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






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






3. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






4. 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






5. Animals that eat both plants and animals






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






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






8. Rivers - lakes - ponds - and marshes






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






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






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






12. Deer - fox - woodchuck - and squirrel






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






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






15. Conserve water actively






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






17. 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






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






19. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






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






21. The oceans






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






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






24. Lichens and moss






25. 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






26. 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






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






29. Polar bears - musk oxen - and arctic hens






30. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






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






32. 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






33. 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






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






35. 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






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






37. 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






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






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






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






41. Recycle water - oxygen - and phosphorus






42. Group of organisms of the same species living together in a given location






43. First to resettle a virgin area






44. 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






45. Determines water holding capacity






46. Organisms that manufacture their own food






47. Animals eat the plants and synthesize specific animal proteins form the plant proteins. both plants and animals give off wastes and eventually die






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






49. 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






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