Question 1

Which of the following is a tertiary consumer?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 2

Which of the following describes carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor re-reflecting infrared radiation back toward Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) depletion of atmospheric ozone 
B) turnover 
C) biological magnification 
D) greenhouse effect 
E) eutrophication 
A) depletion of atmospheric ozone 
B) turnover 
C) biological magnification 
D) greenhouse effect 
E) eutrophication

Question 3

How does phosphorus normally enter ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A) cellular respiration 
B) photosynthesis 
C) rock weathering 
D) geological uplifting (subduction and vulcanism) 
E) atmospheric phosphorous dust 
A) cellular respiration 
B) photosynthesis 
C) rock weathering 
D) geological uplifting (subduction and vulcanism) 
E) atmospheric phosphorous dust

Question 4

Burning fossil fuels releases oxides of sulfur and nitrogen. Ultimately, these are probably responsible for

Accepted Answer

A) the death of fish in Norwegian lakes. 
B) rain with a pH as low as 3.0. 
C) calcium deficiency in soils. 
D) direct damage to plants by leaching nutrients from the leaves. 
E) A, B, C, and D are all correct. 
A) the death of fish in Norwegian lakes. 
B) rain with a pH as low as 3.0. 
C) calcium deficiency in soils. 
D) direct damage to plants by leaching nutrients from the leaves. 
E) A, B, C, and D are all correct.

Question 5

The amount of chemical energy in consumers' food that is converted to their own new biomass during a given time period is known as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A) biomass 
B) standing crop 
C) biomagnification 
D) primary production 
E) secondary production 
A) biomass 
B) standing crop 
C) biomagnification 
D) primary production 
E) secondary production

Question 6

The main cause of the increase in the amount of CO2 in Earth's atmosphere over the past 150 years is

Accepted Answer

A) increased worldwide primary production. 
B) increased worldwide standing crop. 
C) an increase in the amount of infrared radiation absorbed by the atmosphere. 
D) the burning of larger amounts of wood and fossil fuels. 
E) additional respiration by the rapidly growing human population. 
A) increased worldwide primary production. 
B) increased worldwide standing crop. 
C) an increase in the amount of infrared radiation absorbed by the atmosphere. 
D) the burning of larger amounts of wood and fossil fuels. 
E) additional respiration by the rapidly growing human population.

Question 7

How does inefficient transfer of energy among trophic levels result in the typically high endangerment status of many top predators?

Accepted Answer

A) Top-level predators are destined to have small populations that are sparsely distributed. 
B) Predators have relatively large population sizes. 
C) Predators are more disease-prone than animals at lower trophic levels. 
D) Predators have short life spans and short reproductive periods. 
E) A, B C, and D are all correct. 
A) Top-level predators are destined to have small populations that are sparsely distributed. 
B) Predators have relatively large population sizes. 
C) Predators are more disease-prone than animals at lower trophic levels. 
D) Predators have short life spans and short reproductive periods. 
E) A, B C, and D are all correct.

Question 8

Which of the following causes an increase in the intensity of UV radiation reaching the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A) depletion of atmospheric ozone 
B) turnover 
C) biological magnification 
D) greenhouse effect 
E) eutrophication 
A) depletion of atmospheric ozone 
B) turnover 
C) biological magnification 
D) greenhouse effect 
E) eutrophication

Question 9

How are matter and energy 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 10

In the nitrogen cycle, the bacteria that replenish the atmosphere with N2 are

Accepted Answer

A) Rhizobium bacteria. 
B) nitrifying bacteria. 
C) denitrifying bacteria. 
D) methanogenic protozoans. 
E) nitrogen-fixing bacteria. 
A) Rhizobium bacteria. 
B) nitrifying bacteria. 
C) denitrifying bacteria. 
D) methanogenic protozoans. 
E) nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Question 11

If the flow of energy in an arctic ecosystem goes through a simple food chain, perhaps involving humans, starts from seaweeds to fish to seals to polar bears, then which of the following could be True?

Accepted Answer

A) Polar bears can provide more food for humans than seals can. 
B) The total biomass of the seaweeds is lower than that of the seals. 
C) Seal meat probably contains the highest concentrations of fat-soluble toxins. 
D) Seal populations are larger than fish populations. 
E) The seaweed can potentially provide more food for humans than the seal meat can. 
A) Polar bears can provide more food for humans than seals can. 
B) The total biomass of the seaweeds is lower than that of the seals. 
C) Seal meat probably contains the highest concentrations of fat-soluble toxins. 
D) Seal populations are larger than fish populations. 
E) The seaweed can potentially provide more food for humans than the seal meat can.

Question 12

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 13

Aquatic ecosystems that are most readily damaged by acid are those that lack an important buffer that dissolves into the runoff after a precipitation event. What is this buffer?

Accepted Answer

A) calcium 
B) carbonic acid 
C) nitrate 
D) bicarbonate 
E) sulfate 
A) calcium 
B) carbonic acid 
C) nitrate 
D) bicarbonate 
E) sulfate

Question 14

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 15

Many homeowners mow their lawns during the summer and collect the clippings, which are then hauled to the local landfill. Which of the following actions would most benefit the local ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A) Allow sheep to graze the lawn and then collect the sheep's feces to be delivered to the landfill. 
B) Collect the lawn clippings and burn them. 
C) Either collect the clippings and add them to a compost pile, or don't collect the clippings and let them decompose into the lawn. 
D) Collect the clippings and wash them into the nearest storm sewer that feeds into the local lake. 
E) Dig up the lawn and cover the yard with asphalt. 
A) Allow sheep to graze the lawn and then collect the sheep's feces to be delivered to the landfill. 
B) Collect the lawn clippings and burn them. 
C) Either collect the clippings and add them to a compost pile, or don't collect the clippings and let them decompose into the lawn. 
D) Collect the clippings and wash them into the nearest storm sewer that feeds into the local lake. 
E) Dig up the lawn and cover the yard with asphalt.

Question 16

Which of the following causes excessively high levels of toxic chemicals in fish-eating birds?

Accepted Answer

A) depletion of atmospheric ozone 
B) turnover 
C) biological magnification 
D) greenhouse effect 
E) eutrophication 
A) depletion of atmospheric ozone 
B) turnover 
C) biological magnification 
D) greenhouse effect 
E) eutrophication

Question 17

Nitrifying bacteria participate in the nitrogen cycle mainly by

Accepted Answer

A) converting nitrogen gas to ammonia. 
B) releasing ammonium from organic compounds, thus returning it to the soil. 
C) converting ammonia to nitrogen gas, which returns to the atmosphere. 
D) converting ammonium to nitrate, which plants absorb. 
E) incorporating nitrogen into amino acids and organic compounds. 
A) converting nitrogen gas to ammonia. 
B) releasing ammonium from organic compounds, thus returning it to the soil. 
C) converting ammonia to nitrogen gas, which returns to the atmosphere. 
D) converting ammonium to nitrate, which plants absorb. 
E) incorporating nitrogen into amino acids and organic compounds.

Question 18

If you were tracking a nutrient molecule through an ecosystem, which of the following statements would you expect to verify?

Accepted Answer

A) Molecules move through all ecosystems at the same constant rate, as the laws of physics would predict. 
B) Because of the liquid nature of the aquatic ecosystem, nutrient molecules move through it more rapidly than forest ecosystems. 
C) Vertical mixing is essential for high productivity in aquatic ecosystems. 
D) Most nutrient molecules leave an ecosystem, but are later replaced from another ecosystem. 
E) A, B, C, and D are all correct. 
A) Molecules move through all ecosystems at the same constant rate, as the laws of physics would predict. 
B) Because of the liquid nature of the aquatic ecosystem, nutrient molecules move through it more rapidly than forest ecosystems. 
C) Vertical mixing is essential for high productivity in aquatic ecosystems. 
D) Most nutrient molecules leave an ecosystem, but are later replaced from another ecosystem. 
E) A, B, C, and D are all correct.

Question 19

Which of the following organisms is incorrectly paired with its trophic level?

Accepted Answer

A) cyanobacterium-primary producer 
B) grasshopper-primary consumer 
C) zooplankton-primary producer 
D) eagle-tertiary consumer 
E) fungus-detritivore 
A) cyanobacterium-primary producer 
B) grasshopper-primary consumer 
C) zooplankton-primary producer 
D) eagle-tertiary consumer 
E) fungus-detritivore

Exam 55: Ecosystems

Which of the following is a tertiary consumer?

Which of the following describes carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor re-reflecting infrared radiation back toward Earth?

How does phosphorus normally enter ecosystems?

Burning fossil fuels releases oxides of sulfur and nitrogen. Ultimately, these are probably responsible for

The amount of chemical energy in consumers' food that is converted to their own new biomass during a given time period is known as which of the following?

The main cause of the increase in the amount of CO2 in Earth's atmosphere over the past 150 years is

How does inefficient transfer of energy among trophic levels result in the typically high endangerment status of many top predators?

Which of the following causes an increase in the intensity of UV radiation reaching the Earth?

How are matter and energy used in ecosystems?

In the nitrogen cycle, the bacteria that replenish the atmosphere with N2 are

If the flow of energy in an arctic ecosystem goes through a simple food chain, perhaps involving humans, starts from seaweeds to fish to seals to polar bears, then which of the following could be True?

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

Aquatic ecosystems that are most readily damaged by acid are those that lack an important buffer that dissolves into the runoff after a precipitation event. What is this buffer?

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

Many homeowners mow their lawns during the summer and collect the clippings, which are then hauled to the local landfill. Which of the following actions would most benefit the local ecosystem?

Which of the following causes excessively high levels of toxic chemicals in fish-eating birds?

Nitrifying bacteria participate in the nitrogen cycle mainly by

If you were tracking a nutrient molecule through an ecosystem, which of the following statements would you expect to verify?

Which of the following organisms is incorrectly paired with its trophic level?

Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life

The Chemical Context of Life

Water and the Fitness of the Environment

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: Harvesting Chemical Energy

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

Control 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 Introduction to Animal Diversity

Invertebrates

Vertebrates

Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

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 Restoration Ecology

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