Question 1

What is the source of most energy that moves through ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)  oceans 
B)  soil nutrients 
C)  the Sun 
D)  Earth's core 
A)  oceans 
B)  soil nutrients 
C)  the Sun 
D)  Earth's core

Question 2

Food chain efficiency is the percentage of _____ from one trophic level compared with the next_____ trophic level.

Accepted Answer

A)  net production; higher 
B)  net production; lower 
C)  consumed energy; higher 
D)  consumed energy; lower 
A)  net production; higher 
B)  net production; lower 
C)  consumed energy; higher 
D)  consumed energy; lower

Question 3

What are the major drivers of NPP?

Accepted Answer

A)  fertility and precipitation 
B)  temperature and pH 
C)  temperature and precipitation 
D)  fertility and temperature 
A)  fertility and precipitation 
B)  temperature and pH 
C)  temperature and precipitation 
D)  fertility and temperature

Question 4

Which of the following units is commonly used to express GPP?

Accepted Answer

A)  kJ/m2/y 
B)  kPa/m2/y 
C)  kg/m2/y 
D)  kmol/m2/y 
A)  kJ/m2/y 
B)  kPa/m2/y 
C)  kg/m2/y 
D)  kmol/m2/y

Question 5

The average energy residence time is calculated as

Accepted Answer

A)  energy in a trophic level times net productivity. 
B)  net productivity times energy in a trophic level. 
C)  energy in a trophic level divided by net productivity. 
D)  net productivity divided by energy present in a trophic level. 
A)  energy in a trophic level times net productivity. 
B)  net productivity times energy in a trophic level. 
C)  energy in a trophic level divided by net productivity. 
D)  net productivity divided by energy present in a trophic level.

Question 6

Aquatic NPP is primarily limited by

Accepted Answer

A)  fertility. 
B)  light. 
C)  temperature. 
D)  salinity. 
A)  fertility. 
B)  light. 
C)  temperature. 
D)  salinity.

Question 7

Terrestrial secondary productivity is _____ correlated with primary productivity, and aquatic secondary productivity is _____ correlated with primary productivity.

Accepted Answer

A)  positively; positively 
B)  positively; negatively 
C)  negatively; negatively 
D)  negatively; positively 
A)  positively; positively 
B)  positively; negatively 
C)  negatively; negatively 
D)  negatively; positively

Question 8

What nutrient fertilization has been discussed as a way to counteract global warming? How would the nutrient(s) affect global warming, and what are the drawbacks, if any?

Accepted Answer

Adding iron may be a way to increase the

Question 9

Measuring the change in biomass from the beginning to the end of the growing season gives an estimate of

Accepted Answer

A)  herbivory. 
B)  standing crop. 
C)  gross primary productivity. 
D)  net primary productivity. 
A)  herbivory. 
B)  standing crop. 
C)  gross primary productivity. 
D)  net primary productivity.

Question 10

Why can plants use only a small portion of the light energy that strikes the surface of a leaf?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthetic pigments in plant leaves

Question 11

Compilation of data from many experiments on nutrients and NPP in marine ecosystems shows that ecosystems with hard bottoms are generally limited by _____, while soft-bottomed ecosystems are generally limited by _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen; phosphorus 
B)  nitrogen; nitrogen and phosphorus 
C)  phosphorus; nitrogen 
D)  phosphorus; nitrogen and phosphorus 
A)  nitrogen; phosphorus 
B)  nitrogen; nitrogen and phosphorus 
C)  phosphorus; nitrogen 
D)  phosphorus; nitrogen and phosphorus

Question 12

Red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) has a ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus of 45:1. The abalone consumes giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), which has a ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus of 20:1. Would you expect this trophic level to have a high or low ecological efficiency? Why?

Accepted Answer

This trophic level has low ecological ef

Question 13

Which technique allows measurement of conditions on Earth from a distant location?

Accepted Answer

A)  remote sensing 
B)  remote monitoring 
C)  satellite sensing 
D)  satellite monitoring 
A)  remote sensing 
B)  remote monitoring 
C)  satellite sensing 
D)  satellite monitoring

Question 14

A terrestrial ecosystem has an NPP of 850 g C/m2/y and respiration of 1.25 kg C/m2/y. What is the ecosystem GPP in kilograms per metre squared per second?

Accepted Answer

Net primary producti

Question 15

Between latitudes of 30° N and 30° S, NPP is primarily constrained by

Accepted Answer

A)  temperature. 
B)  fertility. 
C)  pH. 
D)  precipitation. 
A)  temperature. 
B)  fertility. 
C)  pH. 
D)  precipitation.

Question 16

Iron is lost from oceans when it combines with _____ and precipitates.

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen 
B)  silicon 
C)  phosphorus 
D)  carbon 
A)  nitrogen 
B)  silicon 
C)  phosphorus 
D)  carbon

Question 17

Consumption efficiency is calculated as

Accepted Answer

A)  consumed energy times net production energy of the next lower trophic level. 
B)  net production energy of the next lower trophic level divided by consumed energy. 
C)  consumed energy divided by net production energy of the next higher trophic level. 
D)  consumed energy divided by net production energy of the next lower trophic level. 
A)  consumed energy times net production energy of the next lower trophic level. 
B)  net production energy of the next lower trophic level divided by consumed energy. 
C)  consumed energy divided by net production energy of the next higher trophic level. 
D)  consumed energy divided by net production energy of the next lower trophic level.

Question 18

The biomass of producers in a given area of an ecosystem at a particular moment is called

Accepted Answer

A)  net primary production. 
B)  ecosystem mass. 
C)  the standing crop. 
D)  the standing harvest. 
A)  net primary production. 
B)  ecosystem mass. 
C)  the standing crop. 
D)  the standing harvest.

Question 19

What is the primary reason that estuaries and coral reefs are so productive?

Accepted Answer

A)  high temperatures due to tropical location 
B)  low levels of herbivory 
C)  high light levels due to shallow waters 
D)  high nutrient levels from runoff 
A)  high temperatures due to tropical location 
B)  low levels of herbivory 
C)  high light levels due to shallow waters 
D)  high nutrient levels from runoff

Question 20

Terrestrial NPP is greatest in _____ ecosystems, and aquatic NPP is greatest in _____ ecosystems.

Accepted Answer

A)  tropical; coastal 
B)  tropical; open water 
C)  polar; tropical 
D)  tropical; tropical 
A)  tropical; coastal 
B)  tropical; open water 
C)  polar; tropical 
D)  tropical; tropical

Exam 20: Movement of Energy in Ecosystems

What is the source of most energy that moves through ecosystems?

Food chain efficiency is the percentage of _____ from one trophic level compared with the next_____ trophic level.

What are the major drivers of NPP?

Which of the following units is commonly used to express GPP?

The average energy residence time is calculated as

Aquatic NPP is primarily limited by

Terrestrial secondary productivity is _____ correlated with primary productivity, and aquatic secondary productivity is _____ correlated with primary productivity.

What nutrient fertilization has been discussed as a way to counteract global warming? How would the nutrient(s) affect global warming, and what are the drawbacks, if any?

Measuring the change in biomass from the beginning to the end of the growing season gives an estimate of

Why can plants use only a small portion of the light energy that strikes the surface of a leaf?

Compilation of data from many experiments on nutrients and NPP in marine ecosystems shows that ecosystems with hard bottoms are generally limited by _____, while soft-bottomed ecosystems are generally limited by _____.

Red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) has a ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus of 45:1. The abalone consumes giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), which has a ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus of 20:1. Would you expect this trophic level to have a high or low ecological efficiency? Why?

Which technique allows measurement of conditions on Earth from a distant location?

A terrestrial ecosystem has an NPP of 850 g C/m2/y and respiration of 1.25 kg C/m2/y. What is the ecosystem GPP in kilograms per metre squared per second?

Between latitudes of 30° N and 30° S, NPP is primarily constrained by

Iron is lost from oceans when it combines with _____ and precipitates.

Consumption efficiency is calculated as

The biomass of producers in a given area of an ecosystem at a particular moment is called

What is the primary reason that estuaries and coral reefs are so productive?

Terrestrial NPP is greatest in _____ ecosystems, and aquatic NPP is greatest in _____ ecosystems.

Introduction: Ecology, Evolution, and the Scientific Method

Adaptations to Aquatic Environments

Adaptations to Terrestrial Environments

Adaptations to Variable Environments

Climates and Soils

Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes

Evolution and Adaptation

Life Histories

Reproductive Strategies

Social Behaviours

Population Distributions

Population Growth and Regulation

Population Dynamics Over Space and Time

Predation and Herbivory

Parasitism and Infectious Diseases

Competition

Community Structure

Community Succession

Movement of Elements in Ecosystems

Landscape Ecology, Biogeography, and Global Biodiversity

Global Conservation of Biodiversity

Filters

Food chain efficiency is the percentage of _ from one trophic level compared with the next_ trophic level.

Terrestrial secondary productivity is _ correlated with primary productivity, and aquatic secondary productivity is _ correlated with primary productivity.

Compilation of data from many experiments on nutrients and NPP in marine ecosystems shows that ecosystems with hard bottoms are generally limited by _, while soft-bottomed ecosystems are generally limited by _.

A terrestrial ecosystem has an NPP of 850 g C/m²/y and respiration of 1.25 kg C/m²/y. What is the ecosystem GPP in kilograms per metre squared per second?

Terrestrial NPP is greatest in _ ecosystems, and aquatic NPP is greatest in _ ecosystems.