Multiple Choice Identify the
choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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1.
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The branch of biology dealing with interactions among organisms and between
organisms and their environment is called
a. | economy. | b. | modeling. | c. | recycling. | d. | ecology. |
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2.
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Which of the following descriptions about the organization of an ecosystem is
correct?
a. | Communities make up species, which make up populations. | b. | Populations make up
species, which make up communities. | c. | Species make up communities, which make up
populations. | d. | Species make up populations, which make up
communities. |
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3.
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Plants are
a. | primary producers. | b. | primary consumers. | c. | herbivores. | d. | omnivores. |
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4.
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How do most primary producers make their own food?
a. | by using light energy to make carbohydrates | b. | by using chemical
energy to make carbohydrates | c. | by changing water into carbon dioxide
| d. | by breaking down remains to make carbon dioxide |
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5.
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In what way are herbivores and carnivores alike?
a. | They both use photosynthesis to make their own food. | b. | They both obtain
energy by consuming other organisms. | c. | They both directly consume
producers. | d. | They both are considered to be autotrophs. |
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6.
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The total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level is called
the
a. | organic mass. | b. | trophic mass. | c. | energy
mass. | d. | biomass. |
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7.
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A model of the complex feeding interactions among organisms in a community from
producers to decomposers is called a
a. | food web. | b. | ecosystem. | c. | food
chain. | d. | population. |
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8.
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What animals eat both producers and consumers?
a. | herbivores | b. | omnivores | c. | chemotrophs | d. | autotrophs |
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9.
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A bird stalks, kills, and then eats an insect. Based on its behavior, which pair
of ecological terms describes the bird?
a. | herbivore, decomposer | b. | producer, heterotroph | c. | carnivore,
consumer | d. | autotroph, herbivore |
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Figure
3–2
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10.
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What goes in Box 5 of the food web in Figure 3–2?
a. | herbivores | b. | scavengers | c. | carnivores | d. | decomposers |
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11.
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Only 10 percent of the energy stored in an organism can be passed on to the next
trophic level. Of the remaining energy, some is used for the organism’s life processes, and the
rest is
a. | used in reproduction. | b. | stored as body tissue. | c. | stored as
fat. | d. | eliminated as heat. |
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12.
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A word that means the same thing as consumer is
a. | producer. | b. | autotroph. | c. | heterotroph. | d. | carbohydrate. |
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13.
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Matter can recycle through the biosphere because
a. | matter does not change into new compounds. | b. | matter is assembled
into chemical compounds. | c. | biological systems do not use up matter, they
transform it. | d. | biological systems use only carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and
nitrogen. |
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14.
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The repeated movement of water between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere
is called
a. | the water cycle. | b. | the condensation cycle. | c. | precipitation. | d. | evaporation. |
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15.
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Carbon cycles through the biosphere in all of the following processes
EXCEPT
a. | photosynthesis. | b. | transpiration. | c. | burning of fossil
fuels. | d. | decomposition of plants and animals. |
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16.
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Which part of the water cycle is a biological process?
a. | transpiration | b. | runoff | c. | precipitation | d. | condensation |
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17.
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Organisms need nutrients in order to
a. | utilize hydrogen and oxygen. | b. | carry out essential life functions. | c. | recycle chemical compounds. | d. | carry out nitrogen
fixation. |
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18.
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The movements of energy and nutrients through living systems are different
because
a. | energy flows in one direction, and nutrients recycle. | b. | energy is limited in
the biosphere, and nutrients are always available. | c. | nutrients flow in one direction, and energy
recycles. | d. | energy forms chemical compounds, and nutrients are lost as
heat. |
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19.
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Because of biogeochemical cycling,
a. | human activity has no effect on elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of
matter. | b. | living organisms are not limited by any one nutrient. | c. | nutrients are
circulated throughout the biosphere. | d. | many nutrients do not reach toxic
concentrations in the biosphere. |
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20.
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If a lake receives a large input of a limiting nutrient, which of these would
happen first?
a. | An algal bloom occurs. | b. | Algae begin to die and decomposers take
over. | c. | Nitrogen compounds are recycled. | d. | The concentration of oxygen drops below the
necessary level. |
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21.
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Animals that get energy by eating the carcasses of other animals that have been
killed by predators or have died of natural causes are called
a. | scavengers. | b. | omnivores. | c. | heterotrophs. | d. | detritivores. |
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22.
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Each of the following is an abiotic factor in the environment EXCEPT
a. | plant life. | b. | soil type. | c. | rainfall. | d. | temperature. |
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23.
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During a long period when there is no rainfall, a mountain lion may temporarily
leave its usual hunting territory to drink from a farm pond. This behavior is due to
a. | its need to find different foods to eat. | b. | the change in an
abiotic factor in its environment. | c. | its need to find a new
habitat. | d. | the change in a biotic factor in its environment. |
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24.
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Which is an example of how biotic and abiotic factors interact?
a. | Sunlight increases the temperature of pond water. | b. | Water and soil mix
together to make mud. | c. | Tree roots split apart rocks in the
ground. | d. | Humidity in the air forms fog in a valley. |
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25.
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What is at the base of all ecological pyramids?
a. | consumers | b. | decomposers | c. | producers | d. | scavengers |
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26.
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Primary succession would most likely occur after
a. | a forest fire. | b. | a lava flow. | c. | farm land is
abandoned. | d. | a severe storm. |
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27.
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What is one difference between primary and secondary succession?
a. | Primary succession is rapid and secondary succession is slow. | b. | Secondary succession
begins on soil and primary succession begins on newly exposed surfaces. | c. | Primary succession
modifies the environment and secondary succession does not. | d. | Secondary succession
begins with lichens and primary succession begins with trees. |
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28.
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Which of the following occurs during the ecological succession of an
ecosystem?
a. | An ecosystem reaches a final, unchanging stage. | b. | Animals move out of
the ecosystem until succession is complete. | c. | Living organisms modify their environment a
little at a time. | d. | Parts of communities split off to form new
communities. |
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29.
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Which is a factor that could interrupt the progress of succession?
a. | colonization of surfaces by lichens | b. | different animals appearing at each
stage | c. | another natural disturbance | d. | long-term fluctuations in
climate |
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30.
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A tropical rain forest may be unable to be returned to its original climax
community after which of the following disturbances?
a. | burning of a forest fire | b. | clearing and farming | c. | volcanic
eruption | d. | flooding after a hurricane |
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31.
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An example of a human-caused disturbance is
a. | a hurricane. | b. | forest-clearing. | c. | wildfires. | d. | growing
lichens. |
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32.
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Introduced species can threaten biodiversity because they can
a. | cause desertification. | b. | cause biological
magnification. | c. | crowd out native species. | d. | reduce the amount of fertile
land. |
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33.
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All of the following are threats to biodiversity EXCEPT
a. | biological magnification of toxic compounds. | b. | habitat
fragmentation. | c. | introduced species. | d. | habitat
preservation. |
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34.
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One of the greatest threats today to biodiversity is
a. | old-growth forests. | b. | ozone depletion. | c. | altered
habitats. | d. | sustainable development. |
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35.
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An ecological hot spot is an area where
a. | habitats and species show a high amount of biodiversity. | b. | hunting is
encouraged. | c. | many habitats and species are at high risk of extinction. | d. | species diversity is
too high. |
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36.
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Protecting an entire ecosystem ensures that
a. | captive breeding programs will succeed. | b. | existing parks and
reserves will expand. | c. | governments will set aside
land. | d. | interactions among many species will be preserved. |
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37.
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The simplest grouping of more than one kind of organism in the biosphere
is
a. | a population. | b. | a community. | c. | an
ecosystem. | d. | a species. |
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38.
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The lowest level of environmental complexity that includes living and nonliving
factors is the
a. | biome. | b. | community. | c. | ecosystem. | d. | biosphere. |
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39.
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What are the three kinds of ecological pyramids?
a. | producer, consumer, and decomposer | b. | energy, nutrient, and
trophic | c. | energy, biomass, and numbers | d. | biotic, abiotic, and
nutrient |
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40.
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Which is a biotic factor that affects the size of a population in a specific
ecosystem?
a. | average temperature of the ecosystem | b. | type of soil in the
ecosystem | c. | number and kinds of predators in the ecosystem | d. | concentration of
oxygen in the ecosystem |
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Figure
3–4
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41.
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Which of the following is a food chain in the food web shown in Figure
3–4?
a. | tree, rabbit, hawk, snake | b. | grass, grasshopper, snake,
hawk | c. | grass, caterpillar, robin, hawk | d. | tree, deer, mountain lion,
fox |
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Figure
4–2
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42.
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Figure 4–2 shows succession in an ecosystem. What organisms are found in
the climax community for this ecosystem?
a. | lichens and moss | b. | trees and shrubs | c. | weeds and
grasses | d. | volcanoes and soil |
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43.
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Which of the following is NOT one of the factors that play a role in population
growth rate?
a. | immigration | b. | death rate | c. | emigration | d. | demography |
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44.
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The movement of organisms into a range is called
a. | immigration. | b. | emigration. | c. | population
shift. | d. | carrying capacity. |
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45.
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Which of the following could describe a population that is decreasing in
size?
a. | The birthrate and the death rate remain the same. | b. | The death rate is
becoming lower than the birthrate. | c. | The death rate is constant and the birthrate is
increasing. | d. | The death rate is becoming higher than the birthrate. |
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46.
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If immigration and emigration numbers remain equal, which of these could cause a
slowed growth rate?
a. | increased birthrate | b. | constant death rate | c. | decreased
birthrate | d. | constant birthrate |
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47.
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Which are two ways a population can decrease in size?
a. | immigration and emigration | b. | increased death rate and
immigration | c. | decreased birthrate and emigration | d. | emigration and increased
birthrate |
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Figure
5–1
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48.
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The graph in Figure 5–1 shows the growth of a bacterial population. Which
of the following correctly describes the growth curve?
a. | logistic | b. | limiting | c. | demographic | d. | exponential |
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49.
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Suppose that a species of toads is introduced into a new environment in an
attempt to reduce the population of insects. The toad has no natural predators in the new
environment. The toad population would most likely
a. | increase exponentially. | b. | increase logistically. | c. | decrease rapidly and
die out. | d. | remain the same. |
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50.
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Which of the following graphs is a graph showing exponential growth?
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51.
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During some kinds of population growth, the size of each generation of offspring
is larger than the generation before it. So, as the population gets larger, it grows more quickly.
This situation is called
a. | logistic growth. | b. | growth density. | c. | exponential
growth. | d. | multiple growth. |
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52.
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Which factor might NOT contribute to an exponential growth rate in a given
population?
a. | lower death rates | b. | higher birthrates | c. | less
competition | d. | reduced resources |
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53.
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The various growth phases through which most populations go are represented
on
a. | a logistic growth curve. | b. | an exponential growth
curve. | c. | a normal curve. | d. | a population
curve. |
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54.
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As resources in a population become less available, the population
a. | declines rapidly. | b. | increases slowly. | c. | reaches carrying
capacity. | d. | enters a phase of exponential growth. |
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55.
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In a logistic growth curve, exponential growth is the phase in which the
population
a. | reaches carrying capacity. | b. | grows quickly. | c. | growth begins to
slow down. | d. | growth stops. |
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56.
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When the exponential phase of a logistic growth curve of a population
ceases,
a. | the size of the population drops. | b. | the size of the population stays the
same. | c. | population growth begins to slow down. | d. | population growth begins to speed
up. |
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57.
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Something that controls the growth or size of a population is
a. | the carrying capacity. | b. | the growth rate. | c. | a limiting
factor. | d. | a growth factor. |
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58.
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Sea otters live in the ocean. Which of the following is NOT likely to be a
limiting factor on the sea otter population?
a. | disease | b. | competition | c. | drought | d. | predation |
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59.
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Which will reduce competition within a species’ population?
a. | fewer individuals | b. | higher birthrate | c. | fewer
resources | d. | higher population density |
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60.
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If a population grows larger than the carrying capacity of the environment,
which of these is most likely to happen?
a. | The death rate may rise. | b. | The birthrate may rise. | c. | The death rate must
fall. | d. | The birthrate must fall. |
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61.
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Water lilies do not grow in desert sand because water availability to these
plants in a desert is
a. | a limiting factor. | b. | the carrying capacity. | c. | a competition
factor. | d. | the logistic growth curve. |
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 Figure
5–2
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62.
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Using Figure 5–2, what is the most likely cause of the decrease in moose
population immediately after 1995?
a. | Poisonous plants killed off many moose. | b. | Many moose reached
old age and died. | c. | Overcrowding caused competition in the moose
population. | d. | A decrease in predators caused competition in the moose
population. |
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63.
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A developer wants to build new a new housing development in or around a large
city. Which of the following plans would be LEAST harmful to the environment?
a. | Clearing a forested area outside of the city to build houses. | b. | Building apartments
at the site of an abandoned factory in the city. | c. | Building a neighborhood in a meadow at the edge
of the city. | d. | Filling a wetland area and building oceanfront
condominiums. |
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64.
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What is one negative consequence of the Industrial Revolution?
a. | fewer jobs for people living in cities | b. | more expensive clothes | c. | environmental harm
from the burning of fossil fuels | d. | people working longer hours at their
jobs |
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65.
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An example of a renewable resource is
a. | oil. | b. | natural gas. | c. | coal. | d. | trees. |
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66.
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Which of the following is true about nonrenewable resources?
a. | They can be replaced through sustainable development. | b. | There are plenty for
people to use for a very long time. | c. | Using them up will help keep the environment
healthy. | d. | They cannot be replaced after they are used up. |
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67.
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Using environmental resources in a way that does not cause long-term
environmental harm is like
a. | spending only as much money as you earn. | b. | borrowing money that
you cannot pay back for a long time. | c. | printing more money when you need
it. | d. | lending money to people who can’t pay it back. |
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68.
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The 1930s Dust Bowl in the Great Plains was caused by
a. | deforestation. | b. | contour plowing. | c. | using renewable
resources. | d. | poor farming practices. |
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 Figure
6–3
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69.
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What is a valid conclusion that can be drawn from the graph in Figure
6–3 above?
a. | Less energy is used when people travel farther by car. | b. | Although people are
traveling more by car, pollution has decreased. | c. | Pollution increases as energy consumption
increases. | d. | Energy consumption has changed more than total
emissions. |
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70.
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The number of different species in the biosphere or in a particular area is
called
a. | biodiversity. | b. | ecosystem diversity. | c. | genetic
diversity. | d. | species diversity. |
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71.
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How are species diversity and genetic diversity different?
a. | Species diversity is evaluated only in ecosystems, while genetic diversity is
evaluated in the entire biosphere. | b. | Species diversity measures the number of
species in the biosphere, while genetic diversity measures the variety of genes in the biosphere,
including genetic variation within species. | c. | Species diversity measures the number of
individuals of a species, while genetic diversity measures the total variety of
species. | d. | Conservation biology is concerned with species diversity, but not with genetic
diversity. |
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72.
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Biodiversity is valuable partly because it
a. | gives us interesting things to look at. | b. | tells us about many
other species. | c. | contributes to medicine and agriculture. | d. | provides humans with
resistance to disease. |
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