Deck 19: Ecosystem Essentials

Question 1

Of the total energy intercepted at the surface of Earth and available for work,only about how much is actually fixed by photosynthesis?

A)1%.
B)5%.
C)10%.
D)15%.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A study of the dietary requirements of African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana)in a savanna environment,and the role the elephants play in that environment,would be an example of a topic studied in which of the following?

A)Biogeography.
B)Ecology.
C)Pedology.
D)Plant biology.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which is a self-regulating association of living plants and animals and their nonliving physical environment?

A)Ecosystem.
B)Ecotone.
C)Community.
D)Niche.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

6CO2 + 6H2O + Light g C6H12O6 + 6O2 is the generalized equation for which process?

A)Respiration.
B)Photosynthesis.
C)Chemosynthesis.
D)Transpiration.

Question 5

Which names the openings on the surfaces of plant leaves through which gases move?

A)Chlorophyll.
B)Stomata.
C)Guard cells.
D)Chloroplasts.

Question 6

Chlorophyll reflects predominately which wavelengths of visible light?

A)Red.
B)Blue.
C)Green.
D)Indigo.

Question 7

Which of the following is a biotic component of an ecosystem?

A)Plants.
B)Sunlight.
C)Precipitation.
D)Mineral nutrients.

Question 8

Which is the study of the distribution of plants and animals,the diverse spatial patterns they create,and the physical and biological processes that produce Earth's species richness?

A)Biology.
B)Ecology.
C)Geoarchaeology.
D)Biogeography.

Question 9

Today,there are over 270 000 plant species with conductive tissues and material flow systems known as which of the following?

A)Blue-green algae.
B)Cyanobacteria.
C)Xeriphytes.
D)Vascular plants.

Question 10

Which of the following is an abiotic component of an ecosystem?

A)Plants.
B)Animals.
C)Bacteria.
D)Mineral nutrients.

Question 11

An organism capable of synthesizing its own food and inorganic substances using sunlight or chemical energy is known as which of the following?

A)Heterotroph.
B)Autotroph.
C)Primary consumer.
D)Secondary consumer.

Question 12

Which lists the type of system an ecosystem is in terms of energy,and in terms of matter?

A)Open; open.
B)Open; closed.
C)Closed; open.
D)Closed; closed.

Question 13

C6H12O6 + 6O2 g 6CO2 + 6H2O + heat energy is the generalized equation for which process?

A)Respiration.
B)Photosynthesis.
C)Chemosynthesis.
D)Transpiration.

Question 14

A study of the spatial distribution of the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)and the environmental factors that control that distribution would be an example of a topic studied in which of the following?

A)Biogeography.
B)Ecology.
C)Pedology.
D)Plant biology.

Question 15

Autotrophs that dwell in dark caves,in wells,or on the ocean floor often depend on which of the following biogeochemical processes?

A)Chemosynthesis.
B)Photosynthesis.
C)Nutrient leaching.
D)Nitrogen fixing.

Question 16

Which is involved in photosynthesis?

A)The release of stored carbon dioxide in a process using sunlight.
B)The union of carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the presence of sunlight,and the release of oxygen.
C)A process known as respiration.
D)Important reactions within the stems and roots of plants.

Question 17

Which best describes Earth's biosphere?

A)It consists of only terrestrial organisms,while the hydrosphere includes aquatic and marine organisms.
B)It only includes the biotic components of an ecosystem,with the abiotic components being considered part of the lithosphere,hydrosphere,or atmosphere,respectively.
C)It is more a theoretical construct than an observable sphere of study.
D)It extends from the ocean floor to an altitude of approximately 8 km into the atmosphere.

Question 18

Which is the study of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment?

A)Biology.
B)Ecology.
C)Pedology.
D)Biogeography.

Question 19

Which lists the wavelengths that chlorophyll absorbs for photochemical operations?

A)Orange-red and violet-blue.
B)Violet-blue and green-yellow.
C)Orange-red and green-yellow.
D)Yellow-red and violet-green.

Question 20

The gaseous oxygen in Earth's atmosphere was produced as a by-product of which process?

A)Volcanic outgassing.
B)Photochemical reactions breaking down ozone (O3)to form oxygen (O2).
C)Photosynthesis.
D)Decay of organic matter.

Question 21

In which of the following marine/aquatic ecosystems would one tend to find the highest net primary productivity?

A)Open ocean.
B)Boreal forest.
C)Algal beds and reefs.
D)Upwelling zone.

Question 22

To which does "dead zone" refer?

A)Terrestrial areas in which excessive nitrogen fertilizer has essentially burned the soil,preventing plants and microorganisms from living there.
B)Oligotrophic areas in water bodies that cannot support life due to lack of nutrients.
C)An ecosystem that was cleared of all vegetation for slash and burn agriculture.
D)Hypoxic areas in water bodies that limit marine and aquatic life.

Question 23

Respiration involves which of the following?

A)The use of heat energy to react carbon dioxide with water to produce oxygen.
B)A chemical reaction between carbohydrates and oxygen to produce carbon dioxide,water,and heat energy.
C)A photochemical reaction involving carbon dioxide and water to produce carbohydrates and oxygen.
D)A photochemical reaction involving carbon dioxide and oxygen to produce water and oxygen.

Question 24

Which is a complex network of interconnected food chains with multidirectional branches?

A)Food web.
B)Niche order.
C)Trophic level.
D)Food pyramid.

Question 25

Which of the following is the largest carbon sink?

A)The atmosphere.
B)Fossil fuels and oil shales.
C)Dead organic matter.
D)The oceans.

Question 26

Which of the following best describes the spatial variability of net primary productivity?

A)At temperate and high latitudes,the rate of carbon fixing is constant.
B)Productivity rates are constantly high throughout the year in the tropics.
C)Net primary productivity is highest in the fall and winter in temperate and high latitude areas.
D)Productivity rates in deserts are much greater than those of tropical regions.

Question 27

Which is the net dry weight of all organic material in an ecosystem?

A)Net primary productivity.
B)Biomass.
C)Net photosynthesis.
D)Compensation point.

Question 28

Which is the break-even point between the production and consumption of organic material?

A)Net primary productivity.
B)Compensation point.
C)Net photosynthesis.
D)Free air CO2 enrichment.

Question 29

Which is the net photosynthesis for an entire ecosystem?

A)Net primary productivity.
B)Compensation point.
C)Net photosynthesis.
D)Free air CO2 enrichment.

Question 30

Which is the difference between the photosynthetic production of carbohydrates and the respiration loss of carbohydrates?

A)Net primary productivity.
B)Compensation point.
C)Net photosynthesis.
D)Free air CO2 enrichment.

Question 31

In which of the following terrestrial ecosystems would one tend to find the lowest net primary productivity?

A)Extreme desert.
B)Woodland and shrubland.
C)Tundra.
D)Cultivated lands.

Question 32

How is atmospheric nitrogen converted to a usable form in the biosphere?

A)Atmospheric nitrogen is directly available to plants and animals.
B)It is absorbed into plants via stomata and converted within the plant to a usable form.
C)Bacteria within root nodules of legumes chemically combine the atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates and ammonia.
D)Atmospheric nitrogen is completely unavailable to plants and animals and,as a result,synthetic fertilizers must be used.

Question 33

Which does photosynthesis convert?

A)Heat energy,carbon dioxide,and water into carbohydrates and oxygen.
B)Heat energy,oxygen,and carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and water.
C)Light energy,carbon dioxide,and water into carbohydrates and oxygen.
D)Light energy,oxygen,and carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and water.

Question 34

Together,three natural elements make up 99% of Earth's biomass.Which of the following lists those three elements?

A)Oxygen (O),hydrogen (H),nitrogen (N).
B)Hydrogen (H),nitrogen (N),carbon (C).
C)Nitrogen (N),carbon (C),oxygen (O).
D)Carbon (C),oxygen (O),hydrogen (H).

Question 35

Organisms that share the same feeding level (e.g.primary producers,primary consumers,secondary consumers,etc.)are said to be which of the following?

A)At the same food web.
B)At the same niche order.
C)At the same trophic level.
D)At the same food pyramid.

Question 36

In which of the following terrestrial ecosystems would one tend to find the highest net primary productivity?

A)Temperate grassland.
B)Boreal forest.
C)Tropical seasonal forest.
D)Tundra and alpine region.

Question 37

Which is the idealized unidirectional pathway along which energy flows through an ecosystem?

A)Food web.
B)Niche order.
C)Trophic cascade.
D)Food chain.

Question 38

Approximately how much of the light energy arriving at the surface of a leaf is useful to chlorophyll?

A)5%.
B)10%.
C)25%.
D)50%.

Question 39

Which of the following best describes nitrogen?

A)The atmosphere contains about 28% nitrogen.
B)Bacterial action is key to the nitrogen cycle.
C)Atmospheric nitrogen is accessible directly to most organisms.
D)Nitrogen is unimportant to organisms.

Question 40

In which of the following areas would one tend to find the highest net primary productivity?

A)Northern Brazil.
B)Central Australia.
C)Western Canada.
D)Eurasia.

Question 41

Lichen are made up of algae and fungi living together.In this relationship,the alga is the producer and food source for the fungus and the fungus provides structure and physical support for the alga.This is an example of which symbiotic relationship?

A)Parasitism.
B)Mutualism.
C)Commensalism.
D)Amensalism.

Question 42

Which of the following would not be a limiting factor for a plant species?

A)Soil phosphorus content.
B)Daily precipitation values.
C)Number of predators.
D)Days below freezing.

Question 43

Only about which percentage of the kilocalories in a trophic level is passed to the next trophic level (e.g.from autotroph to primary consumer)?

A)5%.
B)10%.
C)15%.
D)20%.

Question 44

In coral reefs,clownfish live unharmed among the poisonous tentacles of sea anemones.The sea anemones protect the clownfish from predation,while the clownfish scare off predators,such as butterfly fish,which would otherwise eat the anemones.The clownfish may also provide important nutrients to the anemones.This is an example of which symbiotic relationship?

A)Parasitism.
B)Mutualism.
C)Commensalism.
D)Amensalism.

Question 45

The zonation of flora and fauna along an altitudinal transect similar to that found along latitudinal transects is known as which of the following?

A)Altitude-latitude hypothesis.
B)Vegetation similarity theory.
C)The life zone concept.
D)Altitudinal zonation principle.

Question 46

Which is the environment in which an organism resides or is biologically adapted to live?

A)Ecotone.
B)Habitat.
C)Community.
D)Niche.

Question 47

Which refers to the biotic and abiotic characteristics in the environment that determine species distribution?

A)Limiting factor.
B)Range of tolerance.
C)Ecological niche.
D)Habitat.

Question 48

Epiphytic plants,such as various species of orchids (Orchidaceae),grow upon another plant,using the plants for physical support,but bringing no harm to the host plant.This is an example of which symbiotic relationship?

A)Parasitism.
B)Mutualism.
C)Commensalism.
D)Amensalism.

Question 49

The snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis)is a specialist that feeds on only one specific type of snail.By comparison,the Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos)is a generalist that feeds on diverse food sources.Whereas the snail kite has a very limited range,the Mallard Duck has a very broad range.The snail kite's diet is an example of which of the following?

A)Limiting factor.
B)Range of tolerance.
C)Ecological niche.
D)Habitat.

Question 50

A consumer,such as a bear,that eats both producers (plants)and consumers (animals)is which of the following?

A)Herbivore.
B)Carnivore.
C)Omnivore.
D)Detritivore.

Question 51

Which are the interacting populations of living plants and animals in a particular location?

A)Metapopulation.
B)Ecosystem.
C)Community.
D)Niche.

Question 52

Consider a simple food chain in which a grasshopper eats grass,the grasshopper is eaten by a frog,and the frog is eaten by a snake.Which of the following is correctly matched?

A)Grass - secondary consumer.
B)Grasshopper - herbivore.
C)Frog - autotroph.
D)Snake - primary consumer.

Question 53

A black walnut (Juglans nigra)emits a chemical that may kill or inhibit the growth of other nearby shrubs or trees.However,the black walnut is unaffected by this interaction.This is an example of which symbiotic relationship?

A)Parasitism.
B)Mutualism.
C)Commensalism.
D)Amensalism.

Question 54

Mistletoe (Phoradendron)infest many taxa of plants,often causing the branches of the host species to become swollen and distorted and making the trees more susceptible to insect infestations.This is an example of which symbiotic relationship?

A)Parasitism.
B)Mutualism.
C)Commensalism.
D)Amensalism.

Question 55

From the perspective of energy,which of the following is the most efficient trophic level?

A)Primary producer.
B)Primary consumer.
C)Secondary consumer.
D)Tertiary consumer.

Question 56

As chemical pesticides move through the trophic pyramid,they may be amplified at each higher level.Which is this process?

A)Biomagnification.
B)Trophic cascading.
C)Competitive exclusion.
D)Pyramidal decay.

Question 57

In food webs,toxic chemicals tend to accumulate and concentrate most in which level?

A)Top carnivores.
B)Herbivores.
C)Omnivores.
D)Autotrophs.

Question 58

Which is the specific,unique role that a species performs within a given area?

A)Ecotone.
B)Habitat.
C)Community.
D)Niche.

Question 59

Currently,approximately which percentage of cultivated acreage in Canada and the United States is planted for animal consumption?

A)15%.
B)30%.
C)50%.
D)65%.

Question 60

Which is the proposition that no two species can occupy the same ecological niche?

A)Symbiosis.
B)Competitive exclusion principle.
C)Trophic pyramid theory.
D)Ecological niche theory.

Question 61

When a community is disturbed to the point that most or all of the species in it are eliminated,a process occurs in which the area undergoes a series of changes in species composition as newer communities replace older ones.Which is this process?

A)Rejuvenation.
B)Mass extinction.
C)Ecological succession.
D)Patch dynamics.

Question 62

Approximately what percentage of plant and animal species has been classified overall?

A)1%.
B)13%.
C)67%.
D)92%.

Question 63

If a lava flow completely denudes a mountain,leaving only bare rock,what type of succession will follow?

A)Primary.
B)Secondary.
C)Tertiary.
D)Quaternary.

Question 64

Which of the following best describes possible impacts on ecosystems that might occur as a result of climate change?

A)Studies have demonstrated there will be no impact on plant distributions.
B)The prairie grassland/northern forest boundary is now in central Nebraska and is unchanging.
C)The prairie grassland/northern forest boundary is expected to move northward with increasing temperatures.
D)Beech trees in eastern North America will not change in distribution.

Question 65

Which is the ability of an ecosystem to recover quickly from a disturbance and return to its original state?

A)Resilience.
B)Vicariance.
C)Punctuated equilibrium.
D)Succession.

Question 66

Consider a monocultural agriculture community and a community with high biodiversity.How does the vulnerability to disturbance compare between the two?

A)Monoculural community is less vulnerable than the diverse community.
B)Monoculural community is more vulnerable than the diverse community.
C)Monoculural community is equally vulnerable as the diverse community.

Question 67

Which is the notion that the traits that help a species survive and reproduce are passed along more frequently than those that do not (i.e.differential reproduction and adaptation)?

A)Lamarckianism.
B)Punctuated equilibrium.
C)Natural selection.
D)Gradualism.

Question 68

Continental drift separating a once continuous population is an example of which process?

A)Lamarckian evolution.
B)Punctuated equilibrium.
C)Mutation.
D)Vicariance.

Question 69

When a random occurrence produces altered genetic material and inserts new traits into the inherited stream,which has occurred?

A)Lamarckian evolution.
B)Punctuated equilibrium.
C)Mutation.
D)Vicariance.

Question 70

Which embodies the origin of Earth's biological diversity?

A)The life zone concept.
B)The theory of evolution.
C)Ecological succession principle.
D)Competitive exclusion principle.

Question 71

Since life arose on Earth,how many major extinctions have occurred?

A)One.
B)Two.
C)Six.
D)Ten.

Question 72

Increased foliage cover in parts of Australia has been attributed to which of the following climate change related phenomena?

A)Sea level rise.
B)Cloud albedo forcing.
C)CO2 fertilization effect.
D)Cloud greenhouse forcing.

Question 73

If a forest fire destroyed the vegetation in an area,but left some vestiges of the previously functioning community and the soil intact,what type of succession would follow?

A)Primary.
B)Secondary.
C)Tertiary.
D)Quaternary.

Question 74

In which portion of a lake would oligotrophic conditions most likely occur?

A)Along the shore.
B)In shallow bays.
C)In deep water.
D)In areas where high nutrient inputs occur.

Question 75

Why does rapid climate change pose a potential threat to organisms?

A)Plants may be unable to re-colonize an area fast enough to survive.
B)Habitat expansion will occur for plants.
C)Habitat expansion will occur for animals that depend on plant ecosystems that are more dispersed.
D)Temperature limiting factors may cause some ecosystems and communities to be strengthened.

Question 76

Which of the following has the highest number of known species?

A)Plants.
B)Insects.
C)Chordates.
D)Bacteria.

Question 77

Which is the first species to colonize previously disturbed or damaged ecosystems?

A)Sere.
B)Pioneer community.
C)Successor.
D)Establishment.

Question 78

Human caused eutrophication is known as which of the following?

A)Oligotrophication.
B)Mesotrophication.
C)Cultural eutrophication.
D)Anthropotrophication.

Question 79

How is biodiversity in an ecosystem related to long-term stability and productivity?

A)If biodiversity is greater,then long-term stability and productivity is greater.
B)If biodiversity is greater,then long-term stability and productivity is less.
C)If biodiversity is less,then long-term stability and productivity is greater.
D)If biodiversity is less,then long-term stability and productivity is slightly more.

Question 80

Which of the following is the correct order of lake succession,from lowest to highest nutrient levels?

A)Oligotrophic,mesotrophic,eutrophic.
B)Eutrophic,oligotrophic,mesotrophic.
C)Mesotrophic,eutrophic,oligotrophic.
D)Oligotrophic,eutrophic,mesotrophic.