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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. 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






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






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






4. Determines water holding capacity






5. Developed long legs and many are hoofed






6. 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






7. Rock and soil surface






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






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






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






11. 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






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. Animals that consume dead animals






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






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






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






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






18. Crawling and sessile organsms






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






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






21. 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






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






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






24. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






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






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






27. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






28. Regiong beneatht he photic zone that receives no light






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






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






31. Only animal life and other heterotrophic life exists






32. Food chain is not a simple linear chain but an intricate web






33. 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






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






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






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






37. Include reproduction and protection from predators and destructive weather






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






39. Deer - fox - woodchuck - and squirrel






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. Include saprophytic organisms and organisms of decay






42. 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






43. Lichens and moss






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






45. 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






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






47. 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






48. Conserve water actively






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






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