Name: Date:Ecology Test

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A) Competition does not occur between members of different species in the same habitatB) A predator recycles the remains of dead organisms.C) The population has reached the carrying capacity of its environment.D) Energy is used for interbreeding between members of different species.

1. Changes in a deer population are shown in the graph below.

Which statement best explains section X?

A) a continual input of energy from the sunB) no competition between speciesC) predators that outnumber their preyD) limited autotrophic nutrition

2. A stable ecosystem is characterized by having

A) It always has two or more different autotrophsfilling the same niche.

B) It must have producers and consumers but notdecomposers.

C) It must have organisms that carry out autotrophicnutrition.

D) It is stable because it has consumers to recycleenergy.

3. Which statement best describes a characteristic of anecosystem?

A) birds in ColoradoB) leopard frogs in a streamC) trees in a forestD) reptiles in the Sahara Desert

4. Which group of organisms is an example of apopulation?

A) fish, plants, and snailsB) fish, water, and snailsC) water and gravelD) plants and gravel

5. An aquarium ecosystem is shown below.

A community in this aquarium consists of the

A) not affect one anotherB) compete with one anotherC) change their nesting behaviorsD) interbreed to form a new species

6. When two different bird species temporarily occupythe same niche, they would most likely

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7. Base your answer to the following question on the information and graph below and on yourknowledge of Biology.

A population of paramecia (single-celled aquatic organisms) was grown in a 200-mL beaker of watercontaining some smaller single-celled organisms. Population growth of the organisms for 28 hours isshown in the graph below.

A) rate of reproduction increasedB) oxygen level was too highC) time allowed for growth was not sufficientD) carrying capacity of the beaker was exceeded

What is one likely explanation for the change in the paramecium population from 26 hours to 28hours?

A) are active at nightB) reproduce at different times of the yearC) are the same sizeD) occupy different ecological niches

8. Two species of animals with a similar appearance livein the same habitat but do not compete for food. Thisis because they most likely

A) decreased levels of carbon dioxide in the areaB) the process of ecological successionC) a decrease in the amount of organic material

presentD) the lack of abiotic factors in the area

9. A new island formed by volcanic action mayeventually become populated with bioticcommunities as a result of

A) fewer biotic resources for each bird speciesB) less competition for foodC) fewer abiotic resources for each bird speciesD) less energy available as the birds feed higher in

the tree

10.The feeding niches of three bird species are shown inthe diagram below.

What is the advantage of these different feedingniches for the birds?

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11. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below, which shows the sequence of plantcommunities that have occupied land that was left barren 300 years ago, and on your knowledge ofbiology.

A) broomsedge and pine seedlings B) oak and hickory treesC) crabgrass and horseweed D) ragweed and aster

Which plant species represent pioneer organisms?

A) loss of heterotrophs that cannot be recoveredB) forest consisting of only producers and

decomposersC) long-term rise in environmental temperaturesD) stable ecosystem that can last for many years

12. Changes in an ecosystem over a long period of timeare shown in the diagram below.

These changes will most likely lead to a

A) It changes rapidly.B) It consists entirely of plants.C) It is the first community to inhabit an area.D) It persists until the environment changes.

13. Which statement concerning the climax stage of anecological succession is correct?

A) an herbivore B) carnivorousC) photosynthetic D) a decomposer

14. The first organism in most natural food chains is

A) ecological successionB) cellular communicationC) energy flowD) biological evolution

15. Which process is represented in the diagram below?

A) Certain herbivores will exceed carryingcapacity.

B) The decomposers will fill the predator niche.C) Certain plant populations will increase.D) The natural prey will die off.

16. If humans remove carnivorous predators such aswolves and coyotes from an ecosystem, what willprobably be the first observable result?

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A) Species A is the most numerous because it canmake its own food.

B) Species C and B interbred to produce speciesC) Species B probably feeds on speciesD) Species D is most likely the top predator in the

food chain.

17. Species A, B, C, and D are all different heterotrophsinvolved in the same food chain inan ecosystem. The chart below shows the populationof each species at the same time on a summer day.

Which statement best describes one of these speciesof heterotrophs?

A) predator, scavenger, decomposer, consumerB) herbivore, prey, autotroph, hostC) producer, parasite, fungus, fishD) carnivore, predator, heterotroph, multicellular

18. Which group contains terms that are all directlyassociated with one of the organisms shown in thediagram below?

A) consumer-producerB) predator-preyC) autotroph-heterotrophD) parasite-host

19. Puppies are often given medicine to eliminateroundworms from their intestines. These wormsconsume some of the food the puppies havedigested. The worms and the puppies represent arelationship known as

A)

B)

C)

D)

20. Which graph best represents a predator-preyrelationship in a stable ecosystem?

A) mutualism B) parasitismC) commensalism D) saprophytism

21. A symbiotic relationship exists between twoorganisms of different species. If only one organismbenefits from the relationship and the other is notharmed, the relationship is known as

A) mutualism B) parasitismC) saprophytism D) commensalism

22. Acacia trees provide food for a species of ant thatlives on them. The ants defend the acacia tree fromgrasshoppers and beetles. This relationship betweenthe ant and acacia tree is best described as

A) a population B) a communityC) a biome D) the biosphere

23. All of Earth's water, land, and atmosphere withinwhich life exists is known as

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A) stored in eggs produced during sexualreproduction

B) lost to the environment as heatC) produced in muscle tissue during the growth of

an organismD) stored in the remains of a dead animal

24. Some of the energy taken in by an organism is notavailable to other organisms in a food web. Energythat is not available to other organisms in a food webis energy that is

25. Base your answer to the following question on thediagram below that represents an energy pyramid ina meadow ecosystem and on your knowledge ofbiology.

A) A B) B C) C D) E

Which species would have the largest amount ofavailable energy in this ecosystem?

A) finite resourcesB) biotic factorsC) inorganic compoundsD) abiotic factors

26. Which group would most likely be represented in afood chain?

A) A B) B C) C D) D

27. The diagram below represents a typical energypyramid.

Which level in the pyramid includes autotrophs?

A) fungi beetle algae mouseB) bacteria grass fox owlC) grass grasshopper frog snakeD) algae snake duck deer

28. Which sequence shows a correct pathway for theflow of energy in a food chain?

A) Energy is transferred to consumers, which useit to produce food.

B) Energy from producers is converted intooxygen and transformed to consumers.

C) Energy is transferred to consumers, whichconvert it into nitrogen and use it to makeamino acid.

D) Energy from the Sun is stored by green plantsand transferred to consumers.

29. Which statement best describes energy transfer in afood chain?

A) weather and its effects on food production inthe ocean

B) the classification of plants and animalsC) the interactions of living organisms and their

environmentD) technology and its effects on society

30. An ecosystem is best defined as

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Base your answers to questions 31 through 33 on the diagram below and on your knowledge ofbiology. The diagram represents a food web in an ecosystem.

A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4

31. Which row in the chart below best identifies the relationships between the mice and the wheat?

A) heterotrophs, only B) abiotic factors and decomposersC) biotic factors and decomposers D) autotrophs, only

32. Missing from the diagram of this ecosystem are the

A) an ecosystem that is completely out of balanceB) how ecosystems maintain stability over timeC) ecological succession in an ecosystemD) interaction between biotic and abiotic factors within an ecosystem

33. If the population of hawks in this area increases, their prey populations might decrease. Later, withfewer prey, the hawk population might decrease. The prey populations might then increase. This is anexample of

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A) They use energy to combine the inorganicmolecules carbon dioxide and water intoenergy-rich organic compounds.

B) Energy is used by the organisms to obtain andtransport materials, and to eliminate wastes.

C) Energy stored in inorganic molecules isreleased during cellular respiration in theseorganisms.

D) Stored energy cannot be used by theseorganisms as a source of energy for lifeprocesses.

34. Which statement is true for all of the organisms inthe ecosystem represented in the diagram below?

A) humans are the cause of the breakdown of thisecosystem

B) every population in an ecosystem is linked withother populations

C) the stability of this ecosystem is limited by theamount of water available

D) a change in the environment always results indisease

35. Populations of aspen trees in the western UnitedStates are being destroyed by an unexplained illness.The altered landscape is affecting the animals thatlive there. Populations of deer mice are increasinggreatly in these areas. Unfortunately, these miceoften carry a virus that is deadly to humans. Thisscenario best illustrates that

A) Organisms frequently interact within theecosystem.

B) The number of producers remains constant inthe ecosystem.

C) A fierce predator is removed from theecosystem.

D) The energy in the ecosystem flows from theSun.

36. Which statement describes a situation that wouldreduce the stability of a forest ecosystem?

A) a habitatB) autotrophic nutritionC) competitionD) an ecological niche

37. An earthworm lives and reproduces in the soil. Itaerates the soil and adds organic material to it. Theearthworm is a source of food for other organisms.All of these statements together best describe

A) A stable ecosystem can be altered, then it canrecover to a point of stability.

B) An ecosystem remains unchanged as itsstability decreases.

C) The stability of an ecosystem remainsunchanged but its biodiversity decreases.

D) A stable ecosystem cannot recover after it isaltered

38. The graph below shows changes in the stability of anecosystem over a period of time.

Which statement best describes the change inecosystem stability shown in the graph?

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39. The graph below shows the growth of a population of coyotes in a wilderness area.

State one possible cause for the population decrease at X.

A) minerals, water, plant enzymesB) water, sunlight, carbon dioxideC) sunlight, oxygen, plant receptorsD) water, minerals, bacteria

40. As it grows from a seed to a mature plant, a plantwill grow taller and thicker. Which are abioticfactors most responsible for the increase in the massof the plant?

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Base your answers to questions 41 and 42 on the information below and on your knowledge ofbiology.

The graph below represents the amount of energy stored in each level of an energy pyramid.

41. State one reason why the amount of energy in level 3 is greater than that in level 4.

42. Which level most likely represents the autotrophs in the energy pyramid? Support your answer.

Base your answers to questions 43 and 44 on the diagram below that shows some interactionsbetween several organisms located in a meadow environment and on your knowledge of biology.

43. Identify one cell structure found in a producer in this meadow ecosystem that is not found incarnivores.

44. A rapid decrease in the frog population results in a change in the hawk population. State how thehawk population may change. Support your answer.

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Base your answers to questions 45 and 46 on the information below and on your knowledge ofbiology.

A population of gray squirrels lived in the trees surrounding four houses in a city. The housesand trees were removed, and a tall office building was constructed in their place. Some of thesquirrels were able to survive by relocating to the trees in a park nearby.

45. State one specific natural factor in the park ecosystem that will limit the growth of the squirrelpopulation and support your answer.

46. State one specific way the relocated squirrels will change an abiotic factor in the park ecosystem.

Base your answers to questions 47 and 48 on the information below and on your knowledge of biology.

A pond in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State was once a fishing spot visited by manypeople. It was several acres in size, and fishermen in boats were a common sight. Over time, the pondhas become smaller in area and depth. Places where there was once open water are now covered bygrasses and shrubs. Around the edges of the pond there are cattails and other wetland plants.

47. Predict what will most likely happen to this pond area over the next hundred years if this processcontinues.

48. Identify the ecological process responsible for the changes to this pond.

49. Base your answer to the following question on the information below and on your knowledge ofbiology.

A student uses a covered aquarium to study the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors in anecosystem. The aquarium contains sand, various water plants, algae, small fish, snails, anddecomposers. The water contains dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as tiny amounts ofminerals and salts.

Identify one source of food for the decomposers in this ecosystem.

Base your answers to questions 50 and 51 on the food web and graph below and on your knowledgeof biology. The graph represents the interaction of two different populations, A and B, in the foodweb.

50. Identify one organism shown in the food web that would be found at level X in the energy pyramidabove.

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51. Identify one heterotroph from the food web that could be a member of population A.

52. The diagram below represents a food web.

The arrows only point away from "Grasses, shrubs" and not toward them. State one biological reasonthat this is so.