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12 QCAA Unit 3 Ecology

Total questions: 75

Worksheet time: 1hrs 11mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
What factor describes when populations increase because animals are moving into a population?
a)
Emigration
b)
Limiting Factors
c)
Immigration
d)
Exponential Growth
2.
Which limiting factor is independent of the number of individuals in a population?
a)
competition
b)
parasitism/disease
c)

lack of food

d)
natural disasters
3.
Which limiting factor would increase due to the number of individuals in a population?
a)
Unusual weather
b)
Natural disaster
c)
Births
d)
Disease
4.

What type of growth model is shown in image A?

a)

Exponential

b)

Logistic

5.

What type of factor has an increasing impact as the population size increases?

a)

density-independent

b)

density-dependent

c)

cohort effect

d)

survivorship factor

6.

What point on the graph represents carrying capacity?

a)

a

b)

b

c)

c

d)

d

7.

Which choice most closely approximates the deer population's carrying capacity based on the graph?

a)

100

b)

80

c)

60

d)

10

8.

The Florida Panther is a large cat that is native to the southern parts of Florida. Recently, the panther's main food source, rabbits, have been infected with a deadly disease that only affects rabbits. How would this most likely affect the population of panthers in the coming years?

a)

The panther population will decrease since they won't have access to as much food

b)

The panther population will not be affected because they will adapt to eating other food

c)

The panther population will increase because they will produce more offspring to make up the difference

d)

The panther population will decrease because they will contract the disease.

9.
Nesting birds often space themselves evenly from other nests. This pattern is called
a)
clumped dispersion.
b)
uniform dispersion.
c)
random dispersion
d)
scatter dispersion
10.
What is the best definition of a population?
a)
The number of plants and animals there are in an area
b)
The number of different species in one place at one time
c)
The number of individuals of one species living in the same place
d)
The total number of all organisms in an ecosystem
11.

The average number of individuals of the same species per unit of surface area at a given time is the ……………………

a)

population density

b)

population growth

c)

population birth rate

d)

population size

12.
Which kind of dispersion is #1?
a)
clumped
b)
random
c)
uniform
13.
Populations of different organisms living in an area
a)
species
b)
community
c)
niche
d)
biome
14.
a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring
a)
Species
b)
Biotic factor
c)
Ecosystem
d)
Heterotroph
15.

The highest rate of reproduction of a population under ideal conditions is called the:

a)

biotic potential

b)

environmental resistance

c)

carrying capacity

d)

birth rate

16.

Population size for larger, mobile populations (eg: turtles) is calculated using the _________________

a)

Species richness

b)

Species diversity index

c)

Lincoln index

d)

Population growth rate

17.

An organism is small in size and has a short life span. It is fast maturing and produces many offspring at a young age. The young stay with the mother for only a short period of time.

This demonstrates a

a)

K-strategist

b)

r-strategist

c)

initially r-strategist and becomes a K-strategist

d)

Sits between a K and r-strategist

18.

Which of the figures shows a population which has reached carrying capacity?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

19.

Which of the figures shows a population experiencing exponential growth?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

20.

A parasite, infecting the organs of its host, spreads from host to host more rapidly when the host population, in a given area, is higher. This would be an example of control of the host population through

a)

Density dependent factor

b)

Density independent factor

21.

All of the biotic and abiotic factors within a particular environment

a)

Ecosystem

b)

Community

c)

Biome

d)

Population

22.

A frog eats a fly. The frog and fly are demonstrating ________.

a)

Predation

b)

Mutualism

c)

Commensalism

d)

Parasitism

23.

All of the organisms of one species within a particular ecosystem

a)

Population

b)

Community

c)

Ecosystem

d)

Species

24.
Which habitat exhibits the greatest biodiversity?
a)
A habitat with 15 different species with about 300 individuals each
b)
A habitat with 10 different species with about 75 individuals each
c)
A habitat with 4 different species with about 150 individuals each
d)
A habitat with only one species with about 2000 individual
25.
Biodiversity is the variety of ________ in a community.
a)
genes
b)
population
c)
species
d)
community
26.
 Which biome is more likely to survive a change in the environment?
a)
High (rich) biodiversity
b)
Low (poor) biodiversity
27.
According to the idea of "evenness" discussed in class, which sample is considered to be more even?
a)
Sample 1
b)
Sample 2
c)
They are both equally biodiverse
d)
None of the above
28.

Why is "A" less biodiverse than "B"?

a)

Image "A" is more biodiverse.

b)

Image "A" has many corn plants and this makes it have high "rich" biodiversity.

c)

Image "A" has a lot more plants than image "B"

d)

Even though "A" has a lot of corn plants they are all the same species and makes this a low "poor" biodiverse area.

29.

A community is

a)

Several different populations scattered across several states.

b)

Several different organisms in the same geographic area

c)

One type of organism in the same geographic area

d)

Several different populations in the same geographic area

30.
Use the phylogenetic tree.  Which hypothetical organism is the most recent ancestor for Organisms A and G?
a)
1
b)
2
c)
3
d)
4
31.
Which taxonomic category is higher than the others?
a)
class
b)
genus
c)
order
d)
phylum
32.
An organism identified with binomial nomenclature includes which two taxa?
a)
class and order
b)
family and genus
c)
genus and species
d)
kingdom and phylum
33.
Canis lupus, the scientific name for a wolf, is in which genus?
a)
Canis
b)
lupus
c)
Animalia
d)
mammalia
34.
Examine the dichotomous key.
What features does a Platyspiza have?
a)
stout and heavy beak with a curved lower beak
b)
long, slender beak with a flat and straight lower beak
c)
flat and straight beak with a bend in the lower edge of the upper beak
d)
long and slender beak with the lower edge of the upper beak being flat
35.
Ostriches and gazelles eat together.  They both watch for predators and danger.  Since they see things differently, they each can identify threats the other animal may not see.  Both species are benefited.  
a)
mutualism
b)
commensalism
c)
predation
d)
parasitism
36.
A bison walks through the grass, insects fly up and are seen and eaten by egretsThis neither harms nor helps the bison, but it is easier for the egrets to get food.
a)
mutualism
b)
parasitsm
c)
commensalism
d)
competition
37.
Silverfish live and hunt with army ants. They share the prey.  They neither help nor harm the ants. 
a)
Mutualism 
b)
Parasitism 
c)
Commensalism 
38.

Two organisms that are so similar they can interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring.

a)

biotic factor

b)

herbivore

c)

ecosystem

d)

species

39.

A relationship that occurs when two or more organism of the same species need the same resource at the same time

a)
competition
b)
symbiosis
c)
predation
40.
What type of succession is shown going from figure A to figure B?
a)
primary succession
b)
ecological succession
c)
secondary succession
d)
intermediate
41.
What are examples of pioneer species in a primary succession?
a)
Bushes and Shrubs
b)
Oak trees
c)
Mossess and Lichens 
d)
A rose Bush
42.
What is the most important function of pioneer species?
a)
To create rocks
b)
To create soil and add nutrients to the environment 
c)
To look nice
d)
Food for animals 
43.

Which of the following best describes primary succession?

a)

Volcano wipes out ecosystem that gradually grows back from ash covered soil

b)

Volcano creates a new island of rock that must break down to form an ecosystem

c)

Forest fire burns down forest that must bounce back over time

d)

Tornado destroys a crop that must slowly grow back over time.

44.

___ 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

45.

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

46.

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

a)

peak community

b)

turf community

c)

climax community

d)

disturbed community

47.

A species that plays a critical role in the health, maintenance, growth, or definition of an ecosystem.

a)

keystone

b)

invasive

c)

engineer

d)

predator

48.

A species that does not belong in a balanced ecosystem, comes in, and changes it (usually for the worse).

a)

flagnship

b)

umbrella

c)

invasive

d)

predator

49.

In the diagram, which of the processes labelled A to D transfers the largest mass of carbon pr year in a woodland ecosystem?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

50.

Which organism is best described as a saprotroph?

a)

A fungus that digests its food externally and absorbs the products of digestion

b)

A beetle that feeds by ingesting the dung of other animal species and digesting its food internally

c)

A single-celled eukaryote that is able to photosynthesize and consumes smaller organisms by endocytosis

d)

A giraffe that feeds by ingesting leaves from an acacia tree

51.

The diagram shows the food web for an aquatic ecosystem in which letters R-Z represent individual species.

Which organism is a tertiary consumer?

a)

T

b)

U

c)

W

d)

Y

52.

The diagram shows interactions between food chains in an ecosystem in the African savannah.

Which arrows indicate the flow of chemical energy?

a)

I and II only

b)

I and III only

c)

II and III only

d)

I, II and III

53.

Animals in the highest trophic level of a food chain will often be the largest in body size but will be few in numbers. What accounts for the small numbers?

a)

Food eaten by animals at the highest trophic level has a lower energy content per gram

b)

Energy losses through the food chain

c)

Conversion of heat energy into chemical energy

d)

Biomass of producers is small

54.

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a photosynthetic plant. It obtains nitrogen but not energy by digesting captured insects. What is it's mode of nutrition?

a)

Secondary consumer

b)

Autotroph

c)

Primary consumer

d)

Saprotroph

55.

Which category of organisms is correctly described by its method of nutrition and site of digestion?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

56.

The image shows a food web. Which organism is assigned to its method of nutrition?

a)

A violet webcap fungus is both an autotroph and a heterotroph.

b)

A pillbug is a secondary consumer.

c)

Bacteria are saprotrophs.

d)

A violet webcap fungus is a detritivore.

57.

Which processes occur in an ecosystem?

I. Biomass increases in each successive trophic level.

II. Inorganic nutrients are recycled.

III. Chemical energy is stored in carbon compounds.

a)

I and II only

b)

I and III only

c)

II and III only

d)

I, II and III

58.

By what process does Carbon dioxide move from the atmosphere into the oceans?

a)

diffusion

b)

photosynthesis

c)

Active transport

d)

differentiation

59.

Which process is responsible for reducing atmospheric CO2?

a)

Photosynthesis

b)

Respiration

c)

Combustion

d)

Plants decaying

60.

Which of the following is the least closely related organism:

Grey wolf - Canis lupis

Aardwolf - Poteles cristatus

Coyote -Canis latrans

a)

Grey wolf

b)

Aardwolf

c)

Coyote

d)

They are all related equally

61.

What is the correct order of the classification levels

a)

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

b)

Phylum Order Kingdom Family Genus Species Class

c)

Phylum Kingdom Class Genus Order Family Species

d)

Species Kingdom Class Order Phylum Family Genus

62.

The ecological role an organism performs in their specific environment is considered the organism's...

a)

Habitat

b)

Population

c)

Biome

d)

Niche

63.
The ecological niches of three bird species are shown in the diagram. What is the advantage of each bird species having a different niche?
a)
As more birds feed higher in the tree, available energy increases.
b)
More abiotic resources are available for each bird.
c)
Predators are less likely to feed on birds in a variety of locations.
d)
There is less competition for food.
64.
If there are 100 Kcal of energy available in the producers, how much energy would be available in the herbivores?
a)
10 Kcal
b)
1 Kcal
c)
100 Kcal
d)
1000 Kcal
65.
If these organisms were arranged in an ecological biomass pyramid, which organism would have the least amount of biomass?
a)
coyote
b)
insect
c)
lizard
d)
shrub
66.
The idea that no two species within an ecosystem can occupy the exact same niche
a)
niche overlap
b)
niche differentiation
c)
competitive exclusion
d)
niche decay
67.

The population is divided into groups or strata, based on some characteristic. Then, within each group, a sample is selected.

a)

Simple Random Sampling.

b)

Parameter

c)

Statistic

d)

Stratified Sampling

68.

Which of these is responsible for flattening the logistic growth curve?

a)

Numerical dominance

b)

Carrying capacity

c)

Lambda

d)

Growth rate

69.

A rhinoceros is ____.

a)

K selected

b)

r selected

70.

What is the name of the survey used to assess changing biotic data across ecosystem profiles?

a)

Line transect

b)

Quadrat survey

c)

Mark and recapture

d)

Linear sampling

71.

Lava from an erupting volcano flowed over a meadow. The lava cooled and hardened. Over time, the area underwent primary succession. Assuming that the ecosystem did not experience another major disturbance, which graph most likely shows how the populations of living things changed during the first few years after the volcanic eruption?

a)
b)
c)
d)
72.

Which area has the highest biodiversity?

a)

0.26

b)

0.67

c)

0.78

d)

0.82

73.

Calculate the Simpsons biodiversity index of the community below correct to one decimal place (use pen and paper to draw a table)

Sea holly: 2

Sand Couch: 8

Sea bindweed: 1

Sporobolus pungens: 1

Echinophora spinosa: 3

Total: 15

a)

0.7

b)

15

c)

0.3

d)

10

74.

Identify which image below is showing a population:

a)
b)
c)
d)
75.

What is the species richness for the following data collected?

A: 25

B: 16

C: 12

D: 1

a)

0.07

b)

4

c)

54

d)

cannot be determined