Ecology Review

Biogeochemical Cycles

Multiple Choice

Which of these organisms would receive energy from the snake?

• Plant
• Rabbit
• Mouse
• Hawk

Multiple Choice

In the energy pyramid here, how much of the energy in each level gets lost as heat or used by the organism for survival?

• 80%
• 90%
• 10%
• 20%

Multiple Choice

The diagram represents a pyramid of energy in an ecosystem.  Which level would most likely contain members of the plant kingdom?

• A
• B
• C
• D

Fill in the Blank

If there is 2000 kcal of energy in this particular ecosystem, how many kcal of energy will be available for hawk?

Multiple Choice

Each step in a food chain or food web

• Trophic level

• Adaptations

• Link

• Ecological pyramid

Water Cycle

• Precipitation - when water falls from the sky

• Runoff - when water runs off the surface and ends up in lakes/ponds/rivers, etc.

• Seepage - when water seeps into the ground and becomes groundwater

• Evaporation - when water heats up and turns into a gas form

• Transpiration - when water evaporates from the plants of leaves

• Condensation - when water vapor cools down and turns into clouds

Multiple Choice

When warm, evaporated air rises, it cools and begins to turn into liquid again. This part of the water cycle is called:

• transpiration

• precipitation

• runoff

• condensation

Multiple Choice

Which term best describes a change of state from a liquid to a gas caused by the sun's energy?

• evaporation

• sublimation

• deposition

• precipitation

Multiple Choice

The process of plants losing water through their leaves is called ____.

• condensation

• evaporation

• transpiration

• exhaling

Carbon Cycle

• Photosynthesis - how the carbon comes to earth from the atmosphere

• Cellular respiration - how the carbon is released from plants/animals back into the atmosphere

• Combustion - when carbon is released into the atmosphere by factories/cars

• Decomposition - when carbon is released atmosphere by dead plants/animals... some is turned into fossil fuels to be burnt later

Multiple Choice

What is the only way that carbon (CO2) goes from the atmosphere to living organisms?

• photosynthesis

• respiration

• decomposition

• combustion

Nitrogen Cycle

• About 78% of the earth's atmosphere is nitrogen gas.

• Plants and animals must have nitrogen to make proteins and nucleic acids.

• However, the nitrogen gas is not usable by plants or animals - so the nitrogen cycle must happen to change nitrogen into a usable form through a series of steps.

• Most of this is done using bacteria & decomposers; however, some nitrogen enters the soil via lightning.

Multiple Choice

What would increase CO2 in the atmosphere

• photosynthesis

• respiration

• decomposition

• combustion

Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen fixation: the process when nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil/on plant roots change nitrogen gas into ammonia

• Ammonification: the process when decomposers break down dead stuff/animal wastes into ammonium

• Nitrification: the process when nitrifying bacteria change ammonium into nitrates, which is what plants can use

• Assimilation: when the plants take in the nitrates

• Denitrification: when denitrifying bacteria take the excess nitrates and turn it back into nitrogen gas

Multiple Choice

the process when decomposers break down dead stuff/animal wastes into ammonium

• Ammonification

• Denitrification

• Nitrification

• Nitrogen fixation

Multiple Choice

the process when bacteria change ammonium into nitrates, which is what plants can use

• Ammonification

• Denitrification

• Nitrification

• Nitrogen fixation

Multiple Choice

the process when bacteria in the soil/on plant roots change nitrogen gas into ammonia

• Ammonification

• Denitrification

• Nitrification

• Nitrogen fixation

Multiple Choice

when bacteria take the excess nitrates and turn it back into nitrogen gas

• Ammonification

• Denitrification

• Nitrification

• Nitrogen fixation

Phosphorus Cycle

• This is the only cycle without an atmospheric portion.

• Phosphate is released via the weathering of rocks.

• Plants & some fungi take up phosphorus.

• Phosphorus moves from producers to consumers via the food web.

• Phosphorus is released back into the soil when organisms die & decomposers break them down.

• Phosphorus gets into water via runoff and leaching from the groundwater.

• Mining and agricultural runoff add to the phosphorus in the environment.

Multiple Choice

There is no portion of the phosphorus cycle in the...

• atmosphere

• rocks

• water

• living organisms

Succession

By Maderlin Guerra

Multiple Select

What is an example of an ecological disturbance? Choose all that apply.

• Forest fire

• Tsunami

• Pollution from humans

• Disease outbreak

• Introduction of an Invasive Species

" In ecology, a disturbance is a temporary change in environmental conditions that causes a pronounced change in an ecosystem. Disturbances often act quickly and with great effect, to alter the physical structure or arrangement of biotic and abiotic elements. A disturbance can also occur over a long period of time and can impact the biodiversity within an ecosystem. " 

Multiple Choice

What other natural event will cause an ecosystem to start at the primary succession level?

• tornado

• hurricane

• melting of a glacier

• tornato

Multiple Select

What events will cause an ecosystem to start at the primary succession level?

Multiple Choice

What level of Succession is picture number 4?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Climax

Multiple Choice

What level of Succession is picture number 1?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Climax

Multiple Select

Which of these pictures represent biotic and abiotic factors you would see in Secondary succssion?

Multiple Select

Which of these pictures represent biotic and abiotic factors you would see in primary succssion?

Multiple Choice

Look at the phosphorous cycle. What activity here is leading to an increase in algae in the pond/water source?

• From the decomposers

• Silt settling and forming new rock

• Rock erosions/soil carries from rain water

• Runoff from phosphates in agriculture/farmin

Multiple Select

Select all of the following that are true about the sulfur cycle:

• Sulfur contribute to acid rain

• Sulfur is added into the atmosphere via volcanos and fossil fuel burning

• Bacteria do not play a role in this cycle

• Decomposers and Bacteria play a role in the conversion/cycling of sulfur

• Fertilizers and runoff from precipitation adds sulfur to water system

Multiple Choice

A place where matter/nutrients are collected/stored.

• A lake

• A sink (store, reservoir)

• A cloud

• The atmosphere

Multiple Choice

A feeding relationship where one organism hunts and one is hunted.

• Commensalism
• Decomposistion
• Mutualism
• Predator-Prey

Multiple Choice

A relationship that describe a close interaction between two different species is known as what?

• Biodiversity
• Symbiosis
• Predation
• Emigration

Multiple Choice

This is known as a relationship in which one organism benefits, while the other is unaffected.

• Parasitism
• Mutualism
• Immigration
• Commensalism

Multiple Choice

A clownfish uses a sea anenome as a safe place to live. While living there, the clownfish lures in food for the anenome. This is an example of what type of relationship?

• Predator-Prey
• Commensalism
• Mutualism
• Parasitism

Multiple Choice

A mosquito feeds off of the blood of different organisms. This usually causes discomfort to the organism and sometimes disease and death. This is an example of:

• Parasitism
• Decomposition
• Commensalism
• Mutualism

Multiple Choice

A relationship between two organisms where one benefits while the other is harmed is known as what?

• Decomposition
• Consummerism
• Mutualism
• Parasitism

Multiple Choice

Under which condition is competition among wolves most likely?

• When new vegetation grows in the habitat, bringing new prey to the area

• When a disease kills a large amount of the rabbit population

• When there is an increase in sunlight in the habitat

• When there is abundant rainfall in the area

Multiple Choice

The idea that no two species within an ecosystem can occupy the exact same niche

• niche overlap
• niche differentiation
• competitive exclusion
• niche decay

Multiple Choice

A niche ________________.

• is the function that an organism performs in the food web of that community.

• includes everything else the organism does and needs in its environment.

• is specific to each individual animal and plant.

• All of the above.

Multiple Choice

A squirrels niche would be _________________.

• hunting prey and providing meat for other squirrels.

• searching for fish to eat in the ocean.

• staying busy storing nuts and seeds for winter.

• help decompose other animals and plants.

Multiple Choice

What growth pattern describes a population whose growth rate slows or stops following a period of exponential growth?

• logistic growth
• population growth
• exponential growth
• predator-prey cycle

Multiple Choice

_{If the amount of food or resources available increases, the carrying capacity for an animal.....}

• Stays the same

• Increases

• Decreases

• Fluctuates

Multiple Choice

This is the largest number of individuals of a population that the environment can support...

• carrying capacity

• population crash

• lag phase

• mutualism

Multiple Choice

Which type of growth is best illustrated by this rabbit population?

• exponential

• logistic

• S-shaped

• predator-prey

Multiple Choice

What point on the graph represents the carrying capacity?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

What would the carrying capacity of this graph be

• 530
• 400
• 500
• 480

Open Ended

Meet Our Guest: Triston Robinson

Our guest is a dedicated wildlife conservationist with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He has spent years working in the field and the lab—handling reptiles, small mammals, and fish, and collecting important data to help protect these species. He’s used tools like microscopes, GPS systems, and pit tags, and has done research in some tough and remote environments (yes, including driving 4x4s through the wild!). With strong leadership skills and a passion for environmental preservation, he brings valuable real-world experience in zoological research and conservation. Get ready to ask him about his adventures and discoveries in the wild!

I want you to come up with 3 questions that you would like to ask him!