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ECOLOGY EXAM
MENTOR INVITATIONAL FEB 16, 2008
1. _____ A group of individuals belonging to a single species that lives together in a defined area is
termed a(n).
a. population
b. ecosystem
c. community
d. genus grouping
2. _____ Which of the following is NOT true about matter in the biosphere?
a. matter is recycled in the biosphere
b. biogeochemical cycles transform and reuse molecules
c. the total amount of matter decreases over time
d. the lack of specific nutrients can reduce primary productivity
3. _____ Which is a source of energy for Earth’s living things?
I. wind energy
II. Sunlight
III. Chemical energy
a. I only
b. II only
c. II and III d. I, II, and III
4. _____ In addition to herbivores, another type of consumer is a(n).
I. carnivore
II. Omnivore
III. detritivore
a. I only
b. II only
c. I, III
d. I, II and III
5. _____ Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, cycle carbon through the carbon cycle.
Which other processes also participate in the carbon cycle?
I. Biological processes, such as photosynthesis
II. Geochemical processes, such as the release of gas from volcanoes
III. Mixed biogeochemical processes, such as the formation of fossil fuels
a. I only
b. I, II
c. II, III
d. I, II, and III
6. _____ In the nitrogen cycle, bacteria that live on the roots of plants:
a. break down nitrogen compounds into nitrogen gas
b. denitrify nitrogen compounds
c. change nitrogen gas into plant proteins
d. change nitrogen gas into ammonia
7. _____ Generally, which has the greatest effect on determining the climate of a region?
a. longitude b. month of the year c. distance from the equator d. wind
8. _____ Which is NOT an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?
a. microorganism
b. rainfall
c. pH
d. water
9. _____ What defines a species’ niche?
I. abiotic factors
II. Biotic factors
III. food web
a. I only
b. II
c. I, II, III
d. III
10. _____ The disappearance of a population in a given niche as a result of direct competition with
another species for a resource is called:
a. competitive exclusion
b. predation c. mutualism d. parasitism
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11. _____ The total change in a population’s size over time is:
a. immigration
b. birthrate and death
c. population growth rate
d. population density
12. _____ Which factors increase the size of a population?
I. emigration
II. birthrate
III. immigration
a. I
b. III
c. I, III
d. II, III
13. _____ Which of the following is NOT an example of a density-dependent limiting factor?
a. floods
b. parasites
c. disease
d. predators
14. _____ The sum total of the variety of organisms on Earth is referred to as:
a. ecosystem
b. biodiversity
c. biosphere
d. bio-accumulation
15. _____ The concept of using natural resources at a rate that does not deplete them is called:
a. conservation
b. sustainable development
c. reforestation
d. successful use
16. _____ The burning of fossil fuels may cause all of the following except:
a. acid rain
b. smog
c. global warming
d. the ozone hole
17. _____ The conversion of a previously soil-rich area to a sandy desert is called:
a. habitat fragmentation
b. deforestation
c. desertification
d. soil erosion
18. _____ What is always true of a renewable resource?
I. It is unlimited
II. It is replaceable by natural means III. It can regenerate quickly
a. I
b. II
c. I, II
d. II, III
19. _____ Which of the following in NOT an effect of deforestation?
a. chemical change in soil
b. decreased productivity of the ecosystem
c. soil erosion
d. biological magnification
20. _____ Ozone is made up of:
a. water
b. hydrogen
c. oxygen
d. chlorine
21. _____ Natural disturbances, such as fires or hurricanes, can result in:
a. commensalisms
b. parasitism
c. competition
d. succession
22. _____ All the biotic and abiotic factors in a pond form a(n):
a. biosphere
b. ecosystem
c. community
d. niche
23. _____ In an ecosystem, what happens to the atoms of certain chemical elements, such as carbon,
oxygen, and nitrogen?
a. they move into and out of living systems
b. they are only found in abiotic factors
c. they move out of living systems and do not return
d. they move into living systems and remain there
24. _____ Which is NOT a pathway by which plants obtain nitrogen?
a. chemical fertilizers
b. lightning c. photosynthesis
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d. symbiotic bacteria
25. _____ Which event is most likely to initiate primary succession?
a. forest fire
b. heavy rain
c. logging
d. volcanic eruption
26. _____ Mice are an example of an r-strategist reproduction pattern because__________.
a. they produce few individuals
b. they expend great energy raising young
c. they produce many offspring
d. they maintain populations near carrying capacity
27. _____ Some organizations are buying sections of forestland. Once purchased, forests within the
sections will not be cut down. What is the primary goal of protecting these sections?
a. bring about extinction on a controlled plan
b. prevent overpopulation of trees
c. maintain biodiversity of the area
d. expand farmland
28. _____ Which human activity has probably contributed most to the acidification of lakes in
forests?
a. passing environment protection laws
b. establishing reforestation projects in lumber areas
c. burning fossil fuels that produce air pollution
d. using pesticides for the control of insects that feed on trees.
29. _____ Which is a detritivore?
a. cat
b. mouse
c. sunflower
d. crayfish
30. _____ Which process locks phosphorus in a long-term cycle?
a. organic materials buried at the bottom of oceans
b. phosphates released and absorbed into the soil
c. animals and plant eliminating wastes
d. rain eroding mountains
31. When organisms use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates, the process is
called______________________.
32. Each step in a food chain of a food web is called a(n) ______________ ______________.
33. The primary source of energy supplied to a food chain comes from ______________________.
34. Water enters the atmosphere through _______________________ and ___________________.
35. The natural situation in which heat is retained close the Earth: _______________ ___________.
36. Organisms that are introduced into new habitats and then reproduce rapidly: _____________
________________.
37. _________________ ________________ is when harmful substances increase in organisms at
higher levels in the food chain.
38. Another name for autotroph = _________________________
39. Another name for heterotroph = ________________________
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40. Water pollution from nitrogen-rich and Phosphorous-rich substances flowing into waterways,
causing algal overgrowth is called __________________________.
41. List the six different levels of organization that ecologists study, in order from smallest to
largest.
42. Below are three types of population dispersion patterns.
a. What is the name of each pattern?
b. Explain why a population would exhibit each dispersion pattern.
A
B
C
A=
B=
C=
43. Answer the following based on the graphs to the right.
a. Predict which country will have a slow
but steady growth rate in the future.
b. What percent of the population in Mexico is
in the age group 0-4? _________
44. Refer the diagram below to answer the following questions.
A
B
C
a. What do we call the community found in section “A”? ________________________
b. Name an organism found in section “A” _________________________
c. What type of succession does this picture represent? ______________________
d. What do we call the community found in section “C”? _________________________
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Use the chart below to answer the following questions.
45. In which biome would the average temperature be 10 C
and an annual precipitation of 150cm?
46. Which biome can reach the hottest temperature?
47. Second to the deserts, which biome receives little annual
precipitation?
48. Which biome can receive 375cm of precipitation
annually?
49. Which biome has an average temperature of 24 C and 175 cm of precipitation annually?
50. What is the temperature range of a temperate rain forest?
Distinguish between the following forests.
Tropical Rain Forest
Temperate Forest
Northwest Coniferous Forest
Boreal Forest
51. also goes by the name taiga
52. giant redwoods and other conifers
53. orchids and bromeliads
54. found along the northern edge of the temperate zone
55. dominant wildlife, deer, black bears, raccoons
56. found from Alaska to California
57. hot, wet weather with poor soil
58. soil often rich in humus from dropped leaves
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Indicate if the following symbiotic relationships are:
M = mutulalism
C = commensalisms
P = parasitism
59. _____ epiphytes
60. _____ mycorrhiza fungi and plant roots
61. _____ barnacles attached to whales
62. _____ sea lamprey attached to bony fish
63. _____ goby living amongst spines of sea urchins for protection
64. _____ cleaner gobies, setting up cleaner stations for fish
65. _____ deer ticks attached to deer
66. _____ oxpecker and zebra
67. _____ bacteria living the human intestinal tract
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FOOD WEB (20 points)
The data table below reveals the organisms living in a marsh.
1. Create a food web based on this data. (10 points)
2. Create an ecological pyramid with 5 levels based on the food web with the killer whale as the top
level consumer. (5 points)
3. Along the side of the pyramid, name the trophic level (not just 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc…) (5 points)
Organism
Bull rush, sedges, algae
Snails
Voles
Grasshoppers
Herring
Bald Eagle
Harbour Seal
Marsh Hawk
Salmon
Killer Whale
Food for….
Snails, voles, grasshoppers,
herring
vole, salmon
Marsh hawk, Bald Eagle
Herring, salmon
Harbour Seal, Killer Whale,
Bald Eagle
XXXXX
Killer Whale
XXXXX
Bald Eagle, Killer Whale,
Harbour Seal
XXXXX
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Predator of ….
XXXXX
Bull rush, sedges, algae
Bull rush, sedges, algae
Bull rush, sedges, algae
Grasshopper, bull rush, sedges,
algae
Vole, herring, salmon
Herring, salmon
Vole
Snails, grasshoppers
Herring, salmon, Harbour Seal
Looking at the diagrams below, explain how each organism has adapted to living in a desert
environment. (12 points – 2 points each)
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******TIE BREAKER******
POPULATION TRENDS
Population Trends: Do fruit flies and rabbits show similar trends in population growth?
1. Make two graphs using the data in each data table.
Generations Number of
Days
Number of
Rabbits
Fruit Flies
1
100
5
10
2
105
10
50
25
1000
15
100
37
1600
20
200
55
2400
25
300
72
3350
30
310
86
8000
35
320
100
13,150
40
320
2. What type of growth pattern is exhibited by the fruit fly population? ___________________
3. What type of growth pattern is exhibited by the rabbit population? _____________________
4. Does either graph indicate that there is a carrying capacity for the population? If so, which
population? _______________________
5. What is the maximum number of individuals that can be supported at that time? ___________
(based on your answer to question #4)
6. Predict why the two populations have different growth patterns.
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