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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. Active swimmers such as fish - sharks - or whales that feed on plankton and smaller fish






2. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






3. 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






4. Rock and soil surface






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






6. 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






7. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






8. Jungles characterized by high temperatures and torrential rains -found in Central Africa - Central America - the Amazon basic - and Southeast Asia






9. 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






10. The chief disruptive force






11. 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






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






14. Include reproduction and protection from predators and destructive weather






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






16. Monkeys - lizards - snakes - and birds - floor is inhabited by saprophytes






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






18. 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






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






20. One species may be competitively superior to the other and drive the second to extinction






21. The oceans






22. Group of organisms of the same species living together in a given location






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






24. Nitrates are absorbed by plants are used to syntheisze nucleic acids and plant proteins






25. First to resettle a virgin area






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






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






28. Algae - crabs - crustacea - and many different species of fish






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






30. The stable - living part of the ecosystem in whicih populations exist in balance with each other and with the environment






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






32. Animals that eat both plants and animals






33. 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






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






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






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






37. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






38. Crawling and sessile organsms






39. 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






40. 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






41. 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






42. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






43. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






44. 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






45. Free-living organisms that feed on other living organisms






46. 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






47. 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






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






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






50. Polar bears - musk oxen - and arctic hens