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WorksheetsEcology Review
Total questions: 35
Worksheet time: 18mins
Pilotfish are a marine species of fish that usually swim just in front of sharks. When the shark feeds, the pilotfish benefits by picking up scraps. The sharks aren't impacted negatively or positively by the presence of the pilotfish. The relationship between the shark and pilotfish is best described as
parasitism
commensalism
mutualism
predation
According to the food web, what are the food sources for a leopard seal?
phytoplankton, fish, penguins, and other birds
krill, fish, penguins, and other birds
phytoplankton, fish, krill, penguins
toothed whales, krill, penguins, and other birds
Carbon dioxide containing carbon 14 is introduced into a stable marine ecosystem that contains plant life and animals. After several weeks, will carbon 14 be present?
yes, in the animals only
yes, in both the plants and animals
no, it will have diffused in the water
no, it will be lost due to sedimentation
Marine environments provide fish as a food source for humans. Today, the level of mercury, a substance that can cause neurological defects, is increasing in marine environments. Which of the following is NOT a human activity that has led to the increase of mercury in marine fish?
thermal pollution
the burning of coal
deposition of wastes
cement manufacturing
What is an endangered species?
may eventually become threatened or rare
may soon become extinct over all or most of its range
may become rare in the next 100 years
may be considered economically important but rare
In most developed countries, large fish kills and contamination of drinking water may be caused by all of the following except
malfunctioning sewage treatment plants.
accidental release of toxic industrial chemicals.
pesticides and plant nutrients from agricultural sources.
accidental release of predatory exotic species.
What is the only effective way to protect groundwater?
prevent contamination
use advanced sewage treatment
cover all wells carefully
treat all water from underground sources
Mercury is a heavy metal found in industrial waste. When this waste is released into a water source, mercury is absorbed by fish and shellfish and stored in their flesh. Birds that consume the fish and shellfish also receive mercury, and contain a higher level than their prey. This condition is called
selection
toxification
biomagnification
adaptation
Which of the following is NOT true of plants?
Plants help remove some toxins from the air.
Some plants pollinate with help from the wind.
Plants remove carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air.
Plants remove oxygen and release carbon dioxide into the air.
A sandbar is a ridge of sand in the water that is created through the action of waves and currents. A hurricane hit a coastal area and washed away a series of sandbars near two large barrier islands. Which argument predicts how this event will change species diversity in the region?
Species diversity will increase because the number of available habitats has increased.
Species diversity will first decrease and then increase because it will take time for the species that lived on the sandbars to adapt to living underwater.
Species diversity will decrease because the number of available habitats has decreased.
Species diversity will remain constant because the species that lived on the sandbars will now have additional space to increase the population.
Which of the following statements describes density-independent limiting factors?
Competition is an example.
Environmental extremes, such as a hurricane or drought, are examples.
Their effects increase as the population increases in an area.
Which of the following is NOT true of plants?
Plants help remove some toxins from the air.
Some plants pollinate with help from the wind.
Plants remove carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air.
Plants remove oxygen and release carbon dioxide into the air.
A population is increasing in a pattern of logistic growth. What happens when the population reaches carrying capacity?
The growth rate decreases because births increase.
The size of the population continues to grow exponentially.
The size of the population remains at or near its maximum.
The difference between a habitat and a niche is that a niche is
The specific functional role of an organism.
The organism's preferred habitat.
The kind of place an organism occupies.
the ability of an ecosystem to stay close to a stable state with disturbances.
external factors
equilibrium
resistance
resilience
internal factors
the rate at which an ecosystem can return to its original state after a disturbance
external factors
equilibrium
resistance
resilience
internal factors
not influenced by the ecosystem itself but controls resource inputs
external factors
equilibrium
resistance
resilience
internal factors
processes such as decomposition, succession, and the types of species that exist within the ecosystem
external factors
equilibrium
resistance
resilience
internal factors
a balanced condition of an ecosystem resulting in no significant change
external factors
equilibrium
resistance
resilience
internal factors
Which of the following molecules is present in all living organisms?
carbon
sulfur
silicon
calcium
One reason why people should be aware of the impact of their actions on the environment is that
there is a decreased need for substances produced by natural processes.
there is decreased development in new technology to help the environment.
ecosystems are never able to recover once they have been adversely affected.
the depletion of finite resources cannot be reversed and can disrupt ecosystems.
Which of the following statements on ecosystem stability is correct?
Higher biodiversity in an ecosystem provides better stability.
Multiple keystone species are important to ecological stability.
Ocean ecosystems are far more stable than terrestrial ecosystems.
Higher animal to plant ratios provides the most stable environment.
Keystone predators often help maintain ecological stability in a community if they
competitively exclude other predators.
prey only on the least abundant species in the community.
prey on the community's dominant species.
allow immigration of other predators.
Select all the factors that can affect a population that is growing too large.
depletion of food
increased predation
increased space
disease
immigration
Which organisms are always on the first level in a food chain?
herbivores
consumers
autotrophs
heterotrophs
How do waxy leaves help a plant survive in areas with little rainfall?
The waxy leaves help reduce water loss through transpiration.
The waxy leaves help to absorb more water through the stomata.
The waxy leaves help release water from the leaves signaling the roots to absorb more.
The waxy leaves help permanently seal the chloroplasts to prevent unnecessary gas exchange.
A parasite is an organism that ____________________________________
Both helps and harms another organism
Only harms another organism
Only helps another organism
Neither helps or harms another organism
Which one of the following describes, in part, the niche of a rabbit?
the wind in the area it lives.
the golf course it lives on and eats grass on.
rabbits are eaten by coyotes
sunlight
The difference between a habitat and a niche is that a niche is
The specific functional role of an organism.
The organism's preferred habitat.
The kind of place an organism occupies.
None of the above.
What is a group of individual organisms that belong to the same species?
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Population
What is the meaning of the word “pioneer” in the term “pioneer species?
A species that has inhabited an area of land for a very long time and has flourished the area rapidly
The last species to die out in an area of land that has gone under serious degradation
A species that isn’t able take advantage of harsh physical conditions in environments where there is little competition
The species that first colonized a disturbed area and alter the environment in ways that make it favorable to the colonization of other species
Succession that occurs on abandoned agricultural fields is best described as _____________
Coevolution
Primary succession
Secondary succession
Prairie succession
The six icons shown here are part of a model for understanding global change. What does the set of icons represent in the model?
human inputs to the global energy budget
human causes of changes to global systems
human activities that are independent of global change
the effects on human society of changes to global systems
Which of the following statements describes density-independent limiting factors?
Competition is an example.
Parasitism and disease are examples.
Environmental extremes, such as a hurricane or drought, are examples.
Their effects increase as the population increases in an area.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were once commonly used in spray cans and refrigerators. Which goal is being achieved by bans on these chemicals?
curtailing global climate change
protecting predators from the effects of biomagnification
protecting the ozone layer
curtailing smog in large cities
