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






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






3. 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






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






5. 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






6. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






7. 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






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






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






10. 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






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






12. Animals that eat both plants and animals






13. Rock and soil surface






14. Crawling and sessile organsms






15. Links between oceans and land






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






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






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






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






20. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






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






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






23. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






24. 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






25. 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






26. Developed long legs and many are hoofed






27. 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






28. Lichens and moss






29. 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






30. When one organism is benefited by the association and the other is not affected






31. 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






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






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






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






35. Polar bears - musk oxen - and arctic hens






36. Chief animal inhabitant is the moose; however - the black bear - wolf - and some birds






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






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






39. 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






40. Distinct community in a geographic region






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






42. Ammonia (NH3) is broken down to release free nitrogen - which returns to the beginning of the denitrifying






43. 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






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






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






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






47. Region on the continental shelf that contains ocean area with depths up to 600 feet and extends several hundred miles from the shores






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






49. 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






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