Exam Review: Ecology & Life Functions

Which statement about the carbon cycle is true?

• Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere by animal & plant cellular respiration.

• The carbon cycle ends when an organism dies.

• Only animals are involved in the carbon cycle.

• Carbon exists only as carbon dioxide in the cycle.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Deforestation removes trees; why would atmospheric carbon dioxide increase as a result of this?

• Grass often replaces forests.

• The trees shade the soil from the sun.

• Farmers plant corn and soybeans.

• There are fewer trees to take in carbon dioxide.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What would cause population growth to level out rather than increase exponentially?

• limitations on resources

• having infinite resources

• low availability of sunlight

• limited genetic diversity

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS2-1

NGSS.HS-LS2-6

Which process recycles and returns organic materials back into the environment after an organism dies?

• decomposition

• deposition

• mutualism

• photosynthesis

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which process provides most of the oxygen found in Earth’s atmosphere?

• cellular respiration

• photosynthesis

• the nitrogen cycle

• decomposition

We've noticed that in nature, small populations more easily become endangered or extinct.  Given that this is true, which do you think will most directly determine the impact of an infectious disease on survival of a population?

• climate

• number of population members

• food availability

• habitat location

Lynx eat rabbits; which factor best explains why the lynx population remains relatively stable in number?

• a limited amount of food

• competition with other producers

• commensalism with aphids

• eating a variety of foods

Which organisms change nitrogen from an atmospheric gas into a useful form through nitrogen fixation?

• fungi

• plants

• animals

• bacteria

Large aphids defend feeding sites on a tree by kicking smaller aphids off of the best leaves. Which of the following terms best describes the interaction between the large aphids and the small aphids?

• competition

• mutualism

• commensalism

• parasitism

Answer explanation

Symbiotic relationships exist between members of different species; these are members of the same species, so it's just competition.

Which cycle theoretically has the greatest impact on climate change on Earth?

• nitrogen cycle

• carbon cycle

• phosphorous cycle

• water cycle