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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. Regiong beneatht he photic zone that receives no light






2. 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






3. Animals that consume dead animals






4. Rock and soil surface






5. 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






6. Needs constant energy source and cycling of materials between the living system






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






8. 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






9. 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






10. Lichens and moss






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






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






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






14. Symbiotic relationship from which both organisms derive some benefit






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






16. 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






17. The ultimate source of energy for all organisms






18. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






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






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






21. Links between oceans and land






22. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






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






24. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






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






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






27. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






28. 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






29. Crawling and sessile organsms






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






31. 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






32. Conserve water actively






33. Live together in an intimate - often permanent association - which may or may not be beneficial to both participants






34. 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






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






36. Determines water holding capacity






37. Include reproduction and protection from predators and destructive weather






38. 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






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






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






41. Only animal life and other heterotrophic life exists






42. Made into nitrites by chemosynthetic bacteria and then to usable nitrates by nitrifying bacteria






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






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






45. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






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






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






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






49. 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






50. Oceans connect to form one continuous body of water - which controls the earth's temperature by absorbing solar heat