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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. Crawling and sessile organsms






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






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






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






5. Freshwater Biomes vs. Saltwater 3: Freshwater biomes - except very large lakes - are affected by variations in _________. temperature of freshwater bodies varies considerably; they may freeze or dry up - and mud from their floors may be stirred up by






6. Deer - fox - woodchuck - and squirrel






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






8. Includes climate - temperature - availability of light and water - and the local topology






9. Organisms that manufacture their own food






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






11. 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






12. 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






13. Include saprophytic organisms and organisms of decay






14. Any group of similar organisms that are capable of reproducing






15. Frozen area with no vegetation and terrestrial animals -animals that do inhabit polar regions generally live near the polar oceans






16. 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






17. Integrated system of species that are dependent upon one another for survival






18. The chief disruptive force






19. 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






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






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






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






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






24. Regiong beneatht he photic zone that receives no light






25. The metabolically produced CO2 is released to the air. The rest of the orgnaic carbon remains locked whthin an organism until its death (except for wastes given off) - at which time decay processes by bacteria return the CO2 to the air






26. Symbiotic relationship from which both organisms derive some benefit






27. 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






28. Developed long legs and many are hoofed






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






30. Nekton and benthos - scavengers - and predators (fiercely competitive)






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






32. 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






33. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






34. 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






35. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






36. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






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






38. Polar bears - musk oxen - and arctic hens






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






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






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






42. Links between oceans and land






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






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






45. 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






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






47. First to resettle a virgin area






48. Vegetation has evolved adaptations for water conservation such as needle shaped leaves






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






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