Question 1

Approximately what percentage of the energy in one trophic level becomes incorporated into the next level?

Accepted Answer

A)  1% 
B)  10% 
C)  30% 
D)  60% 
E)  100% 
A)  1% 
B)  10% 
C)  30% 
D)  60% 
E)  100%

Question 2

Which of the following statements regarding the carbon cycle is/are true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Terrestrial plants take up carbon dioxide from the air. 
B)  Algae produce food for themselves and for heterotrophs. 
C)  When organisms respire, a portion of carbon is returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. 
D)  The amount of bicarbonate in the water is in equilibrium with the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. 
E)  All of the answer choices regarding the carbon cycle are true. 
A)  Terrestrial plants take up carbon dioxide from the air. 
B)  Algae produce food for themselves and for heterotrophs. 
C)  When organisms respire, a portion of carbon is returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. 
D)  The amount of bicarbonate in the water is in equilibrium with the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. 
E)  All of the answer choices regarding the carbon cycle are true.

Question 3

Which of the following is a biotic factor in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)  trees 
B)  inorganic nutrients 
C)  water availability 
D)  temperature 
E)  sunlight 
A)  trees 
B)  inorganic nutrients 
C)  water availability 
D)  temperature 
E)  sunlight

Question 4

The primary consumers that feed directly on green plants are called

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

The only heterotrophs required for an ecosystem to function are

Accepted Answer

A)  omnivores. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  decomposers. 
D)  autotrophs. 
E)  carnivores. 
A)  omnivores. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  decomposers. 
D)  autotrophs. 
E)  carnivores.

Question 6

Carbon first enters the food web in

Accepted Answer

A)  humans. 
B)  vertebrates. 
C)  invertebrates. 
D)  green plants. 
E)  soil bacteria. 
A)  humans. 
B)  vertebrates. 
C)  invertebrates. 
D)  green plants. 
E)  soil bacteria.

Question 7

Which of the following would be an organism at the base of a detrital food web?

Accepted Answer

A)  fox 
B)  salamander 
C)  beetle 
D)  sunflower 
E)  hawk 
A)  fox 
B)  salamander 
C)  beetle 
D)  sunflower 
E)  hawk

Question 8

Inverted ecological pyramids can occur in what habitat?

Accepted Answer

A)  forest canopies 
B)  deserts during rare rainfalls 
C)  aquatic ecosystems 
D)  any ecosystem disturbed by human activity 
E)  If studied closely, inverted pyramids never occur naturally. 
A)  forest canopies 
B)  deserts during rare rainfalls 
C)  aquatic ecosystems 
D)  any ecosystem disturbed by human activity 
E)  If studied closely, inverted pyramids never occur naturally.

Question 9

Which of the following is comprised of a community of organisms, plus its physical environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  food chain 
B)  habitat 
C)  niche 
D)  ecosystem 
E)  trophic level 
A)  food chain 
B)  habitat 
C)  niche 
D)  ecosystem 
E)  trophic level

Question 10

A detritus food chain begins

Accepted Answer

A)  in the ocean. 
B)  with a producer. 
C)  with decaying matter. 
D)  with air pollution. 
E)  with fungi. 
A)  in the ocean. 
B)  with a producer. 
C)  with decaying matter. 
D)  with air pollution. 
E)  with fungi.

Question 11

Once a nutrient enters an ecosystem, it

Accepted Answer

A)  must remain in that ecosystem. 
B)  can cycle endlessly in that ecosystem. 
C)  must leave that ecosystem to enter into an organism. 
D)  cannot leave that ecosystem. 
E)  can only leave that ecosystem if it is carried by a living organism. 
A)  must remain in that ecosystem. 
B)  can cycle endlessly in that ecosystem. 
C)  must leave that ecosystem to enter into an organism. 
D)  cannot leave that ecosystem. 
E)  can only leave that ecosystem if it is carried by a living organism.

Question 12

The greenhouse effect is

Accepted Answer

A)  due to destruction of the ozone layer which has increased our exposure to sunlight. 
B)  caused by plant life and photosynthesis. 
C)  due to atmospheric gases trapping and radiating heat back to Earth. 
D)  due to the acidification of the oceans. 
E)  not affected by human activities. 
A)  due to destruction of the ozone layer which has increased our exposure to sunlight. 
B)  caused by plant life and photosynthesis. 
C)  due to atmospheric gases trapping and radiating heat back to Earth. 
D)  due to the acidification of the oceans. 
E)  not affected by human activities.

Question 13

The biogeochemical cycle(s) that cannot be categorized as either sedimentary or gaseous is/are the

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen cycle. 
B)  carbon cycle. 
C)  water cycle. 
D)  phosphorus cycle. 
E)  carbon and nitrogen cycles. 
A)  nitrogen cycle. 
B)  carbon cycle. 
C)  water cycle. 
D)  phosphorus cycle. 
E)  carbon and nitrogen cycles.

Question 14

The primary producers in an ecosystems are also called

Accepted Answer

A)  autotrophs. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  consumers. 
D)  carnivores. 
E)  heterotrophs. 
A)  autotrophs. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  consumers. 
D)  carnivores. 
E)  heterotrophs.

Question 15

The only biogeochemical cycle that influences food webs is the carbon cycle.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Chemical cycling of inorganic nutrients in a natural ecosystem would occur with or without

Accepted Answer

A)  a reservoir for the element in the earth. 
B)  the biotic community and its food chains. 
C)  an exchange pool from which producers draw nutrients. 
D)  weather. 
E)  animals. 
A)  a reservoir for the element in the earth. 
B)  the biotic community and its food chains. 
C)  an exchange pool from which producers draw nutrients. 
D)  weather. 
E)  animals.

Question 17

Atmospheric CO2 combines with water to produce bicarbonate, which is

Accepted Answer

A)  a cause of the greenhouse effect. 
B)  ozone. 
C)  a source of carbon for algae. 
D)  photochemical smog. 
E)  a thermal inversion. 
A)  a cause of the greenhouse effect. 
B)  ozone. 
C)  a source of carbon for algae. 
D)  photochemical smog. 
E)  a thermal inversion.

Question 18

Energy flow in an ecosystem begins with

Accepted Answer

A)  omnivores. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  decomposers. 
D)  autotrophs. 
E)  carnivores. 
A)  omnivores. 
B)  herbivores. 
C)  decomposers. 
D)  autotrophs. 
E)  carnivores.

Question 19

If the total amount of solar energy captured by plants in an ecosystem is 10,000 kilocalories, how much of this energy will be available to the next trophic level?

Accepted Answer

A)  10,000 kilocalories. 
B)  1,000 kilocalories. 
C)  100 kilocalories. 
D)  10 kilocalories. 
E)  1 kilocalorie. 
A)  10,000 kilocalories. 
B)  1,000 kilocalories. 
C)  100 kilocalories. 
D)  10 kilocalories. 
E)  1 kilocalorie.

Question 20

Your friend tells you that some of the carbon atoms in his body were previously part of another living organism. This is

Accepted Answer

A)  possible only if he is a cannibal. 
B)  possible since carbon cycles through the ecosystem. 
C)  impossible since carbon can't enter a living system more than once. 
D)  highly unlikely since carbon does not cycle like other elements. 
E)  unlikely because we don't have any carbon atoms in our bodies. 
A)  possible only if he is a cannibal. 
B)  possible since carbon cycles through the ecosystem. 
C)  impossible since carbon can't enter a living system more than once. 
D)  highly unlikely since carbon does not cycle like other elements. 
E)  unlikely because we don't have any carbon atoms in our bodies.

Exam 35: Nature of Ecosystems

Approximately what percentage of the energy in one trophic level becomes incorporated into the next level?

Which of the following statements regarding the carbon cycle is/are true?

Which of the following is a biotic factor in an ecosystem?

The primary consumers that feed directly on green plants are called

The only heterotrophs required for an ecosystem to function are

Carbon first enters the food web in

Which of the following would be an organism at the base of a detrital food web?

Inverted ecological pyramids can occur in what habitat?

Which of the following is comprised of a community of organisms, plus its physical environment?

A detritus food chain begins

Once a nutrient enters an ecosystem, it

The greenhouse effect is

The biogeochemical cycle(s) that cannot be categorized as either sedimentary or gaseous is/are the

The primary producers in an ecosystems are also called

The only biogeochemical cycle that influences food webs is the carbon cycle.

Chemical cycling of inorganic nutrients in a natural ecosystem would occur with or without

Atmospheric CO2 combines with water to produce bicarbonate, which is

Energy flow in an ecosystem begins with

If the total amount of solar energy captured by plants in an ecosystem is 10,000 kilocalories, how much of this energy will be available to the next trophic level?

Your friend tells you that some of the carbon atoms in his body were previously part of another living organism. This is

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Atmospheric CO₂ combines with water to produce bicarbonate, which is