What role do decomposers play in ecosystem stability?
a. They only break down dead plants
b. They recycle nutrients back into the system
c. They produce oxygen
d. They regulate predator populations
b. They recycle nutrients back into the system
What is the primary role of producers in an ecosystem?
a. Breaking down dead material
b. Converting inorganic to organic compounds through photosynthesis
c. Consuming other organisms
d. Recycling nutrients
b. Converting inorganic to organic compounds through photosynthesis
In photosynthesis, where does the oxygen released come from?
a. Glucose molecules
b. Carbon dioxide and water molecules
c. Nitrogen
d. Chlorophyll
b. Carbon dioxide and water molecules
Which human activity contributes most significantly to global climate change?
a. Deforestation
b. Mining operations
c. Burning of fossil fuels
d. Agricultural practices
c. Burning of fossil fuels
How do limiting factors affect population growth?
a. They only affect small populations
b. They prevent population decrease
c. They control maximum population size
d. They increase reproductive rates
c. They control maximum population size
What is a primary consequence of biodiversity loss in an ecosystem?
a. Increased ecosystem stability
b. Enhanced nutrient cycling
c. Reduced ecosystem resilience
d. Better species adaptation
c. Reduced ecosystem resilience
What is the main function of a food web?
a. To show predator-prey relationships only
b. To illustrate energy flow through an ecosystem
c. To display animal migration patterns
d. To demonstrate weather patterns
b. To illustrate energy flow through an ecosystem
What is the primary purpose of photosynthesis?
a. To produce oxygen
b. To produce glucose
c. To generate ATP
d. To fix carbon
b. To produce glucose
Which human activity most directly impacts the carbon cycle?
a. Overfishing in oceans
b. Urban development
c. Burning fossil fuels
d. Water pollution
c. Burning fossil fuels
Which factor most influences species extinction rates?
a. Natural selection
b. Genetic drift
c. Human activities
d. Solar radiation
c. Human activities
What is a key indicator of ecosystem health?
a. Species diversity
b. Human population density
c. Temperature fluctuations
d. Soil erosion
a. Species diversity
What is carrying capacity?
a. The maximum weight an organism can lift
b. The minimum population size needed for survival
c. The total number of species in an ecosystem
d. The maximum population size an environment can support
d. The maximum population size an environment can support
What is the source of carbon atoms in glucose produced during photosynthesis?
a. Water molecules
b. Oxygen gas
c. Carbon dioxide
d. NADPH
c. Carbon dioxide
What is the main driver of current global biodiversity loss?
a. Volcanic activity
b. Flooding
c. Natural selection
d. Habitat destruction
d. Habitat destruction
Which represents a biotic factor in an ecosystem
a. Temperature
b. Climate
c. Disease
d. Rainfall
c. Disease
Which best describes ecosystem resilience?
a. Resistance to all changes
b. Complete ecosystem collapse
c. Ability to recover from disturbance
d. Permanent state change
c. Ability to recover from disturbance
Which represents a density-dependent limiting factor?
a. Temperature
b. Competition for resources
c. Natural disasters
d. Rainfall
b. Competition for resources
Which process occurs in both plant and animal cells?
a. Photosynthesis
b. Light-dependent reactions
c. Calvin cycle
d. Cellular respiration
d. Cellular respiration
What is a key strategy for maintaining biodiversity in an ecosystem?
a. Introducing non-native species
b. Protection of wildlife habitats
c. Increasing urban development
d. Removing predator species
b. Protection of wildlife habitats
How do invasive species typically affect native populations?
a. They always increase biodiversity
b. They have no effect on native species
c. They enhance ecosystem stability
d. They often compete with or prey on native species
They often compete with or prey on native species
What happens to most ecosystems when biodiversity decreases?
a. They become more stable
b. They become more resilient
c. They become more vulnerable to disruption
d. They maintain equilibrium
c. They become more vulnerable to disruption
Which represents a density-independent limiting factor?
a. Disease
b. Competition
c. Natural disaster
d. Predation
c. Natural disaster
Which process describes how energy flows through an ecosystem?
a. Circular flow from producers to consumers and back
b. Linear flow from the sun through producers to consumers
c. Random distribution among organisms
d. Reverse flow from consumers to producers
a. Circular flow from producers to consumers and back
What is a significant impact of ocean acidification?
a. Increased fish populations
b. Coral reef degradation
c. Higher ocean temperatures
d. Greater biodiversity
b. Coral reef degradation
What is the primary factor that determines the growth rate of a population?
a. Available sunlight
b. Competition between species
c. Available resources and space
c. Available resources and space