Ecology Test

1. Woodlands and meadows, sand prairies, and beaches. Which of the following choices describes a biotic factor in the habitat of a Fowler’s toad?

• burrowing grounds to survive cold weather
• rocks in sandy areas to hide behind
• insects and other small invertebrates to eat
• shallow pools for breeding 

A new marina is planned for a mangrove ecosystem. People are cutting down mangrove trees and clearing large areas of shoreline to make room for boats. The figure shows the kinds of animals that live in this environment.   Which statement describes what will happen to the populations of the animals in the mangrove ecosystem?

• The populations will stay the same but will live in a smaller habitat. 
• Only the snail population will decrease because its food supply of algae on the mangrove roots will decrease.
• Only the pelican population will decrease because pelicans are losing their nesting area. 
• All the populations will decrease because they are losing part of their habitat. 

Which of the following best describes what scientists consider when they study ecology?

• the interactions of organisms with one another and the environment
• the interactions of organisms to reproduce and produce offspring   
• the interactions of organisms with weather and climate
• the interactions of organisms with their environment

Here are four levels of organization in an environment. The figure below shows the levels of organization in a wetland environment. Herons, snails, crabs, grasses, and other organisms live in and around the wetland. what is the correct order of the levels of organization from 1 - 4?

• Population, community, individual, ecosystem
• individual, ecosystem, community, population 
• individual, community, population, ecosystem 
• ecosystem, community, population, indivisula

The figure below shows an oak tree community. Which of the following sets of organisms are part of the same population in this oak tree community?  

• squirrel and woodpecker
• two different butterflies
• four fungi growing on the trunk
• oak tree and lichen

If above-average rainfall led to an increase in the supply of acorns, what would happen to the population of squirrels?

• The squirrel population would decrease.
• The squirrel population would stay the same
• The squirrel population would migrate.
• The squirrel population would increase.

An estuary is a body of water in which fresh water draining from the land mixes with salt water from the ocean. The result of this mixture is an environment with abundant plant and animal life. The Indian River Lagoon is a 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s eastern coast. It is a diverse estuary, supporting thousands of species of plants and animals. The food pyramid shown below are examples of the relationships that exist in the Indian River Lagoon ecosystem.

•  flounder 
•  phytoplankton
• clams
• egret

A typical ecosystem might include which of the following?

• birds, trees, and flowers    
• birds, trees, and flowers    
• microscopic eukaryotes
• All

All the organisms that live in a particular place and the physical aspects of the place make up a(n):

• habitat
• ecosystem
• food chain
• population

 In a marine food web, there is far more total biomass in algae than in all the killer whales. Why is this so?

• Whales are bigger than algae.
• Whales don't eat algae.
  It takes a massive amount of algae to support a food web with a killer whale at the top.  
• An alga has more mass than a killer whale