Much of the current tropical rainforest biomes are experiencing a rapid rate of decreasing forests cover, due to logging and conversion of forests into agricultural land. Scientists estimate, if this trend continues, that the loss of forested land would

Much of the current tropical rainforest biomes are experiencing a rapid rate of decreasing forests cover, due to logging and conversion of forests into agricultural land. Scientists estimate, if this trend continues, that the loss of forested land would

A)cause a decrease of soil erosion in those areas being deforested

B)increase the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere due to increased transpiration

C)increase the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

D)increase the amount of biodiversity in the area

E)decrease the available nitrogen, since decomposition rates are greatest in the tropics

Answer: C

Which of the following is a way that humans alter the water cycle?

Which of the following is a way that humans alter the water cycle?

A)withdraw large quantities from streams, lakes and aquifers

B)alter weather patterns by clearing vegetation

C)all of these choices

D)increase flooding by disturbing natural flood controls

E)increase runoff by clearing vegetation from the land

Answer: C

Also known as mineralization, this process is carried out by decomposers and returns nutrients in organic matter back to the soil

Also known as mineralization, this process is carried out by decomposers and returns nutrients in organic matter back to the soil

A. Nitrification

B. Denitrification

C. Nitrogen fixation

D. Assimilation

E. Ammonification





Answer: E

Small inputs of this substance, commonly a limiting factor in aquatic ecosystems, can result in algal blooms and dead zones.

Small inputs of this substance, commonly a limiting factor in aquatic ecosystems, can result in algal blooms and dead zones.

A. dissolved oxygen

B. dissolved carbon dioxide

C. sulfur

D. phosphorous

E. potassium

Answer: D

Which micronutrient is required by humans in the largest amounts?

Which micronutrient is required by humans in the largest amounts?

A. magnesium

B. nitrogen

C. potassium

D. sulfur

E. calcium

Answer: B

Which of the following would NOT be an abiotic limiting factor?

Which of the following would NOT be an abiotic limiting factor?

A)too much water

B)population overcrowding

C)too little potassium

D)too little water

E)too high temperature

Answer: B

The major reservoirs of nitrogen and sulfur in the biosphere are correctly identified by which of the following?

The major reservoirs of nitrogen and sulfur in the biosphere are correctly identified by which of the following?

A) nitrogen in the rocks, sulfur in vegetation

B) nitrogen in the rocks, sulfur in the rocks

C) nitrogen in the rocks, sulfur in the atmosphere

D)nitrogen in the atmosphere, sulfur in the rocks

E) nitrogen in the atmosphere, sulfur in the atmosphere

Answer: D

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the Greenhouse Effect?

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the Greenhouse Effect?

A)The Greenhouse Effect is vital to continued life on earth as we know it

B)The Greenhouse Effect helps warm the troposphere

C)It is caused by the interaction of gaseous molecules that are excited by infrared radiation

D)atmospheric gases prevent Earth's absorbed heat from radiating back into space

E)It is based on the potential energy of the molecules in the air

Answer: E

Organisms live within a range of tolerance that determines their habitat. Which of the conditions below is NOT a range of tolerance?

Organisms live within a range of tolerance that determines their habitat. Which of the conditions below is NOT a range of tolerance?

A)Coral polyps need a symbiotic algae living within them.

B)Desert cacti can thrive in areas with low levels of rainfall.

C)Trout populations live in areas with high dissolved oxygen content and a narrow range of temperatures.

D)Blue crabs in an estuary can tolerate wide swings of salinity and temperature.

E)Royal ferns require moist areas and are only found in wetlands.

Answer: A

High quality energy is constantly

High quality energy is constantly

A)being destroyed

B)becoming low quality energy

C)becoming matter

D)being recycled

E)being made

Answer: B

The most important factor in determining which biome is found in a particular area is

The most important factor in determining which biome is found in a particular area is

A)soil type

B)topography

C)climate

D)longitude

E)biogeography

Answer: C

Complex feeding patterns for consumers in an ecosystem are called

Complex feeding patterns for consumers in an ecosystem are called

A)food chains

B)food webs

C)pyramids of energy

D)trophic chains

E)trophic levels

Answer: B

Fragmenting one large park or preserve into many small parks with human habitation in between them is most likely to lead to which of the following?

Fragmenting one large park or preserve into many small parks with human habitation in between them is most likely to lead to which of the following?

A)reduction in species diversity

B)increase in population size of top carnivores

C)increase in gene flow within species

D)stabilization of microclimates

E)decrease in the proportion of edge habitat

Answer: A

Which of the following is a green house gas that is emitted into the atmosphere by transpiration?

Which of the following is a green house gas that is emitted into the atmosphere by transpiration?

A)nitrogen gas (N2)

B)methane (CH4)

C)phosphate (PO43-)

D)water (H2O)

E)carbon dioxide gas (CO2)

Answer: D

Organisms that complete the final breakdown and recycling of organic materials from the remains of all organisms are the

Organisms that complete the final breakdown and recycling of organic materials from the remains of all organisms are the

A)detritivores

B)omnivores

C)carnivores

D)decomposers

E)herbivores

Answer: D

After a severe drought, the productivity in an ecosystem took many years to return to pre-drought conditions. This observation indicates that the ecosystem has

After a severe drought, the productivity in an ecosystem took many years to return to pre-drought conditions. This observation indicates that the ecosystem has

A)equal resistance and resilience

B)high resilience

C)low resilience

D)high resistance

E)low resistance

Answer: C

All of the following gases make a significant contribution to the natural greenhouse effect except

All of the following gases make a significant contribution to the natural greenhouse effect except

A)methane

B)carbon dioxide

C)water vapor

D)nitrous oxide

E)sulfur dioxide

Answer: E

This process has plants converting inorganic nitrogen compounds into organic compounds, such as amino acids

This process has plants converting inorganic nitrogen compounds into organic compounds, such as amino acids

A. Nitrification

B. Denitrification

C. Nitrogen fixation

D. Assimilation

E. Ammonification

Answer: D

Most of the energy input in a food chain is

Most of the energy input in a food chain is

A)used as a heat source by organisms

B)converted to carbon dioxide.

C)recycled as it reaches the end of the chain.

D)converted to biomass.

E)degraded to low quality heat.

Answer: E

Which of the following has the LEAST net primary productivity (NPP)?

Which of the following has the LEAST net primary productivity (NPP)?

A)temperate deciduous forest

B)tundra

C)swamps and marshes

D)tropical rainforest

E)estuaries

Answer: B

Large ecological regions with characteristic types of natural vegetation and distinctive animals are called

Large ecological regions with characteristic types of natural vegetation and distinctive animals are called

A)populations

B)biomes

C)communities

D)ecospheres

E)biospheres

Answer: B

Which of the activities listed below is NOT an important ecological role of insects?

Which of the activities listed below is NOT an important ecological role of insects?

A)serving as an important food supply for many animals

B)moving genes from genetically designed crops to wild crops

C)pollinating plants

D)helping to control the population of insects by eating them

E)loosening and fertilizing the soil for plant growth

Answer: B

The percentage of usable energy transferred as biomass from one trophic level to another is known as

The percentage of usable energy transferred as biomass from one trophic level to another is known as

A)trophic transfer

B)range of tolerance

C)ecological efficiency

D)biological diversity

E)energy flow

Answer: C

Which of the following is a green house gas emitted by cattle?

Which of the following is a green house gas emitted by cattle?

A)carbon dioxide gas (CO2)

B)nitrogen gas (N2)

C)phosphate (PO43-)

D)methane (CH4)

E)water (H2O)

Answer: D

Which cycle has a direct effect on the natural greenhouse effect?

Which cycle has a direct effect on the natural greenhouse effect?

A)nitrogen cycle

B)phosphorous cycle

C)oxygen cycle

D)sulfur cycle

E)carbon cycle

Answer: E

Much of the earth's sulfur is stored in

Much of the earth's sulfur is stored in

A)soil

B)the atmosphere

C)the oceans

D)plants and animals

E)underground rocks and minerals

Answer: E

Sulfur is added to the atmosphere in all of the following ways EXCEPT

Sulfur is added to the atmosphere in all of the following ways EXCEPT

A)from acid rain deposition

B)from volcanoes

C)from sea spray

D)anaerobic decomposition in swamps

E)heavy fertilizer use

Answer: E

An ecosystem has an ecological efficiency of 10 percent. If the producer level contains 10,000 kilocalories of energy, how much energy does the tertiary consumer level contain?

An ecosystem has an ecological efficiency of 10 percent. If the producer level contains 10,000 kilocalories of energy, how much energy does the tertiary consumer level contain?

A)10,000 kcal

B)100 kcal

C)1 kcal

D)10 kcal

E)1000 kcal

Answer: D

Aerobic Respiration: glucose + oxygen ? carbon dioxide + water + energy Anaerobic Respiration: Glucose ? acetic acid(methane, ethyl alcohol, or hydrogen sulfide) + energy Which of the following is a limiting factor for most plant growth in lakes and terrestrial systems?

Aerobic Respiration: glucose + oxygen ? carbon dioxide + water + energy
Anaerobic Respiration: Glucose ? acetic acid(methane, ethyl alcohol, or hydrogen sulfide) + energy
Which of the following is a limiting factor for most plant growth in lakes and terrestrial systems?

A)carbon dioxide gas (CO2)

B)nitrogen gas (N2)

C)methane (CH4)

D)phosphate (PO43-)

E) water (H2O)

Answer: D

Anaerobic respiration may produce all of the following EXCEPT

Anaerobic respiration may produce all of the following EXCEPT

A)lactic acid

B)hydrogen sulfide

C)ethyl alcohol

D)methane gas

E)carbon dioxide and water

Answer: E

Around hot water vents deep in the ocean live specialized communities. Bacteria turn hydrogen sulfide into reduced carbon compounds through chemosynthesis. The bacteria then provide food to other life forms. Compared to terrestrial food chains, the bacteria fill the same role as

Around hot water vents deep in the ocean live specialized communities. Bacteria turn hydrogen sulfide into reduced carbon compounds through chemosynthesis. The bacteria then provide food to other life forms. Compared to terrestrial food chains, the bacteria fill the same role as

A)heterotrophic tertiary consumers

B)heterotrophic secondary consumers

C)heterotrophic primary consumers

D)anaerobic decomposers

E)autotrophic primary producers

Answer: E

The very necessary process of breaking down the dead bodies or wastes from organisms is the job of

The very necessary process of breaking down the dead bodies or wastes from organisms is the job of

A)herbivores

B)carnivores

C)omnivores

D)decomposers

E)detritivores

Answer: E

Ecologists would make use of which of the following tools in their study of nature?

Ecologists would make use of which of the following tools in their study of nature?

A)geographic information systems software

B)field research

C)controlled experiments

D)satellite digital images

E)all of these choices

Answer: E

An ecosystem could survive without

An ecosystem could survive without

A)decomposers

B)consumers

C)autotrophs

D)producers

E)detritivores

Answer: B

Research at Hubbard Brook showed that stream nitrate concentrations in two watersheds were _____ before clear-cutting, and that after one watershed was clear-cut, its stream nitrate concentration was _____.

Research at Hubbard Brook showed that stream nitrate concentrations in two watersheds were _____ before clear-cutting, and that after one watershed was clear-cut, its stream nitrate concentration was _____.

A)similar/ the same

B)different/ decreased

C)similar/ increased

D)different/ increased

E)similar/ decreased

Answer: C

Fossil fuels and mineral resources are found in the

Fossil fuels and mineral resources are found in the

A)hydrosphere

B)atmosphere

C)geosphere

D)unisphere

E)biosphere

Answer: C

Aerobic Respiration: glucose + oxygen ? carbon dioxide + water + energy Humans add sulfur to the atmosphere by

Aerobic Respiration: glucose + oxygen ? carbon dioxide + water + energy
Humans add sulfur to the atmosphere by

A)burning coal

B)all of these answers

C)smelting metallic mineral ores

D)none of these answers

E)refining petroleum

Answer: B

Aerobic respiration requires

Aerobic respiration requires

A)glucose and oxygen

B)carbon dioxide and water

C)glucose and carbon dioxide

D)carbon dioxide and oxygen

E)oxygen and water

Answer: A

Roughly what percent of incoming solar radiation (insolation) is converted into chemical energy by producers?

Roughly what percent of incoming solar radiation (insolation) is converted into chemical energy by producers?

A)50 %

B)1 %

C)90 %

D)10 %

E)100 %

Answer: B

This is the place where a population or an individual organism usually lives

This is the place where a population or an individual organism usually lives

A)niche

B)community

C)territory

D)zone

E)habitat

Answer: E

Which of the following is not an example of an abiotic component of an ecosystem?

Which of the following is not an example of an abiotic component of an ecosystem?

A)fungi

B)sunlight

C)air

D)water

E)minerals

Answer: A

Which of the following is NOT a type of consumer?

Which of the following is NOT a type of consumer?

A)decomposer

B)herbivore

C)detritivore

D)chemosynthetic bacteria

E)omnivore

Answer: D

Which of the following is not a characteristic of ecosystems?

Which of the following is not a characteristic of ecosystems?

A)Recycling of matter

B)Abiotic components

C)Biotic components

D)Distinct boundaries

E)A wide range of sizes

Answer: D

Which of the following would most likely have the greatest positive impact on the quality of the natural environment worldwide?

Which of the following would most likely have the greatest positive impact on the quality of the natural environment worldwide?

A)Increased life expectancy in more developed nations

B)Increased agricultural production on marginal desert lands

C)Increased reliance on food from ocean ecosystems

D)Discovery of new reserves of fossil fuel in coastal areas

E)Stabilization or reduction of the size of the human population

Answer: E

The net primary productivity of an ecosystem is 1 kg C/m2/year, and the energy needed by the producers for their own respiration is 1.5 kg C/m2/yr. The gross primary productivity of such an ecosystem would be

The net primary productivity of an ecosystem is 1 kg C/m2/year, and the energy needed by the producers for their own respiration is 1.5 kg C/m2/yr. The gross primary productivity of such an ecosystem would be

A)2.5 kg C/m2/yr

B)1.5 kg C/m2/yr

C)0.5 kg C/m2/yr

D)1.0 kg C/m2/yr

E)2.0 kg C/m2/yr

Answer: A

The 10% rule of energy transfer in food chains is due to

The 10% rule of energy transfer in food chains is due to

A)the first law of thermodynamics

B)the second law of thermodynamics

C)the competitive exclusion principle

D)the law of gravity

E)the second law of conservation of matter

Answer: B

Ecology is the study of

Ecology is the study of

A)how evolution formed distinct populations

B)the biotic elements of the environment

C)the abiotic elements of the environment

D)how organisms interact with each other and the abiotic environment

E)the human impact on the environment

Answer: D

The anticancer drug Taxol was originally extracted from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. This drug is an example of

The anticancer drug Taxol was originally extracted from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. This drug is an example of

A)cultural service

B)both ecological service and economic service

C)support system

D)ecological service

E)an economic service

Answer: B

Which of the following ecosystems has the greatest net primary productivity (NPP) per unit area?

Which of the following ecosystems has the greatest net primary productivity (NPP) per unit area?

A)desert

B)temperate deciduous forest

C)agricultural land

D)tropical rain forest

E)open oceans

Answer: D

The end product of the wood in a log being decomposed by fungi is

The end product of the wood in a log being decomposed by fungi is

A)nitrogen gas

B)carbon monoxide gas

C)heat energy

D)carbon dioxide gas and water

E)coal

Answer: D

Which of the following is a limiting factor for a grassland biome?

Which of the following is a limiting factor for a grassland biome?

A) amount of precipitation

B) size of the organism

C) number of organisms

D) number of species

E)species of grass

Answer: A

Which biogeochemical cycle(s) do not have a gaseous component? I. potassium II. sulfur III. phosphorous

Which biogeochemical cycle(s) do not have a gaseous component?
I. potassium
II. sulfur
III. phosphorous

A) III only

B) II and III only

C) I and III only

D) I, II and III

E) II only

Answer: C

The form of nitrogen most usable to plants is

The form of nitrogen most usable to plants is

A)nitrous oxide

B)ammonia

C)nitrogen gas

D)nitrates

E)nitric acid

Answer: D

Which of the cycles listed below does NOT include an atmospheric component?

Which of the cycles listed below does NOT include an atmospheric component?

A. water

B. phosphorous

C. carbon

D. nitrogen

E. sulfur

Answer: B

How much of the earth's water supply is available as accessible liquid fresh water?

How much of the earth's water supply is available as accessible liquid fresh water?

A)74%

B)1%

C)0.024%

D)10%

E)3%

Answer: C

Of the following organisms, which occupies the lowest trophic level?

Of the following organisms, which occupies the lowest trophic level?

A) snake

B) lion

C) hawk

D) spider

E) deer

Answer: E

In a range of tolerance, each population has a point beyond which no member of the population can live. The area where organisms have the ability to tolerate the conditions is called the

In a range of tolerance, each population has a point beyond which no member of the population can live. The area where organisms have the ability to tolerate the conditions is called the

A) zone of intolerance

B) zone of physiological stress

C) aquatic zone

D) optimum range

E) zone of saturation

Answer: D

The two major processes involved in the carbon cycle are

The two major processes involved in the carbon cycle are

A)fixation and denitrification

B) weathering and erosion

C)evaporation and transpiration

D)photosynthesis and respiration

E)erosion and deposition

Answer: D

The ultimate source of energy for terrestrial ecosystems is

The ultimate source of energy for terrestrial ecosystems is

A. primary consumers

B. nutrients provided by decomposers

C. the Sun

D. producers

E. nutrients in the soil

Answer: C

The biosphere includes all of the following EXCEPT

The biosphere includes all of the following EXCEPT

A. troposphere

B. lithosphere

C. atmosphere

D. the ozone layer

E. hydrosphere

Answer: D