Ecology Review

Scientists studying two adjacent ecosystems observe different varieties of organisms in the two areas. All of the following factors would contribute to the differing varieties of organisms in these two habitats EXCEPT -

• Climate

• Soil Type

• Water Resources

• Wind

An example of a typical pioneer species, that is one that appears in the earliest of ecological succession, is -

• Spiders

• Oak trees

• Humans

• Weeds

Ecological succession takes place in an area where -

• changes in the community's species composition occurs over time

• an invasive species is artificially introduced

• large organisms outcompete smaller organisms

• weeds grow in a garden next to vegetables

A _________________ ecosystem can better withstand and recover from disasters.

• Young

• Old

• Healthy

• Dying

The ecosystem with the greatest sustainability will be the one that has the -

• greatest variety of different organisms

• highest annual precipitation

• lowest population of harmful insects

• fastest growing season for green plants

A zookeeper sets up a habitat for a certain species of rabbit. Which answer choice describes the rabbit as it interacts with two nonliving parts of the rabbit's habitat?

• The rabbit breathing air while running down a rocky path

• The rabbit licking its fur while feeding its young

• The rabbit hiding under plants from loud noises

• The rabbit nibbling on vegetation inside the habitat

Which effect would most likely occur if a six-lane highway were built through an ecosystem?

• Competition for resources would be reduced

• Habitats available to animals would be reduced

• Air pollution would decrease

• Water pollution would decrease

What factor contributes most to the sustainability of a habitat?

• Competition among large predators

• Large variety of organisms

• Presence of volcanic rock

• Absence of bacterial species

Over time, a shallow pond fills with plants, such as duckweed and cattails. These plants -

• will die off quickly in the shallow water

• support ecological succession from pond to marshland

• will grow into larger trees as they mature

• eventually will dry out and create a fire hazard

Why does biodiversity contribute to a habitat's sustainability?

• The more plants and animals in a habitat, the greater the biomass, which is how habitats store energy

• The greater the number of species, the more competition there is for food between predators, which sustains their population.

• Changing conditions that harm one species leave other species to survive and perhaps even thrive.

• Landforms change shape less frequently when there is a greater number of species using the land.