QUIZ: Succession, Population Biology, Biodiversity

Question 1

succession definition

Answer 1

succession is the orderly replacement of one community by another (generally we refer to plant communities) until a stable community (one that is not replaced by another) is reached.

Question 2

types of succession - primary definition

succesion in a place that…

Answer 2

succession in a place life never existed before (such as bare rock or an island emerging from the sea as a result of volcanic activity)

Question 3

during primary succession, what do plants do?

Answer 3

plants modify the enviornment, making it available to more complex plants

Question 4

as the plant life changes, what else does as well?

Answer 4

the animal life changes as well

Question 5

(primary succession) this replacement of one community by another will continue until..

Answer 5

until the stable community is established

Question 6

pioneer organisms are../ what do they do

Answer 6

the first organisms to occupy an area

these organisms start breaking down the rock, forming soil. they also add nutrients into the soil.

Question 7

examples of pioneer organisms include

Answer 7

moss and lichens (combination of fungus and algae)

Question 8

climax community is the

Answer 8

the stable community formed after succession

this community will not be replaced by another. As long as there are no natural disasters and people do not disturb it, it will continue indefinitely.

Question 9

the type of climax community is determined by what

Answer 9

the climate.

(Examples - Desert - climax community is made up of cactus

Temperate forest - is made up of beech, maple, oak, and hickory trees)

Question 10

secondary succession is

Answer 10

succession in a place life once existed before

Question 11

(population biology) exponential growth

Answer 11

• population doubles in a specific time
• can result in overpopulation
  -human population goes through this in shorter periods of time
  -demonstrated by a “J curve”

Question 11

secondary succession could take place at…

Answer 11

an abandoned farm, an area in which fire of flood killed the members of the community, or in a place devastated by a volcano (Mt. St. Helens)

Question 12

increase in population results in..

Answer 12

• crowding and stress
• increased competition and stress on organisms

Question 13

stressed animals may start to exhibit..

Answer 13

unusual behaviors

Question 14

(human population growth) As the human population has grown, it has resulted in

Answer 14

overcrowding, hunger, extinction of species, and pollution

Question 15

density dependent factors are

Answer 15

factors that have a big influence on high density populations rather than low density populations
- usually biotic factors

Question 16

density independent factors are

Answer 16

factors that have equal influence on both high and low density populations
-usually abiotic factors

Question 17

biodiversity is

Answer 17

the variety of life in an ecosystem

Question 18

3 reasons why biodiversity is important

Answer 18

-stability of eco system
-medical implications
-variety of food

Question 19

(importance of biodiversity) stability of ecosystem

Answer 19

the greater the biodiversity the more stable the ecosystem. if species numbers within an ecosystem decreases, it could result in the loss of the ecosystem

Question 20

(importance of biodiversity) medical implications

Answer 20

many drugs have been formed from extracts from plants and animals. the extinction of a species could mean the loss of a possible cure for disease.

Question 21

(importance of biodiversity) variety of food

Answer 21

most living things have more than one food source

Question 22

(threats to biodiversity)
habitat loss

Answer 22

• This is the number one threat to biodiversity

Human activities such as farming, building of roads, malls, and housing, along with pollution have resulted in habitat loss

Question 23

(threats to biodiversity) habitat fragmentation

Answer 23

breaking up large habitats into smaller habitats by building roads. Bridges, housing developments ect

Smaller habitats can not support as much life/biodiversity as larger habitats can

Question 24

habitat degradation definition

Answer 24

the lowering of the quality of a habitat through pollution

• this degradation can be so severe that life can no longer exist in the polluted enviornment

Question 25

(air pollution) acid precipitation is

Answer 25

rain, snow, sleet, hail, or fog that has a PH less than 7

Question 26

Sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides are released when

Answer 26

we burn fossil fuels (coal,oil)

Question 27

acid precipitation is also responsible for

Answer 27

erosion of buildings, statues and the damaging of art work in areas that have climate control systems

Question 28

(air pollution - depletion of the ozone layer) what is the ozone layer?

Answer 28

The ozone layer sometimes called the ozone shield, is a layer of our atmosphere that reduces the amount of harmful radiation in the form of ultraviolet light, from reaching the Earth

Question 29

overtime, the ozone layer has been

Answer 29

The ozone layer has been thinned, and in some areas around the poles, there are holes, the presence of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) being released into the atmosphere has caused this problem

Question 30

humans have used CFC’s in

Answer 30

fire extinguishers, and to assist with cooling in air conditioners and refrigerators

Question 31

UV light is/can cause

Answer 31

a mutagen, and can cause genetic mutations within organisms

Question 32

Excessive UV light can cause

Answer 32

cause skin problems within animals and humans, disrupt plant growth, and cause marine life to die (which could lead to the collapse of the marine biome and life on this planet)

Using a tanning bed before the age of 35 increases your chances of developing skin cancer by 75%

Question 33

climate change (global warming) global warming is the result of

Answer 33

the excessive release of greenhouse gasses

Question 34

There are several different greenhouse gasses but, the one that is most associated with the warming of the planet is

Answer 34

carbon dioxide

Question 35

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents…

Answer 35

heat energy from escaping the Earth

Question 36

the major cause of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is

Answer 36

the burning of fossil fuels

Question 37

An increase of the earth’s temperature will cause…

Answer 37

a change in biomes and ecosystems

This increasing temperature will result in:
-the extinction of some species
-shifts in where some species will inhabit
-change in plant life
-will cause the ice at the poles to melt

Question 38

if the ice at the poles melt…

Answer 38

sea levels will rise, and there will be less land for people to farm and live

Question 39

water pollution

Answer 39

All water on the earth today is polluted. To get clear water today you need to either create the water or filter it
The effect of pollution are now affecting the stability of the largest biome on earth, the marine biome

Question 40

Oil reduces the rate of

Answer 40

evaporation, is toxic to marine organisms

Question 41

Radioactive material can cause

Answer 41

mutations and at high levels, create dead zones

Question 42

Plastic takes a long time to…

Answer 42

decompose, plastic nets can trap organisms resulting in starvation or drowning, if ingested it can block the digestive system resulting in starvation, can travel through the food again

Question 43

when fertilizers enter the marine biome, it can result in an increase of

Answer 43

algae and bacteria populations. these organisms use up the available oxygen, resulting in fish kills

Question 44

Pesticides and toxins

Answer 44

will also enter marine and freshwater areas
These toxins will be absorbed by the plants and microorganisms
As these toxins and pesticides move through the food chains the concentration with the organism will increase. This is known as biological magnification
As the pesticide/toxin concentration increases. This may result in mutation, disease, or death of the organism

Question 45

Pesticides - including herbicides, can produce

Answer 45

toxic environments

These pesticides could kill unintended victims and can be transmitted through the food chain

Question 46

radioactive material from the military, hospitals, and power plants have been/can lead to

Answer 46

buried in the soil

this can lead to radioactive dead zones

Question 47

landfills are

Answer 47

large areas that trash is stored

• destroy local habitats
• we are running out of room to store our garbage

Question 48

(threats to biodiversity) invasive/ exotic species are organisms that have been

Answer 48

imported, either on purpose or accidentally from their native area to an area they have never existed before

Question 49

frequently, invasive species will increase their

Answer 49

their population quickly, replacing native speices
- reasons why invasive species replace native species include, the invasive species is a better competitor than the native species and the invasive species has no predator to control the population size

Question 50

to counter habitat loss,

Answer 50

people and organizations have been purchasing large areas to conserve species habitat

There have also been requests to governments to declare wildlife areas and sanctuaries or national parks

Preserving habitats saves species and has led to a new business, ecotourism

Question 51

acid precipitation results from

Answer 51

from water vapor in the air combining with sulfur dioxides or nitrogen oxides