III. Ecology questions
Ecology questions
There are a total of 36 ecology practice questions, which are important content-oriented in the summary part of this chapter. Click the ‘Answer’ button to see the corresponding answers and explanations, and click the ‘Go back’ button to slove the next questions.
1. Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences regional climate?
A. Ocean currents
B. Altitude
C. Latitude
D. Atmospheric circulation
E. None of above
2. In a community, when two species benefit each other, it is called _____________ .
A. Mutualism
B. Commensalism
C. Competition
D. Parasitism
E. Predation
3. Allopatric speciation means _______________ .
A. Sexually reproducing species
B. Asexually reproducing species
C. A new species with geographic isolation
D. A new species without geographic isolation
E. A new species with behavioral isolation
4. Which of following is correct regarding nitrifying bacteria?
A. Change nitrate to ammonia ion
B. Change nitrites to nitrate
C. Change nitrate to nitrogen
D. Change nitrogen to ammonia
E. A and B
5. Which of the following NOT characteristic of an R-selected population?
A. Stable environment
B. Rapid growth
C. Fast maturation
D. Many offspring
E. Bacteria
6. Which of the following can be a secondary consumer?
A. Deer
B. Cow
C. Grasshopper
D. Plant
E. Wolf
7. Which of the following characteristics is NOT related to the terrestrial biomes of tundra?
A. Permanently frozen land
B. Found in far north
C. Little rain or snow
D. Grasslands or low shrubby vegetation
E. None of the above
8. Which of the following is (are) a correct pair of analogous structure?
A. Bat wing and cat forelimb
B. Foreleg of horse and flipper of whale
C. Bat wing and insect wing
D. Bird wing and butterfly wing
E. C and D
9. Which of the following hierarchical levels can contain both biotic and abiotic factors?
A. Communities
B. Ecosystems
C. Biosphere
D. Population
E. B and C
10. The producers have 100% energy. How much energy could be obtained from primary carnivores?
A. 90%
B. 80%
C. 10%
D. 1%
E. 1%
11. A man observed that a young duck learned specific behavior from the mother duck. This is an example of _____________ .
A. Imprinting
B. Conditioned response
C. Habituation
D. Association
E. Fixed action pattern
12. Which of the following is a correct order for hierarchical levels from large to small?
A. Biosphere – Communities – Population – Species
B. Ecosystems – Communities – Species – Population
C. Communities – Population – Organisms – Species
D. Ecosystems – Population – Communities – Species
E. None of above
13. Which of the following is NOT related to Rain Shadow?
A. Desert area on the back side of mountain
B. Created by extreme absorption of moisture
C. Much moisture on the front side of mountain
D. Death Valley
E. None of the above
14. A bird’s fear of a scarecrow in a field diminishes as time goes by. This is an example of _____________.
A. Imprinting
B. Habituation
C. Fixed action pattern
D. Spatial learning
E. Associative learning
15. Freshwater fish that exist in hypotonic solution need to excrete large amount of _____________ through their kidneys to survive against osmotic pressure, whereas saltwater fish that exist in hypertonic solution need to consume large amount of _____________ to reduce osmotic pressure.
- Salt, Water
- Water, Salt
- Salt, Salt
- Water, Water
- None of above
16. The traits of organisms that are best adapted to the environment become more common in successive generations in a population. This statement is _____________.
A. Natural selection
B. Evolution
C. Competition
D. Artificial selection
E. Gradualism
17. Primary succession becomes a stable community at the end of the succession process. This could be a statement of _____________ .
A. Pioneering community
B. Climax community
C. Secondary succession
D. Existing community
E. Keystone community
18. Tertiary consumers are _____________ .
A. Tertiary carnivores
B. Secondary carnivores
C. Primary carnivores
D. Herbivores
E. Primary producers
19. Most coniferous trees are found on _____________ .
A. Savanna
B. Tropical rain forest
C. Taiga
D. Tundra
E. Deciduous forest
20. “Descendants inherit the acquired intelligence from their parents.” This statement is from _____________ .
A. Jean Larmarck
B. Charles Darwin
C. Carolus Linnaeus
D. Georges Cuvier
E. Charles Lyell
21. Camouflage or morphological defensive adaptation is _____________ .
A. Batesian mimicry
B. Mullerian mimicry
C. Cryptic coloration
D. Aposematic coloration
E. Interspecific interaction
22. Which of the following is NOT related to poikilothermic animals?
A. Warm blood
B. Body temperature changes with environmental temperatures
C. Reptiles
D. Amphibians
E. All of the above
23. _____________ is the relational position or role of a population in an ecosystem.
A. Habitat
B. Competition
C. Ecosystem
D. Niche
E. Composition
24. A group of organisms can interbreed from which hierarchical level?
A. Organisms
B. Species
C. Population
D. Communities
E. Organ systems
25. The producer can provide so much energy to herbivorous animals from _____________ .
A. Sunlight
B. CO2
C. Water
D. Organic compounds
E. Organic chemicals
26. Which of the following is NOT related to seasonal turnover?
A. Stratification of the water temperature
B. Occurrence during spring and autumn
C. Mixing of water between shallow and deep zones
D. Breaking down the lentic system in the thermocline
E. Bringing out many nutrients
27. All of the following are biotic factors EXCEPT _____________.
A. Bacteria
B. Plant
C. Sunlight
D. Fungi
E. Rabbit
28. Changes of genetic composition are caused by the following, EXCEPT _____________.
A. Natural selection
B. Gene flow
C. Bottleneck effect
D. Founder effect
E. None of the above
29. All of the following are about operant conditioning EXCEPT _______________.
A. Learning from stimulus with reward or punishment.
B. Learning from voluntary behaviors with reward or punishment.
C. The cat, barely escaped death from poisoned rat, is never trying to eat rat.
D. Trial and error learning.
E. A and C
30. Which of the following is found only in a marine zone?
A. Littoral zone
B. Hadal zone
C. Limnetic zone
D. Photic zone
E. Aphotic zone
31. Which of the following characteristics is NOT related to the terrestrial biomes of desert?
A. Succulent plants, cacti, and shrubs
B. Various water conservation of plants and animals
C. Some regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia
D. Varied, abundant vegetation
E. Burning hot sands
32. On an island, a researcher found that all individuals of a monkey population have a mid-range height. This could be an example of _______________ .
A. Directional selection
B. Disruptive selection
C. Intermediate selection
D. Stabilizing selection
E. Natural selection
33. The relation between a whale flipper and a human arm can be example of _____________ .
A. Homologous structure
B. Adaptive radiation
C. Convergent evolution
D. Analogous structure
E. A and B
34. Which of the following can NOT be an autotrophic organism?
A. Organism using CO2 as carbon source
B. Organism using light as energy source
C. Organism using an inorganic chemical as energy source
D. Plants and algae
E. None of the above
35. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of tropical rain forest?
A. Richest ecosystem on earth
B. Greatest number of species of terrestrial plants and animals
C. More than 250 cm rain per year
D. Distribution around the equator
E. Deciduous trees with broad leaves
36. In oceanic zones, which of the following is the zone in which the most light is absorbed and almost all of photosynthesis takes place?
A. Epipelagic zone
B. Mesopelagic zone
C. Bathypelagic zone
D. Abyssal zone
E. Limnetic zone
Answers
2. A
Mutualism means that both species are positively affected by each other, such as an endosymbiosis between mitochondria and chloroplast, or the relationship between tick bird and rhinoceros. Commensalism is the relationship between two species in which one benefits and the other is not affected. In competition, both species are negatively affected. In parasitism and predation, one species benefits but the other is negatively affected.
3. C
Allopatric speciation is formation of a new species from its parental population by geographic isolation. Sympatric speciation is formation of a new species in a shared geographic region.
4. B
Nitrifying bacteria usually add oxygen to nitrogen such as converting ammonium (NH4+) to nitrites (NO2–) or converting nitrites (NO2–) to nitrate (NO3–). Denitrifying bacteria is opposite nitrifying bacteria and change nitrate (NO3–) to nitrogen (N2). Fixing nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3) is nitrogen fixing bacteria.
5. A
An R-selected population maximizes growth rates. Unstable environment, rapid growth, fast maturation, many offspring, and short lifespan are characteristics of R-selection, and one example is a bacterium. A K-selected population maximizes population size. Stable environment, low reproductive rate, slow growth, and long lifespan are characteristics of K-selection, and one example is a human.
6. E
Secondary consumers are primary carnivores and eat herbivores or zooplankton. Primary consumers, such as deer, cows, and grasshoppers, are herbivores and eat plants. The plant is the producer.
7. E
All are true. Tundra is permafrost with a climate of long cold winters and short cool summers.
8. E
Analogous structures mean similar function but different structures between two different animals. Analogous structures have origins of different ancestors because of convergent evolution. Homologous structures are similar characteristic structures but different function, such as bat wing and cat forelimb, or horse foreleg and whale flipper.
9. E
Biotic factors and abiotic factors are components of ecosystems and a biosphere contains ecosystems.
10. D
The amount of energy flow is reduced by 1/10 as it moves up to the next level of the food chain. When the producer has 100% energy, then the herbivores will have 10% energy, and the primary carnivores will have 1% energy.
11. A
Imprinting means that young animals or humans learn behaviors and characteristics of some stimulus.
12. A
Hierarchical levels of organization from small to large:
Atoms → molecules → organelles → cells → tissues → organ system → organisms → species → population → communities → ecosystems → biosphere
14. B
Habituation is when repeated stimuli causes a loss of behavioral response. Imprinting is a sensitive learning phase, and young geese following their mother is one example. Fixed action pattern is instinctive and unlearned behavior such as mating dance in animals. Spatial learning is memorizing spatial environments or locations, and associative learning is a learning process with pre-occurring information such as classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
15. B
Freshwater fish in a hypotonic environments excrete large amount of water, which is flowing into the body. Saltwater fish in a hypertonic environment gains many salt ions and excretes small amounts of salt ions to decrease osmotic pressure.
16. A
Natural selection means that traits of organisms most suited for their environment increase in successive generations. Natural selection causes the variation of population. Evolution means genetic change in population as time goes by and competition is the struggle against each other to survive. Artificial selection is the divergent result of intentional breeding by human selection, and gradualism is profound change, slow accumulation and continuous processes.
17. B
Climax community is a late successional community and composed of stable populations such as shade trees. Pioneering community is a first colonizing community such as horsetail or willows. Secondary succession is a successional area with pre-existing soil. Keystone community has a huge impact on community, but is not abundant.
19. C
Taiga is open coniferous forest which is the habitat of many large mammals. Savanna contains dry tropical grassland, and tundra has small shrubs or vegetation.
20. A
Jean Larmarck insisted on the inheritance of acquired characteristics. He also maintained one theory that body parts develop with use, and deteriorate with disuse. Charles Darwin told about the origin of species, natural selection, and artificial selection. Carolus Linnaeus established the binominal nomenclature system of taxonomy and Georges Cuvier developed theories of paleontology and catastrophism. The statement of uniformitarianism is from Charles Lyell.
21. C
Cryptic coloration, a defensive adaptation, is camouflage to protect from predators. Batesian mimicry means that palatable or harmless organisms mimic unpalatable or harmful organisms. Mullerian mimicry means that two unpalatable organisms are similar to each other. Aposematic coloration is the chemical defensive adaptation by warning coloration to the predator. Interspecific interaction is the relationship between two species.
22. A
Poikilothermic animals are cold-blooded animals, whose body temperature is altered by outside temperatures. Reptile and amphibians are the examples. Homeothermic animals are warm-blooded animals, such as mammals and birds, which keep their body temperatures.
23. D
Habitat is the environment areas where organisms live. Competition means two organisms in the same environment compete against each other to use the same resources to survive. Ecosystem is interrelationships between biotic and abiotic factors.
24. B
Organisms within a species have genetic similarity and can interbreed. Individual living things are called organisms and groups of species are called a population. Communities mean groups of interacting organisms sharing a geographic area. Organ systems are components of organisms such ascirculatory, respiratory, and digestive systems.
25. A
Sunlight is the main source of energy to plants or phytoplankton in the biosphere. The producer converts light energy to chemical energy and provides it to the herbivores.
26. A
Stratification of the water temperature happens during summer and winter seasons. Seasonal turnover occurs during spring and fall seasons and exchanges water between surface area and bottom area. Mixing water brings out many nutrients.
27. C
All living organism in ecosystem is called biotic factors such as bacteria, plant, fungi, and rabbit. Nonliving materials are called abiotic factors such as sunlight, wind, or water.
29. A
Operant conditioning is one of the learning methods by experience errors. A is classical conditioning, which is learning method by arbitrary stimulus following conditioned response.
30. B
Lake areas have littoral zone, limnetic zone, photic zone, aphotic zone, and benthic zone. Hadal zone is the deepest area of marine environment.
31. D
Deserts are dry places with low precipitation, so there is sparse vegetation. Water reservoirs in desert areas can support organisms such as cacti, succulent plants, camels, and so forth.
32. D
Stabilizing selection means that the overall population shifts to favor middle values and remove extreme values. Directional selection is shifting of the overall population to favor one extreme value end of the distribution. Disruptive selection is shifting of the overall population to favor both ends of the distribution.
33. A
Homologous structure is divergent evolution from a common ancestor and results in similar characteristic structures but different functions. Adaptive radiation is divergent evolution from a common species and results in different morphology, such as different finch beaks from the same species on the Galapagos Islands. Convergent evolution means that species from different origins come to closely resemble each other and analogous structure means that certain features have similar function but different structure between two different animals.
34. E
Photoautotrophic organisms, such as plant, algae, and cyanobacteria, use light as an energy source and CO2 as a carbon source. Chemoautotrophic organisms, such as sulfolobus, use inorganic chemicals as an energy source and CO2 as carbon source.
35. E
Due to high precipitation and temperature every season, the tropical rain forest has no deciduous trees. Deciduous trees belong to temperate deciduous forest.
36. A
Epipelagic zone, the photic zone, is 200m depth from the surface of sea and is the location of most photosynthesis. Mesopelagic zone, bathypelagic zone, and abyssal zone are aphotic zones, so photosynthesis hardly occurs. Limnetic zone is contained in a lake area.