Question 1

Into which category would a human be assigned when eating pepperoni pizza?

Accepted Answer

A) producers and primary consumers 
B) primary and secondary consumers 
C) secondary and tertiary consumers 
D) producers and primary consumers. 
A) producers and primary consumers 
B) primary and secondary consumers 
C) secondary and tertiary consumers 
D) producers and primary consumers.

Question 2

Which of the following statements about communities is true?

Accepted Answer

A) They usually have few species of organisms. 
B) There can be complex interactions between the organisms that make up a community. 
C) They are more abundant in temperate areas. 
D) They are made up of mammal species only. 
A) They usually have few species of organisms. 
B) There can be complex interactions between the organisms that make up a community. 
C) They are more abundant in temperate areas. 
D) They are made up of mammal species only.

Question 3

In comparing the two communities shown,

Accepted Answer

A) community A has a higher relative species abundance. 
B) community B has a higher relative species abundance. 
C) community A has more primary producers than community B. 
D) community B has more primary producers than community A. 
A) community A has a higher relative species abundance. 
B) community B has a higher relative species abundance. 
C) community A has more primary producers than community B. 
D) community B has more primary producers than community A.

Question 4

In a typical prairie food web, energy moves from grass to grasshopper to field mouse to fox. Which organism is the secondary consumer?

Accepted Answer

A) the grass 
B) the grasshopper 
C) the mouse 
D) the fox 
A) the grass 
B) the grasshopper 
C) the mouse 
D) the fox

Question 5

Why is the existence of food webs important even though food chains also exist?

Accepted Answer

A) Food webs address the activities of consumers, whereas food chains address the activities of producers. 
B) Food chains describe all aspects of interactions within a community, whereas food webs tell us what organisms eat and which are eaten by other organisms. 
C) Food webs are smaller groupings than food chains. Food chains allow us to look at the overall picture, whereas food webs provide specific directional information. 
D) Food webs tie together many more organisms than a food chain does. If one organism in a food chain disappears, a food web may allow the organisms in the chain to survive based on their interactions with other organisms. 
A) Food webs address the activities of consumers, whereas food chains address the activities of producers. 
B) Food chains describe all aspects of interactions within a community, whereas food webs tell us what organisms eat and which are eaten by other organisms. 
C) Food webs are smaller groupings than food chains. Food chains allow us to look at the overall picture, whereas food webs provide specific directional information. 
D) Food webs tie together many more organisms than a food chain does. If one organism in a food chain disappears, a food web may allow the organisms in the chain to survive based on their interactions with other organisms.

Question 6

In which of the following situations would secondary rather than primary succession be most likely to occur?

Accepted Answer

A) on an island that has just risen out of the ocean 
B) on bare ground exposed by the retreat of a glacier 
C) on the surface of recently cooled lava 
D) in a forest that had burned to bare ground 
A) on an island that has just risen out of the ocean 
B) on bare ground exposed by the retreat of a glacier 
C) on the surface of recently cooled lava 
D) in a forest that had burned to bare ground

Question 7

An ecological ________ is an association of populations of different species that live in the same area.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An ecological ________ is an association of...

Question 8

The general process by which species in a community are replaced over time is called ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The general process by which species in...

Question 9

What statement best describes a parasitic relationship?

Accepted Answer

A) Both the parasite and the host benefit. 
B) Only the parasite benefits; the host is harmed. 
C) Both the parasite and the host are harmed. 
D) Only the host benefits; the parasite is harmed. 
A) Both the parasite and the host benefit. 
B) Only the parasite benefits; the host is harmed. 
C) Both the parasite and the host are harmed. 
D) Only the host benefits; the parasite is harmed.

Question 10

A community whose species are NOT replaced by other species is classified as a ________ community.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A community whose species are NOT replaced...

Question 11

If a disease quickly spreads through a desert and kills moths that are the sole pollinators of long-lived yucca plants, the most likely outcome would be

Accepted Answer

A) another pollinator would quickly take over and begin to pollinate the yucca plants. 
B) the yucca plants would self-pollinate. 
C) the yucca plants would die the season after the last yucca moth died. 
D) the yucca plants would not be pollinated and would eventually go extinct. 
A) another pollinator would quickly take over and begin to pollinate the yucca plants. 
B) the yucca plants would self-pollinate. 
C) the yucca plants would die the season after the last yucca moth died. 
D) the yucca plants would not be pollinated and would eventually go extinct.

Question 12

One of the factors governing diversity within a community is species ________, which is defined as the total number of different species living within that community.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One of the factors governing diversity within...

Question 13

A "keystone" is defined in masonry as the stone at the top of an arch that holds the arch together. Using this definition and your knowledge of keystone species, explain how the role of a keystone species within an ecological community is analogous to the keystone within an arch.

Accepted Answer

A keystone species holds an ecological c

Question 14

In which of the following situations would you expect succession to take the longest?

Accepted Answer

A) A volcanic island forms far from any mainland. 
B) A forest fire burns 1,200 acres in Texas. 
C) Sand dunes form a new island within a half mile of a mainland. 
D) Humans log an area and then burn remaining undergrowth. 
A) A volcanic island forms far from any mainland. 
B) A forest fire burns 1,200 acres in Texas. 
C) Sand dunes form a new island within a half mile of a mainland. 
D) Humans log an area and then burn remaining undergrowth.

Question 15

In comparing the two communities shown,

Accepted Answer

A) community A has a higher species richness. 
B) community B has a higher species richness. 
C) community A has more primary producers than community B. 
D) community B has more primary producers than community A. 
A) community A has a higher species richness. 
B) community B has a higher species richness. 
C) community A has more primary producers than community B. 
D) community B has more primary producers than community A.

Question 16

The removal of a keystone species from a community usually results in

Accepted Answer

A) the death of all other community members. 
B) the disappearance of that community. 
C) substantial changes in the abundance of many species. 
D) minor changes, if any. 
A) the death of all other community members. 
B) the disappearance of that community. 
C) substantial changes in the abundance of many species. 
D) minor changes, if any.

Question 17

Why would a food web rather than a food chain be the preferred way to represent the movement of food through the community?

Accepted Answer

A) Food chains are oversimplified and suggest that a consumer eats only a single food item. 
B) Food webs place producers at the bottom, whereas food chains place them at the top. 
C) Food webs are based on a foundation of producers. 
D) Actually, ecologists prefer to use food chains to describe food movements. 
A) Food chains are oversimplified and suggest that a consumer eats only a single food item. 
B) Food webs place producers at the bottom, whereas food chains place them at the top. 
C) Food webs are based on a foundation of producers. 
D) Actually, ecologists prefer to use food chains to describe food movements.

Question 18

Match each term to a statement listed below.
-bears and wolves both consuming carcasses within the same area

Accepted Answer

A) mutualism 
B) commensalism 
C) exploitation 
D) competition 
A) mutualism 
B) commensalism 
C) exploitation 
D) competition

Question 19

Which of the following choices best explains, from an ecological perspective, why there are laws that require a wildlife survey before certain building or other land-use projects may proceed?

Accepted Answer

A) If a keystone species is found, it can be moved to another area where it will establish a new community of organisms. 
B) If the only local habitat for a keystone species is disturbed, the entire community of populations will be affected. 
C) If the species are surveyed before the land is used, they will all be more likely to survive the building project. 
D) If the species are surveyed before the land is used, they will all be more easily distributed to other habitats. 
A) If a keystone species is found, it can be moved to another area where it will establish a new community of organisms. 
B) If the only local habitat for a keystone species is disturbed, the entire community of populations will be affected. 
C) If the species are surveyed before the land is used, they will all be more likely to survive the building project. 
D) If the species are surveyed before the land is used, they will all be more easily distributed to other habitats.

Question 20

All of the following disturbances EXCEPT ________ would be considered natural.

Accepted Answer

A) fire 
B) flood 
C) windstorm 
D) mining 
A) fire 
B) flood 
C) windstorm 
D) mining

Exam 17: Communities of Organisms

Into which category would a human be assigned when eating pepperoni pizza?

Which of the following statements about communities is true?

In comparing the two communities shown,

In a typical prairie food web, energy moves from grass to grasshopper to field mouse to fox. Which organism is the secondary consumer?

Why is the existence of food webs important even though food chains also exist?

In which of the following situations would secondary rather than primary succession be most likely to occur?

An ecological ________ is an association of populations of different species that live in the same area.

The general process by which species in a community are replaced over time is called ________.

What statement best describes a parasitic relationship?

A community whose species are NOT replaced by other species is classified as a ________ community.

If a disease quickly spreads through a desert and kills moths that are the sole pollinators of long-lived yucca plants, the most likely outcome would be

One of the factors governing diversity within a community is species ________, which is defined as the total number of different species living within that community.

A "keystone" is defined in masonry as the stone at the top of an arch that holds the arch together. Using this definition and your knowledge of keystone species, explain how the role of a keystone species within an ecological community is analogous to the keystone within an arch.

In which of the following situations would you expect succession to take the longest?

In comparing the two communities shown,

The removal of a keystone species from a community usually results in

Why would a food web rather than a food chain be the preferred way to represent the movement of food through the community?

Match each term to a statement listed below. -bears and wolves both consuming carcasses within the same area

Which of the following choices best explains, from an ecological perspective, why there are laws that require a wildlife survey before certain building or other land-use projects may proceed?

All of the following disturbances EXCEPT ________ would be considered natural.

The Nature of Science

Chemistry of Life

Life Is Cellular

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Cell Division

Patterns of Inheritance

Chromosomes and Human Genetics

What Genes Are

How Genes Work

Evidence for Evolution

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Adaptation and Species

The History of Life

Human Evolution

General Principles of Ecology

Growth of Populations

Ecosystems

Homeostasis, Reproduction, and Development

Digestive, Muscular, and Skeletal Systems

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