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Factors Impacting Ecosystems

Total questions: 68

Worksheet time: 3hrs 55mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of these is not considered an abiotic factor?

a)

salinity levels of the system

b)

amount of algae in the system

c)

water temperature fluctuations

d)

nutrient levels of the system

2.

This abiotic factor is responsible for respiration, metabolism, photosynthesis, and other chemical processes:

a)

nitrogen

b)

hydrogen

c)

carbon

d)

oxygen

3.

This abiotic ocean factor transports water from one place to another:

a)

aerial exposure

b)

waves

c)

currents

d)

tides

4.

Which of the following abiotic factors affects the rocky shore ecosystem the most?

a)

currents

b)

tides

c)

nutrients

d)

salinity

5.

Which of the following is not an abiotic factor?

a)

ecosystem diversity

b)

water clarity

c)

nutrient levels

d)

population levels

e)

water temperature

6.

This process occurs when liquid water is turned to a gas.

a)

evaporation

b)

sublimation

c)

infiltration

d)

precipitation

7.

Which of the following processes done by humans adds the MOST carbon to the atmosphere?

a)

cutting down forests

b)

burning forests

c)

burning fossil fuels

d)

excessive use of fertilizers

8.

What is percolation/infiltration?

a)

Water running off to join a larger body of water.

b)

Water absorbed by the ground.

c)

Water that filters through the ground to the water table.

d)

Water that contains nutrients and fertilizer from farm lands.

9.

Which of the following are included in the category of tropical cyclones? Select all that apply

a)

hurricanes

b)

typhoons

c)

tsunamis

d)

tropical storms

e)

tornadoes

10.

Thunder storms are considered severe weather because they bring strong gusts of wind, increased lightning strikes, and the possibility of tornadoes.

a)

True

b)

False

11.

What characteristics of the ocean give it the ability to regulate the earth's climate? Select all that apply.

a)

Some parts of the ocean have higher levels of salt than others.

b)

Water has a high specific heat.

c)

The ocean is connected across the globe.

d)

The ocean acts as a carbon sink.

e)

The ocean's ability to support a diverse range of organisms.

12.

All biotic and abiotic factors are ______________.

a)

individual

b)

different

c)

identical

d)

connected

13.

Looking at rocky shore ecosystems, which of the following interactions are NOT how abiotic factors affect the ecosystem?

a)

birds feeding on hermit crabs

b)

waves displacing plants and animals

c)

tides exposing the substrate to the air

d)

temperature changes cause fish to move to other areas

14.

Everything else kept the same, which of these factors would affect the salinity in a fish tank?

a)

levels of dissolved oxygen

b)

changing the pH

c)

increasing the temperature 10 degrees

d)

changing the water level

15.

Which of the following fix nitrogen?

a)

bacteria

b)

plants

c)

animals

d)

humans

16.

Which of the following has the greatest effect on global temperature?

a)

burning of fossil fuels

b)

use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers

c)

human population growth

d)

widespread use of electricity

17.

What does an ecosystem contain?

a)

All of the living things in an area.

b)

All of the living and nonliving things in an area.

c)

All of the nonliving things in an area.

d)

All of the animals in an area.

18.

Which process transforms carbon dioxide into chemical energy?

a)

primary production

b)

photosynthesis

c)

secondary production

d)

respiration

19.

The transformation of water vapor into liquid water is:

a)

condensation

b)

precipitation

c)

accumulation

d)

infiltration

20.

Which oceanic process circulates nutrients from the bottom of the ocean?

a)

tides

b)

currents

c)

upwellings

d)

thermoclines

21.

___ are the first organisms to colonize an area and begin the process of ecological succession.

a)

foundational organisms

b)

introductory organisms

c)

primary organisms

d)

pioneer species

22.

Primary succession occurs in an area that has:

a)

Has Soil

b)

Has No Soil

c)

Has Some Soil

d)

none of these

23.

What is the main difference between primary and secondary ecological succession?

a)

Primary begins WITHOUT soil; Secondary begins WITH soil

b)

Primary is the first state and secondary is the second stage

c)

Primary builds plant community; secondary builds animal community.

d)

Primary begins WITH soil; Secondary begins WITHOUT soil

24.

What is an example of an area that is likely to undergo primary succession?

a)

Glaciers melt and leave exposed rock

b)

Plants die from drought and decompose

c)

Land is bulldozed and soil remains

25.

What is an increase of biodiversity over time, after a natural or man made disturbance?

a)

ecological recession

b)

climax recession

c)

ecological succession

d)

climax succession

26.

What is the term that describes a steady and stable community?

a)

peak community

b)

turf community

c)

climax community

d)

disturbed community

27.

Which of the following is NOT a pioneer species?

a)

Shrubs

b)

Lichen

c)

Mosses

d)

Fungi

28.

Which is faster: Primary or Secondary Succession?

a)

Primary Succession

b)

Secondary Succession

c)

Both Take The Same Amount of Time

29.
What type of succession is shown going from figure A to figure B?
a)
primary succession
b)
ecological succession
c)
secondary succession
d)
intermediate
30.
The picture shows what type of succession?
a)
primary
b)
secondary
c)
tertiary
d)
quadanary
31.

What is the difference between climate and weather?

a)

climate happens in that moment, weather happens over time

b)

weather happens in that moment, climate happens over time

c)

No difference, they mean the same thing.

32.

During an El Nino event, wids in the western Pacific Ocean strengthen and push __________________ eastward

a)

warm water

b)

warm air

c)

cold water

d)

cold air

33.

Because water ___________, ocean currents have a great effect on climate.

a)

cannot hold heat

b)

hold large amounts of heat

c)

moves more slowly than air

d)

stays colder than air

34.

The pattern of _______________ determines Earth's precipitation pattern

a)

volcanic eruptions

b)

solar activity

c)

global atmospheric circulation

d)

all of the above

35.

Seasonal changes in daylight hours and climatic conditions are caused by

a)

lunar phases

b)

ocean currents

c)

the 23.5 degrees tilt of Earth's axis

d)

the annual change of distance from sun to Earth

36.

mOst of the warming that has been observed over the 20th century can be attributed to

a)

droughts

b)

glacial melting

c)

human activity

d)

plant growth

37.

Latitude strongly influences climate becasue ________ solar energy falls on areas that are closer to the equator than to the poles.

a)

the same amount of

b)

sometimes less

c)

more

d)

less

38.

Climate in a regions is

a)

Determined only by seasonal daylight hours

b)

Never affected by ocean currents

c)

the atmospheric conditions on a given day

d)

the long-term, prevailing atmospheric conditions

39.

La Nina is the __________ phase of the El Nino - Southern Oscillation cycle.

a)

warm

b)

neutral

c)

mixing

d)

cold

40.

Which affects wind more?

a)

Longitude

b)

Latitude

c)

Earth's tilt

d)

Solar Activity

41.

Demopolis is located at

a)

32 degrees North

b)

32 degrees South

42.

The greenhouse effect makes Earth

a)

colder

b)

warmer

c)

none of the above

43.

When warm air mixes with cold air near a mountain side, one side of the mountain gets large amounts of rain and the other side is dry. This is called a (a)   .

44.

30 - 60 degrees North latitude gets this type of prevailing wind.

a)

Easterlie

b)

Westerlie

c)

Polar Easterlie

45.

Which direction does the wind blow in Alabama

a)

SE-NW

b)

SW-NE

c)

E-W

d)

W-E

46.

What type of solar rays hit near the poles

a)

Vertical

b)

Oblique

47.

In the graph to the right, what is the population of deer at the carrying capacity of the environment?

a)

3

b)

7

c)

70

d)

40

48.
What is the carrying capacity of the graph?
a)
around 500
b)
more than 500
c)
less than 500
d)
around 600
49.
What is the carrying capacity of the following graph?
a)
1000
b)
8000
c)
800
d)
600
50.
Excessive amounts of rain caused a flood in the southwest United States that resulted in substantial amounts of deaths in the rabbit population? This situation is an example of a density _____________ limiting factor.
a)

Abiotic

b)

biotic

c)
density- too high
d)
density- too low
51.

Since lynx prey on hares, an increase in the hare population causes an increase in the lynx population.

a)

Biotic: Competition

b)

Abiotic: Competition

c)

Biotic: Predator-Prey

d)

Abiotic: Predator-Prey

52.

What will happen if all of the frogs in a population die?

a)

The frogs' predators will decrease and the frogs' prey will increase

b)

The frogs' predators will increase and the frogs' prey will decrease

c)

We better all pray because there isn't anymore frogs.

53.
What is the carrying capacity for this sheep population?
a)
1.8 million
b)
1.25 million
c)
1.6 million
d)
1.o million
54.
What point on the graph represents the carrying capacity?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
55.
Food, water, sunlight, shelter, and space are resources that are  __________.
a)
limiting factors
b)
wet
c)
messy
d)
found in rocks
56.

Two arctic fox are fighting with a polar bear for a sea lion carcass. One fox distracts the bear while the other eats. What type of limiting factor is the polar bear?

a)

Predator-Prey Relationships

b)

Competition

c)

Herbivory Effect

d)

Weather

57.

A group of elephants gets stuck in mud at the edge of the river from a recent mud slide. A lion waits for an elephant to get tired before it attacks. What is the limiting factor to the elephant population?

a)

Predator-Prey Relationships

b)

Natural Disaster

c)

Herbivory Effect

d)

Competition

58.
Which of the following would INCREASE the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
a)
increase in predators
b)
disease
c)
increase in available food
d)
drought
59.

When resources are not available a population will _____________ in size.

a)

Increase

b)

Decrease

c)

Stay the same

60.

The amount of water available limit the growth of a population?

a)

True

b)

False

c)

Unsure

61.

Parasites and diseases will ______________ the size of a population, so the are examples of limiting factors.

a)

Increase

b)

Decrease

c)

Stay the same

62.

Temperature

a)

Biotic (living)

b)

Abiotic (non-Living)

63.

Tree

a)

Biotic (living)

b)

Abiotic (non-living)

64.

All living things or organisms in an ecosystem are

a)

None

b)

biotic factors

c)

abiotic factors

65.

What is the difference between the biotic and abiotic factors?

a)

Biotic factors are living things and abiotic factors are nonliving things.

b)

Biotic factors are nonliving things and abiotic factors are living things.

66.

In many desert ecosystems, days are hot and nights are cold. Water is scarce, so animals seek water wherever possible. The spines of a cactus are actually leaves adapted to conserve water. The cactus plants have also adapted to live in thin, sandy soil. Which of the following is a biotic component of a desert ecosystem?

a)

the thin, sandy soil

b)

the wide temperature range

c)

the scarcity of water

d)

the spiny cactus leaves

67.

Which of the following is a biotic factor in an ocean ecosystem?

a)

the salt content of the water

b)

the temperature of the water

c)

the fish in the water

d)

the oxygen in the water

68.

Which of these is a biotic factor in a river ecosystem?

a)

the types of microorganisms that live in the river water

b)

the amount of soil and other particles carried by the river

c)

the speed at which the river water flows toward the ocean

d)

the amount of rain that flows off the land and into the river