Who Wants to Pass Ecology? Chapters 2 & 3

Which of the following descriptions about the organization of an ecosystem is correct? A. Species make up populations, which make up communities B. Species make up communities, which make up populations C. Populations make up species, which make up communities D. Communities make up species, which make up populations

All of the members of a particular species that live in one area are called a(an) A. Ecosystem B. Community C. Population D. Biome

The branch of biology dealing with interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment is called A. Ecology B. Economy C. Cellular biology D. Modeling

What is the original source of almost all of the energy in most ecosystems? A.carbon B.water C.sunlight D.carbohydrates

The combined portions of Earth in which all living things exist is called the A. Biosphere B. Ecosystem C. Community D. Biome

An organism that cannot make its own food is called a(an ) A. Producer B. Autotroph C. Chemotroph D. Heterotroph

Organisms that obtain nutrients by breaking down dead and decaying plants and animals are called A. Producers B. Autotrophs C. Omnivores D. Decomposers

Plants are A. Omnivores B. Herbivores C. Consumers D. Producers

Which ecological inquiry method is an ecologist using when he or she enters an area periodically to count the population numbers of a certain species? A. Modeling B. Experimenting C. Observing D. Questioning

The lowest level of environmental complexity that includes living and nonliving factors is the A. Biosphere B. Ecosystem C. Community D. Biome

The simplest grouping of more than one kind of organism in the biosphere is A. A species B. An ecosystem C. A community D. A population

Algae at the beginning of a food chain are A. Heterotrophs B. Producers C. Decomposers D. Consumers

An organism that uses energy to produce its own food supply from inorganic compounds is called a(an) A. Detritivore B. Autotroph C. Consumer D. Heterotroph

The simplest ecological model of the feeding relationships among organisms in a community A. Population B. Food chain C. An ecosystem D. A food web

Which of the following organisms does NOT require sunlight to live? A. Photosynthetic bacteria B. Trees C. Algae D. Chemosynthetic bacteria

A snake that eats a frog that has eaten an insect that fed on a plant is a A. Third-level consumer B. Second-level consumer C. First-level consumer D. First-level producer

A bird stalks, kills, and then eats an insect. Based on its behavior, which ecological term describes the bird? A. Autotroph, herbivore B. Carnivore, consumer C. Producer, heterotroph D. Herbivore, decomposer

What is the term for each step in the transfer of energy and matter within a food web? A. Food pyramid B. Trophic level C. Food chain D. Energy path

All the interconnected feeding relationships in an ecosystem make up a food A. Network B. Web C. Chain D. Interaction

In which way are plants in a sunny mountain meadow and sulfur bacteria in a deep-sea volcanic vent alike? A. They both produce carbon and hydrogen B. They both use chemosynthesis to produce their own food C. They both produce carbohydrates like glucose D. They both use photosynthesis to make their own food

Matter can recycle through the biosphere because A. Biological systems use only carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen B. Biological systems do not use up matter, they transform it C. Matter is assembled into chemical compounds D. Matter is passed out of the body as waste

Which type of pyramid shows the amount of living tissue at each trophic level in an ecosystem? A. A food pyramid B. A biomass pyramid C. An energy pyramid D. A numbers pyramid

Most of the energy available to a consumer trophic level is used by organisms for A. Transfer to the next trophic level B. Performing photosynthesis C. Respiration, movement, and reproduction D. Producing inorganic chemical compounds

The total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level is called the A. Biomass B. Energy mass C. Trophic mass D. Organic mass

Only 10 percent of the energy stored in an organism can be passed on to the next trophic level. Of the remaining energy, some is used for the organism’s life processes, and the rest is A. Released as heat B. Stored as fat C. Stored as body tissue D. Used in reproduction

Organisms need nutrients in order to A. Carry out nitrogen fixation B. Recycle chemical compounds C. Carry out essential life functions D. Utilize hydrogen and oxygen

Nitrogen fixation is carried out primarily by A. Humans B. Plants C. Bacteria D. Consumers

What is the process by which bacteria convert nitrogen gas in the air to ammonia? A. Denitrificaiton B. Decomposition C. Excretion D. Nitrogen fixation

Carbon cycles through the biosphere in all of the following processes EXCEPT A. Decomposition of plants and animals B. Burning of fossil fuels C. Transpiration D. Photosynthesis

What do trophic levels illustrate? A. The relative number of individual organisms at each level B. The amount of living organic matter at each level C. The relative amount of energy at each level D. That the producers out-number the first-level consumers

The relationship between a whale and barnacles growing on its skin is an example of A. Parasitism B. Mutualism C. Competition D. Commensalism

Which of the following usually results when members of the same species require the same food and space? A. Interspecific competition B. Secondary succession C. Competition D. Primary succession

What is “soil type” to an earthworm? A. Carbon source B. Biotic factor C. Biome D. Abiotic factor

Which of the following information could be included in the description of a grasshopper’s niche, but NOT a description of its habitat? A. Temperatures it experiences B. Plant species it eats C. Mating habits D. Locations where it shelters

The relationship between a clown fish and a sea anemone is known as A. Commensalism B. Mutualism C. Competition D. Parasitism

The relationship between plants and the bees that pollinate them is an example of A. Parasitism B. Mutualism C. Competition D. Commensalism

A tick feeding on a human is an example of A. Predation B. Symbiosis C. Mutualism D. Parasitism

Before plants can inhabit a rocky area, soil must be present. A pioneer species must start the process of soil formation for succession to take place. Which would be a pioneer species in a rocky area? A. Fern B. Weed C. Lichen D. Insect

Within aquatic biomes, there are many different environments where different types of organisms thrive. In general, aquatic biomes are divided into photic nd aphotic zones. Which determines whether a zone is photic or aphotic? A. Latitude B. Water depth C. Climate D. Distance from land

After a community is disrupted by a large-scale event, such as a forest fire, a new community is established through which process? A. Climax succession B. Soil formation C. Secondary succession D. Primary succession

Which statement would you NOT use to describe succession? A. It is random B. It is predictable C. It is orderly D. It is gradual

Which describes a community most accurately? A. Different populations interacting within the same biome B. A nonliving component of an ecosystem C. A group of life-forms belonging to the same species D. A single life-form found in a biome

Which terrestrial biome houses the greatest biodiversity? A. Taiga B. Temperate forest C. Tropical rainforest D. grassland

Terrestrial biomes are classified based on the types of organisms that develop within them. The organisms found in a particular biome have which factor in common? A. Climate and communities B. Pioneer species C. Ecosystem D. Biosphere

Compared to a natural forest, a farmer’s wheat field lacks A. Stored energy B. Significant biodiversity C. Autotrophs D. Heterotrophs

The number of species in an area is a measure of A. Autotrophs B. Niche C. Biodiversity D. Population

Besides plants, what other factor distinguishes one biome from another biome? A. Geographic location B. Average temperature and precipitation C. The variety of animal species D. The number of plants in the biome

What event is most likely to initiate primary succession? A. Volcanic eruption B. Logging C. Heavy rain D. Forest fire

Permafrost is characteristic of which biome? A. Taiga B. Desert C. Tundra D. Marine

The first stage of succession of a forest was probably the development of _______________. A. Lichens B. Shrubs C. Mosses D. Trees

Which of the following is NOT considered to be an aquatic ecosystem? A. Taiga B. Marine C. Estuary D. Wetlands

Which is NOT a zone in the ocean? A. Intertidal B. Aphotic C. Benthic D. Abyssal

Which of the following is NOT considered to be a terrestrial biome? A. TaigaG. Savanna B. EstuaryH. Tropical rainforest C. WoodlandI. Tundra D. Deciduous forest E. Desert F. Grasslands

True or False? A biome is within a community.

True or False? An ecosystem is within a community.

True or False? An community is within an ecosystem.