Succession Test #1

Which of the following sequences MOST likely represents succession on a recently abandoned farm?

• Grasses, flowering plants, shrubs, maple trees

• Shrubs, maple trees, grasses, flowering plants

• Maple trees, shrubs, flowering plants, grasses

• Flowering plants, maple trees, shrubs, grasses

Which of these types of environments experiences the LEAST change in the total number and type of species over time?

• An ecosystem with only pioneer species

• An ecosystem that is in secondary succession

• An ecosystem that is in primary succession

• An ecosystem with a climax community

Why does the primary succession occur slower than secondary succession?

• Soil must be created

• There are more pioneer species in secondary succession

• The environmental conditions are more extremely in primary succession

• There are more trophic levels in secondary succession

After an event such as an underwater volcanic eruption, what stage of succession would occur after the island is formed?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Primary and secondary

• Neither, because communities are already established

Pioneer species make ecological succession possible on an island formed from volcanic eruption by...

• Pioneer species use chemicals to produce food

• Pioneer species establish homes in which animals can live

• Pioneer species break down rocks into soil in which plants can live

• Pioneer species adjust the climate by altering the average temperature

If succession had reached its climax community, then in about another 500 years, what will happen?

• Ecosystem will remain stable

• Primary succession will start over

• Ecosystem will die off

• Secondary succession will start over

Which of these types of environments is most likely to experience the arrival of a pioneer species?

• An old growth forest

• An undisturbed prairie

• An established mountain lake

• A newly formed volcanic island

A bare patch of ground will not stay bare. Which of the following statements is an example of how the bare patch of ground would be 2 years later?

• The environmental conditions are the same as they were 2 years ago

• There will be lower nutrient levels in the soil

• New communities of plants and shrubs will replace the bare ground

• There will be few species of plants and animals

What time frame best describes how long primary succession generally takes?

• Less than a year

• Around 1 year

• More than 1 but less than 500 years

• More than a 1000 years

After a catastrophic wildfire that clears the land of all plants and trees...

• Weeds will grow in the area before trees grow

• Bushes will grow before weeds grow

• Only trees will grow in the burned area

• Plants will not grow in the burned area