Ecology Unit Review

Which of the following statements best describes how an increase in the size of a mammal population could be related to a large surplus of food?

• With an abundance of food, adults now outnumber predators.

• With enough to eat, more females are healthy and the birth rate increases.

• Since there is no competition for food, most individuals develop mutualistic relationships.

• Since they no longer need to hunt, some males increase their territories and cause other males to move away.

A composter speeds up the decomposition of dead plant material. The illustration below shows a person putting plant material into a composter.

Which of the following is one result of the decomposition of the plant material?

• Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere.

• Photosynthesis produces starches.

• Water and salts are created

• All bacteria and other microorganisms die.

The Karner blue butterfly has been listed as an endangered species since 1992. Karner blue butterfly larvae feed only on wild lupine plants, which require a habitat with dry soil and exposure to direct sunlight.

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​Which of the following would be the best habitat for wild lupine that could help Karner blue butterfly populations recover?

• a mountain top that is covered in snow

• a river bank that was flooded by high water

• an isolated area in a jungle that has many large trees

• an open area in a forest that was cleared by fire

The graph below shows the estimated number of orca whales off the coast of Washington State over a 20-year period.

Which of the following best explains the orca population changes between 1996 and 2002?

• The total number of orca births and deaths was greater than the total number of orca immigrants and emigrants.

• The number of orcas emigrating was higher than the number of orcas immigrating.

• The number of orcas born was less than the number of orcas that died.

• The total number of orca births and immigrants was more than the total number of orca deaths and emigrants.

The graph below shows the estimated number of orca whales off the coast of Washington State over a 20-year period.

Which of the following best explains the orca population changes between 2002 and 2005?

• The total number of orca births and deaths was greater than the total number of orca immigrants and emigrants.

• The number of orcas emigrating was higher than the number of orcas immigrating.

• The number of orcas born was less than the number of orcas that died.

• The total number of orca births and immigrants was more than the total number of orca deaths and emigrants.

If a population grows larger than the carrying capacity of the environment, which of these is most likely to happen?

• The death rate may rise.

• The death rate must fall.

• The birthrate may rise

• The birthrate must fall.

Water lilies do not grow in desert sand because water availability to these plants in a desert is

• the carrying capacity.

• a competition factor.

• the logistic growth curve.

• a limiting factor.

A developer wants to build a new housing development in or around a large city. Which of the following plans would be LEAST harmful to the environment?

• Clearing a forested area outside of the city to build houses.

• Building apartments at the site of an abandoned factory in the city.

• Building a neighborhood in a meadow at the edge of the city.

• Filling a wetland area and building oceanfront condominiums.

Carbon cycles through the biosphere in all of the following processes EXCEPT

• photosynthesis

• transpiration

• decomposition of plants and animals.

• burning of fossil fuels.

The branch of biology dealing with interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment is called

• economy

• modeling

• recycling

• Ecology