Question 1

In most aquatic systems, the dominant photosynthesizers are

Accepted Answer

A)   bacteria
B)   Protists
C)   Amoebae
D)   Both a and b
E)   Both a and c D

Question 2

Primary succession begins

Accepted Answer

A)   soon after a disturbance ends.
B)   at varying times after a disturbance ends.
C)   at sites where some organisms have survived a disturbance.
D)   at sites where no organisms have survived a disturbance.
E)   at sites where only primary producers have survived a disturbance. D

Question 3

In which of the following communities would one expect to see greater energy flow into primary consumers than into primary producers?

Accepted Answer

A)   Forest
B)   Grassland
C)   Open ocean
D)   All of the above
E)   None of the above C

Question 4

Sorenson's index measures _______ diversity.

Accepted Answer

A)   alpha
B)   beta
C)   functional
D)   gamma
E)   delta

Question 5

The plants that grow best on recently formed moraines at Glacier Bay are those that

Accepted Answer

A)   grow under conditions of low oxygen.
B)   are superior competitors.
C)   form mutualisms with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
D)   are highly resistant to herbivores.
E)   None of the above

Question 6

David Tilman's experiments showed that plots with more species are _______ productive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of David Tilman's experiments showed that plots with...

Question 7

Grain is eaten by cows, and cows are eaten by humans. If the ecological transfer efficiency between each trophic level is 10 percent, how much grain is required to produce 70 kg of human biomass?

Accepted Answer

A)   7 kg
B)   70 kg
C)   700 kg
D)   7,000 kg
E)   70,000 kg

Question 8

If gross primary productivity is 309 units and the respiration rate is 147 units, then net primary productivity is _______ units.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If gross primary productivity is 309 units...

Question 9

Most of the biomass of a grassland is found in

Accepted Answer

A)   animals.
B)   the soil.
C)   the atmosphere.
D)   green plants.
E)   water.

Question 10

Which of the following hypotheses is not related to the latitudinal diversity gradient?

Accepted Answer

A)   The time hypothesis
B)   The trophic hypothesis
C)   The spatial heterogeneity hypothesis
D)   The specialization hypothesis
E)   The predation hypothesis

Question 11

A community ecologist would most likely be concerned with

Accepted Answer

A)   energy flow through an ecosystem.
B)   population growth of a single species.
C)   interactions among individuals of the same species living together in a small area.
D)   interactions among individuals of different species living together in a small area.
E)   the cycling of matter through biotic and abiotic components of an area.

Question 12

The number of trophic levels in most communities is limited by

Accepted Answer

A)   the presence of decomposers.
B)   predation.
C)   competitive exclusion.
D)   succession.
E)   the loss of energy between trophic levels.

Question 13

A plant in the dark uses 0.02 ml of O2 per minute. The same plant in sunlight releases 0.14 ml of O2 per minute. Its rate of gross primary production would be approximately _______ ml of O2 per minute.

Accepted Answer

A)   0.02
B)   0.12
C)   0.14
D)   0.16
E)   0.18

Question 14

Despite being so low in abundance that it is classified as a "near threatened" species, the jaguar plays an important role in structuring forest communities. It is thus considered a _______ species.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Despite being so low in abundance that...

Question 15

Gravel deposits formed where glacial fronts have remained stationary for many years are known as _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gravel deposits formed where glacial fronts have...

Question 16

Populations of species living close enough together for potential interactions constitute a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)   ecosystem.
B)   community.
C)   population.
D)   food web.
E)   symbiosis.

Question 17

Many species of birds eat plants as well as other animals. They thus belong to the _______ trophic level.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many species of birds eat plants as...

Question 18

The species that live and interact in a particular area constitute an ecological _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The species that live and interact in...

Question 19

Although the consequences of various kinds of disturbances are highly variable, their results conform to a general pattern. This general pattern is called

Accepted Answer

A)   succession.
B)   general disturbance.
C)   disaster equilibrium.
D)   general equilibrium.
E)   intermediate equilibrium.

Question 20

Which of the following resulted from Robert Paine's removing the predator sea star from parts of the intertidal zone?

Accepted Answer

A)   Many species disappeared from the environment.
B)   The species richness increased.
C)   One species of mussel, Mytilus californianus, benefited.
D)   Both a and c
E)   Both b and c

Exam 57: Community Ecology