this biome? This biome has the unique characteristic of permafrost; a layer of permanently frozen subsoil. Other properties of this biome include strong winds and low amounts of precipitation. A. Animals that hibernate underground for months at a time B. Plants with deep root systems and a long growing season C. Animals that hunt during the night to avoid being seen D. Mammals with thick fur and deep layers of fat
Use the diagram above to answer the following two questions: 11. (TEKS 12C) Which of the following trophic levels are producers found? A B C D 12. (TEKS 12C) Heat is lost to the environment at each of the trophic levels above as part of the energy transfer process. If level D has 100% energy, how much energy does level B have when you compare it to level D? A. Increased by 10% B. Only 1% of the energy in D C. Decreased by 10% D. Decreased by 20%
13. (TEKS 12C) 14. (TEKS 12D) In 1998 the Asian Long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) was accidentally introduced in the Chicago area. These beetles are native to China, Japan, and Korea. This invasive species feed on the healthy bark, phloem, and xylem of more than 24 species of hardwood trees. This causes the death of many trees. If the beetles were allowed to continue to feed on and kill all available trees in the Chicago area what would most likely happen to the population of this beetle after all the trees were dead A. The population would stabilize B. The population would continue to increase C. The population would drop D. The population would increase slowly 15. (TEKS 12E) The microorganism primarily responsible for the fixation of nitrogen in the air to nitrates in the soil is bacteria. Nitrogen fixation is important to plants because it allows them to produce amino acids which are essential to life. If there is a sudden increase in the amount of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which of the following situations will most likely occur A. The plants will die because they cannot produce amino acids B. The plants will grow abundantly C. The soil will have less nitrogen in it D. Nothing will change
16. (TEKS 12E) The carbon cycle includes carbon reservoirs which are able to contain carbon from the atmosphere and keep it from being released back into the atmosphere. These reservoirs help to reduce the greenhouse effect of global warming. Some of these carbon reservoirs include rocks, ocean sediments, terrestrial biota, and marine biota. If the entire marine biota were suddenly destroyed, mwhich of the following situations would most likely occur? A. The carbon cycle would not be effected since there are many other carbon reservoirs B. Carbon would be transferred to the terrestrial biota C. Excess output of carbon would occur in the carbon cycle D. Less output of carbon would occur in the carbon cycle 17. (TEKS 12F) One example of eutrophication is when an area gets lots of rainfall which increases the runoff of freshwater containing pollution from fertilizers into coastal waters like the ocean. When this happens algal blooms or areas of low-oxygen can occur. Which of the following would also cause low-oxygen areas in the sea to occur? A. Farmers reducing the amount of fertilizers they use B. Intensive fishing where fish that feed on algae are caught C. Increasing the amount of algae eating fish in that area D. Creating water treatment facilities 18. (TEKS 12F) Mosquitoes can carry and transmit the disease malaria. Malaria can cause flulike symptoms that may lead to death, especially if untreated. Frogs are a natural predator of mosquitoes and can keep the population of mosquitoes down, and thus the threat of malaria down to humans. Which environmental change would disrupt the stability in the frog s ecosystem causing the number of mosquitoes to increase? A. Intensive hunting of organisms that are predators to frogs B. New species of frogs that evolve and are resistant to pollution and disease C. Developing a vaccine to prevent malaria D. A bacteria being spread by polluted waters that can infect and reduce the frog population
TEKS that you will be tested on: 11B- Investigate and analyze how organisms, populations, and communities respond to external factors 11C- Summarize the role of microorganisms in both maintaining and disrupting the health of both organisms and ecosystems 11D- Describe how events and processes that occur during ecological succession can change populations and species diversity 12A- Interpret relationships, including predation, parasitism, commensalism, mutualism, and competition among organisms 12B- Compare variations and adaptations of organisms in different ecosystems 12C- Analyze the flow of matter and energy through trophic levels using various models, including food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramids 12D- Recognize that long-term survival of species is dependent on changing resource bases that are limited 12E- Describe the flow of matter through the carbon and nitrogen cycles and explain the consequences of disrupting these cycles 12F- Describe how environmental change can impact ecosystem stability