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Ecological Succession Review

Total questions: 37

Worksheet time: 1hrs 6mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Primary succession occurs in an area that has:

a)

soil

b)

no soil

c)

some soil

d)

none of these

2.

___ 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

3.

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

4.

Which of the following is the correct order of ecological succession?

a)

grass - shrubs - lichens - trees

b)

lichens - shrubs - grasses - trees

c)

lichens - grasses - shrubs - trees

d)

grasses - lichens - shrubs - trees

5.

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

6.

All of the following contribute directly to soil formation EXCEPT

a)

lichens

b)

decomposition of organisms

c)

volcanic eruptions

d)

erosion of rock by weather

7.

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

a)

ecological recession

b)

climax recession

c)

ecological succession

d)

climax succession

8.

What is an example of a disturbance that could bring about secondary succession?

a)

Humans cut down many trees in a small region

b)

A volcanic eruption covers a village in lava.

9.

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

a)

peak community

b)

turf community

c)

climax community

d)

disturbed community

10.

Which is faster: Primary or Secondary Succession?

a)

Primary Succession

b)

Secondary Succession

c)

Both Take The Same Amount of Time

11.

Which of the following is NOT a pioneer species?

a)

Shrubs

b)

Lichen

c)

Mosses

d)

Fungi

12.

T or F: Succession increases biodiversity.

a)

true

b)

false

13.

The Final stage of ecological succession is...

a)

Mature Tree Growth

b)

Climax Community

c)

Pioneer Community

14.

Bare rock community must first undergo...

a)

Primary Succession

b)

Secondary Succession

c)

Climax

15.
What is ecological succession?
a)
A slow change in an environment
b)
A change that takes days in an environment
c)
No change
d)
Abiotic change
16.
A pioneer species is...
a)
a large organism
b)
the first organisms to adapt to a new environment 
c)
The best organism 
d)
Abiotic organisms 
17.
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 
18.
A climax community is ….
a)
the beginning of a new ecological succession.
b)
the rocks in a new environment.
c)
the fire that will cause destruction.
d)
an area that reaches its greatest growing potential.
19.
A large tree forest is an example of ...
a)
a small community
b)
a abiotic community
c)
a climax community
d)
a pioneer species 
20.
The picture shows what type of succession?
a)
primary
b)
secondary
c)
tertiary
d)
quadanary
21.
The picture shows what type of succession?
a)
primary
b)
secondary
c)
tertiary
d)
quadanary
22.
What is the correct order from oldest (happened first) to youngest (happened last) in this pond succession?
a)
A, B, C, D
b)
D, C, B, A
c)
B, A, D, C
d)
C, D, A, B
23.

What animals would be first to enter a new ecosystem?

a)

Insects

b)

Bears

c)

Foxes

d)

Elk

24.

Would an oak tree be one of the first or last species to grow?

a)

First

b)

Last

25.
Limiting factors are sometimes helpful because they can keep the population from getting too large.
a)
True
b)
False
26.
Food, water, sunlight, shelter, and space are resources that are  __________.
a)
limiting factors
b)
wet
c)
messy
d)
found in rocks
27.

What is the difference in a microhabitat and a biome?

a)

size

b)

temperature

c)

climate

d)

precipitation

28.

What is a variety of organisms in an ecosystem or biome?

a)

biodiversity

b)

climax community

c)

ecological succession

d)

limiting factors

29.

What is a dominant community of plants and animals that come to live in an area? (ex. forest)

a)

biodiversity

b)

climax community

c)

ecological succession

d)

limiting factors

30.

What is changing sequence of communities that live in an ecosystem during a given time period?

a)

biodiversity

b)

climax community

c)

ecological succession

d)

limiting factors

31.

What is a condition or resource that keeps a population at a certain size?

a)

biodiversity

b)

climax community

c)

ecological succession

d)

limiting factors

32.

What is a small or specialized habitat within a larger habitat (beehive in an tree)?

a)

microhabitat

b)

niche

c)

pioneer species

d)

primary succession

33.

What is are the first organisms to live in an area?

a)

secondary succession

b)

niche

c)

pioneer species

d)

primary succession

34.

What is a process that develops a biotic community in a previously uninhabited and barren habitat with no soil??

a)

secondary succession

b)

niche

c)

pioneer species

d)

primary succession

35.

What is a process started by an event that reduces an already established ecosystem to a smaller population of species (ie forest fire)?

a)

secondary succession

b)

niche

c)

sustainability

d)

primary succession

36.

What is the unique role or job of an organism in an ecosystem?

a)

secondary succession

b)

niche

c)

sustainability

d)

primary succession

37.

What is the ability to maintain ecological processes over long periods of time; ability of an ecosystem to maintain its structure and function over time?

a)

secondary succession

b)

niche

c)

sustainability

d)

primary succession