Ecology Full Unit

What TWO processes release carbon dioxide into the air?

• Photosynthesis and cellular respiration

• Combustion and cellular respiration

• Combustion and decomposition

• Photosynthesis and decomposition

If the amount of fossil fuels being burned increase, what would happen to the amount of carbon dioxide in the air?

• The amount of carbon dioxide would stay the same

• The amount of carbon dioxide would decrease

• The amount of carbon dioxide would increase

• The amount of carbon dioxide would convert to oxygen

All living things need nitrogen to build proteins. The nitrogen gas in Earth’s atmosphere must be changed into ammonia before most living things can use it. This is called nitrogen fixation. Which of these organisms can change nitrogen gas into ammonia?

• bacteria

• mold

• moss

• yeast

As a result of the destruction of forests, birds with small geographic ranges are most likely to:

• lose their specific niche

• adapt to a new environment

• lose their ability to navigate

• become less susceptible to disease

The deep sea ecosystem is a stable ecosystem. Which of these is a characteristic of most stable ecosystems?

• they contain a wide variety of organisms

• they contain very few organisms

• Organic nutrients are in short supply

• Sunlight is not used to make food

The use of certain chemicals by humans has caused holes to form in the Earth’s ozone layer. This allows more ultraviolet (UV) light to reach the oceans. Scientists are concerned that an increase in UV light will start killing microscopic marine algae.

Which of these statements describes how the ocean food web would be affected by a LARGE decrease in microscopic marine algae?

• There will be fewer marine animals because there will be fewer producers

• There will be no change because the algae are very small

• There will be more consumers because the UV light kills producers

• There will be fewer consumers because the UV light kills decomposers.

The populations of wolves and other large predators have decreased throughout the United States. This disruption of the natural food web will most likely lead to:

• a decrease in prey animals

• an increase in producers

• an overpopulation of prey animals

• an overpopulation of scavengers

Which of these shows how energy is usually transferred in a food chain?

• Herbivore --> producer --> carnivore

• Producer --> carnivore --> herbivore

• Carnivore --> herbivore --> producer

• Producer --> herbivore --> carnivore

Aphids are insects that feed on fluids from the stems of plants. After the aphids ingest the plant fluids, they excrete a liquid called honeydew. Ladybugs eat aphids, which are a source of protein for the ladybugs.

Which of these terms best describes the relationship between the ladybugs and aphids?

• Predator- prey

• parasite-host

• mutualism

• commensalism

Rhizobia is a soil bacteria that lives in the roots of certain plants and changes nitrogen gas in the air into ammonium, a form usable by plants.

What is the relationship between the bacteria and the plant?

• competition

• commensalism

• parasitism

• mutualism