Team Letter Code: __________

School Name:__________________________________________________

Student Names: ________________________________________________

Ecology – Division CFayetteville-Manlius High School Invitational

December 17th, 2016

Each correct answer is worth one point for a total of 125 points.

There are four tiebreaker questions at the end of this examination, write your answers in the test booklet, in the event two teams tie and don’t answer the tie breaker questions you will be place in last place.

Place the answer to questions 1-100 on the Scantron sheet B.

1. A change in the acidity of mountain lakes would most likely be a result of

a. ecological succession of the area at the top of the mountainb. the introduction for new species into the lakesc. air pollution from smoke stacks miles awayd. plating grasses and shrubs around the lakes

2. Which sequence shows a correct pathway for the flow of energy in a food chain?

a. algae snake duck deerb. fungi beetle algae mousec. grass grasshopper frog snaked. bacteria grass fox owl

3. What is a relationship in which two organisms both benefit from their association?

a. Symbiosisb. Mutualismc. Commensalismd. Parasitisme. Competition

4. Interrelated groups of food chains are known as a

a. nicheb. food webc. populationd. habitate. none of these

5. How is an ecosystem organized, from least to most comprehensive?

a. Individual, community, population, biomeb. Individual, population, community, biomec. Individual, population, niche, communityd. Individual, niche, community, populatione. Individual, population, biome, niche

6. Which of the following releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?

a. Animal consumption of producersb. Photosynthesisc. Chemosynthesisd. Bacterial decaye. None of the above

7. When needed resources are unevenly distributed, organisms often show a

a. density-dependent dispersion pattern.b. clumped dispersion pattern.c. exponential dispersion pattern.d. random dispersion pattern.e. uniform dispersion pattern.

8. Graylag geese learn to follow their mothers. This is an example of

a. habituation.b. operant conditioning.c. altruism.d. imprinting.e. agonistic behavior.

9. One important component of the carbon cycle is

a. molecular oxygenb. molecular ATPc. ammoniad. watere. molecular carbon dioxide

10. The three principal steps in the nitrogen cycle are

a. ammonification, nitrification, and ecological successionb. ammonification, assimilation, and phosphorylationc. ammonification, nitrification, and assimilationd. phosphorylation, hydration, and assimilatione. respiration, decaryboxylation, and quantification

11. Primary producers on earth are

a. omnivoresb. photosynthesizersc. parasitesd. carnivorese. herbivores

12. The basic pattern of an interaction between two species in which one benefits while the other neither benefits nor is harmed is called

a. commensalismb. parasitismc. mutualismd. ammensalisme. neutralism

13. Which organisms are correctly paired with their nutritional roles?

a. hawk—decomposer; insect-eating bird—parasiteb. mouse—autotroph; flower seed—heterotrophc. mountain lion—predator; bark beetle—herbivored. grasshopper—carnivore; grass—autotroph

14. The size of plant populations can be influenced by the

a. molecular structure of available oxygenb. size of the cells of decomposersc. number of chemical bonds in a glucose moleculed. type of minerals present in the soil

15. One reason why people should be aware of the impact of their actions on the environment is that

a. ecosystems are never able to recover once they have been adversely affectedb. the depletion of finite resources cannot be reversed c. there is a decreased need for new technologyd. there is a decreased need for substances produced by natural processes

16. Competition between two species occurs when

a. mold grows on a tree that has fallen in the forestb. chipmunks and squirrels eat sunflower seeds in a gardenc. a crow feeds on the remains of a rabbit killed on the roadd. a lion stalks, kills, and eats an antelope

17. If several species of carnivores are removed from an ecosystem, the most likely effect on the ecosystem will be

a. an increase in the kinds of autotrophsb. a decrease in the number of abiotic factorsc. a decrease in stability among populationsd. an increase in the rate of succession

18. If an ecosystem is changed through a natural disaster, organisms will have the best chance of survival if

a. their environment has few abiotic factorsb. the organisms are largec. the population size is smalld. their species exhibits genetic variation

19. Organisms that are able to manufacture organic nutrients from substances in the abiotic environment are classified as

a. heterotrophs b. fungi c. predatorsd. autotrophs

20. Which factor would have the greatest effect on the flow of energy into an ecosystem

a. a large decrease in the amount of sunlight availableb. a large increase in the number of carnivoresc. a small increase in the number of decomposersd. a small decrease in the amount of minerals available

21. What will most likely occur if two different plant species compete for the same requirements in an ecosystem?

a. They will usually develop different requirements.b. One species may adapt to a different environment.c. One species may be eliminated from that ecosystem.d. They will alter the environment so that they can both survive in that ecosystem.

22. The relationship that exists when athlete’s foot fungus grows on a human is an example of

a. predator/preyb. producer/consumerc. parasite/hostd. decomposer/autotroph

23. A stable ecosystem would not contain

a. materials being cycledb. consumers without producersc. decomposersd. a constant source of energy

24. Abiotic factors that could affect the stability of an ecosystem could include

a. hurricanes, packs of wolves, and temperatureb. blizzards, heat waves, and swarms of grasshoppersc. droughts, floods, and heat wavesd. species of fish, number of decomposers, and supply of algae

25. One season, there was a shortage of producers in a food web. As a result, the number of deer and wolves decreased. The reason that both the deer and wolf populations declined is that

a. producers are not as important as consumers in a food webb. more consumers than producers are needed to support the food webc. organisms in this food web are interdependentd. populations tend to stay constant in a food web

26. The size of a frog population in a pond remains fairly constant over a period of several years because of

a. decreasing competitionb. environmental carrying capacityc. excessive dissolved oxygend. the depth of water

A food chain is represented below.

Grass Cricket Frog Owl

27. This food chain contains

a. 4 consumers and no producersb. 1 predator, 1 parasite, and 2 producersc. 2 carnivores and 2 herbivoresd. 2 predators, 1 herbivore, and 1 producer

28. Which factor has the greatest influence on the type of ecosystem that will form in a particular geographic area?

a. genetic variations in the animalsb. climate conditionsc. number of carnivoresd. percentage of nitrogen gas in the atmosphere

29. Rabbits are herbivores that are not native to Australia. Their numbers have increased steadily since being introduced into Australia by European settlers. One likely reason the rabbit population was able to grow so large is that the rabbits

a. were able to prey on native herbivoresb. reproduced more slowly than the native animalsc. successfully competed with native herbivores for foodd. could interbreed with the native animals

30. Why is a mushroom considered a heterotroph?

a. It manufactures its own food.b. It divides by mitosis.c. It transforms light energy into chemical energy.d. It obtains nutrients from its environment.

31. Global warming has been linked to a decrease in the

a. size of the polar ice capsb. temperature of Earthc. rate of species extinctiond. rate of carbon dioxide production

32. A manatee is a water-dwelling herbivore on the list of endangered species. If manatees were to become extinct, what would be the most likely result in the areas where they had lived?

a. The biodiversity of these areas would not be affected.b. Certain producer organisms would become more abundant in these areas.c. Other manatees would move into these areas and restore the population.d. Predators in these areas would occupy higher levels on the energy pyramid.

33. A serious threat to biodiversity is

a. habitat destructionb. maintenance of food chainsc. competition within a speciesd. predator prey cycles

34. Which action will result in the greatest decrease in rain forest stability?a. removing one species of plant for medicineb. harvesting nuts from some treesc. cutting down all the trees for lumberd. powering all homes with wind energy

35. Decomposers are necessary in an ecosystem because they

a. produce food for plants by the process of photosynthesisb. provide energy for plants by the process of decayc. can rapidly reproduce and evolved. make inorganic materials available to plants

36. An ecosystem that has almost the same number and type of organisms for many years is exhibiting

a. feedbackb. global instabilityc. environmental changed. stability/equilibrium

37. A stable ecosystem is characterized by having

a. predators that outnumber their preyb. a continual input of energyc. limited autotrophic nutritiond. no competition between species

38. Which pair of organisms would most likely compete for the same ecological niche?

a. bacteria and fungib. deer and wolfc. tree and fungid. deer and bacteria

39. Rabbits introduced into Australia over one hundred years ago have become a serious pest. Rabbit populations have increased so much that they have displaced many native species of herbivores.

Which statement best explains the reason for their increased numbers?

a. Rabbits have a high metabolic rate.b. There are few native predators of rabbits.c. Additional rabbit species have been introduced.d. There is an increase in rabbit competitors.

40. Which human activity would preserve finite resources?

a. deforestationb. removing carnivores from a forestc. recycling aluminumd. heating homes with fossil fuels

41. Abandoned railroad tracks are overgrown with weeds. Ten years later there are small aspen trees growing in the middle of the tracks. This change is an example of

a. ecological successionb. biological evolutionc. genetic variationd. heterotrophic nutrition

42. Abiotic factors that characterize a forest ecosystem include

a. light and biodiversityb. temperature and amount of available waterc. types of producers and decomposersd. pH and number of heterotrophs

43. The biodegradation of materials by aerobic microorganisms resulting in the production of carbon dioxide, water, and other mineral products is termed ______.

a. Aerobic Decompositionb. Biodegrationc. Cellular respirationd. Hydrologic cyclee. None of the above

44. Lichen is an example of:

a. ammensalismb. mutualismc. parasitismd. commensalisme. none of the above

45. Winds in the tundra often reach speeds of ____ mph.

a. 50-70b. 30-60c. 10-40d. 5-20e. None of the above

46. All of the following are density-dependent limiting factors except:

a. diseaseb. food suppliesc. droughtsd. waste productse. None of the above

47. All the biotic and abiotic resources used by an organism are known as its:

a. habitatb. nichec. resource usaged. carbon footprinte. none of the above

48. Radiation is a ____ factor.

a. bioticb. intramuralc. physicald. leachinge. None of the above

49. The most fundamental unit of ecology is the:

a. populationb. organismc. communityd. ecosysteme. None of the above

50. The entire life containing area of the planet is the:

a. biosphereb. ecosystemc. biomed. hydrospheree. none of the above

51. In what type of population growth does the population grow as if there are no limiting factors:

a. exponentialb. logisticc. uncontrolledd. controllede. none of the above

52. Non-living particulate organic material is called _____.

a. Abiotic factorsb. Detritusc. Top soild. Nitrobactere. None of the above

53. The greenhouse effect is:

a. the result of excess CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphereb. a natural phenomena that maintains Earth’s temperature rangec. the result of the difference in the angles of the sun’s raysd. an unnatural phenomenon that causes heat energy to be radiated back into the atmospheree. none of the above

54. Why are fires beneficial to the Taiga?

a. They remove invasive grassesb. They allow seeds that only open at certain temperatures to spreadc. Allows for primary succession to occurd. Fire kills off the older trees allows the younger ones to grow up in place of the old ones.e. none of the above

55. Biotic potential is:

a. the maximum number of individuals that a population can sustain in a given environmentb. the maximum birth rate of a population given unlimited resources, space, and lack of competition and

predatorsc. the maximum death rate of a population given unlimited resources, space, and lack of competition

and predatorsd. the maximum growth rate of a population given unlimited resources, space, and lack of competition

and predatorse. None of the above

56. What type of succession takes place on an area that once had stable life, but was disturbed:

a. primary successionb. bare-rock successionc. pond successiond. secondary successione. none of the above

57. The cumulative weight of all members of a given trophic level is represented by:

a. biomass pyramidb. pyramid of numbersc. trophic pyramidd. food chaine. none of the above

58. Photosynthesis and respiration belong to which cycle:

a. Water Cycleb. Phosphorous Cyclec. Nitrogen Cycled. Carbon Cyclee. None of the above

59. Type of Pyramid that compares the number of individuals in each trophic level.

a. Numberb. Biomassc. Energyd. Ecologicale. None of the above

60. Type of pyramid that is a graph which represents trophic level numbers in an ecosystem.

a. Numberb. Biomassc. Energyd. Ecologicale. None of the above

61. Why is there very little diversity in the taiga?

a. Trees use all of the nutrients in the soilb. an introduced species has destroyed the biodiversityc. the ground is in a state of permafrostd. most plants can’t survive the harsh conditionse. none of the above

62. The top layer of soil in a deciduous forest that contains decaying plant and animal matter is called:

a. topsoilb. litterc. subsoild. bedrocke. none of the above

63. A species that gives an early warning that an ecosystem is in a state of flux, often times fish and amphibians or apex predators

a. Indicator speciesb. Limiting factorc. Sustainabilityd. Secondary succession

64. The age distribution for a population of an r-selected organism would be...

a. Pyramidal b. Rectangular c. An inverse pyramid d. Bimodal

65. Attempts by two or more organisms of a single species to use the same limited resources in an ecosystem is best described as:

a. Intraspecific Competitionb. Interspecific Competition c. Species specific Competition d. All of the above

66. Which of the following is the largest single factor in species loss?

a. chemical pollution b. thermal pollution c. habitat loss d. introduced species

67. The term heterotroph is used to define an organism that

a. eats only plantsb. may eat plants or animalsc. eats only animalsd. makes its own food

68. Which of the following shows the correct order of biological organization from smallest to largest?

a. biome, population, ecosystem, individual, cell, organ systemb. cell, organ system, organism, population, ecosystem, biomec. cell, organ system, ecosystem, individual, biome, organismd. ecosystem, cell, individual, population, organ system, biome

69. Which trophic level has the largest biomass?

a. plantsb. carnivorec. herbivored. decomposer

70. This biome sustains the highest levels of biomass in any terrestrial ecosystem, and is notable for trees of massive proportions.

a. Temperate deciduous forestb. Temperate coniferous forest c. Tropical rain forest d. None of the above

71. Which of the following best defines an ecosystem?

a. a group of organisms that can interbreedb. smaller organisms that get eaten by larger organismsc. the feeding level of an organism in a food chaind. all of the interactions between living things and their environment

72. Prey may avoid predation through

a. being too big to consume.b. being too small to consume.c. defending themselves in groups.d. the benefits of spatial heterogeneity.e. all of the above.

73. What is an acidic soil type common in the Arctic and boreal areas.

a. Humus b. Muskeg c. Aluvial Soil d. Laterite soil

74. Species introduced by humans to new geographic locations __________

a. can outcompete and displace native species for biotic and abiotic resources. b. increase the diversity and therefore the stability of the ecosystem. c. are usually successful in colonizing the area. d. always spread because they encounter none of their natural predators. e. are always considered pests by ecologists.

75. All of the following are migratory birds of the tundra except:

a. Ravensb. Snow Buntingsc. Falcons d. Sandpiperse. None of the above

76. About how much energy is lost between each trophic level?

a. 10%b. 50%c. 90%d. 99%

77. A population is correctly defined as having which of the following characteristics?

I. inhabiting the same general areaII. belonging to the same speciesIII. possessing a constant and uniform density and dispersion

a. I only b. III only c. I and II only d. II and III only e. I, II, and III

78. Species that reproduce early in their life span and produce large numbers of usually small and short-lived offspring in a short period.

a. R-selected speciesb. Limiting factorc. Intraspecific competition d. Gross primary productivity

79. Which is not a cause of deforestation?

a. Conversion of forests to agricultural land b. Unregulated commercial logging c. Unintentional forest fires d. Cutting down forests for recreational use

80. Which is not a characteristic of the tundra biome?

a. Layer of permafrost b. Cold temperatures c. Low biodiversity d. Long growing seasons

81. In the nitrogen cycle, the transformation of gaseous nitrogen into nitrogen containing compounds is performed primarily by...

a. Fungib. Bacteriac. Herbivoresd. Carnivores

82. A J shaped growth curve represents which type or growth:

a. Exponentialb. Logisticc. Uncontrolled d. Controllede. None of the above

83. Coevolution is most often seen in which of the following interactions:

a. Predation b. Parasitism c. Competition d. Mutualism

84. The development of biotic communities in an area where the natural vegetation has been removed or destroyed but where soil is present is best described as:

a. Primary Successionb. Secondary Succession c. Biological Succession d. None of the above

85. An example of a R-selected species is:

a. Insectsb. Humansc. Polar Bears d. B and C only

86. The difference between geometric and exponential growth is:

a. Exponential growth describes conditions where resources are unlimited, whereas geometric growth describes populations that reach carrying capacity (K)

b. Geometric growth models populations with discrete reproduction (individuals reproduce at the same time), whereas exponential growth models populations with continuous reproduction

c. Geometric growth is commonly observed in lab studies for organisms such as bacteria and exponential growth is commonly observed in nature for organisms such as Dall sheep

d. No difference. In other words, geometric growth and exponential growth are two different terms for the same population growth behavior

e. Answers A & B

87. Each of the following statements is true of carrying capacity except:

a. territoriality or competition for space can lower carrying capacityb. carrying capacity varies over time because resource levels varyc. carrying capacity is defined as the maximum number of individual a habitat can sustaind. r-selected species tend to maintain stable population levels close to carrying capacitye. None of the above

88. In the tundra, permafrost extends up to how much below the surface?

a. 10 Meters b. 90 Meters c. 210 Meters d. 330 Meterse. 450 Meters

89. Top predators significantly affect populations of lower trophic levels, including herbivores and plants. The term for this phenomenon is:

a. Dynamic biomass forcing b. Community shock c. Ecological efficiency d. Trophic cascade e. None of the above

90. An ecological niche includes all of the following except:

a. How much water the species needsb. How much sunlight the species needsc. How much space the species needsd. Temperatures the species can toleratee. The place where the species lives

91. An ecosystem can survive without:

a. Producersb. Consumersc. Decomposersd. Autotrophse. Detritivores

92. The term ‘ecology’ was first coined by ___________.

a. Charles Darwinb. Ernst Haeckelc. Antoni Leeuwenhoekd. Richard Bradleye. Thomas Malthus

93. A community in which barn owls and snakes consume only mice is being observed. If the number of snakes increases, which of the following is most likely to happen first?

a. The barn owl population will increase. b. The mouse population will decrease. c. The barn owl population will decrease. d. The mouse population will remain the same.

94. Deer share the open plains with other grazing animals and predators. Which of the following would lead to a decrease in the deer population?

a. a reduction in the predator population b. an increase in the number of other grazing animals c. a reduction in the grazing animal population d. an increase in restrictions on the hunting of deer

95. The basic pattern of an interaction between two species in which one benefits while the other is harmed is called

a. commensalismb. parasitismc. mutualismd. ammensalisme. neutralism

96. The basic pattern of an interaction between two species in which both species benefits is called

a. commensalismb. parasitismc. mutualismd. ammensalisme. neutralism

97. The basic pattern of an interaction between two species in which one species is harmed and the other not affected is called

a. commensalismb. parasitismc. mutualismd. ammensalisme. neutralism

98. The wetland plant purple loosestrife was imported to North America from Europe. Since its introduction, the loosestrife has spread, which has resulted in a dramatic decline in the biological diversity of native wetland plants. A likely reason for the spread of the purple loosestrife is that it can

a. successfully compete with native herbivores for food b. serve as an excellent food source for native herbivores c. successfully compete with native plants for space d. prevent the migration of native plants

99. Deer ticks are responsible for spreading Lyme disease. This organism, which feeds on the blood of warm-blooded organisms like mice, deer, and humans, is best described as a

a. predatorb. scavenger c. parasite d. host

100. Which type of organism helps to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide?

a. carnivores b. decomposers c. producers d. herbivores

Place the answer to questions 101-125 on the Scantron sheet C.

101. Demography is the scientific study of?

a. parasitism and disease. b. human populations. c. modernized countries. d. none of the above

102. For most populations that are growing, as resources start to become less available, the population

a. declines rapidly. b. reaches carrying capacity.c. increases more rapidly.d. enters a phase of exponential growth.

103. The various growth phases through which most populations go are represented on

a. a logistic growth curve. b. a normal curve. c. an exponential growth curve. d. a population curve.

104. Which are two ways a population can decrease in size?

a. immigration and emigration b. increased death rate and immigrationc. decreased birthrate and emigrationd. emigration and increased birthrate

105. What does the range of a population tell you that density does not?

a. the number that live in an areab. the births per unit area c. the areas inhabited by a populationd. the deaths per unit area

106. The goals of biodiversity conservation include all of the following EXCEPT

a. protecting individual species. b. introducing exotic species into new environments.c. preserving habitats and ecosystems.d. making sure local people benefit from conservation efforts.

107. Several species of warblers can live in the same spruce tree ONLY because they

a. have different habitats within the tree. b. don’t eat food from the tree.c. occupy different niches within the tree.d. can find different temperatures within the tree.

108. The total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level is called the

a. organic mass. b. energy mass.c. trophic mass.d. biomass.

109. Compared to land, the open oceans

a. have less zooplankton. b. are nutrient-poor environments. c. contain unlimited nitrogen. d. are rich in silica and iron.

110. The diagram below represents different stages of an ecosystem over a period of time.

Which stage of the ecosystem has the greatest long-term stability?

a. The grass stage. b. The shrub stage.c. The pine forest stage.d. The hardwood forest stage.

111. The nitrogen cycle differs substantially from the calcium cycle in that

a. trees require calcium to a greater degreeb. nitrogen is fixed from atmospheric sources via a symbiosisc. calcium is substantially influenced by the activity of leguminous plantsd. none of these

112. In which location would you expect to find the highest productivity ecosystem?

a. wet, temperate, forest b. tundrac. desertd. boreal forest

113. Which of the following statements is consistent with the principle of competitive exclusion?

a. Bird species generally do not compete for nesting sites.b. The density of one competing species will have a positive impact on the population growth of

the other competing species.c. Two species with the same fundamental niche will exclude other competing species.d. Even a slight reproductive advantage will eventually lead to the elimination of the less well

adapted of two competing species.e. Evolution tends to increase competition between related species.

Base your answers to questions 114 through 116 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of biology.The diagram represents a food web in an ecosystem.

114. If the population of hawks in this area increases, their prey populations might decrease. Later, with fewer prey, the hawk population might decrease. The prey populations might then increase. This is an example of

a. an ecosystem that is completely out of balanceb. how ecosystems maintain stability over timec. interaction between biotic and abiotic factors within an ecosystemd. ecological succession in an ecosystem

115. Missing from the diagram of this ecosystem are the

a. biotic factors and decomposersb. abiotic factors and decomposersc. autotrophs, onlyd. heterotrophs, only

116. Which row in the chart below best identifies the relationship between the mice and the wheat?Row Role of Mice Role of Wheat

a. Producer Consumerb. Preadator Hostc. Host Predatord. Consumer producer

117. Using the graph below, which term best identifies line B in the graph?

a. niche of the species in the environmentb. carrying capacity of the environmentc. biodiversity in the environmentd. number of populations in the environment

118. A study was done on three different fish species living in a pond. The influence of temperature on the growth rates of the fish populations is shown in the graph below.

In this pond where these fish live, temperature is a

a. limiting factor

b. hereditary factor

c. source of ATP

d. source of solar energy

119. What is the primary source of energy for all the organisms in the ecosystem represented below?

a. photosynthesis in the producersb. respiration in the heterotrophsc. light energy from the Sund. minerals from the rocks

120. The chart below shows three ecological terms used to describe levels of organization on Earth.

Which diagram best represents the relationship of these ecological terms?

(a) (b) (c) (d)

121. Which graph best shows the relationship between the amount of biodiversity and the number of different populations in an ecosystem?

(a) (b) (c) (d)

122. Which statement represents a characteristic of an ecosystem that is not likely to sustain itself?

a. The Sun provides the needed energy. b. Energy is transferred from plants to animals. c. There are more consumers than producers. d. There are interactions between biotic and abiotic factors.

123. Wolves in Yellowstone park were killed or driven off by humans in the 1920s and 1930s. In the winter of 1995, humans released 17 wolves from Canada into the park. A year later, 14 more wolves were released. The food chain below involves organisms in Yellowstone National Park.

Grasses → Elk → Wolves

One possible reason that the wolves were released into the park was to

a. eliminate unwanted autotrophs b. provide food for small predators c. reduce an overpopulation of elk d. increase the number of herbivores

124. After the wolves were released, the populations of some scavengers increased. This was most likely due to

a. a reduction in predator populations b. an increase in the number of dead elk c. a decrease in the number of grasses d. an increase in water supplies

125. Which consequence could most likely be associated with a decrease in biodiversity in an area?

a. More species would be better able to survive a major environmental change. b. The ecosystems in the area would become more stable. c. The amount of genetic information in the species of the area would increase. d. Some sources of future foods or medications would be lost.

Tiebreaker questions:

1. Define the word Altruism.

2. Define a keystone species.

3. What is obligate mutualism?

4. What are the four abiotic theories?