Ecology Concepts and Principles Assessment

What is the primary focus of ecology?

• The study of human behavior

• The study of living and non-living things in an environment

• The study of planetary movements

• The study of weather patterns

Which level of ecological organization is directly above 'community'?

• Species

• Biome

• Ecosystem

• Population

What role do producers play in an ecosystem?

• They consume other organisms

• They decompose organic material

• They generate energy available for other organisms

• They regulate climate conditions

Which type of consumer only eats plant-based food?

• Carnivores

• Omnivores

• Decomposers

• Herbivores

What percentage of energy is typically transferred between trophic levels?

• About 25%

• About 75%

• About 50%

• About 10%

What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

• To consume living plants

• To regulate animal populations

• To produce energy from sunlight

• To recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem

What is the initial stage of primary ecological succession?

• Pioneer species colonization

• Forest development

• Animal population stabilization

• Soil formation

Which type of species first colonizes a barren area in primary succession?

• Tertiary consumers

• Secondary consumers

• Pioneer species

• Decomposers

Which scenario describes secondary ecological succession?

• After a volcanic eruption

• After a glacier retreats

• After a forest fire

• After a flood

What distinguishes primary from secondary succession?

• Primary succession involves animals, secondary involves plants

• Secondary succession starts with soil, primary does not

• Secondary succession happens faster than primary

• Primary succession starts with soil, secondary does not