Ecosystems
What is the primary source of energy for all living things on Earth?
Which process do plants use to convert sunlight into chemical energy?
Looking at the examples
What is the main difference between the ecological relationships described in the two examples? Include the scientific term used to define each of the relationships
Is Example 1 commensalistic or mutualistic?
Commensalistic
Commensalistic: One benefits, the other doesn't get harmed
Mutualistic: They both benefit.
Based on the food web shown, with which types of organisms would the grasshopper mouse most likely compete for food resources?
A) Producers and decomposers
B) Carnivores and herbivores
C) Producers and carnivores
D) Decomposers and herbivores
B) Carnivores and herbivores
Leaf-cutter ants collect leaves and bring them to fungi, which break down the plant material into digestible forms for the ants. The fungi rely on these leaves for nutrients, and the ants produce substances that protect the fungi from bacteria. What type of ecological interaction does this represent between the leaf-cutter ants and the fungi?
A) Commensalism, where the ants benefit from the fungi and the fungi remain unaffected.
B) Competition, as both species utilize the same resources for survival.
C) Mutualism, with both the ants and the fungi deriving benefits from one another.
D) Predation, where the ants exploit the fungi for their own nutritional gain.
C) Mutualism, with both the ants and the fungi deriving benefits from one another.
Overfishing in an ocean ecosystem leads to:
What does a food chain show?
Given the forest food web illustrated, which scenario would likely lead to a reduction in the frog population?
A) An increase in the number of producers
B) An increase in the butterfly population
C) An increase in the snake population
D) An increase in the ladybird population
C) An increase in the snake population
Considering the reliance of humans on seafood sourced from the ocean, which of the following statements best illustrates the negative effect of human activities on marine food sources?
A) Tourists disrupt coral reefs by touching and breaking the corals during dives.
B) Overfishing faster than fish can reproduce.
C) Aquaculture operations domesticate various fish species for commercial markets.
D) Construction projects develop artificial reefs to enhance tourist attractions in coastal areas.
B) Overfishing faster than fish can reproduce.
Given the presence of giant salvinia, an invasive aquatic plant that rapidly multiplies and covers the surface of a pond, what is the most likely impact on the pond ecosystem in the near future?
A) Fish populations within the pond will start to decline.
B) There will be a sudden reduction in bacterial populations in the pond.
C) The water level in the pond will rise significantly.
D) The diversity of aquatic plant species around the pond will increase.
A) Fish populations within the pond will start to decline.
What kind of interaction occurs when two species benefit from each other?
D) Mutually beneficial
Why are plants called producers?
Refer to the marine food web depicted. If the sea otter population were to substantially decline due to an oil spill, what would be the likely ecological impact on this system?
A) The fish population would see an increase due to a shift in mussel numbers.
B) The mussel population would expand, reacting to alterations in algae availability.
C) The population of sea urchins would grow, resulting in a decrease in kelp.
D) The number of killer whales would rise, affecting the fish population adversely.
C) The population of sea urchins would grow, resulting in a decrease in kelp.
Considering the impact of overfishing on species such as the Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, which is being harvested more quickly than it can reproduce, what is the most probable consequence of this practice on the ecosystem?
A) Overfishing increases the resilience of the ecosystem by reducing predator populations.
B) Overfishing causes ecosystem instability by removing critical species from the food web.
C) Overfishing has minimal impact on the overall health of the ecosystem since other species compensate.
D) Overfishing promotes biodiversity by decreasing dominant species populations.
B) Overfishing causes ecosystem instability by removing critical species from the food web.
Based on this data, which diagram correctly illustrates the energy transfer among these species within the ecosystem?
A) Diagram A
B) Diagram B
C) Diagram C
D) Diagram D
C) Diagram C
Which of the following is an example of an abiotic factor?
Which of the following are major changes that can negatively affect ocean ecosystems?
Considering the graph depicting the relationship between species extinctions and changes in human population:
What can be inferred from the trends shown?
A) Increasing human population levels tend to lead to an increase in species extinction.
B) Changes in human population have minimal impact on ecosystem stability.
C) Growing human populations are linked with a decline in species extinctions.
D) Heavily populated areas by humans tend to maintain increased ecosystem sustainability.
A) Increasing human population levels tend to lead to an increase in species extinction.
Life on Earth relies on the capability of photosynthetic organisms to absorb carbon dioxide and water, and produce which of the following compounds?
A) Nitrogen and glucose
B) Water and glucose
C) Glucose and oxygen
D) Carbon and glucose
C) Glucose and oxygen
Examine the chart depicting the optimal temperature ranges for four fish species. Given these ranges, at which temperature interval is competition for habitat space likely to be the highest among these species?
A) 5°C to 10°C
B) 10°C to 15°C
C) 15°C to 20°C
D) 20°C to 25°C
D) 20°C to 25°C
What are biotic factors?
A) Nonliving elements in an environment
B) Living components necessary for survival
C) Both living and nonliving components
D) Geological features
B) Living components necessary for survival
Which type of consumer eats only meat?
Refer to the food web provided:
Which species are competitors for the same food resource in this ecological diagram?
A) Snakes and grasshoppers
B) Frogs and hawks
C) Decomposers and grass
D) Snakes and frogs
D) Snakes and frogs
Given the map depicting river systems feeding into the Gulf of Mexico, which human activity would most likely contribute to the introduction of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus into the Gulf?
A) Logging activities around the Ohio River
B) Camping activities along the banks of the Mississippi River
C) Sport fishing in the Arkansas River
D) Farming practices near the Missouri River
D) Farming practices near the Missouri River
Based on the data in the table about four different ecosystems, which one is most likely to have the highest level of sustainability?
A) Ecosystem 1
B) Ecosystem 4
C) Ecosystem 2
D) Ecosystem 3
A) Ecosystem 1