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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. Animals that eat both plants and animals






2. Defines the functional role of an organism in its ecosystem -described what the organism eats - where and how it obtains its food - what climatic factors it can tolerate and which are optimal - the nature of its parasites and predators - where and ho






3. The chief disruptive force






4. The nitrogen locked up in the wastes and dead tissues is released by the action of the bacteria of decay - which convert the proteins into ammonia






5. Have adaptations enabling them to survive in very cod water - with high pressures - and in complete darkness






6. Characterized by low rainfall - although considerably more than the desert biomes receive -provide no shelter for herbivorous mammals from carnivorous predators -ex: East of the Rockies - steppes of the Ukraine - and the pampas of Argentina






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






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






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






10. Distinct community in a geographic region






11. 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






12. The orderly process by which one biotic community replaces or succeeds another until a climax community is established






13. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






14. Freshwater Biomes vs. Saltwater 1: Freshwater is _______________ which results in the passage of water into the cell. Freshwater organisms have homeostatic mechanisms to maintain water balance by the regular removal of the excess water. these include






15. The major component of the internal environment of all living things






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






17. Algae - sponges - clams - snails - sea urchins - starfish - and crabs






18. Two fates await the ammonia (NH3). some are nitrified or dentrified






19. Used to include only the population and not their physical environment






20. Links between oceans and land






21. Conserve water actively






22. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






23. Freshwater Biomes vs. Saltwater 2: In rivers and streams - strong swift currents exist - and thus fish that have developed strong muscles and plants with _____________ have survived






24. Plants growing on other plants - trees grow closely together; sunlight hardly reaches the forest floor






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






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






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






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. Free-living organisms that feed on other living organisms






30. 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






31. Live in burrows had few birds and mammals are found except those which have developed adaptations for maintaining constant body temperatures






32. Autotrophic green plants and chemosynthetic bacteria that use the energy of the sun and simple raw materials to manufacture carbohydrates - proteins - and lipids






33. Trees such as beech - maple - oaks - and willows shed their leaves during cold winters months






34. Rhododendrons and pines are more suited for growth in acid oil






35. Include those protists and fungi that decompose dead organic matter externally and absorb the nutrients - they consistitute a vital link in the cycling of material within the ecosystem






36. Region typical of the open seas and can be divided into photic and aphotic zones






37. Region exposed to low tides that undergoes variations in temperature and periods of dryness






38. 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






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






40. Includes all portions of the planet that support life -the atmosphere - the lithosphere - and the hydrosphere






41. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






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






43. Receive less than ten inches of rain each year; the rain is concentrated within a few heavy cloudbursts -ex: Sahara in Africa and Gobi in Asia






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






45. Composed of populations that are able to exist under the new conditions






46. Crawling and sessile organsms






47. 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






48. Without a constant input of energy from the sun - an ecosystem would soon run down - as food is transferred from one level of the food chain to the next - a transfer of energy occurs






49. Only animal life and other heterotrophic life exists






50. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water