Deck 50: An Introduction to Ecology

Question 1

In the limnetic zone,you are most likely to find which organism?

A)lobster
B)halibut
C)pike
D)clam

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Figure 50.3

Based on the data in the figure above,which of the following statements is false?

A)Area 1 has more average precipitation than area 2.
B)Area 1 has a higher average temperature than area 2.
C)Both areas have variation in monthly precipitation.
D)Area 2 has a smaller annual temperature variation compared to area 1.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following statements regarding turnover is true?

A)In fall turnover,dense water at 4°C sinks and disturbs sediments in the benthic zone.
B)In fall turnover,dense water at 4°C rises and disturbs sediments in the benthic zone.
C)The surface water gets to 4°C only by cooling.
D)Fall turnovers and spring turnovers are exactly the same.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Figure 50.1
In the figure above,which number would designate the biome with the highest variation in annual precipitation?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 5

Figure 50.2

Based on the data in Figure 50.2,which of the following statements is true?

A)Area 1 could be called a boreal forest.
B)Area 2 could be called a temperate grassland.
C)Area 1 could be called a tropical wet forest.
D)Area 2 could be tundra.

Question 6

The specific abiotic factors defining a biome are

A)maximum annual temperature and moisture levels.
B)average annual temperature and moisture levels.
C)annual variation in temperature and precipitation.
D)maximum annual temperatures,moisture levels,and average annual temperature.
E)average annual temperature,moisture levels,and annual variation in temperature and precipitation.

Question 7

In deep water,which of the following abiotic factors would most limit productivity?

A)temperature
B)light availability
C)solute concentration
D)all of the above

Question 8

A fish species known for its success in the aphotic zone would likely NOT have which of the following characteristics?

A)symbioses with photosynthetic organisms
B)highly developed chemoreception
C)adaptations for burrowing
D)adaptations for sit-and-wait predation

Question 9

Wetlands are standing bodies of freshwater,just like lakes and ponds.However,wetlands are different from lakes and ponds because

A)wetlands have shallow water.
B)wetlands have emergent vegetation.
C)wetlands have oxygen-poor water.
D)answers A and B both apply.
E)answers B and C both apply.

Question 10

Figure 50.2

Based on the data in Figure 50.2,which of the following statements is false?

A)Area 1 has more average precipitation than area 2.
B)Area 1 would be considered a desert because of its high average temperature.
C)Area 2 would be considered a desert because of its low average precipitation.
D)Area 2 has a large annual temperature variation.

Question 11

Figure 50.3

Based on the data in Figure 50.3,which of the following statements is true?

A)Area 1 could be called a subtropical desert.
B)Area 2 could be called tundra.
C)Area 1 could be called a tropical wet forest.
D)Area 2 could be called a boreal forest.

Question 12

Which abiotic factor would have the most significant physiological effect on migrating salmon?

A)water solute content
B)competition for resources
C)water temperature
D)human-built structural interferences

Question 13

Figure 50.1
In Figure 50.1,which number would designate the biome with the highest variation in annual temperature?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 14

Which of the following statements regarding temperate grasslands is false?

A)Prairie fires can result from lightening strikes.
B)Grassland soils are not very fertile.
C)Grasslands are lower in productivity than tropical forest communities.
D)Grasslands have too little precipitation to support tree growth.

Question 15

Which level of ecological study focuses the most on abiotic factors?

A)speciation ecology
B)population ecology
C)community ecology
D)ecosystem ecology

Question 16

The carnivorous pitcher plant is successful in bog habitats because

A)it can tolerate lack of oxygen in the bog water.
B)it can tolerate the high acidity of the bog water.
C)it can gain nitrogen in an unusual way.
D)it can gain oxygen in an unusual way.

Question 17

Figure 50.1
Looking at the figure above,which number would designate the tropical wet forest biome?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 18

A fish swimming into an estuary from a river would have which of the following as its greatest physiological challenge?

A)The high water flow would make the fish expend more energy.
B)The low oxygen content would give the fish difficulty in swimming aerobically.
C)The temperature change would stress the fish by denaturing its proteins.
D)The change in water solute content would challenge the osmotic balance of the fish.

Question 19

Which of the following terms does NOT describe how much all of the plants in a biome grow?

A)productivity
B)net primary productivity
C)aboveground biomass
D)photosynthetic quotient

Question 20

A fish swimming into a bog environment in Ontario would likely have which of the following as its greatest physiological challenge?

A)The low oxygen content would make it difficult for the fish to swim aerobically.
B)The low nitrogen content would make it difficult for the fish to synthesize proteins.
C)The high temperature would stress the fish by denaturing its proteins.
D)The high water flow would make the fish expend more energy.

Question 21

Theoretically,which would be the most effective way to disrupt a Hadley cell?

A)Remove all equatorial moisture and convection.
B)Extensively water the deserts.
C)Heat the poles.
D)Shift the Sun to apply direct rays 30 degrees south latitude.

Question 22

Besides sunlight,which would be the next most important climatic factors for plants?

A)wind and fire
B)moisture and wind
C)temperature and wind
D)temperature and moisture

Question 23

Cheatgrass has been able to invade dry,temperate grasslands and the arid,shrub-dominated habitats (sage-steppe)of North America.Which of the following is NOT a reason for this?

A)Cheatgrass is an annual,so there are seeds in the ground ready to grow any year.
B)Cheatgrass is somewhat fire tolerant.
C)Cheatgrass promotes fire frequency and increases fire intensity.
D)Cheatgrass competes successfully with bunchgrasses for water and nutrients.
E)All of the above are valid reasons.

Question 24

Which of the following statements regarding altitude and climate is FALSE?

A)The presence of mountain ranges tends to produce extremes in precipitation.
B)Rain shadows may appear on one side of a mountain range.
C)The higher the altitude,the cooler the climate.
D)Both sides of a mountain range always receive equal amounts of precipitation.

Question 25

What is the main reason that climatic conditions on Mercury differ from those on Earth?

A)planet size
B)existence of plant life
C)average distance from the Sun
D)existence of an atmosphere

Question 26

According to the latest hypotheses,why do evergreens predominate in cold environments?

A)Evergreens begin photosynthesizing in early spring,even before the snow melts.
B)Evergreens do not shed their leaves and thus do not need as many soil nutrients.
C)Evergreens photosynthesize all year round.
D)Answers A and B are both correct.
E)Answers B and C are both correct.

Question 27

What happens to animal and plant diversity as latitude decreases?

A)Animal and plant diversity increases.
B)Animal and plant diversity decreases.
C)Animal and plant diversity is not affected by latitudinal changes.
D)Animal and plant diversity increases in variation per unit area.
E)Animal and plant diversity decreases in variation per unit area.

Question 28

The rainfall associated with the Indian summer monsoon shows a large intraseasonal and interannual variability.Break-monsoon conditions are one of the most important epochs of the monsoon,and they contribute significantly to the intraseasonal variability of the monsoon.Given what you know about the Hadley cell,how would it have to change to produce this break phase in the monsoon (Bhatla et al.,2004)?

A)The downward arm of Hadley cell strengthens.
B)The upward arm of Hadley cell strengthens.
C)The downward arm of Hadley cell weakens.
D)The upward arm of Hadley cell weakens.
E)No change is needed in the Hadley cell to produce the break phase.

Question 29

Which of the following organisms is likely to have the widest geographic distribution?

A)bacteria
B)Thermus aquaticus bacteria
C)polar bears
D)cheetahs

Question 30

In which terrestrial area is global warming most likely to allow coniferous trees to encroach?

A)tropical wet forests
B)arctic tundra
C)temperate forests
D)boreal forests

Question 31

Which of the following is not a biotic component of a burrow community?

A)the different species living in the burrow
B)the population of each species in the burrow
C)the air quality of the burrow
D)the food sources in the burrow

Question 32

For a species to be called "invasive," it must

A)be introduced to a new area.
B)spread rapidly in a new area.
C)eliminate native species.
D)Answers A and B both apply.
E)All of the above answers apply.

Question 33

If the Earth were to reorient such that the North Pole always received direct sunlight (always faced the Sun),how would that change Earth's climate?

A)The equators would not change in climate.
B)The South Pole would get colder.
C)The equators would get warmer.
D)The North Pole would get more wind.

Question 34

What would happen to the seasons if the Earth were tilted 35 degrees off its orbital plane instead of the usual 23.5 degrees?

A)The seasons would disappear.
B)Winters and summers would be more severe.
C)Winters and summers would be less severe.
D)The seasons would be shorter.

Question 35

Using the Bhatla et al.(2004)reference and your knowledge about the Hadley cell,would you expect a difference in thermodynamic parameters with monsoon magnitude and variability with latitude?

A)yes
B)no

Question 36

Which is a likely biotic factor limiting songbird distribution in Hawaii to alpine habitats?

A)temperature
B)oxygen content
C)moisture
D)insects causing fatal diseases in songbirds at lower altitudes

Question 37

Figure 50.4
Based on the figure above,and knowing what you know about cattle,what is the most logical conclusion?

A)Cattle distribution is primarily affected by temperature.
B)Tsetse flies somehow negatively affect cattle.
C)Cattle distribution is primarily affected by grass distribution.
D)Cattle somehow affect the reproduction of the tsetse fly.

Question 38

What is the main difference between climate and weather?

A)Weather typically describes a larger area than climate.
B)Climate typically describes longer-term conditions.
C)Climate typically describes shorter-term conditions.
D)Weather includes temperature and climate does not.

Question 39

You are measuring the effect of increased sunlight on a tropical wet forest biome.Which of the following would you measure?

A)NPP as it indicates the biomass available for other organisms to use.
B)Species diversity as it indicates the number of species present and their relative numbers.
C)The number of parasites in the area as it indicates the health of the biome.
D)All of A,B,and C.
E)Both A and B.

Question 40

Every place on Earth receives the same number of hours of sunlight each year-an average of 12 hours per day.Why do different areas of the Earth receive different amounts of solar radiation?

A)The height of the place above sea level is an important determinant of the amount of solar energy received.
B)The angle of the sunlight is an important determinant of the amount of solar energy received.
C)The density of the vegetation affects how much solar radiation a place will receive-the more grassland,the less solar radiation.
D)The density of the vegetation affects how much solar radiation a place will receive-the more tall trees,the less solar radiation.
E)Because of the curvature of the Earth,winds of the upper stratosphere can blow solar radiation away from an area before it reaches the ground.

Question 41

On Earth,the general trend is that with decreasing latitude and increased solar radiation,there is ________ produced by photosynthesis (by plants,etc).

A)an increase in biodiversity because of increased oxygen supplies
B)a decrease in biodiversity because of increased oxygen supplies
C)an increase in biodiversity because of increased biomass (food)
D)a decrease in biodiversity because of increased biomass (food)