Question 1

Which of the following lists of organisms is ranked in correct order from lowest to highest percent in production efficiency?

Accepted Answer

A)  mammals, fish, insects 
B)  insects, fish, mammals 
C)  fish, insects, mammals 
D)  insects, mammals, fish 
E)  mammals, insects, fish 
A)  mammals, fish, insects 
B)  insects, fish, mammals 
C)  fish, insects, mammals 
D)  insects, mammals, fish 
E)  mammals, insects, fish

Question 2

Which of the following has the greatest effect on the rate of chemical cycling in an
Ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)  the ecosystem's rate of primary production 
B)  the production efficiency of the ecosystem's consumers 
C)  the rate of decomposition in the ecosystem 
D)  the trophic efficiency of the ecosystem 
E)  the location of the nutrient reservoirs in the ecosystem 
A)  the ecosystem's rate of primary production 
B)  the production efficiency of the ecosystem's consumers 
C)  the rate of decomposition in the ecosystem 
D)  the trophic efficiency of the ecosystem 
E)  the location of the nutrient reservoirs in the ecosystem

Question 3

How does phosphorus normally enter ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)  cellular respiration 
B)  photosynthesis 
C)  rock weathering 
D)  vulcanism 
E)  atmospheric phosphorous gas 
A)  cellular respiration 
B)  photosynthesis 
C)  rock weathering 
D)  vulcanism 
E)  atmospheric phosphorous gas

Question 4

For most terrestrial ecosystems, pyramids of numbers, biomass, and energy are essentially the same-they have a broad base and a narrow top. The primary reason for this pattern is that

Accepted Answer

A)  secondary consumers and top carnivores require less energy than producers. 
B)  at each step, energy is lost from the system as a result of keeping the organisms alive. 
C)  as matter passes through ecosystems, some of it is lost to the environment. 
D)  biomagnification of toxic materials limits the secondary consumers and top carnivores. 
E)  top carnivores and secondary consumers have a more general diet than primary producers. 
A)  secondary consumers and top carnivores require less energy than producers. 
B)  at each step, energy is lost from the system as a result of keeping the organisms alive. 
C)  as matter passes through ecosystems, some of it is lost to the environment. 
D)  biomagnification of toxic materials limits the secondary consumers and top carnivores. 
E)  top carnivores and secondary consumers have a more general diet than primary producers.

Question 5

Which statement most accurately describes how matter and energy are used in ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)  Matter is cycled through ecosystems; energy is not. 
B)  Energy is cycled through ecosystems; matter is not. 
C)  Energy can be converted into matter; matter cannot be converted into energy. 
D)  Matter can be converted into energy; energy cannot be converted into matter. 
E)  Matter is used in ecosystems; energy is not. 
A)  Matter is cycled through ecosystems; energy is not. 
B)  Energy is cycled through ecosystems; matter is not. 
C)  Energy can be converted into matter; matter cannot be converted into energy. 
D)  Matter can be converted into energy; energy cannot be converted into matter. 
E)  Matter is used in ecosystems; energy is not.

Question 6

Which data is most useful to measure primary productivity in a terrestrial ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)  temperature readings 
B)  potential evapotranspiration 
C)  intensity of solar radiation 
D)  annual precipitation 
E)  amount of carbon fixed 
A)  temperature readings 
B)  potential evapotranspiration 
C)  intensity of solar radiation 
D)  annual precipitation 
E)  amount of carbon fixed

Question 7

Approximately 1% of the solar radiation that strikes a plant is converted into the chemical bond energy of sugars. Why is this amount so low?

Accepted Answer

A)  Approximately 99% of the solar radiation is converted to heat energy. 
B)  Only 1% of the wavelengths of visible light are absorbed by photosynthetic pigments. 
C)  Most solar energy strikes water and land surfaces. 
D)  Approximately 99% of the solar radiation is reflected. 
E)  Only the green wavelengths are absorbed by plants for photosynthesis. 
A)  Approximately 99% of the solar radiation is converted to heat energy. 
B)  Only 1% of the wavelengths of visible light are absorbed by photosynthetic pigments. 
C)  Most solar energy strikes water and land surfaces. 
D)  Approximately 99% of the solar radiation is reflected. 
E)  Only the green wavelengths are absorbed by plants for photosynthesis.

Question 8

Which of these ecosystems has the lowest net primary production per square meter?

Accepted Answer

A)  a salt marsh 
B)  an open ocean 
C)  a coral reef 
D)  a grassland 
E)  a tropical rain forest 
A)  a salt marsh 
B)  an open ocean 
C)  a coral reef 
D)  a grassland 
E)  a tropical rain forest

Question 9

The Hubbard Brook watershed deforestation experiment yielded all of the following results except:

Accepted Answer

A)  Most minerals were recycled within a forest ecosystem. 
B)  The flow of minerals out of a natural watershed was offset by minerals flowing in. 
C)  Deforestation increased water runoff. 
D)  The nitrate concentration in waters draining the deforested area became dangerously high. 
E)  Calcium levels remained high in the soil of deforested areas. 
A)  Most minerals were recycled within a forest ecosystem. 
B)  The flow of minerals out of a natural watershed was offset by minerals flowing in. 
C)  Deforestation increased water runoff. 
D)  The nitrate concentration in waters draining the deforested area became dangerously high. 
E)  Calcium levels remained high in the soil of deforested areas.

Question 10

Subtraction of which of the following will convert gross primary productivity into net primary productivity?

Accepted Answer

A)  the energy contained in the standing crop 
B)  the energy used by heterotrophs in respiration 
C)  the energy used by autotrophs in respiration 
D)  the energy fixed by photosynthesis 
E)  all solar energy 
A)  the energy contained in the standing crop 
B)  the energy used by heterotrophs in respiration 
C)  the energy used by autotrophs in respiration 
D)  the energy fixed by photosynthesis 
E)  all solar energy

Question 11

If the sun were to suddenly stop providing energy to Earth, most ecosystems would vanish. Which of the following ecosystems would likely survive the longest after this hypothetical disaster?

Accepted Answer

A)  tropical rain forest 
B)  tundra 
C)  benthic ocean 
D)  grassland 
E)  desert 
A)  tropical rain forest 
B)  tundra 
C)  benthic ocean 
D)  grassland 
E)  desert

Question 12

Which of the following is a true statement regarding mineral nutrients in soils and their implication for primary productivity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Globally, phosphorous availability is most limiting to primary productivity. 
B)  Adding a nonlimiting nutrient will stimulate primary productivity. 
C)  Adding more of a limiting nutrient will increase primary productivity, indefinitely. 
D)  Phosphorous is sometimes unavailable to producers due to leaching. 
E)  Alkaline soils are more productive than acidic soils. 
A)  Globally, phosphorous availability is most limiting to primary productivity. 
B)  Adding a nonlimiting nutrient will stimulate primary productivity. 
C)  Adding more of a limiting nutrient will increase primary productivity, indefinitely. 
D)  Phosphorous is sometimes unavailable to producers due to leaching. 
E)  Alkaline soils are more productive than acidic soils.

Question 13

Food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem (arrows represent energy flow and letters represent species)
-Examine this food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem. Which species is autotrophic?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  E 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  E

Question 14

A porcupine eats 3,000 J of plant material. Of this, 2,100 J is indigestible and is eliminated as feces, 800 J are used in cellular respiration, and 100 J are used for growth and reproduction. What is the approximate production efficiency of this animal?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.03% 
B)  3% 
C)  10% 
D)  27% 
E)  33% 
A)  0.03% 
B)  3% 
C)  10% 
D)  27% 
E)  33%

Question 15

Diagram of a food web (arrows represent energy flow and letters represent species)
-If the figure above represents a terrestrial food web, the combined biomass of C + D would probably be

Accepted Answer

A)  greater than the biomass of A. 
B)  less than the biomass of H. 
C)  greater than the biomass of B. 
D)  less than the biomass of A + B. 
E)  less than the biomass of E. 
A)  greater than the biomass of A. 
B)  less than the biomass of H. 
C)  greater than the biomass of B. 
D)  less than the biomass of A + B. 
E)  less than the biomass of E.

Question 16

Secondary consumers that can eat only primary consumers receive what percent of the energy fixed by primary producers in a typical field ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.1% 
B)  1% 
C)  10% 
D)  20% 
E)  80% 
A)  0.1% 
B)  1% 
C)  10% 
D)  20% 
E)  80%

Question 17

In a typical grassland community, which of the following is the primary consumer?

Accepted Answer

A)  hawk 
B)  snake 
C)  shrew 
D)  grasshopper 
E)  grass 
A)  hawk 
B)  snake 
C)  shrew 
D)  grasshopper 
E)  grass

Question 18

Which of the following would be considered an example of bioremediation?

Accepted Answer

A)  adding nitrogen-fixing microorganisms to a degraded ecosystem to increase nitrogen availability 
B)  using a bulldozer to regrade a strip mine 
C)  dredging a river bottom to remove contaminated sediments 
D)  reconfiguring the channel of a river 
E)  adding seeds of a chromium-accumulating plant to soil contaminated by chromium 
A)  adding nitrogen-fixing microorganisms to a degraded ecosystem to increase nitrogen availability 
B)  using a bulldozer to regrade a strip mine 
C)  dredging a river bottom to remove contaminated sediments 
D)  reconfiguring the channel of a river 
E)  adding seeds of a chromium-accumulating plant to soil contaminated by chromium

Question 19

Why does a vegetarian leave a smaller ecological footprint than an omnivore?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fewer animals are slaughtered for human consumption. 
B)  There is an excess of plant biomass in all terrestrial ecosystems. 
C)  Vegetarians need to ingest less chemical energy than omnivores. 
D)  Vegetarians require less protein than do omnivores. 
E)  Eating meat is an inefficient way of acquiring photosynthetic productivity. 
A)  Fewer animals are slaughtered for human consumption. 
B)  There is an excess of plant biomass in all terrestrial ecosystems. 
C)  Vegetarians need to ingest less chemical energy than omnivores. 
D)  Vegetarians require less protein than do omnivores. 
E)  Eating meat is an inefficient way of acquiring photosynthetic productivity.

Question 20

Which of the following statements is correct about biogeochemical cycling?

Accepted Answer

A)  The phosphorus cycle involves the recycling of atmospheric phosphorus. 
B)  The phosphorus cycle involves the weathering of rocks. 
C)  The carbon cycle is a localized cycle that primarily involves the burning of fossil fuels. 
D)  The carbon cycle has maintained a constant atmospheric concentration of CO₂ for the past million years. 
E)  The nitrogen cycle involves movement of diatomic nitrogen between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. 
A)  The phosphorus cycle involves the recycling of atmospheric phosphorus. 
B)  The phosphorus cycle involves the weathering of rocks. 
C)  The carbon cycle is a localized cycle that primarily involves the burning of fossil fuels. 
D)  The carbon cycle has maintained a constant atmospheric concentration of CO₂ for the past million years. 
E)  The nitrogen cycle involves movement of diatomic nitrogen between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem.

Exam 55: Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology

Which of the following lists of organisms is ranked in correct order from lowest to highest percent in production efficiency?

Which of the following has the greatest effect on the rate of chemical cycling in an Ecosystem?

How does phosphorus normally enter ecosystems?

For most terrestrial ecosystems, pyramids of numbers, biomass, and energy are essentially the same-they have a broad base and a narrow top. The primary reason for this pattern is that

Which statement most accurately describes how matter and energy are used in ecosystems?

Which data is most useful to measure primary productivity in a terrestrial ecosystem?

Approximately 1% of the solar radiation that strikes a plant is converted into the chemical bond energy of sugars. Why is this amount so low?

Which of these ecosystems has the lowest net primary production per square meter?

The Hubbard Brook watershed deforestation experiment yielded all of the following results except:

Subtraction of which of the following will convert gross primary productivity into net primary productivity?

If the sun were to suddenly stop providing energy to Earth, most ecosystems would vanish. Which of the following ecosystems would likely survive the longest after this hypothetical disaster?

Which of the following is a true statement regarding mineral nutrients in soils and their implication for primary productivity?

Food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem (arrows represent energy flow and letters represent species) -Examine this food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem. Which species is autotrophic?

A porcupine eats 3,000 J of plant material. Of this, 2,100 J is indigestible and is eliminated as feces, 800 J are used in cellular respiration, and 100 J are used for growth and reproduction. What is the approximate production efficiency of this animal?

Diagram of a food web (arrows represent energy flow and letters represent species) -If the figure above represents a terrestrial food web, the combined biomass of C + D would probably be

Secondary consumers that can eat only primary consumers receive what percent of the energy fixed by primary producers in a typical field ecosystem?

In a typical grassland community, which of the following is the primary consumer?

Which of the following would be considered an example of bioremediation?

Why does a vegetarian leave a smaller ecological footprint than an omnivore?

Which of the following statements is correct about biogeochemical cycling?

Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life

The Chemical Context of Life

Water and Life

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

A Tour of the Cell

Membrane Structure and Function

An Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

Cell Communication

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Mendel and the Gene Idea

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

From Gene to Protein

Regulation of Gene Expression

Viruses

Biotechnology

Genomes and Their Evolution

Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life

The Evolution of Populations

The Origin of Species

The History of Life on Earth

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

Plant Diversity II: The Evolution of Seed Plants

Fungi

An Overview of Animal Diversity

An Introduction to Invertebrates

The Origin and Evolution of Vertebrates

Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular Plants

Soil and Plant Nutrition

Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology

Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

Animal Nutrition

Circulation and Gas Exchange

The Immune System

Osmoregulation and Excretion

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Synapses, and Signaling

Nervous Systems

Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

Animal Behavior

An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Conservation Biology and Global Change

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