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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. Lichens and moss






2. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






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






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






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






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






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






8. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






15. 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






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






17. Animals that eat both plants and animals






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






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






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






21. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






22. Rock and soil surface






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






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






25. 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






26. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






27. Organisms that manufacture their own food






28. Links between oceans and land






29. 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






30. 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






31. Recycle water - oxygen - and phosphorus






32. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






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






34. Animals that feed on secondary consumer






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






36. Include reproduction and protection from predators and destructive weather






37. Distinct community in a geographic region






38. 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






39. (living) includes all living things that directly or indirectly influence the life of the organism including the relationships that exist between organisms






40. 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






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






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






43. 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






44. 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






45. Only animal life and other heterotrophic life exists






46. 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






47. Determines water holding capacity






48. 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






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. 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