Ecology

1. Ecology

2. Eco • In 1859, 24 European rabbits were brought to Australia for sport hunting. The rabbits had no natural predators, resulting in an exponential growth patter for the rabbits. They ate crops and became a serious, destructive pest within a relatively short period of time. In an attempt to control the rabbit population, the myxoma virus was introduced into the rabbit population in 1950. Initially, the virus was highly effective reducing the rabbit population by 99%. Currently, the myxoma virus mortality rate is less than 50%. • Describe one scientifically probably change in the rabbit population of Australia that resulted in the reduced effectiveness of the myxoma virus in controlling the number of wild rabbits. • Describe one scientifically probable change in the myxoma virus that resulted in the reduced effectiveness of the virus in controlling the number of wild rabbits.

3. Eco A biologist analyzing a sample of organelles obtained from plant cells found that they took up CO2 and gave off O2. The organelles are most likely: A) ribosomes B) chloroplasts C) mitochondria D) Golgi Bodies

4. Eco Purple Loosestrife is an aggressive non-native flowering plant that is now destroying fields and wetlands across the country. What is the main way that an introduced species such as purple loosestrife can harm the environment? A) It pollutes the air. B) It crowds out native plants. C) It interrupts the water cycle. D) it prevents insects from pollinating other plants.

5. Eco The number of trophic levels in a food web is limited by….. A) the amount of biodiversity present. B) the number of days of sunshine. C) the amount of available energy D) the number of non-native organisms.

6. Eco Which of the following shows a necessary relationship between biotic and abiotic factors in the environment? A) Plants break down stored energy. B) Earthworms recycle soil nutrients. C) Rocks help break down moss. D) Animals consume plants.

7. Eco Which of these biomes has the greatest biodiversity? A) Taiga B) Savanna C) Tropical Rainforest D) Temperate Evergreen Forest

8. Eco Which statement BEST characterizes a typical mature ecosystem unaffected by migration or major environmental changes? A) Contant changes from one extreme to the other. B) Constant state of balance with no changes at all. C) Wide fluctuations followed by periods of stability. D) Slight changes around a relatively fixed state of balance.

9. Eco • One of the results of burning fossil fuels is the release of…… • CFCs • Nitrogen • Phosphates • Carbon dioxide

10. Eco • Which statement is true about the flow of energy through an ecosystem? • Energy is constantly recycled through an ecosystem. • Energy flows through and ecosystem in one direction. • Consumers have more available energy than producers. • Energy flow is dependent on the number of consumers.

11. Eco • Why are people concerned about the introduction of non-native species? • They compete with native species. • They are preferable to native species. • They adapt quicker than native species. • They cannot survive as well as native species.

12. Eco • One of the results of burning fossil fuels is the release of…… • CFCs • Nitrogen • Phosphates • Carbon dioxide

13. Eco • In the diagram below, as matter and energy move from grass to coyote, the amount of available energy _________. • decreases • increases • stays the same • decreases then increases

14. Eco • What is the difference between primary & secondary succession in an ecosystem? • Primary succession requires a soil substrate. • Primary succession colonizers devote a great deal of energy to reproduction. • Secondary succession occurs after a disaster. • Secondary succession colonizers expend a great deal of energy extracting resources.

15. Eco • The primary cause of acid rain is…. • the hole in the ozone layer. • excess chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) • burning fossil fuels • melting of the polar ice caps.

16. Eco • Imagine you are an ecologist studying two different communities. One community has only a few individual species, and the other has a great diversity of species. Which community do you think would have a greater risk of extinction due to disease, habitat destruction or other environmental changes? • The less diverse community would be at greater risk of complete extinction. • The more diverse community would be at greater risk of complete extinction. • The two communities would be at the same risk of complete extinction. • Environmental changes cannot cause extinction.

17. secondary consumers primary consumers producers Eco • Refer to the diagram: • In going from one energy level to the next higher level, …… • The amount of useful energy increases. • The amount of useful energy decreases. • The number of individuals increases. • The diversity of individuals increases.

18. Eco • Imagine you are an ecologist studying two different communities. One community has only a few individual species, and the other has a great diversity of species. Which community do you think would have a greater risk of extinction due to disease, habitat destruction or other environmental changes? • The less diverse community would be at greater risk of complete extinction. • The more diverse community would be at greater risk of complete extinction. • The two communities would be at the same risk of complete extinction. • Environmental changes cannot cause extinction.

19. Eco • Compare the biomass of herbivores to the biomass of carnivores in most communities. • They are about the same. • The total biomass of the carnivores is greater. • The total biomass of the herbivores in greater. • Either could be greater depending on the specific community.

20. Eco • Imagine you are an ecologist studying two different communities. One community has only a few individual species, and the other has a great diversity of species. Which community do you think would have a greater risk of extinction due to disease, habitat destruction or other environmental changes? • The less diverse community would be at greater risk of complete extinction. • The more diverse community would be at greater risk of complete extinction. • The two communities would be at the same risk of complete extinction. • Environmental changes cannot cause extinction.

21. Eco Many years ago, a fire destroyed a wooded area. All that remained was bare rock. After a few years, blue-green plants began growing on the rock. This growth continued despite the lack of soil and the harsh living conditions. Seeds from other kinds of plants fell in the area, but due to the lack of soil, they did not grow. After a long time, many of the blue-green plants died, providing organic matter. As time went on, small plants began to live, grow and die. Their remains further added to the soil.

22. Eco • The soil became richer. After a long while, shrubs began to replace the small plants. Birds and other animals passing through dropped seeds. The wind also carried in other seeds. Trees started to grow, and many other plants and animals started living in the area. For several years following, the community remained fairly stable.

23. Eco • The process described in the above passage is an example of….. • decomposition • succession • parasitism • none of these • The blue-green plants that first grew on the rock were probably….. • symbiotic such as lichens or mosses • coral • synthetic • conifers

24. Eco • The last community described is called a _______ community. • secondary • pioneering • climax • primary

25. Eco The problem: Weeds were taking over a family pond. The owner treated the water with a herbicide that was supposed to be non-toxic to animals. The weeds died but within 2 weeks, a large number of the fish also died. The owner suspects that the chemical is toxic to fish and consults his layer about a possible law suit. You are an environmental scientist hired by the attorney. Provide 2 different hypotheses for the cause of the fish kill.

26. The biome that has the greatist diversity is the_________. A. desert B. tropical rainforest C. tundra D. temperate deciduous forest

27. The two biomes that are most alike in the amount of average rainfall are____________.

28. Which is not one of the Earth’s three main climate zones: • A. Polar • B. Desert • C. Tropical • D. Temperate

29. Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and a few other atmospheric gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range creating a ______________ ________.

30. What defines a species niche? • I. Abiotic factors • II. Biotic factors • III. Food web • a. I only c. I and III only • b. III only d. II and III only • e. I, II and III

31. Generally, which has the greatest effect on determining the climate of a region? • A. Longitude • B. Dominant plant species • C. Distance from the equator • D. Prevailing winds

32. Which is NOT an abiotic factor in an ecosystem? • A. Microorganisms • B. Light • C. Temperature • D. Rainfall • E. pH

33. The water in an estuary is • A. Salt water only. • B. Poor in nutrients • C. Fresh water only. • D. In the aphotic zone. • E. A mixture of fresh water and salt water.

34. Name the two types of estuaries.

35. Which of the following are based on depth and distance from shore? • A. Intertidal zone • B. Coastal ocean • C. Open ocean • D. All of the above

36. Organisms that live near or on the ocean floor are called • A. Parasites • B. Benthos • C. Plankton • D. Mangroves