Test your basic knowledge |

PCAT Biology Ecology

Subjects : pcat, biology
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Two species may rapidly evolve in divergent directions under the strong selection pressure resulting from intense competition. thus - the two species would rapidly evolve greater differences in their niches






2. Rock and soil surface






3. Animals that consume dead animals






4. First to resettle a virgin area






5. When one organism is benefited by the association and the other is not affected






6. Every energy transfer involves a loss of energy and each level of the food chain uses some of the energy it obtains from the food for its own metabolism and loses some additional energy in the form of heat






7. Have cold winters - warm summers - and moderate rainfall -found in the Northeast and Central-Eastern United States and Central Europe






8. Determined by the same decisive factors-temperatures and rainfall






9. Food chain is not a simple linear chain but an intricate web






10. An essential component of amino acids and nucleic acids - which are the building blocks of all living things






11. The vegetation that becomes dominant and stable after years of evolutiionary development






12. Material is cycled and recycled betweenn organisms and their environments - passing from inorganic forms to organic forms and then back to the inorganic forms






13. Encompasses all that is external to the organism and is necessary for its existence






14. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






15. Evolved physical mechanisms that allow them to make Use of the heat produced as a consequence of respiratiion






16. Consists of populations of different plants and animal species interacting with each other in a given environment






17. Consumer organisms that are higher in hte food chain are usually larger and heavier than those further down






18. Energy is transferred from the original sources in green plants through a series o organisms with repeated stages of consumption and finally decomposition






19. Community in an ecological succession is identified by a dominant species






20. Body temperature is very close to that of their surroundings -as temperature rises - these organisms become more active






21. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






22. More than 70% of earth -plants have little controlling influence in communities -most stable ecosystems; the conditions affecting temperature - amount of available oxygen and cabon dioxide - and amount of suspended or dissolve materials are very stab






23. Receive less rainfall than the temperate forests - have long - cold winters - and are inhabited by single coniferous tree-the spruce -extreme northern parts of Canada and Russia






24. Individuals belonging to the same species use the same resources and if a particular resource is limited - then these organisms must compete with one another






25. Elemental nitrogen is chemically inert and cannot be used by most organisms. Lightning and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the roots of legumes change the nitrogen into the usable - soluble nitrates






26. Conserve water actively






27. Cannot synthesize their ow food and must depend upon autotrophs or others in the ecosystem to obtain their food






28. Because organisms at the upper levels of the food chain derive their food energy from organisms at lower levels - and because energy is lost from one level to the next - each level can support a successively smaller biomass






29. Must be maintained at an optimal level -organisms have adaptations necessary for protection against extremes






30. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






31. Treeless - frozen plain found between the taiga lands and the northern ice sheets - very short summer and thus a very short growing season during which time the ground becomes wet and marshy






32. In the ocean - the top layer thorugh which light can penetrate - is where all aquatic photosynthetic activity takes place






33. Includes the community and the environment and usually all five kingdoms






34. Determines the nature of plant and animal life in the soil






35. Individual unit of an ecological system - but the organism itself is composed of smaller units -organs >tissues >cells >molecules >atoms > subatomic particles






36. Cold - dry - and inhabited by fir - pine - and spruce trees -much vegetation has evolved adaptations for water conservation such as needle-shaped leaves -Extreme Northern Part of the US and in Southern Canada






37. Organisms that manufacture their own food






38. Distinct community in a geographic region






39. Lichens and moss






40. Animals eat plants and use the digested nutrients to form carbohydrates - fats - and proteins characteristic of the species. a part of these organic compounds is used as fuel in respiration in plants and animals






41. Animals that only eat other animals -possess pointed teeth and fang-like canine teeth for tearing flesh -have shorter digestive tracts because the easier digestibility of animal food






42. One species may be competitively superior in some regions - and the other may be superior in other regions under different environmental conditions. this would result in the elimination of one species in some places and the other in other places






43. Each member of a food chain uses some of the energy it obtains from its food for its own metabolism and loses some additional energy in the form of heat






44. Animals eat the plants and synthesize specific animal proteins form the plant proteins. both plants and animals give off wastes and eventually die






45. One that exerts control over the other species that are present






46. The oceans






47. Include reproduction and protection from predators and destructive weather






48. Nutrients - water - and sunlight limitations aid in maintaining populations at relatively constant levels






49. When a parasite benefits at the expense of the host






50. Sunlit layer of the open sea extending to a depth of 250-600ft