Deck 4: Ecology and Geology

Question 1

The study of controls over the distribution and abundance of living things is called

A)ecosystem restoration
B)biota
C)ecosystem management
D)ecology

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Sea otter reintroduction in Alaska has led to

A)extinction of sea urchins
B)increase in kelp forests
C)decrease in kelp forests
D)ecosystem degradation

Answer 2

B

Question 3

An ecosystem involves only the living organisms in a region.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Which of the following does not tend to increase biodiversity in an ecosystem?

A)evolution
B)diverse habitats
C)extreme disturbance
D)relatively constant environmental factors

Question 5

One result of wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park is

A)increase in fine sediment in streams
B)increased species diversity in prey species
C)decreased species diversity in prey species
D)regrowth of streamside vegetation

Question 6

Why are native trees more diverse in North America than in Europe?

A)The larger ice sheets in North America caused more species to go extinct.
B)North American trees expanded into mountain ranges during glaciations.
C)European trees were trapped between the ice sheet and E-W trending mountain ranges.
D)North American trees are all of tropical origin.

Question 7

How a species "makes its living" is called its

A)habitat
B)niche
C)biota
D)ecology

Question 8

Restoring the Everglades ecosystem will require

A)controlling human population in south Florida
B)channelization of rivers
C)reintroduction of endangered species
D)extensive groundwater pumping

Question 9

Tree roots can interact with the geological environment to help reduce landsliding.

Question 10

An indigenous ecosystem is one that

A)is heavily impacted by humans
B)is not substantially impacted by humans
C)is reconstructed by humans
D)includes native human beings

Question 11

Ecosystems can be constructed by humans.

Question 12

Coastal marshes reduce flooding and coastal erosion. This impact is an example of

A)ecosystem restoration
B)ecological succession
C)environmental stewardship
D)natural service functions of ecosystems

Question 13

Species with disproportionate influences on their ecosystems are called

A)dominant species
B)keystone species
C)endangered species
D)natural species

Question 14

Landslides in Southern California mountains can benefit steelhead trout.

Question 15

The part of an ecosystem where a species lives is called its niche.

Question 16

A group of individuals capable of interbreeding is called a(n)

A)ecosystem
B)species
C)biota
D)ecological community

Question 17

The Kissimmee River in Florida needed restoration because of

A)channelization
B)extreme industrial pollution
C)seawall construction
D)introduction of exotic species

Question 18

The dominant processes in an ecosystem are

A)life and death
B)damage and restoration
C)energy flows and chemical cycles
D)interactions of biota and geologic environment

Question 19

What human activities have impacted the Everglades negatively?

A)removal of keystone species
B)commercial fishing
C)wetlands draining
D)removal of sand dune vegetation

Question 20

As an ecosystem evolves following disturbance, it follows the path of

A)succession
B)restoration
C)naturalization
D)ecology

Question 21

The ________ of a sea urchin in a kelp forest is eating kelp.

Question 22

Seawalls can decrease biodiversity by narrowing beaches.

Question 23

________ is the process of altering a site or area with the objective of reestablishing indigenous, historical ecosystems.

Question 24

Sea urchins help preserve kelp in kelp forests.

Question 25

A(n) ________ species has an effect on its ecological community disproportionate to its abundance.

Question 26

Mountain ranges may have influenced biodiversity of trees in Europe and North America.

Question 27

Disturbance in an ecosystem can increase biodiversity.

Question 28

Introduction of a(n) ________ plant species reduced biodiversity of small dunes at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Question 29

A(n) ________ is a group of individuals capable of interbreeding.

Question 30

A(n) ________ is a group of populations of different species living in the same area with varying degrees of interaction with each other.

Question 31

Disturbance in an ecosystem can decrease biodiversity.

Question 32

The orientation of mountain ranges influenced the diversity of ________ species in Europe and North America.

Question 33

Succession of tree species should be a common process in an avalanche chute.

Question 34

________ is the study of controls over the distribution and abundance of living things.

Question 35

Wolves and sea otters are examples of ________ species.

Question 36

Wolves in Yellowstone National Park reduced streamside willows by forcing the elk to take cover in the stream channels.

Question 37

________ was a prominent scientist who advocated the use of an appropriate time scale in analyzing the environmental crisis.

Question 38

A(n) ________ of coastal marshes is the prevention of coastal erosion.

Question 39

A volcano that erupts with frequent, moderate eruptions is more likely to increase biodiversity than is a volcano that erupts with major eruptions.

Question 40

The Kissimmee River ecosystem benefited greatly from stream channelization and flood control.

Question 41

The ________ of a region includes all living organisms living there.

Question 42

Cheatgrass is an exotic plant that continues to invade the sagebrush steppe ecosystems of the western interior United States. It is likely to decrease the ________ of the region.