BIO final

Question 1

In some zoos, rare crosses between a male lion and a female tiger have produced hybrid offspring called “ligers.” Male ligers are sterile but some female ligers are fertile. In the wild, lion and tiger ranges do not naturally overlap, making such a cross unlikely. Furthermore, the solitary behavior of tigers and the social organizations of lions create behavioral differences.

The natural differences in the ranges of wild tigers and lions is an example of ________.

Answer 1

a prezygotic barrier

Question 2

Under the biological species concept, what criterion is used to assign populations of organisms to the same biological species?

Answer 2

ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Question 3

The biological species concept cannot be applied to ________.

Answer 3

fossils

Question 4

Which scenario describes allopatric speciation?

Answer 4

A population of squirrels is separated by the Grand Canyon. The two subpopulations evolve into two distinct species.

Question 5

Which taxonomic level is most inclusive?

Answer 5

order

Question 6

Of the following taxonomic levels, species found within the same ________ are the most closely related.

Answer 6

family

Question 7

Homology is evidence of ________.

Answer 7

common ancestry

Question 8

Which one of the following is an example of a postzygotic barrier?

Answer 8

the production of sterile hybrids

Question 9

In _____ a population isolated by a geographic barrier becomes a new species as it accumulates changes by natural selection or genetic drift.

Answer 9

allopatric speciation

Question 10

In _____ a new species may arise as mating and gene flow are reduced between populations that share the same area.

Answer 10

sympatric speciation

Question 11

Many plant species have formed by
_____ in which accidents in cell division result in extra sets of chromosomes.

Answer 11

polyploid speciation

Question 12

Both allopatric speciation and sympatric speciation depend on the establishment of
_____ which prevent(s) gene flow between a new species and its parent species.

Answer 12

reproductive barriers

Question 13

_____ occur(s) when a species gives rise to many new species after colonizing a region with diverse habitats

Answer 13

Adaptive radiation

Question 14

A biologist spends her summer break collecting frogs from a remote jungle in Peru. She discovers two distinct color forms that could be variants of a single species or two different species. What would be the most direct test of their species statusunder the biological species concept?

Compare the color patterns of the two groups. If they are distinct enough, the two forms belong to different species.
Observe mating in the natural environment of the two groups. If the two forms do not mate with each other, they are different species.
Compare the habitat use of the two groups. If they use different habitats, they must be different species.
Compare the DNA of the two groups. If their genes are different, they must be different species.

Answer 14

Observe mating in the natural environment of the two groups. If the two forms do not mate with each other, they are different species.

Question 15

In _____ isolation, it is physically impossible for two species to mate with each other, often because their genitalia do not fit together properly.

behavioral
temporal
mechanical
habitat

Answer 15

mechanical

Question 16

Eastern and western spotted skunks breed at different times of the year. Therefore, they are prevented from interbreeding by _____ isolation.

behavioral
temporal
mechanical
habitat

Answer 16

temporal

Question 17

The process of speciation starts with a single species. It often involves the following steps: (1) two populations become physically separated from one another by a barrier to dispersal and stop exchanging genes; (2) the populations experienceindependent evolutionary changes; (3) changes in one or both populations result in development of reproductive isolating mechanisms that prevent interbreeding; further changes in geography may bring the groups back into contact. When do you officiallyhave two separate species?

step 1
step 2
step 3
none of the above

Answer 17

step 3

Question 18

Darwin thought that significant evolution was much too slow to be witnessed in a human lifetime. Recent experiments by biologists have _____.

• confirmed Darwin’s view
  -indicated that evolution takes place extremely quickly; in fact, individuals can evolve to become new species within their life spans
  -shown that evolutionary change takes even longer than Darwin imagined
  -shown that some populations can evolve quite rapidly, with important changes occurring over several generations in the laboratory

Answer 18

shown that some populations can evolve quite rapidly, with important changes occurring over several generations in the laboratory

Question 19

Plate tectonics has been responsible for instances of all of the following EXCEPT ________.

allopatric speciation
mass extinction
volcanic explosions
sympatric speciation

Answer 19

sympatric speciation

Question 20

Characid fishes are found naturally only in South America and Africa. Fossils of these fish are not found on any other continents. What is the most likely explanation of this distribution pattern?

-These fishes arose in either Africa or South America and migrated across the South Atlantic Ocean to the other continent.
-Convergent evolution is responsible for the distribution of characid fishes.
-Characid fishes arose prior to the separation of the African and South American continents.
-Characid fishes arose in the South Atlantic Ocean and migrated to Africa and South America.

Answer 20

Characid fishes arose prior to the separation of the African and South American continents.

Question 21

Dinosaurs (aside from the lineage that produced birds) were extinct by the end of the ________.

Answer 21

cretaceous

Question 22

A period of mass extinction is often followed by ________.

explosive diversification
global warming
continental drift

Answer 22

explosive diversification

Question 23

Which one of the following is an example of a subject in evo-devo?

sympatric speciation
microevolution
paedomorphosis
allopatric speciation

Answer 23

paedomorphosis

Question 24

Which of the following is a true statement?

-Pangaea started to break up to form geographic isolation for many species about 65 million years ago.
-As dinosaurs became extinct, reptiles remained as their sole descendants.
-Massive extinction of species results in less species diversity but is followed by an explosive diversification of certain remaining species.
-Mammals were the prominent species just before the extinction of dinosaurs.

Answer 24

Massive extinction of species results in less species diversity but is followed by an explosive diversification of certain remaining species.

Question 25

most inclusive to least inclusive level

Answer 25

domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

Question 26

Ecology is the study of ________.

Answer 26

interactions between organisms and their environments

Question 27

if you study how two species of finches compete for food, you are trying to answer a question about ________.

Answer 27

community ecology

Question 28

Which of these is a community?

-all of the organisms living in your garden
-all of abiotic factors that determine the health of your garden
-all of the organisms living in your garden as well as the soil and rocks
-all of the garden snails (Helix aspersa) living in your garden

Answer 28

all of the organisms living in your garden

Question 29

What level of ecology is concerned with energy flow and the cycling of chemicals among various biotic and abiotic factors?

population
organism
ecosystem
community

Answer 29

ecosystem

Question 30

_____is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

Answer 30

ecology

Question 31

_____ factors are nonliving factors that make up an environment.

Answer 31

abiotic

Question 32

_____ factors are living factors that make up an environment.

Answer 32

biotic

Question 33

A(n) ______is an individual living thing, such as a plant, an animal, or a bacterium.

Answer 33

organism

Question 34

A(n) _____is a group of individuals of the same species living in a particular geographic area.

Answer 34

population

Question 35

A(n) ______consists of all of the organisms that live in the same area at the same time.

Answer 35

community

Question 36

A(n) _____consists of all of the abiotic and biotic factors in an area.

Answer 36

ecosystem

Question 37

the levels of ecological hierarchy from least inclusive to most inclusive

Answer 37

Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere

Question 38

A group of snails (of the same species) lives in a garden that also includes beetles and tomato plants. What level(s) of ecological organization does the group of snails belong to?
Select all that apply.

Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem

Answer 38

Population
Community
Ecosystem

Question 39

An ecologist is studying the diet of a group of desert-dwelling scorpions, which have many types of potential prey (insects, small mammals, etc.). She tracks the scorpions to see how much they eat of each prey species.
What level of ecological organization is she studying?

Organism
Population
Community
Biome

Answer 39

community

Question 40

Salmon eggs hatch in freshwater streams and, during their first year of life, the young salmon migrate distances up to 1,000 km in order to reach the ocean. Here they spend up to 5 years where they feed and grow, acquiring more than 95% of their biomass. During the summer of their maturing year, they begin the long journey back to their home streams to spawn. Although it is still uncertain how salmon navigate back to their spawning grounds, current hypotheses suggest that they have a highly developed sense of smell that allows them to remember odors they encountered on their migration to the ocean. They then use these odors to help them navigate back to the streams where they were born. At the spawning grounds, females use their tails to form a hollow cavity in the stream gravel where they lay up to 8,000 eggs. The males fertilize the eggs, and both adults typically die soon thereafter.

The physiological response that allows salmon to survive in fresh water, then in salt water, and then fresh water again is an example of ________.

evolution
a behavioral response
an anatomical response
acclimation

Answer 40

acclimation

Question 41

Which of the following is an example of an evolutionary adaptation?

-A dog that rarely barks is boarded in a kennel with other dogs for a month, and when he comes home, he barks at the slightest noise.
-A portion of a forest burns in a forest fire. As a species of beetles starts to recolonize the area, the lighter-colored individuals in the population are much more visible against the burned bark compared to darker individuals. These lighter individuals are eaten by bird predators at a high rate. After two generations, most of the beetles are darker in color.
-On a cold day, a troop of snow monkeys (Japanese macaques) gather in hot springs for warmth.
-Elephants typically live in herds that are led by a female, the matriarch. The matriarch not only leads the herd but also teaches the young where and how to find food and water. Young elephants are unable to find food on their own if they are separated from the herd.

Answer 41

A portion of a forest burns in a forest fire. As a species of beetles starts to recolonize the area, the lighter-colored individuals in the population are much more visible against the burned bark compared to darker individuals. These lighter individuals are eaten by bird predators at a high rate. After two generations, most of the beetles are darker in color.

Question 42

What name is given to the open ocean?

pelagic realm
benthic realm
intertidal zone
photic zone

Answer 42

pelagic realm

Question 43

What name is given to the seafloor?

pelagic realm
benthic realm
intertidal zone
aphotic zone

Answer 43

benthic realm

Question 44

The greenhouse effect causes an increase in global temperatures. This increase is due primarily to ________.

-the loss of ozone that trapped cooling UV radiation in the atmosphere
-carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases slowing the escape of heat from Earth
-carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases slowing the escape of UV radiation from Earth
-carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases allowing more solar radiation to penetrate Earth’s surface

Answer 44

carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases slowing the escape of heat from Earth

Question 45

Global warming may trigger all but one of these results to occur. Choose the EXCEPTION.

-catastrophic wildfire seasons
-melting permafrost
-changes in the breeding seasons of some species
-increased forest clearing for agricultural purposes

Answer 45

increased forest clearing for agricultural purposes

Question 46

All but one of these are causes for increasing carbon dioxide levels. Choose the EXCEPTION.

-creating compost piles from vegetable waste
-production of manufactured goods
-transportation
-home energy use

Answer 46

reating compost piles from vegetable waste

Question 47

Scientists have documented that spring seasons starting earlier due to climate change have resulted in some caterpillar species beginning their maturation stage earlier than normal. There are bird species that need the caterpillars to feed their chicks. However, since the caterpillars are maturing before the chicks hatch (and therefore cannot be used for chick food), the birds are experiencing a drop in their lifetime reproductive success. Interestingly, scientists have also documented that the individual birds that are successful in altering their egg-laying patterns to align with earlier spring seasons have the greatest lifetime reproductive success. These phenomena are examples of ________.

-a change in species distribution due to climate change
-an increase in global greenhouse gas emissions due to climate change
-an evolutionary response to climate change
-the effects of terrestrial biome distribution due to climate change

Answer 47

an evolutionary response to climate change

Question 48

The dominant greenhouse gas is __________.

sulfur oxides
O2
N2
carbon dioxide

Answer 48

carbon dioxide

Question 49

The definition of your carbon footprint is __________.
View Available Hint(s)for Part A

-the amount of material you add to the landfill
-the list of ways you have to reduce your production of greenhouse gases
-the amount of greenhouse gas emitted as a result of your actions
-the amount of gasoline you use in one year

Answer 49

the amount of greenhouse gas emitted as a result of your actions

Question 50

Evolutionary adaptation may not save long-lived species, such as polar bears, from extinction because __________.

-they will be forced to interbreed with brown bears
-of rapid habitat loss
-they are subject to increasing predation
-complex organisms do not adapt to climate changes

Answer 50

of rapid habitat loss

Question 51

process of carbon released

Answer 51

cellular respiration
combustion of fossil fuels
combustion of wood
microbial decomposition

Question 52

processes of carbon uptake

Answer 52

photosynthesis

Question 53

carbon reservoir (storage)

Answer 53

living and nonliving biomass
carbonic acid in oceans

Question 54

Which gas is plotted using the y-axis on the right?

Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
The total of all three gases

Answer 54

Methane

Question 55

Which of these three gases is most abundant in the atmosphere?

Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
The concentrations of the three gases are approximately equal.

Answer 55

carbon dioxide

Question 56

What was the approximate atmospheric concentration of CO2 at year 0?

275 parts per million
900 parts per billion
255 parts per billion
255 parts per million

Answer 56

275 parts per million

Question 57

In the 250 years from 1500 to 1750, the atmospheric concentration of methane (CH4) hovered around 700 parts per billion. What was the approximate concentration of methane 250 years later, in 2000?

700 parts per billion
375 parts per billion
1,100 parts per billion
1,800 parts per billion

Answer 57

1,800 parts per billion

Question 58

The ultimate source of energy that drives wind power is __________.

Answer 58

the sun

Question 59

A typical wind farm in the United States consists of __________.

Answer 59

many very large wind turbines clustered in a region with a low human population

Question 60

The year 2030 goal set by the US Department of Energy is to generate __________.

Answer 60

20% of electricity using wind-powered systems

Question 61

Electricity in a wind turbine is generated __________.

Answer 61

when spinning magnets move past a coil of copper wire

Question 62

An ideal habitat with unlimited resources is associated with

Exponential growth.
Population crashes.
Logistic growth.
Neither exponential growth nor logistic growth.
Both exponential growth and logistic growth

Answer 62

exponential growth

Question 63

The maximum population a habitat can support is its

Carrying capacity.
Death rate.
Logistic growth.
Exponential growth.
Birth rate.

Answer 63

carrying capacity

Question 64

Logistic growth involves

-Population size decreasing to zero.
-Population growth continues forever.
-Population growth reaches carrying capacity and then speeds up.
-Population growth slowing down as the population approaches carrying capacity.
-A population crash.

Answer 64

Population growth slowing down as the population approaches carrying capacity.

Question 65

in exponential growth

-Population size grows more and more slowly as the population gets bigger.
-Population growth slows as the population gets close to its carrying capacity.
-Population size stays constant.
-Population size grows faster and faster as the population gets bigger.
-None of these are correct

Answer 65

Population size grows faster and faster as the population gets bigger.

Question 66

Which of the following would NOT cause population size to decrease?

-Poor weather, resulting in less food being available
-Increased death rate
-Increased birth rate
-An exponentially growing population outgrowing its food supply and crashing
-Increase in the number of predators

Answer 66

increased birth rate

Question 67

Chinese privet is a plant that is native to China. Over 150 years ago, Chinese privet was introduced to the United States as a fast-growing shrub that serves as an excellent privacy hedge. With no natural herbivore, Chinese privet quickly established itself and spread in natural areas throughout the southeast and eastern seaboard of the United States. Its dominance in these areas has jeopardized the survival of native plant species. Chinese privet provides evidence that ________.

Answer 67

introducing non-native organisms can cause environmental damage

Question 68

Type I survivorship curves are typical of species that exhibit ________.

-an intermediate number of offspring and an intermediate level of parental care
-few offspring and good parental care
-many offspring and good parental care
-many offspring and poor parental care

Answer 68

few offspring and good parental care

Question 69

Which option best describes Type II survivorship curves?

-There is high survivorship for the very young.
-Survivorship is high for the few individuals that survive to a certain age.
-Survivorship is constant over the lifespan.
-Most individuals survive to older age intervals.

Answer 69

Survivorship is constant over the lifespan.

Question 70

Species that exhibit an equilibrial life history typically ________.

exhibit a Type II survivorship curve
have long lives
have a large number of offspring
exhibit a Type III survivorship curve

Answer 70

have long lives

Question 71

One piece of information that could be obtained from a determination of population age structure is __________.

the location of individuals within a habitat
the carrying capacity
density
population momentum

Answer 71

population momentum

Question 72

Michigan’s Isle Royale is an island located in Lake Superior that is 45 miles long and 9 miles wide. Ecologists estimate that the moose population on the island has been there since approximately the year 1900. The wolf population on the island, on the other hand, has been there only since the winter of 1949. Weather conditions had to be calm and cold enough for the lake to freeze so that the first wolves could make the passage over to the island. When the wolves arrived, they were greeted with a large moose population that had no predators. The moose population was at a dangerously high level but was kept in check by the arrival of the wolves. This “harmonious” pattern continued for at least 20 years.
In 1982, the wolf population suddenly crashed because of a new canine virus believed to have been carried to the island carried on the shoe of a human traveler. While the wolf population size decreased from 50 to 14 individuals in a year, the moose population increased. However, the winter of 1996 was extremely harsh and the moose population experienced a major crash. More than 500 moose died during the winter months, reducing the population to less than 800 animals.

During a 1-year study, a graduate student attempted to count the wolves and moose on the island. She estimated that there were 950 moose and 120 wolves. How many organisms, populations, and species were included in this study?

organisms = 2; populations = 1; species = 2
organisms = 2; populations = 2; species = 1,070
organisms = 1,070; populations = 1; species = 2
organisms = 1,070; populations = 2; species = 2

Answer 72

organisms = 1,070; populations = 2; species = 2

Question 73

Michigan’s Isle Royale is an island located in Lake Superior that is 45 miles long and 9 miles wide. Ecologists estimate that the moose population on the island has been there since around 1900. The wolf population on the island, on the other hand, has been there only since the winter of 1949. Weather conditions had to be calm and cold enough for the lake to freeze and the first wolves to make the passage over to the island. When the wolves arrived, they were greeted with a large moose population that had no predators. The moose population was at a dangerously high level, but was kept in check by the arrival of the wolves. This “harmonious” pattern continued for at least 20 years.

In 1982, the wolf population suddenly crashed. The problem was a new canine virus. This virus surfaced around the world in 1978 and spread rapidly in about 6 months. Infected animals can survive, but they have to be treated immediately. Ecologists hypothesized that the virus arrived on the island carried on the shoe of a human traveler. The wolf population decreased from 50 to 14 individuals in a year. While the wolf population dropped, the moose population increased. However, the winter of 1996 was extremely harsh and the moose population experienced a major crash. More than 500 animals died during the winter months, reducing the population to less than 800 animals.

The harsh winter that led to the death of many moose in 1996 is an example of ________.

a trigger for logistic growth
a density-independent factor
a density-dependent factor
biological control

Answer 73

density-independent factor

Question 74

In an ideal, unlimited environment, what shape does a population’s growth curve most closely resemble?

S
J

Answer 74

J

Question 75

If a population’s growth rate decreases as the population size approaches carrying capacity, the population’s growth follows a(n) ________ model.

exponential
boom-and-bust
density-independent
logistic

Answer 75

logistic

Question 76

In a population that is following a logistic growth pattern, what shape does the population’s growth curve most closely resemble?

S
J

Answer 76

S

Question 77

Suppose a plane is forced to make an emergency landing on a desert island. The passengers must use the resources in their new environment to survive. The number of people who can survive depends on the availability of these resources. This is an example of ________.

population cycle
life history pattern
carrying capacity
survivorship curve

Answer 77

carrying capacity

Question 78

An unexpected freeze that kills a population of chipmunks is an example of ________.

a density-independent factor
a density-dependent factor
a population momentum
a biological control

Answer 78

a density-independent factor

Question 79

The Endangered Species Act aims to help protect species that ________.

dominate suitable habitats
compete with invasive species
are in danger of extinction

Answer 79

are in danger of extinction

Question 80

Non-native species can have important effects on biological communities by ________.

competing with native species for resources
providing nutrients for growth to native species
increasing biodiversity

Answer 80

competing with native species for resources

Question 81

Kudzu, an Asian vine introduced to the United States in the 1930s as a means to control erosion, is referred to as “the plant that ate the South” because it grows alarmingly fast and overtakes most plant species in its path. A recent and unusual way that some people are using to control kudzu growth is to allow goats to graze their land and eat the kudzu, roots and all. This is considered by some to be the most environment-friendly way to eliminate this invasive vine. How can we best describe the goats in this situation?

-an invasive species
-an integrated pest management agent
-a biological control agent
-a threatened species

Answer 81

a biological control agent

Question 82

Integrated pest management ________.

-favors overwhelming a pest with chemical pesticides
-advocates total eradication of pest species
-aims to keep pest populations on an exponential growth curve
-advocates mixed-species plantings and rotating crops

Answer 82

advocates mixed-species plantings and rotating crops

Question 83

A non-native species that has spread far beyond the original point of introduction and causes environmental or economic damage is called a(n) __________.

endangered species
threatened species
invasive species
predator

Answer 83

invasive species

Question 84

The ecological footprint of the United States ________.

-is about the same as the world’s average
-is about two times lower than the world average
-is almost three times higher than the world average

Answer 84

is almost three times higher than the world average

Question 85

The present rate of species loss ______.

Answer 85

is as much as 100 times higher than at any time in the last 100,000 years

Question 86

Species found in only one place on Earth are called ________ species.

keystone
hot spot
invasive
endemic

Answer 86

endemic

Question 87

Maintaining biodiversity on Earth is important because __________.
View Available Hint(s)for Part A

-other organisms depend on humans for food and clothing
-changes that underlie a loss of biodiversity may also threaten the human population
-many as-yet-undiscovered species may compete for food required by humans
-many of the current prescriptions dispensed from pharmacies contain substances derived from animals

Answer 87

changes that underlie a loss of biodiversity may also threaten the human population

Question 88

A human eats a deer. Which of these terms applies to the relationship between the human and the deer?

parasitism
competition
predation
mutualism

Answer 88

predation

Question 89

Humans and sharks both eat fish. Which of these terms applies to the relationship between the human and the shark?

parasitism
competition
mutualism
predation

Answer 89

competition

Question 90

Humans who have pets tend to be healthier than humans who do not have pets. Which of these terms applies to the relationship between a human and a pet?

mutualism
predation
parasitism
competition

Answer 90

mutualism

Question 91

Which of these terms applies to the relationship between a dog and a blood-sucking tick?

competition
parasitism
predation
mutualism

Answer 91

parasitism

Question 92

An example of a mutualism, or +/+ relationship, is ________.

-between corals and unicellular algae
-between birds that use some of the same resources
-between snails and the plants that they eat
-cryptic coloration in frogs

Answer 92

between corals and unicellular algae

Question 93

In East Java, Indonesia, a mud volcano has been erupting since 2006. One controversial hypothesis is that the mud volcano in East Java is erupting because a gas mining company was drilling a deep hole nearby. When a mud volcano erupts, hot water deep below the earth’s surface mixes with various minerals, and this mud spews out over the surface of the earth. The hot mud flow destroys organismal habitats, including the homes and livelihoods of people.

When the mud volcano stops erupting, the disturbed area will be colonized by a variety of species. This process of colonization is called ________.

disturbance
biological magnification
species diversity
ecological succession

Answer 93

ecological succession

Question 94

In the food chain grass →antelope →human→lion
the antelope is

Answer 94

both an herbivore and a primary consumer.

Question 95

Most decomposers are _____.

Answer 95

fungi and prokaryotes

Question 96

Bears eat berries, humans, and large fish; large fish eat smaller fish and insects; humans eat bears, large fish, and berries. The scenario described here is an example of ________.

Answer 96

a food web

Question 97

Herbivory is an example of a _____ interaction.

Answer 97

+/-

Question 98

All the organisms in a particular area make up a(n) __________.
View Available Hint(s)for Part A

community
ecosystem
food chain
population

Answer 98

community

Question 99

According to the principle of interspecific competition, two species cannot continue to occupy the same __________.
View Available Hint(s)for Part A

biome
territory
range
ecological niche

Answer 99

ecological niche

Question 100

An organism’s “trophic level” refers to __________.
View Available Hint(s)for Part A

• whether it is early or late in ecological succession
• what it eats
• where it lives
• the rate at which it uses energy

Answer 100

what it eats

Question 101

Why do toxins accumulate at such high levels in carnivores?

Answer 101

The biomass at any given trophic level is accumulated from a much larger toxin-containing biomass ingested from the level below.

Question 102

Which of the following describes the number of different species in the community?
View Available Hint(s)for Part A

species diversity
keystone species
species richness
relative abundance

Answer 102

species richness

Question 103

During ecological succession, the species composition of a plant community __________.

Answer 103

changes gradually because each species responds differently to changes in environmental factors

Question 104

Which of the following is an example of primary succession?

Answer 104

the colonization of a newly formed volcanic island

Question 105

Biomass is the total amount of ________ an ecosystem.

Answer 105

organic material in

Question 106

The energy for nearly every organism in almost every ecosystem ultimately comes from _____.

Answer 106

the sun

Question 107

The energy flow through the trophic levels of an ecosystem is represented as a pyramid because __________.

Answer 107

only about 10% of the energy at each trophic level is available at the next level

Question 108

Biogeochemical cycles are crucial to ecosystem function because __________.

Answer 108

nutrients and other life-sustaining molecules are in limited supply and must be continually recycled

Question 109

Which of the following impacts the nitrogen cycle?

• the use of large amounts of inorganic fertilizers
• biological magnification
• increased burning of fossil fuels
• the destruction of rainforests

Answer 109

the use of large amounts of inorganic fertilizers

Question 110

The primary goal of conservation biology is to ________.

Answer 110

counter the loss of biodiversity

Question 111

Acquiring the ecological information necessary for the responsible development, management, and conservation of Earth’s resources is the goal of __________.

sustainable development
restoration ecology
environmental ethics
bioremediation

Answer 111

Sustainable development

Question 112

Under the biological species concept, what criterion is used to assign populations of organisms to the same biological species?

Answer 112

being able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Question 113

allopatric speciation?

Answer 113

a population of squirrels is split up by the grand canyon. The two subpopulations evolve into two distinct species (speciation in separate places)

Question 114

plate tectonics have been responsible for all of the following except _____
volcanic explosions
sympatric speciation
allopatric speciation
mountain formation

Answer 114

sympatric speciation (speciation in the same place)

Question 115

Which of the following taxonomic levels is the most inclusive?

order
family
class
genus

Answer 115

class

Question 116

Ecology is the study of _____

Answer 116

interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 117

What level of ecology is concerned with groups of individuals with different species?

community
organism
ecosystem
population

Answer 117

community

Question 118

Which of the following is abiotic?

protist
plant
fungi
rock

Answer 118

rock (isn’t alive)

Question 119

What term might apply to the physical and physiological changes to astronauts who spend months in space?

acclimation
adaptation
camouflaging
flagging

Answer 119

acclimation

Question 120

In an aquatic ecosystem what name is given to the region where photosynthesis can occur?

pelagic zone
aphotic zone
photic zone
benthic zone

Answer 120

photic zone

Question 121

Which part of the earth receives the greatest intensity of solar radiation?

Answer 121

equator

Question 122

water moves from land to the atmosphere through _____

Answer 122

transpiration and evaporation

Question 123

with regard to the environment as a whole, when is the worst time to apply pesticides to your lawn?

Answer 123

when it is raining or about to rain

Question 124

Temperature increases due to global warming and global climate change have been greatest where?

Answer 124

close to the poles

Question 125

An effect of deforestation has been to _____

Answer 125

increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Question 126

What is a population?

Answer 126

A group of individuals of the same species that occupy the same area at the same time

Question 127

Which of these is a characteristic of type 1 survivorship

Answer 127

most individuals survive to older age intervals

Question 128

opportunistic species typically _____

Answer 128

have a large number of offspring

Question 129

If a population’s growth rate decreases as the population size approaches carrying capacity, the population’s growth follows a(n) _____ model

Answer 129

logistic

Question 130

Which of these factors operates on populations in a density dependant manner?

Answer 130

food supply

Question 131

In an ideal, unlimited environment, a population’s growth follows which model?

Answer 131

exponential

Question 132

the red-socketed woodpecker is an endangered species, it is dependent upon _____for maintenance of its source habitat

Answer 132

fire

Question 133

most crop pests _____

Answer 133

have an opportunistic life history

Question 134

herbivory is an example of a _____interaction?

Answer 134

+/-

Question 135

an example of mutualism is ______

Answer 135

pollination

Question 136

organisms that consume producers are termed _____

Answer 136

primary consumers

Question 137

populations of two coexisting species are both tertiary consumers of a community. What relationship may exist among these two organisms?

Answer 137

competition

Question 138

Which of these converts organic matter to inorganic matter by breaking down dead organisms?

Answer 138

deconposers

Question 139

In order to assess the species diversity of a community you would need to know the number of species present as well as ______

Answer 139

the relative abundance of the different species

Question 140

Two lakes have the same number of species. most of the fish in Lake 1 are single species with a few individuals in each of the remaining species. Lake 2 has about equal number of species Which lake has higher diversity?

Answer 140

Lake 2

Question 141

what is one way in which energy flow differs from chemical cycling?

Answer 141

energy flow is unidirectional; chemical elements can be recycled

Question 142

Why are most food chains limited to 3-5 trophic levels?

Answer 142

There is insufficient energy to support more trophic levels

Question 143

Small areas that have a large number of endangered and threatened species are referred to as _____

Answer 143

biodiversity hot spots

Question 144

Sustainable development _____
1. making difficult decisions regarding the environment and lifestyle
2. must be achieved if the human species is to survive
3.will require global, international cooperation

Answer 144

1,2, and 3 (all of the above)

Question 145

Medical students are often surprised to learn that Dr. Neil Shubin (the narrator) is what
kind of doctor?

Answer 145

fish paleontologist

Question 146

Fish were the first creatures with what trait?

Answer 146

bony skeletons

Question 147

Which feature of human anatomy does Dr. Shubin regard as quintessentially primate and
human?

Answer 147

fine muscles in our hand

Question 148

Starting at the shoulder and moving downward, Sir Richard Owen was the first scientist
to notice that all animals have this pattern in common

Answer 148

1 bone, 2 bones, many bones, digits

Question 149

Why was the side of the Pennsylvania highway a good place to search for fossils?

Answer 149

it exposes lots of buried remains from the Devonian period

Question 150

Dr. Jenny Clack is modeling the limb movement of Ichthyostega by making comparisons with what types of animals?

Answer 150

fish and modern-day tetrapods

Question 151

What type of environment was the Canadian Arctic hundreds of millions of years ago?

Answer 151

a warm, watery world

Question 152

As embryos, humans and fish both have gill arches. In humans, they will become
____________.

Answer 152

jawbone and inner ear bones

Question 153

A hernia occurs when tissue protrudes through a wall that normally contains it. Humans
get hernias while fish do not because ________________.

Answer 153

their testes do not decend?

Question 154

Besides humans, Sonic Hedgehog controls digit formation in
____________.

Answer 154

gene that generates the pattern of your digits

Question 155

What type of exercise could Tiktaalik do that other fish cannot?

Answer 155

push-ups