Biodiversity and Succession Quiz

The series of predictable changes that occur in a community over time is a called...

• natural selection.
• ecology.
• commensalism.
• succession.

A disruption to an establish ecosystem can lead to...

• new organisms being prevented from moving into the area.
• changes in the populations of the community.
• more resources for all organisms that make up the community.
• hurricanes or volcanic eruptions.

A former farmland that is now home to shrubs and small trees is undergoing which type of succession?

• pioneer succession
• primary succession
• secondary succession
• adaptive succession

What is a species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem?

• invasive species
• keystone species
• natural selection
• mutualism

What is a non-native species that is introduced into an ecosystem and severely disrupts it by competing with native species?

• invasive species
• keystone species
• natural selection
• mutualism

What is an advantage of timber companies replacing harvested trees from a forest with new trees to replace the ones harvested?

• It reduces unwanted animals.
• It reduces chances for forest fires.
• It helps increase carbon dioxide emissions.
• It helps maintain plant diversity.

Kudzu is a vine that grows quickly. It covers and blocks out sunlight for other plants. Kudzu was introduced to the ecosystem in the southern United States by humans. How should kudzu be classified?

• consumer species
• decomposer species
• invasive species
• natural species

Which is an example of primary ecological succession?

• plants and animals invading an abandoned crop field
• mangroves stabilizing the soils on tropical coasts
• minerals spurring rapid plant growth
• lichen growth on rocks

After which event will ecological succession most likely happen?

• a forest fire
• a thunderstorm
• a high tide
• a lunar eclipse

The series of diagrams shown represents ecological succession. What type of community is shown in Diagram 1?

• a desert ecosystem
• a tundra ecosystem
• a pioneer community
• a climax community