Deck 6: Ecosystems and Evolution

Question 1

Which of the following organizational hierarchies is correct?

A)ecosystem landscape community biome
B)biome community landscape ecosystem
C)community ecosystem landscape biome
D)landscape community ecosystem biome

Answer 1

community ecosystem landscape biome

Question 2

Which of the following biomes has the HIGHEST biodiversity?

A)boreal forest
B)temperate grassland
C)temperate rain forest
D)tropical rain forest

Answer 2

tropical rain forest

Question 3

Which set of three parameters has the MOST effect on biome distributions?

A)latitude, longitude, precipitation
B)precipitation, longitude, temperature
C)temperature, latitude, climate
D)latitude, precipitation, temperature

Answer 3

latitude, precipitation, temperature

Question 4

What biome is most likely to have the following temperature and rainfall profile?

A)savanna
B)boreal forest
C)tropical rainforest
D)tundra

Question 5

Which of the following is a biological control that is used to suppress wild fires in chaparral?

A)viral diseases
B)goats
C)introduced species
D)insect herbivores

Question 6

Which of the following would be considered a biome?

A)Lake
B)bay
C)Meadow
D)Desert

Question 7

The Boreal forest, or northern coniferous forest is also called the ________.

Question 8

How are temperate rain forests and the boreal forest similar?

A)Both have mild winters
B)Both are dominated by conifers
C)Both have tree species that are drought adapted
D)Both experience dense fogs

Question 9

Tundra is found in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Question 10

Which the following is found in tropical rain forests, but not in temperate rainforests?

A)amphibians
B)epiphytes
C)evergreen trees
D)relatively constant temperature

Question 11

Near the poles temperature is the overriding climate factor defining a biome.

Question 12

What is the main difference between short and tall grass prairies?

A)One is dominated by grasses and the other is dominated by forbs.
B)Tall grass prairies receive more rainfall than short grass prairies.
C)Short grass prairies occur in warmer latitudes than tall grass prairies.
D)Tall grass prairies typically have colder winters than short grass prairies

Question 13

Which of the following statements about wildfires is TRUE?

A)They are always damaging for natural environments.
B)They release nutrient minerals that were locked in dry organic material.
C)They encourage the growth of shade-resistant plants.
D)They result in the destruction of the underground stems and buds of grasses.

Question 14

What biome is most likely to have the following temperature and rainfall profile?

A)savanna
B)boreal forest
C)tropical rainforest
D)temperate deciduous forests

Question 15

Ephiphytes are smaller plants that grow on the trunks and branches of large trees.

Question 16

What type of trees would you expect to find in a boreal forest?

A)coniferous
B)deciduous
C)temperate
D)hardwoods

Question 17

Changes in vegetation with increasing elevation resemble changes observed in vegetation when going from warmer to colder climates.

Question 18

Which of the following biomes is characterized by moist winters and hot, dry summers?

A)temperate grassland
B)desert
C)tundra
D)chaparral

Question 19

A large, relatively distinct terrestrial region with similar climate, soil, plants, and animals, regardless of where it occurs in the world is known as a(n)_________.

Question 20

Which of the following is the best definition of a biome?

A)A distinct aquatic ecosystem, surrounded by wetlands and terrestrial upland.
B)A large distinct terrestrial region similar climate, soil, organisms, regardless of its global location.
C)One of several types of forests occurring across the globe.
D)A natural association that consists of all the populations of different species that live and interact together within an area at the same time.

Question 21

Why is tall grass prairie North America's rarest biome?

A)Historically it only occurred in a very tiny region of North America.
B)Because over 90% of this biome has been converted to agriculture
C)Global warming has resulted in the conversion of most tall grass prairie to short grass prairie.
D)Pollution has degraded most of our tall grass prairie region.

Question 22

Correctly order the following from wettest to driest regions.

A)tall grass prairie, temperate desert, short grass prairie
B)short grass prairie, tall grass prairie, temperate desert
C)temperate desert, short grass prairie, tall grass prairie
D)tall grass prairie, short grass prairie, temperate desert

Question 23

A biome that has mild, moist winters and hot, dry summers with many fire adapted plants is known as ____________.

Question 24

Excluding soil organisms, what percentage of tropical rainforest inhabitants are adapted to live in the canopy?

A)90%
B)70%
C)50%
D)40%

Question 25

The majority of tallgrass prairies in North America have been converted to agriculture.

Question 26

What distinguishes a savanna from other types of grasslands?

A)Warm dry summers and cold dry winters
B)Widely scattered trees or clumps of trees
C)Large grazing herbivores
D)Large predators

Question 27

The biome with high amounts of precipitation, large narrow-leaved evergreen trees, and epiphytes including lichens is the:

A)taiga.
B)temperate deciduous forest.
C)tropical rain forest.
D)temperate rain forest.

Question 28

Which the following statements typifies tropical rain forests?

A)They are usually composed of at least ten distinct layers, or stories, of vegetation.
B)They are found in areas with high accumulations of organic material in the soil.
C)They occur in areas with ancient, highly weathered soil.
D)They are known for being only moderately productive.

Question 29

Which of the following is characteristic of desert animals?

A)They tend to be quite large in size.
B)They remain inactive during the driest months of the year.
C)They are active throughout the day and night.
D)Rodents are the only group of mammals represented in this biome.

Question 30

Which of the following characterizes both the savanna and the chaparral?

A)Periodic fires
B)Extensive stands of trees
C)Large herds of herbivorous mammals
D)Soils with high mineral content

Question 31

Which biome has considerable organic material in the soil, annual precipitation of 10-30 inches, and periodic wildfires to maintain the dominant vegetation?

A)temperate deciduous forest.
B)chaparral.
C)temperate grassland.
D)boreal forest.

Question 32

Which biome is characterized by hot summers and cold winters, topsoil rich in organic material, annual precipitation of 75 to 125 cm (30-50 in), and many hardwood trees?

A)temperate deciduous forest.
B)temperate grassland.
C)temperate rain forest.
D)boreal forest.

Question 33

Which of the following statements about deserts is TRUE?

A)They are the only biome with drought adapted vegetation.
B)They only occur in subtropical or tropical regions.
C)They are the only biome with small animals.
D)They are found in both temperate and subtropical or tropical regions.

Question 34

Which of the following distinguishes tundra from other biomes?

A)An extended day length during its growing season.
B)Nutrient-rich soils.
C)Continuous heavy precipitation.
D)Very long winters and long summers.

Question 35

Which biome is most suitable for the development of farmland?

A)taiga
B)tropical rain forest
C)temperate grassland
D)chaparral

Question 36

The biological community that characterizes the arctic tundra is: 1. migrating herbivores, small mammals, and predatory birds.
2. large trees.
3. mosses, lichens, and dwarf woody plants.

A)1 only
B)2 only
C)3 only
D)1 and 3

Question 37

Which biome is mismatched with the statement that follows it?

A)Tropical rain forest: plants grow in layers -- canopy, understory
B)Tundra: a layer of permafrost
C)Boreal forest: well suited for agriculture because of short growing season and mineral-poor soil
D)Chaparrals have many plants that are fire-adapted and grow best following a fire.

Question 38

The area that is dark green on the map below would MOST likely be what kind of biome?

A)chaparral
B)desert
C)tropical rainforest
D)tundra

Question 39

The biome represented here has:

A)A fairly open canopy throughout.
B)A wet season and a dry season.
C)Primarily small amphibians and reptiles.
D)Numerous ponds and lakes dug by ice sheets during the last ice age.

Question 40

Where do Chaparral biomes occur?

A)Only in the immediate area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
B)In regions with low levels of annual precipitation.
C)In areas with very fertile soil and a deep topsoil layer.
D)In regions around the globe with mild, wet winters, followed by hot, dry summers.

Question 41

Which of the following BEST defines ecosystem services?

A)Important environmental benefits provided by ecosystems
B)Environmental services that humans invest in conserving ecosystems
C)Environmental activities that are unique to each ecosystem or biome
D)Economic use of ecosystems as sinks

Question 42

Deciduous forests:

A)are adapted to extremely cold climates
B)have trees that bear seeds in cones
C)have trees that shed their leaves seasonally
D)are not useful commercially

Question 43

Which of the following organisms are representative of the limnetic zone?

A)Microscopic plankton
B)Frogs and their tadpoles
C)Cattails and other emergent vegetation
D)Worms, insect larvae, and crayfish

Question 44

The deepest zone in a large lake, below where the sunlight penetrates, is the:

A)limnetic zone.
B)littoral zone.
C)profundal zone.
D)benthic zone.

Question 45

Which of the following arguments would be MOST compelling to an economist considering the development of a wetland?

A)Wetlands are enjoyed by bird watchers.
B)Biodiversity is sometimes low in wetlands.
C)Wetlands provide habitat for muskrats and beavers.
D)Wetlands provide ecosystem services like water purification that would cost millions to replace.

Question 46

What kind of ecosystem is pictured here?

A)Fresh water lake
B)Freshwater swamp
C)Salt marsh
D)Tropical rainforest

Question 47

The shallow-water area along the shore of a lake or pond is called the:

A)limnetic zone
B)littoral zone
C)profundal zone
D)headwater zone

Question 48

Which of the following biomes is NOT known for its wood and lumber production?

A)temperate rain forest
B)taiga
C)chaparral
D)temperate deciduous forest

Question 49

What ecosystem service do meanders provide?

A)They provide additional habitat.
B)They absorb pollutants from the water
C)They slow down water flow
D)They increase river length

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT an ecosystem service supported by the wetland?

A)They provide biological habitat.
B)They trap pollution.
C)They replenish groundwater supply.
D)They provide fertile agricultural soils.

Question 51

Which of the following abiotic factors does NOT typically affect biome structure?

A)Elevation
B)Wildfires
C)Droughts
D)Salinity

Question 52

Where would you expect to find the littoral zone of a lake?

A)Shallow water area along the shore
B)Open water area farther from shore with enough sunlight for photosynthesis
C)Deepest known, where light typically does not penetrate effectively
D)Bottom region where organisms tend to attach themselves to one spot

Question 53

What are the three main ecological categories of organisms found in aquatic ecosystems?

A)plankton, nekton, fish
B)plankton, benthos, littoral
C)plankton, nekton, benthos
D)benthos, mangal, littoral

Question 54

Aquatic organisms that are weak swimmers are known as:

A)benthos.
B)nekton.
C)pelagic inhabitants.
D)plankton

Question 55

The biomes that commonly have fire-adapted species and are known for supporting herds of grazing animals are:

A)temperate grassland and temperate deciduous forest.
B)temperate grassland and savanna.
C)chaparral and boreal forest.
D)boreal forest and temperate deciduous forest.

Question 56

Which of the following does NOT apply to freshwater wetlands?

A)Anaerobic conditions
B)Accumulation of organic material
C)Water-tolerant vegetation
D)Drought resistant plants

Question 57

Strong swimming organisms in aquatic ecosystems that include fish, turtles and whales are known as _________.

Question 58

Which of the following is an ecosystem service?

A)Predation
B)Groundwater recharge
C)Habitat fragmentation
D)Fossil fuel emissions

Question 59

_______________ are the tropical equivalents of salt marches

Question 60

What kind of ecosystem is pictured here?

A)Savanna
B)Temperate grassland
C)Salt marsh
D)Tropical grassland

Question 61

Which of the following statements about natural selection is TRUE?

A)Only the strongest individuals survive to reproduce.
B)Individuals evolve traits that allow them to survive and pass those on to their offspring.
C)The most similar individuals are the most likely to adapt to new environments.
D)Individuals most adapted to their environments are most likely to survive and reproduce.

Question 62

Which of the following is the BEST example of primary succession?

A)A forest develops on abandoned farmland
B)A forest develops on the edge of a retreating glacier
C)A forest develops in the area of a forest fire
D)A forest develops in the area of a devastating flood

Question 63

Which of the following is found at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems?

A)Estuary
B)Salt marsh
C)Mangrove swamp
D)All of these choices

Question 64

Evidence for natural selection includes:

A)Observations from the fossil record.
B)Evidence from comparative anatomy.
C)Evidence from molecular biology.
D)All of these choices.

Question 65

The mechanism of natural selection involves all of the following EXCEPT:

A)overproduction within a species.
B)limits on population growth.
C)genetic variation.
D)a stable community structure.

Question 66

A coastal body of water partly surrounded by land with input from both sea and fresh water is called:

A)the limnetic zone.
B)an estuary.
C)a freshwater wetland.
D)the oceanic province.

Question 67

What process is illustrated in the figure?

A)Ecological niches
B)Primary succession
C)Secondary succession
D)Resource partitioning

Question 68

The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was written by Charles Darwin.

Question 69

Using the figure below determine which of the following pairs of organisms are most closely related?

A)Human and pig
B)Human and yeast
C)Duck and rattlesnake
D)Moth and tuna

Question 70

Individuals within a population each have a unique combination of traits, which is known as:

A)Genetic variation.
B)Reproductive capacity.
C)Evolution.
D)Differential reproductive success.

Question 71

What conclusion did Darwin come to after observing 14 species of finches in Galápagos Islands?

A)All of the finch species had descended from a single common ancestor.
B)All of the species descended from 14 different founder finches.
C)All of the species resembled finches on the South American mainland.
D)All of the species exhibited identical lifestyles, including diet.

Question 72

If each breeding pair of elephants produces 6 offspring during a 90-year life span, in 750 years, a single pair of elephants will have given rise to a population of 15 million elephants. Yet elephants have not overrun the planet. WHY?

A)Elephants have a niche that expands with the population.
B)Elephants produce more offspring than will survive to maturity.
C)Most elephants are kept in captivity (circus & zoo)and not allowed to reproduce.
D)Individual elephants in a population exhibit no variation, reducing their reproductive success.

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT important in determining the distribution of organisms in aquatic biomes?

A)Light penetration
B)Mineral nutrient concentrations
C)Precipitation
D)Salinity

Question 74

Who wrote The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859)?

A)G. F. Gause
B)John Muir
C)Carl Linnaeus
D)Charles Darwin

Question 75

Modern synthesis refers to:

A)The major changes that have been recently made to Darwin's theory of natural selection.
B)The modern rejection of Darwin's theory of natural selection based on new evidence.
C)Evidence for the Darwin's theory of natural selection.
D)The unified explanation of evolution based on a synthesis of Darwin's theory of natural selection with the principles of genetic.

Question 76

What term or phrase is used to describe cumulative genetic changes in populations that occur over generations?

A)natural selection
B)evolution
C)genetic variation
D)biodiversity

Question 77

Which of the following organisms would be members of a pioneer community on bare rock?

A)grass
B)lichens
C)shrubs
D)ferns

Question 78

Which of the following was not understood when Darwin was developing his theory of evolution by natural selection?

A)Surplus reproductive capacity of species.
B)Variation among members of a species.
C)Differential reproductive success.
D)Mutations (changes in DNA).

Question 79

Which of the following ecological concepts is illustrated by Darwin's Finches as shown below?

A)Ecological succession
B)Comparative anatomy
C)Co-evolution
D)Resource partitioning

Question 80

All of the following apply to estuaries EXCEPT:

A)There provide very valuable breeding grounds for commercially important fish and shellfish.
B)There is no salinity in estuarine ecosystems due to large supply of fresh water from a river.
C)Plants and algae that grow here have high tolerance for changing environmental conditions like salinity and light penetration.
D)These coastal ecosystems provide a barrier against the ocean during storms.