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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. Deer - fox - woodchuck - and squirrel






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






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






11. Determines water holding capacity






12. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






13. Rock and soil surface






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






15. 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






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






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






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






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






20. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






21. Animals that consume green plants (herbivores)






22. 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






23. 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






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






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






26. First to resettle a virgin area






27. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






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






29. Gaseous CO2 enters the living world when plants use it to produce glucose via photosynthesis. The carbon atoms in CO2 are bonded to hydrogen and other carbon atoms. the plant uses the glucose to make starch - proteins - and fat






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






31. 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






32. 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






33. 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






34. Links between oceans and land






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






36. Contains plankton - passively drifting masses of microscopic photosynthetic and heterotrophic organisms - and nekton - and algae






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






38. The ultimate source of energy for all organisms






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. Distinct community in a geographic region






47. 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






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






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






50. Determine by the amount of decaying plant and animal life in the soil