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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. First to resettle a virgin area






3. 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






4. Include those protists and fungi that decompose dead organic matter externally and absorb the nutrients - they consistitute a vital link in the cycling of material within the ecosystem






5. 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






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






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






8. Only animal life and other heterotrophic life exists






9. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






10. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






11. 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






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






13. The chief disruptive force






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






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






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






17. Rock and soil surface






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






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






20. 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






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






22. 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






23. Two fates await the ammonia (NH3). some are nitrified or dentrified






24. The ultimate source of energy for all organisms






25. 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






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






27. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






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






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






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






31. Evolve toward a balance in which the predator is a regulatory influence on th prey but not a threat to its survival






32. Lichens and moss






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






34. 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






35. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






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






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






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






39. 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






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






41. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






42. 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






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






44. 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






45. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






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






47. 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






48. Includes climate - temperature - availability of light and water - and the local topology






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






50. Regiong beneatht he photic zone that receives no light