Ecology

1.  The carrying capacity of a population is defined as

• a.  The amount of time the parents in the population spend rearing and nurturing their offspring
• a.  The maximum population size that a certain environment can support at a particular time
• a.  The amount of vegetation that a certain geographic area can support
• a.  The number of different types of species a biome can support

1.  Which biome is characterized by permafrost and few large plants

• Temperate grassland
• Tropical forest
• tundra
• desert

1.  Which biome is characterized by occasional fires, nutrient rich soil, and grazing animals

• temperate grassland
• tropical forest
• tundra
• desert

1.  Which biome is characterized by sparse rainfall and extreme daily temperature fluctuations

• temperate grassland
• tropical forest
• tundra
• desert

1.  Which of the following interspecific interactions represents a form of interaction different from the others?

• tick on human
• deer eating shrubs
• honeybee and apple blossoms
• deadly bacterium and its host

1.  When one species was removed from a tide pool, the species richness became significantly reduced. The removed species was probably

• a.  The species with the greatest biomass
• a.  A potent parasite
• a.  The species with the highest relative abundance
• a.  A keystone species

1.  Which statement best describes energy transfer in a food web?

• a.  Energy is transferred to consumers which convert it to nitrogen compounds and use it to synthesize amino acids
• a.  Energy from producers is converted into oxygen and transferred to consumers
• a.  Energy from the sun is stored in green plants and transferred to consumers
• a.  Energy moves from autotrophs to heterotrophs to decomposers, which recycle it back into a form producers can use again

An organism that produces its own food supply from inorganic compounds is called a(an)

• heterotroph
• consumer
• detritivore
• autotroph

What is the original source of almost all energy in most ecosystems?

• carbohydrates
• sunlight
• water
• carbon

What is the term for each step in the transfer of energy and matter within a biological community?

• energy path
• food web
• trophic level
• food pyramid