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






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






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






4. Vegetation has evolved adaptations for water conservation such as needle shaped leaves






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






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






7. Cold - dry - and inhabited by fir - pine - and spruce trees -much vegetation has evolved adaptations for water conservation such as needle-shaped leaves -Extreme Northern Part of the US and in Southern Canada






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






9. Lichens and moss






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






11. 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






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






13. The oceans






14. Trees such as beech - maple - oaks - and willows shed their leaves during cold winters months






15. Conserve water actively






16. 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






17. 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






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






19. Links between oceans and land






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






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






22. 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






23. Integrated system of species that are dependent upon one another for survival






24. Animals that eat both plants and animals






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






26. The ultimate source of energy for all organisms






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






34. Community in an ecological succession is identified by a dominant species






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






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






37. The orderly process by which one biotic community replaces or succeeds another until a climax community is established






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






39. Include saprophytic organisms and organisms of decay






40. 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






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






42. Developed long legs and many are hoofed






43. Determines water holding capacity






44. The chief disruptive force






45. 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






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






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






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






50. 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