Levels of Ecology & Climate
The broadest level of ecological organization is:
A. Ecosystem
B. Biosphere
C. Community
D. Population
B. Biosphere
Which biome has vertically layered vegetation and intense competition for light?
A. Temperate Broadleaf Forest
B. Savanna
C. Tropical forest
D. Chaparral
C. Tropical forest
Density refers to:
A. Pattern of spacing among individuals
B. Number of individuals per unit area
C. Birth rate minus death rate
D. Maximum population size
B. Number of individuals per unit area
Competitive exclusion states that:
A. Two species can occupy the same niche indefinitely
B. Species always cooperate
C. Two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist indefinitely
D. Predators eliminate all prey
C. Two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist indefinitely
Energy in ecosystems:
A. Cycles repeatedly
B. Flows in one direction
C. Is created by consumers
D. Stays constant at each trophic level
B. Flows in one direction
The correct order from largest to smallest is: Global → Landscape → Ecosystem → Community → ______ → Organismal.
A. Species
B. Biome
C. Population
D. Niche
C. Population
Which biome has rainy winters and dry summers?
A. Savanna
B. Chaparral
C. Tropical forest
D. Desert
B. Chaparral
A uniform dispersion pattern usually results from:
A. Mutualism
B. Random movement
C. Competition
D. High rainfall
C. Competition
Resource partitioning occurs when species:
A. Compete until one goes extinct
B. Divide resources to reduce competition
C. Share identical niches
D. Switch trophic levels
B. Divide resources to reduce competition
Net primary production (NPP) is calculated as:
A. Ra − GPP
B. GPP − Ra
C. GPP + Ra
D. Secondary production − GPP
B. GPP − Ra
Global climate patterns are primarily determined by:
A. Mountains and lakes
B. Solar energy and Earth’s movement in space
C. Wind speed and soil type
D. Predator-prey relationships
B. Solar energy and Earth’s movement in space
The ocean zone close to the coast is called the:
A. Pelagic zone
B. Aphotic zone
C. Neritic zone
D. Benthic zone
C. Neritic zone
Which survivorship curve shows high mortality early in life?
A. Type I
B. Type II
C. Type III
D. Logistic
C. Type III
Exploitation includes:
A. Mutualism and commensalism
B. Competition and resource partitioning
C. Predation, herbivory, and parasitism
D. Character displacement
C. Predation, herbivory, and parasitism
Approximately what percentage of energy transfers between trophic levels?
A. 50%
B. 25%
C. 10%
D. 1%
C. 10%
Mountains and large bodies of water mainly affect:
A. Global climate
B. Local climate patterns
C. Trophic efficiency
D. Carrying capacity
B. Local climate patterns
A nutrient-poor, oxygen-rich lake is described as:
A. Eutrophic
B. Littoral
C. Oligotrophic
D. Limnetic
C. Oligotrophic
The equation dN/dt = rN represents:
A. Logistic growth
B. Carrying capacity
C. Exponential growth
D. Resource partitioning
C. Exponential growth
Bright warning coloration in toxic prey is called:
A. Cryptic coloration
B. Mimicry
C. Aposematic coloration
D. Character displacement
C. Aposematic coloration
The basic structural unit of fungi is the:
A. Mycelium
B. Hypha
C. Spore
D. Lichen
B. Hypha
An ecological niche is:
A. Where an organism physically lives
B. A population’s growth rate
C. The set of biotic and abiotic resources an organism uses
D. A trophic level
C. The set of biotic and abiotic resources an organism uses
The aquatic zone where photosynthesis occurs due to light penetration is the:
A. Aphotic zone
B. Photic zone
C. Benthic zone
D. Pelagic zone
B. Photic zone
A species that reproduces once and then dies is:
A. Iteroparous
B. K-selected
C. r-selected
D. Semelparous
D. Semelparous
In mutualism:
A. Both species benefit
B. One benefits and one is harmed
C. One benefits and one is unaffected
D. Both species are harmed
A. Both species benefit
Mushrooms and puffballs belong to which fungal phylum?
A. Ascomycota
B. Chytridiomycota
C. Basidiomycota
D. ZygomycotaC
C. Basidiomycota