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Ecology And Biodiversity > Ecology And Biodiversity > Flashcards

Ecology And Biodiversity Flashcards

1
Q

Non-living; referring to the physical and chemical properties of an environment.

A

abiotic

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2
Q

The bottom surface of an aquatic environment.

A

benthic zone

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3
Q

The communities of organisms living in the benthic zone of an aquatic biome.

A

benthos

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4
Q

Any of the world’s major ecosystem types, often classified according to the predominant vegetation for terrestrial forms and the physical environment for aquatic forms and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment.

A

biome

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5
Q

Pertaining to the living factors – the organisms – in an environment.

A

biotic

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6
Q

A scrubland of dense, spiny evergreen shrubs found at mid-latitudes along coasts where cold ocean currents circulate offshore; characterized by mild, rainy winters and long, hot, dry summers.

A

chaparral

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7
Q

A plot of the temperature and precipitation in a particular region.

A

climograph

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8
Q

The study of how interactions between species affect community structure and organization.

A

community ecology

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9
Q

Typically a warm-water, tropical ecosystem dominated by secreted hard skeletal structures; some also exist in cold, deep waters.

A

coral reef

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10
Q

A dark, hot, oxygen-deficient environment associated with volcanic activity on or near the seafloor; producers in such a community are chemoautotrophic prokaryotes.

A

deep-sea hydrothermal vent

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11
Q

A terrestrial biome characterized by very low precipitation.

A

desert

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12
Q

Dead organic matter.

A

detritus

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13
Q

The movement of individuals or gametes away from their parent location; this movement sometimes expands the geographic range of a population or species.

A

dispersal

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14
Q

A natural or human-caused event that changes a biological community and usually removes organisms from it; events such as fires and storms, play a pivotal role in structuring many communities.

A

disturbance

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15
Q

The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment.

A

ecology

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16
Q

The study of energy flow and the cycling of chemicals among the various biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem.

A

ecosystem ecology

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17
Q

The area where a freshwater stream or river merges with the ocean.

A

estuary

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18
Q

The study of the functioning and distribution of organisms across the biosphere and how the regional exchange of energy and materials affects them.

A

global ecology

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19
Q

The shallow zone of the ocean adjacent to land and between the high- and low-tide lines.

A

intertidal zone

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20
Q

The study of how the spatial arrangement of habitat types affects the distribution and abundance of organisms and ecosystem processes.

A

landscape ecology

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21
Q

Large-scale patterns in climate; the climate of an entire region.

A

macroclimate

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22
Q

The ocean floor.

A

marine benthic zone

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23
Q

Climate patterns on a very fine scale, such as the specific climatic conditions underneath a log.

A

microclimate

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24
Q

The shallow region of the ocean overlying the continental shelf.

A

neritic zone

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25
Q

A terrestrial biome characterized by long, cold winters and dominated by cone-bearing trees.

A

northern coniferous forest

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26
Q

Most of the ocean’s waters far from shore, constantly mixed by ocean currents.

A

oceanic pelagic zone

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27
Q

The branch of ecology concerned with the morphological, physiological, and behavioural ways in which individual organisms meet the challenges posed by their biotic and abiotic environments.

A

organismal ecology

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28
Q

The open-water component of aquatic biomes.

A

pelagic zone

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29
Q

The study of populations in relation to their environment, including environmental influences on density, distribution, age structure, and variations in size.

A

population ecology

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30
Q

A tropical grassland with scattered individual trees and large herbivores and maintained by occasional fires and drought.

A

savannah (savanna)

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31
Q

A biome located throughout mid-latitude regions where there is sufficient moisture to support the growth of large, broadleaf deciduous trees.

A

temperate broadleaf forest

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32
Q

Exists at mid-latitude terrestrial regions and is dominated by grasses and forbs.

A

temperate grassland

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33
Q

A terrestrial biome characterized by relatively high temperatures and precipitation overall but with a pronounced dry season.

A

tropical dry forest

34
Q

A terrestrial biome characterized by relatively high precipitation and temperatures year-round.

A

tropical rain forest

35
Q

At the extreme limits of terrestrial plant growth; at the northernmost limits it is arctic variant, and at high altitudes, where plant forms are limited to low shrubby or mat-like vegetation it is alpine variant.

A

tundra

36
Q

A narrow stratum of abrupt temperature change in the ocean and in many temperate-zone lakes.

A

thermocline

37
Q

The mixing of waters as a result of changing water-temperature profiles in a lake.

A

turnover

38
Q

A habitat that is inundated by water at least some of the time and that supports plants adapted to water-saturated soil.

A

wetland

39
Q

Concept 13.1 Earth’s climate varies by ___(a)___ and ___(b)___ and is changing rapidly.

A

(a) latitude

(b) season

40
Q

Concept 13.2 The structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes are controlled by ___(a)___ and ___(b)___.

A

(a) climate
(b) disturbance

41
Q

Concept 13.3 Aquatic ___(a)___ are diverse and ___(b)___ systems that cover most of Earth.

A

(a) biomes
(b) dynamic

42
Q

Concept 13.4 Interactions between organisms and the environment ___(a)___ the ___(b)___ systems of species.

A

(a) limit
(b) distribution

43
Q

Which of the following levels of organization is arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive?
A. community, ecosystem, individual, population. B. ecosystem, community, population, individual. C. population, ecosystem, individual, community. D. individual, population, community, ecosystem. E. individual, community, population, ecosystem.

A

B.

44
Q

You are working for the Environmental Protection Agency and researching the effect of a potentially toxic chemical in drinking water. There is no documented scientific evidence showing that the chemical is toxic, but many suspect it to be a health hazard. Using the precautionary principle, what would be a reasonable environmental policy?
A. Establish no regulations until there are conclusive scientific studies.
B. Set the acceptable levels of the chemical conservatively low, and keep them
there unless future studies show that they can be safely raised.
C. Set the acceptable levels at the highest levels encountered, and keep them there
unless future studies demonstrate negative health effects.
D. Caution individuals to use their own judgment in deciding whether to drink
water from a potentially contaminated area.
E. Establish a contingency fund to handle insurance claims in the event that the
chemical turns out to produce negative health effects.

A

B.

45
Q

Studying species transplants is a way that ecologists
A. determine the abundance of a species in a specified area.
B. determine the distribution of a species in a specified area.
C. develop mathematical models for distribution and abundance of organisms. D. determine if dispersal is a key factor in limiting distribution of organisms. E. consolidate a landscape region into a single ecosystem.

A

D.

46
Q

Which of the following are important biotic factors that can affect the structure and organization of biological communities?
A. precipitation, wind.
B. nutrient availability, soil pH. C. predation, competition.
D. temperature, water.
E. light intensity, seasonality.

A

C.

47
Q

Which of the following abiotic factors has the greatest influence on the metabolic rates of plants and animals?
A. water.
B. wind.
C. temperature. D. rocks and soil. E. disturbances.

A

C.

48
Q

Which of the following statements about light in aquatic environments is correct? A. Water selectively reflects and absorbs certain wavelengths of light.
B. Photosynthetic organisms that live in deep water probably use red light. C. Longer wavelengths penetrate to greater depths.
D. Light penetration seldom limits the distribution of photosynthetic species.
E. Most photosynthetic organisms avoid the surface where the light is not too
intense.

A

A.

49
Q

In mountainous areas of western North America, north-facing slopes would be expected to
A. receive more sunlight than similar southern exposures.
B. be warmer and drier than comparable southern exposed slopes.
C. consistently steeper than southern exposures.
D. support biological communities similar to those found lower elevations on
similar south-facing slopes.
E. support biological communities similar to those found at higher elevations on
similar south-facing slopes.

A

E.

50
Q

Coral reefs can be found on the southern east coast of the United States but not at similar latitudes on the southern west coast. Differences in which of the following most likely account for this?
A. sunlight intensity. B. precipitation.
C. day length.
D. ocean currents. E. salinity.

A

D.

51
Q

Deserts typically occur in a band at 30 degrees north and south latitude because A. descending air masses tend to be cool and dry. B. trade winds have a little moisture.
C. water is heavier than air and is not carried far over land.
D. ascending air tends to be moist.
E. these locations get the most intense solar radiation of any location on Earth.

A

A.

52
Q

Turnover of water in temperate lakes during the spring and fall is made possible by which of the following?
A. warm, less dense water layered at the top.
B. cold, more dense water layered at the bottom.
C. a distinct thermocline between less dense warm water and cold, dense water. D. the density of water changes as seasonal temperatures change.
E. currents generated by nektonic animals.

A

D.

53
Q

Which of the following is responsible for the summer and winter stratification of deep temperate lakes?
A. Water is densest at 4°C.
B. Oxygen is most abundant in deeper waters.
C. Winter ice sinks in the summer.
D. Stratification is caused by a thermocline.
E. Stratification always follows the fall and spring turnovers.

A

A.

54
Q

Generally speaking, deserts are located in places where air masses are usually A. tropical.
B. humid.
C. rising.
D. descending.
E. expanding.

A

D.

55
Q

Which of the following causes Earth’s seasons? A. global air circulation.
B. global wind patterns.
C. ocean currents.
D. changes in Earth’s distance from the sun. E. the tilt of Earth’s axis.

A

E.

56
Q

Imagine some cosmic catastrophe jolts Earth so that its axis is perpendicular to the orbital plane between Earth and the sun. The most obvious effect of this change would be
A. the elimination of tides.

B. an increase in the length of night.
C. an increase in the length of a year.
D. a decrease in temperature at the equator. E. the elimination of seasonal variation.

A

E.

57
Q

The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is because A. there is more ice at the poles.
B. sunlight strikes the poles at a lower angle.
C. the poles are farther from the sun.
D. the poles have a thicker atmosphere.
E. the poles are permanently tilted away from the sun.

A

B.

58
Q

Which of the following environmental features might influence microclimates? A. a discarded soft-drink can.
B. a tree.
C. a fallen log.
D. a stone.
E. all of the above.

A

E.

59
Q

The success with which plants extend their range northward following glacial retreat is best determined by
A. whether there is simultaneous migration of herbivores. B. their tolerance to shade.
C. their seed dispersal rate.
D. their size.
E. their growth rate.

A

C.

60
Q

As climate changes because of global warming, speciesʹ ranges in the northern hemisphere may move northward. The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are those that
A. have seeds that are easily dispersed by wind or animals. B. have thin seed coats.
C. produce well-provisioned seeds.
D. have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire.
E. disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree.

A

A.

61
Q

Which of the examples below provides appropriate abiotic and biotic factors that might determine the distribution of the species in question?
A. The amount of nitrate and phosphate in the soil and wild flower abundance and diversity.
B. The number of frost-free days and competition between species of introduced grasses and native alpine grasses.

C. Increased predation and decreased food availability and a prairie dog population after a prairie fire.
D. Available sunlight and increased salinity in the top few meters of the ocean and the abundance and diversity of phytoplankton communities.
E. The pH and dissolved oxygen concentration and the streams in which brook trout can live.

A

B.

62
Q

Species introduced to new geographic locations
A. are usually successful in colonizing the area.
B. always spread because they encounter no natural predators.
C. increase the diversity and therefore the stability of the ecosystem.
D. can out-compete and displace native species for biotic and abiotic resources. E. are always considered pests by ecologists.

A

D.

63
Q

A certain species of pine tree survives only in scattered locations at elevations above 2,800 m in the western United States. To understand why this tree grows only in these specific places an ecologist should
A. conclude that lower elevations are limiting to the survival of this species.
B. study the anatomy and physiology of this species.
C. investigate the various biotic and abiotic factors that are unique to high altitude. D. analyze the soils found in the vicinity of these trees, looking for unique
chemicals that may support their growth.
E. collect data on temperature, wind, and precipitation at several of these locations
for a year.

A

C.

64
Q

Which of the following organisms is the most likely candidate for geographic isolation? A. sparrow.
B. bat.
C. squirrel.
D. salt-water fish. E. land snail.

A

E.

65
Q

Generalized global air circulation and precipitation patterns are caused by
A. rising, warm, moist air masses cool and release precipitation as they rise and then at high altitude, cool and sink back to the surface as dry air masses after
moving north or south of the tropics.
B. air masses that are dried and heated over continental areas that rise, cool aloft,
and descend over oceanic areas followed by a return flow of moist air from
ocean to land delivering high amounts of precipitation to coastal areas.
C. polar, cool, moist high pressure air masses from the poles that move along the surface, releasing precipitation along the way to the equator where they are
heated and dried.
D. the revolution of the Earth around the sun.

E. Mountain ranges that deflect air masses containing variable amounts of moisture.

A

A.

66
Q

Which marine zone would have the lowest rates of primary productivity (photosynthesis)?
A. pelagic.
B. abyssal.
C. neritic.
D. continental shelf. E. intertidal.

A

B.

67
Q

Where would an ecologist find the most phytoplankton in a lake? A. profundal zone.
B. benthic zone.
C. photic zone.
D. oligotrophic zone. E. aphotic zone.

A

C.

68
Q

Phytoplankton is most frequently found in which of the following zones? A. oligotrophic.
B. photic. C. benthic. D. abyssal. E. aphotic.

A

B.

69
Q

You are planning a dive in a lake, and are eager to observe not many underwater organisms but be able to observe them both close up and far away. You would do well to choose
A. an oligotrophic lake.
B. a eutrophic lake.
C. a relatively shallow lake.
D. a nutrient-rich lake.
E. a lake with consistently warm temperatures.

A

A.

70
Q

You are interested in studying how organisms react to a gradient of a variety of abiotic conditions and how they coexist in this gradient. The best location in which to conduct such a study is
A. a grassland.
B. an intertidal zone. C. a river.
D. tropical forest. E. a eutrophic lake.

A

B.

71
Q

Which of the following statements about the ocean pelagic biome is true?
A. The ocean is a vast, deep storehouse that always provides sustenance; it is the
next ʺfrontierʺ for feeding humanity.
B. Because it is so immense, the ocean is a uniform environment.
C. More photosynthesis occurs in the ocean than in any other biome.
D. Pelagic ocean photosynthetic activity is disproportionately low in relation to the
size of the biome.
E. The most abundant animals are unicellular zooplankton.

A

D.

72
Q

Which of the following is not true about estuaries?
A. Estuaries are often bordered by mudflats and salt marshes.
B. Estuaries contain waters of varying salinity.
C. Estuaries support a variety of animal life that humans consume. D. Estuaries usually contain no or few producers.
E. Estuaries support many semiaquatic species.

A

D.

73
Q

Probably the most important factor(s) affecting the distribution of biomes is (are) A. wind and ocean water current patterns.
B. species diversity.
C. proximity to large bodies of water
D. climate.
E. day length and rainfall.

A

D.

74
Q

In the development of terrestrial biomes, which factor is most dependent on all the others?
A. the species of colonizing animals. B. prevailing temperature.
C. prevailing rainfall.
D. mineral nutrient availability.
E. soil structure.

A

A.

75
Q

An area in which different terrestrial biomes grade into each other is known as a(n) A. littoral zone.
B. vertically stratified canopy. C. ecotone.
D. abyssal zone. E. cline.

A

C.

76
Q

Fire suppression by humans
A. will always result in an increase in the species diversity in a given biome.
B. can change the species composition within biological communities.
C. will result ultimately in sustainable production of increased amounts of wood for
human use.
D. is necessary for the protection of threatened and endangered forest species.
E. is a management goal of conservation biologists to maintain the healthy
condition of biomes.

A

B.

77
Q

Which biome is able to support many large animals despite receiving moderate amounts of rainfall?
A. tropical rain forest. B. temperate forest. C. chaparral.
D. taiga.
E. savannah.

A

E.

78
Q

Which type of biome would most likely occur in a climate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers?
A. desert.
B. taiga.
C. temperate grassland. D. chaparral.
E. savannah.

A

D.

79
Q

In which community would organisms most likely have adaptations enabling them to respond to different photoperiods?
A. tropical forest. B. coral reef.
C. savannah.
D. temperate forest. E. abyssal.

A

D.

80
Q

The growing season would generally be shortest in which of the following biomes? A. savannah.
B. temperate broadleaf forest. C. temperate grassland. D. tropical rain forest. E. coniferous forest.

A

E.

81
Q

Trees are not usually found in the tundra biome because of A. insufficient annual precipitation.
B. acidic soils.
C. extreme winter temperatures.
D. over-browsing by musk ox and caribou. E. permafrost.

A

E.

82
Q

If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga)?
A. tundra and polar ice.
B. temperate broadleaf forest and grassland. C. desert and chaparral.
D. tropical forest and savannah.
E. chaparral and temperate broadleaf forest.

A

B.

Ecology And Biodiversity (9 decks)

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