Deck 3: Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work

Question 1

Ecologists study interactions within and among which five levels of organization?

A)cell, organism, atom, ecosystem, and molecule
B)atom, molecule, cell, organism, and population
C)molecule, cell, atom, community, and biosphere
D)organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere
E)atom, organism, cell, biosphere, and population

Answer 1

organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere

Question 2

Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?

A)nitrogen (N2)
B)carbon dioxide (CO2)
C)water vapor (H2O)
D)methane (CH4)
E)All of these answers are greenhouse gases.

Answer 2

nitrogen (N2)

Question 3

A community of different species interacting with one another and the physical and chemical factors of their nonliving environment is called a(n)

A)species
B)ecosystem
C)population
D)lithosphere
E)community

Answer 3

ecosystem

Question 4

Geologists find rock and soil samples in the

A)atmosphere
B)geosphere
C)biosphere
D)hydrosphere
E)troposphere

Question 5

The innermost layer of the atmosphere is the

A)troposphere
B)stratosphere
C)hydrosphere
D)geosphere
E)lithosphere

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a biotic factor that would impact a population of praying mantis?

A)the density of the population of praying mantis
B)the shifts in temperature from day to night in the local habitat
C)the local humidity and frequency of rainfall
D)exposure to warm winds, which might cause desiccation (dehydration)
E)frequent rainstorms that wash away local topsoils

Question 7

Which one of the following contains all of the others?

A)atom
B)community
C)cell
D)population
E)molecule

Question 8

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

A)Energy cycles, nutrients flow.
B)Nutrients cycle, energy flows.
C)Nutrients flow, energy flows.
D)Nutrients cycle, energy cycles.
E)Nutrients flow and cycle.

Question 9

All physical forms of water (solid, liquid, and gas) make up the

A)atmosphere
B)geosphere
C)biosphere
D)troposphere
E)hydrosphere

Question 10

Ozone, a gaseous O₃ molecule that filters out harmful UV radiation, is found in the

A)troposphere
B)geosphere
C)hydrosphere
D)stratosphere
E)biosphere

Question 11

Life on Earth depends on the following interconnected factors:

A)one-way flow of high quality energy
B)cycling of nutrients
C)gravity
D)all of these answers
E)one-way flow of high quality energy and cycling of nutrients

Question 12

A group of individuals of the same species occupying a given area at the same time is called a

A)species
B)population
C)community
D)organism
E)biome

Question 13

The disappearance of tropical rain forests should be a concern to us because

A)It will accelerate global warming.
B)The forests will likely only be replaced by less diverse grasslands in the future.
C)Tt will greatly reduce the Earth's total biodiversity.
D)All of these answers.
E)None of these answers.

Question 14

Which of the following choices best describes how an ecologist would typically study an ecosystem? The ecologist would study

A)only a single animal or plant
B)an animal or plant, plus other organisms with which it interacts
C)an animal or plant, the organisms it interacts with, and its water supply
D)an animal or plant, plus all the biotic and abiotic aspects of the ecosystem in which it lives
E)the water supply and other non-living aspects of an ecosystem

Question 15

As energy flows in ecosystems, it can be said to

A)cycle, as in a round trip
B)flow from high-quality to low-quality energy in a one-way fashion
C)either flow one way or cycle, depending on the type of energy involved
D)flow in a two-directional fashion
E)none of these answers

Question 16

Fossil fuels and minerals are found in the

A)atmosphere
B)geosphere
C)biosphere
D)hydrosphere
E)troposphere

Question 17

Tropical rain forests cover about 2% of the Earth's land surface, and

A)contain about 2% of the Earth's total biodiversity
B)contain less than 10% of the Earth's total biodiversity
C)contain no more than one-fourth of the Earth's total biodiversity
D)contain up to one-half of the Earth's total biodiversity
E)scientists currently do not know how much of the Earth's total biodiversity is contained in tropical rainforests, although they suspect it is very high

Question 18

Ecology is the study of how:

A)Atoms make up the environment.
B)Humans affect the environment.
C)Organisms interact with each other and their nonliving environment.
D)Energy runs the environment.
E)Evolution affects nature.

Question 19

The crust, core, and mantle are all areas located within the

A)stratosphere
B)biosphere
C)geosphere
D)hydrosphere
E)atmosphere

Question 20

Submarines explore the

A)atmosphere
B)geosphere
C)biosphere
D)hydrosphere
E)troposphere

Question 21

Autotrophs

A)make the nutrients they need from compounds and energy obtained from their environment
B)are know as producers
C)carry on photosynthesis
D)all of these answers
E)none of these answers

Question 22

Carpenter ants, bark beetles, and vultures are all examples of

A)primary producers
B)detritus feeders
C)decomposers
D)scavengers
E)secondary consumers

Question 23

If the biomass of flowers that support the butterflies was known to contain 100,000 units of energy, and certain bird species were eating the butterflies that foraged on the flowers, what amount of energy, on average, could be expected to be transferred to the birds?

A)50,000
B)10,000
C)1,000
D)100
E)10

Question 24

Organisms that break down bodies of dead plants and animals into nutrients that are released into the soil or water are called

A)detritivores
B)detritus feeders
C)decomposers
D)scavengers
E)omnivores

Question 25

Which ecosystem component plays a key role in the recycling of nutrients in the biosphere?

A)producers
B)primary consumers
C)herbivores
D)tertiary consumers
E)decomposers

Question 26

Which of the following best represents the process of photosynthesis?

A)Carbon dioxide + Glucose + Solar energy ® Water + Oxygen
B)Carbon dioxide + Water + Solar energy ® Glucose + Oxygen
C)Oxygen + Glucose + Solar energy ® Carbon dioxide + Water
D)Oxygen + Glucose ® Solar energy + Carbon dioxide + Water
E)Carbon dioxide + Water ® Solar energy + Glucose + Oxygen

Question 27

Bacteria and fungi are typically categorized as which of the following ecosystem components?

A)autotrophs
B)producers
C)primary consumers
D)tertiary consumers
E)decomposers

Question 28

The plants in this community would be classified as

A)producers
B)primary consumers
C)secondary consumers
D)decomposers
E)tertiary consumers

Question 29

All of the following are abiotic factors except

A)light
B)bacteria
C)pH
D)size of soil particles
E)water

Question 30

The organisms that are classified as primary consumers are the

A)detritivores
B)omnivores
C)carnivores
D)decomposers
E)herbivores

Question 31

Aerobic respiration requires

A)glucose and carbon dioxide
B)glucose and oxygen
C)oxygen and water
D)carbon dioxide and water
E)carbon dioxide and oxygen

Question 32

Organisms that feed on both plants and animals are called

A)detritus feeders
B)omnivores
C)carnivores
D)herbivores
E)decomposers

Question 33

All of the following are consumers except

A)herbivores
B)carnivores
C)omnivores
D)producers
E)decomposers

Question 34

The conversion of solar energy into chemical energy occurs in

A)photosynthesis
B)food chains
C)chemosynthesis
D)heterotrophic organisms
E)food webs

Question 35

A grassy meadow high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is known to support a variety of organisms.
a.During the summers when grass is thick and lush, and wildflowers abound, butterflies take advantage of the abundant nectar source.
a.Bears graze on the berries in shrubs at the edge of the meadow.
a.Deer also forage at the edge of the meadow.
a.In the early mornings, coyote are known to prey on the squirrel and mouse population that burrow into the meadow soil.
a.A variety of birds prey on the butterflies and other insects such as bees and wasps.
The coyotes would be classified as

A)producers
B)primary consumers
C)secondary consumers
D)decomposers
E)tertiary consumers

Question 36

Photosynthesis

A)converts glucose into energy and water
B)requires the combustion of carbon
C)produces carbon dioxide and oxygen gas
D)yields glucose and oxygen gas as products
E)yields glucose and carbon dioxide as products

Question 37

Of the total energy that falls on their leaves, what percent do producers on average convert to chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis?

A)0%
B)1%
C)10%
D)25%
E)50%

Question 38

Organisms that feed on plants are called

A)detritus feeders
B)omnivores
C)carnivores
D)herbivores
E)decomposers

Question 39

A grizzly bear eating blueberries is best categorized as which of the following?

A)producer
B)primary consumer
C)tertiary consumer
D)detritivore
E)decomposer

Question 40

The coyotes typically forage on mice and squirrels. a.However, as members of the canine family, Canidae, they are known to be able to eat berries and parts of plants as well as small animals.Thus, they would be classified as

A)herbivores
B)carnivores
C)omnivores
D)detritivores
E)producers

Question 41

The hydrologic cycle is driven primarily by

A)solar energy and gravity
B)solar energy and the moon
C)solar and mechanical energy
D)mechanical and chemical energy
E)chemical energy and the moon

Question 42

Which of the following would be considered a tertiary consumer?

A)spider
B)deer
C)hawk
D)caterpillar
E)duck

Question 43

Most of the energy input in a food chain is

A)in the form of heat
B)converted to biomass
C)recycled as it reaches the chain's end
D)degraded to low-quality heat
E)converted to carbon dioxide

Question 44

Which of the following biogeochemical cycles does not include the atmosphere as a temporary reservoir?

A)hydrologic
B)nitrogen
C)carbon
D)phosphorous
E)none of these answers

Question 45

If the producers in an ecosystem capture 40,000 units of energy, assuming average efficiency of energy transfer, how many units of this energy can likely be successfully converted into secondary consumer biomass?

A)40,000
B)4,000
C)400
D)40
E)4

Question 46

Of the following water-cycle processes, the one working against gravity is

A)percolation
B)infiltration
C)runoff
D)transpiration
E)precipitation

Question 47

Which of the following statements is false?

A)There is considerable waste in functioning natural ecosystems.
B)Food webs reflect the complexity of real ecosystems better than food chains.
C)Producers belong to the first trophic level.
D)Primary consumers are on a lower trophic level than secondary consumers.
E)Tertiary consumers are on the highest trophic level.

Question 48

Which of the following ecosystems has the highest net primary productivity?

A)agricultural land
B)open ocean
C)temperate forest
D)swamps and marshes
E)lakes and streams

Question 49

All of the following increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere except

A)respiration
B)photosynthesis
C)combustion
D)decomposition
E)none of these answers

Question 50

The most common gas in the atmosphere is

A)nitrogen
B)carbon dioxide
C)oxygen
D)hydrogen
E)methane

Question 51

With regards to productivity of an ecosystem, which of the following statements is accurate?

A)GPP is greater than NPP because of the metabolic process of photosynthesis.
B)GPP is greater than NPP because of the metabolic process of respiration.
C)NPP is greater than GPP because of the metabolic process of photosynthesis.
D)NPP is greater than GPP because of the metabolic process of respiration.
E)There is no significant difference between GPP and NPP.

Question 52

The portion of the planet that is responsible for the vast majority of the Earth's annual biomass production is/are

A)swamps and marshes
B)temperate forests
C)estuaries
D)lakes and streams
E)open oceans

Question 53

The hydrologic cycle refers to the movement of

A)hydrogen
B)oxygen
C)nitrogen
D)hydrocarbons
E)water

Question 54

Over land, about what percent of the water vapor in the atmosphere comes from water that has transpired from the surface of plants?

A)40-50%
B)60%
C)70%
D)80%
E)90%

Question 55

Net primary productivity

A)is the rate at which producers manufacture chemical energy through photosynthesis
B)is the rate at which producers use chemical energy through respiration
C)is the rate of photosynthesis plus the rate of respiration
D)is usually reported as the energy output of a specified area of producers over a given time
E)none of these answers

Question 56

The amount of energy transferred from an organism on one trophic level to the next trophic level ranges from 1.6% to 56%, but on average is about _____.

A)1%
B)10%
C)15%
D)25%
E)50%

Question 57

Where in a mammal would there be the highest concentrations of phosphorous?

A)liver and pancreas
B)muscle tissues
C)bones and teeth
D)central nervous system
E)hair and skin tissues

Question 58

Nitrogen makes up approximately ____% of the volume of the atmosphere.

A)25
B)42
C)57
D)78
E)85

Question 59

Transfer of carbon among organisms depends primarily on

A)fuel combustion and decomposition
B)photosynthesis and cellular respiration
C)soil bacteria and precipitation
D)volcanic activity and organic decay
E)the rock cycle

Question 60

Complex arrangements of feeding patterns in ecosystems are best described as

A)food webs
B)food chains
C)trophic levels
D)pyramids of energy
E)trophic chains

Question 61

Sulfuric acid and sulfates in the atmosphere are a problem when they

A)are deposited as acid rain
B)are deposited in the soil and incorporated into plants as nutrients
C)are deposited in ocean waters and return to deep ocean sediments
D)are deposited on glaciers in the Arctic
E)They are never a problem.

Question 62

The form of nitrogen most usable to plants is

A)ammonia
B)nitrogen gas
C)proteins
D)nitrates
E)methane

Question 63

Which statement(s) describes field research most accurately?

A)It has been used to develop most of our knowledge about ecosystems.
B)Controlled experiments can be done.
C)Geographic information systems can be employed to store and analyze data.
D)Remote sensing devices are sometimes used.
E)All of these answers.

Question 64

Which one of the following is not one of the common phosphorous reservoirs in the ecosystem?

A)water
B)organisms
C)atmosphere
D)rocks
E)marine sediment

Question 65

The study described above is best categorized as

A)field research
B)laboratory research
C)computer modeling
D)a combination of all three types of research
E)a combination of laboratory and field research, but no computer modeling

Question 66

Humans intervene in the phosphorous cycle by

A)mining large quantities of phosphate rock
B)using phosphate-based detergents
C)adding runoff of animal wastes from livestock feedlots to aquatic ecosystems
D)discharging municipal sewage
E)all of these answers

Question 67

Which of the following best describes the scientists' initial observations?

A)Woodrat nests had no apparent effect on cactus populations.
B)Cactus plants were less common close to woodrat nests.
C)Cactus plants were more common close to woodrat nests.
D)Cactus plants and woodrat nests were mutually exclusive.
E)The effect of woodrats on cactus plants was different from season to season.

Question 68

Ammonia is converted to nitrate and finally to nitrogen gas through the process of

A)nitrification
B)nitrogen fixation
C)leaching
D)ammonification
E)denitrification

Question 69

Ammonium ions are converted to nitrite ions and nitrate ions through the process of

A)nitrification
B)nitrogen fixation
C)denitrification
D)assimilation
E)leaching

Question 70

Which statement least describes ecosystem modeling?

A)It is typically applied only to very small natural systems, such as a single pond or stream.
B)It has developed since the 1960s.
C)It can be applied to complex systems that cannot be adequately studied in the field or laboratory.
D)It requires input of baseline data from field and laboratory studies.
E)None of these answers.

Question 71

Which statement least characterizes laboratory research?

A)It allows measurement of model ecosystems and populations under controlled conditions.
B)It is faster than similar field research.
C)It is less costly than similar field research.
D)It has been used to develop most of our knowledge about ecosystems.
E)None of these answers.

Question 72

Nitrogen fixation is accomplished by

A)legumes
B)cyanobacteria
C)algae
D)protozoa
E)round worms

Question 73

In the Sonoran desert of the southwestern United States, scientists observed that population clusters of a small cactus were very pronounced around nests of desert woodrats.
They began to think the woodrat was somehow connected to the seeding of these cactus plants.After years of counting and observing the woodrat nests and cactus plants, they collected the droppings of the woodrats and took them back to the lab to analyze them to see if they contained seeds of the cactus.
a.They also collected the droppings and transported them to other areas to see if this would bring about new population clusters of the cactus.They also programmed the data they had collected into a computer.
a.The computer program allowed the scientists to predict that increases in the woodrat population would result in increases in the cactus population, and likewise a decrease in woodrats would signal an impending decrease in cactus.
Which phase of the above-described situation could be called computer simulation?

A)when the scientists gathered woodrat dropping for lab analysis
B)when the scientists learned from the computer that woodrat nest numbers would impact cactus populations
C)when the scientists first observed the proximity of woodrat nests and cactus plants
D)all of these answers
E)none of these answers

Question 74

The major plant nutrient most likely to be a limiting factor is

A)phosphorous
B)calcium
C)nitrogen
D)potassium
E)carbon

Question 75

The majority of sulfur on the planet is

A)dissolved in saltwater in the oceans
B)located underground in rocks and minerals
C)buried in ocean sediments
D)all of these answers.
E)located underground in rocks and minerals and buried in ocean sediments

Question 76

All of the following are sources of phosphorous except

A)inorganic fertilizer
B)runoff of animal wastes from feedlots
C)detergents
D)acid rain
E)rocks

Question 77

When organisms die, their nitrogenous organic compounds are converted to simpler inorganic compounds such as ammonia through the process of

A)nitrification
B)ammonification
C)denitrification
D)assimilation
E)leaching

Question 78

Which of the following are properties of water?

A)It expands when it freezes.
B)It contracts when it freezes.
C)It can store large amounts of heat without changing its own temperature.
D)It can adhere to a solid surface.
E)All of these answers except it contracts when it freezes are correct.

Question 79

Nitrogen is a major component of all of the following except

A)proteins
B)nitrites
C)ammonia
D)DNA
E)groundwater

Question 80

It is estimated that at present scientists have _____________ of the baseline data they need to evaluate the status of ecosystems in the United States.

A)about 75%
B)almost all
C)less than half
D)100%
E)slightly more than half