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Characteristics of Life & Ecology Test

Total questions: 35

Worksheet time: 18mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which statement best describes some organisms in the food web?

a)

Minnows and fish are primary consumers.

b)

Minnows and Aquatic crustaceans are herbivores.

c)

Aquatic crustaceans are omnivores.

d)

Algae and floating plants are decomposers.

2.

Ecology is the study of how all of the living and non-living factors in an environment interact.

What are the levels of ecology, from the smallest level to largest level?

a)

Community, Biosphere, Population, Ecosystem,Biome, Organism

b)

Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere

c)

Biosphere, Biome, Ecosystem, Community, Population, Organism

d)

Organism, Population, Community, Biosphere, Ecosystem, Biome

3.

Which set of ecological organization levels is most likely to contain the largest variety of species?

a)

multiple biomes in a biosphere

b)

multiple populations in a community

c)

multiple ecosystems in a biome

d)

multiple individuals in a population

4.

A researcher observing an ecosystem describes the amount of sunlight, precipitation, and type of soil present. Which factors is the researcher most likely describing?

a)

biotic factors in a forest

b)

biotic factors in a tundra

c)

abiotic factors in a prairie

d)

abiotic factors in an ocean

5.

Use the diagram answer the question


Which sequence correctly describes the flow of energy between organisms in the marine food web?

a)

from whales to krill to small fish

b)

from sea birds to seals to penguins

c)

from small fish to sea bird to seals

d)

from seals to penguins to kril

6.

A bird sits on top of a cow's back where it is carried from one location to another. The bird eats insects from the grass that the cow disturbs as it walks. The cow is not harmed by the bird, nor does he benefit. What type of relationship does this example illustrate?

a)

mutualism

b)

commensalism

c)

parasitism

d)

predation

7.

When a population reaches its carrying capacity, a number of factors help stabilize it at that size. Which of the following are not limiting factors?

a)

predation, competition, parasitism

b)

crowding, stress, human activity

c)

Weather, floods, fire

d)

all are potential limiting factors

8.

What causes the movements of energy and nutrients through living systems to be different?

a)

Energy flows in one direction, and nutrients recycle.

b)

Energy is limited in the biosphere, and nutrients are always available.

c)

Nutrients flow in two directions, and energy recycles.

d)

Energy forms chemical compounds, and nutrients are lost as heat.

9.

Following the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, the surrounding area was devoid of life. After some time, small lichens began to grow along the remaining soil.

Which of the following best describes this species of lichen?

a)

A Keystone species

b)

Pioneer Species

c)

Climax species

d)

Indicator species

10.

In 1998, a devastating fire destroyed a great deal of Yellowstone National Park. Although many of the organisms were killed or displaced, existing seeds began to immediately recolonize the park.

This is an example of which of the following?

a)

climax community

b)

primary succession

c)

secondary succession

d)

natural selection

11.

A population of mice in a field is growing under natural conditions with limited resources.


As the mice population increases in size, how will its rate of growth affect its population density?

a)

As the population grows, population density decreases. As a result, the rate of population growth eventually increases.

b)

As the population grows, population density remains constant. As a result, population growth increases.

c)

As the population grows, population density becomes unstable. As a result, population growth stops.

d)

As the populations grows, population density increases. As a result, the rate of population growth eventually slows.

12.

Which of the following are examples of abiotic limiting factors? Select all that apply.

a)

Weather

b)

Carbon

c)

Bacteria

d)

Invasive species

e)

Temperature

13.

What ecological level is best represented by the image?

a)

biome

b)

community

c)

ecosystem

d)

population

14.

Which of the following are biotic factors in an ecosystem? Select all that apply.

a)

dead leaves

b)

sunlight

c)

water

d)

soil

e)

bacteria

15.

Which of the following best explains why predators and their prey have similar population cycles?

a)

Populations that live in the same ecosystem often have similar life cycles.

b)

Both populations develop similar adaptations that help them survive during severe environmental changes.

c)

The predators and prey are in direct competition with one another.

d)

An increase or decrease in one population directly affects the other.

16.

Which of the following graphs represents a population undergoing logistic growth?

a)
b)
c)
d)
17.

Tapeworms live inside the digestive tracts of host organisms and feed on the nutrients of the food they eat.

What type of ecological interaction does the tapeworm have with its host?

a)

Predation

b)

Commensalism

c)

Mutualism

d)

Parasitism

18.

Which statement describes the most likely relationship between Species A and Species B?

a)

Species A is a consumer and Species B is its producer.

b)

Species A is in competition with Species B.

c)

Species A has a mutualistic relationship with Species B.

d)

Species A is the prey of Species B.

19.

Rabbits and deer eat lettuce leaves from a garden.

What ecological interaction describes the relationship between the rabbits and the deer?

a)

Competition

b)

Predation

c)

Mutualism

d)

Commensalism

20.

Invasive species are species that have been introduced into areas outside their native range and can cause—or have caused—harm in their new area.


The kudzu plants covering the trees in the picture was introduced from Asia and has no predators to hold it's population in check. This is an example of a(n)...

a)

pioneer species

b)

climax species

c)

biotic limiting factor

d)

abiotic limiting factor

21.

Which of the organisms in this food web gets energy from both producers and consumers?

a)

Algae

b)

Mysid shrimp

c)

Anchovy

d)

Sand shrimp

22.

Which energy pyramid most accurately shows the energy relationships between three organisms in this food web above?

a)
b)
c)
d)
23.

In this food web, the trophic level with the least energy includes which of the following organisms?

a)

grasses

b)

mice

c)

snakes

d)

hawks

24.

62. Fertilizers can enable farmers to grow the same crop in a field for several years in a row. Farmers who use less fertilizer often rotate their crops by planting the crop one year and legumes, such as beans and clover, the following year.


Fertilizer use and crop rotation with legumes both increase the availability of which of the following nutrients in soil?

a)

carbon

b)

nitrogen

c)

oxygen

d)

water

25.

Which of the following is most likely to lead to an increase in the number of foxes over time?

a)

an increase in mountain lions

b)

a decrease in owls

c)

an increase in hawks

d)

a decrease in raspberry bushes

26.

The diagram below shows part of the carbon cycle.


If many trees are removed from a forest by logging, what is the most immediate effect on the carbon cycle in that forest?

a)

decreased combustion of fossil fuels

b)

increased production of organic compounds

c)

decreased use of atmospheric CO2

d)

increased rates of decomposition

27.

Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms. The cell walls of these prokaryotes serve as barriers to chemicals that may affect the processes that occur within a bacterial cell.


Antibiotics are a type of substance used to stop bacterial growth. Some antibiotics cause the bacterial cell wall to rupture. Consider how antibiotic action on a bacterium before and after the cell wall is ruptured.


Which human organ is most like the cell walls of bacteria? Explain.

a)

The heart because the cell wall protects the bacterium by controlling what goes in and out of it like the heart controls the blood being pumped through the body.

b)

The skin because the cell wall protects the bacterium by controlling what goes in and out of it like the skin protects the body by acting as a barrier.

c)

The pancreas because the cell wall protects the bacterium by controlling what goes in and out of it like the pancreas helps in digestion and regulating blood sugar.

d)

The liver because the cell wall protects the bacterium by controlling what goes in and out of it like the liver filters the blood.

28.

Which of the following conclusion could you draw about the model of the cell shown below?

a)

The cell is eukaryotic because it has a nucleus.

b)

The cell is eukaryotic because it has a cell wall

c)

The cell is prokaryotic because it has DNA and plasma membrane.

d)

The cell is prokaryotic because it does not have a nucleus.

29.

Living organisms can be classified as prokaryotes or eukaryotes. Which two structures are common to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

a)

cell wall and nucleus

b)

cell wall and chloroplasts

c)

plasma membrane and nucleus

d)

plasma membrane and cytoplasm

30.

Which characteristic is shared by ALL prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms?

a)

Ability to store genetic information

b)

Use of organelles to control cell processes

c)

ability to make their own food to obtain energy

d)

ability to reproduce sexually

31.

Are these Prokaryotes or Eukaryotes?

a)

Prokaryote

b)

Eukaryote

c)

Neither a Prokaryote nor a Eukaryote

d)

Both Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes are represented

32.

Which statement BEST describes a difference between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells?

a)

The presence of both DNA and ribosomes in prokaryotic cells indicates that they are more complex than eukaryotic cells.

b)

The larger size of prokaryotic cells indicates that they are more complex than eukaryotic cells.

c)

The presence of membrane-bound organelles (nucleus, mitochondria...) in eukaryotic cells indicates that they are more complex than prokayotic cells.

d)

The larger size of eukaryotic cells indicates that they are older and more complex than prokaryotic cells.

33.

Life functions are performed at many levels of biological organization. Which level of biological organization is the simplest level at which a structure can support ALL life functions?

a)

organism

b)

organelle

c)

atom

d)

cell

34.

Which Characteristic of life is being displayed in the picture? Select the best answer.

a)

All living things reproduce.

b)

All living things obtain and use material and energy

c)

All living things maintain a constant internal environment.

d)

All living things are made up of cells.

35.

Which statement BEST describes why the presence or absence of a cell wall IS NOT criteria for classifying a cell as a prokaryote or eukaryote?

a)

Cell walls are present in all eukaryotes, but not in prokaryotes.

b)

Cell walls may be present in some eukayotes and all prokayotes.

c)

Cell walls are present in some eukaryotes, but not in prokayotes.