Test your basic knowledge |

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. Recycle water - oxygen - and phosphorus






2. 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






3. 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






4. 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






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






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






7. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






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






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






10. 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






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






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






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






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






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






16. One or both organisms can't survive without the other






17. Animals that eat both plants and animals






18. 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






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






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






21. Regiong beneatht he photic zone that receives no light






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






23. 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






24. Organisms that manufacture their own food






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






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






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






28. 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






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






30. Polar bears - musk oxen - and arctic hens






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






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






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






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






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






36. 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






37. Distinct community in a geographic region






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






39. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






40. Determines water holding capacity






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






42. Animals that only eat other animals -possess pointed teeth and fang-like canine teeth for tearing flesh -have shorter digestive tracts because the easier digestibility of animal food






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






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






45. 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






46. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






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






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






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






50. 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