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






2. 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






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






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






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






6. 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






7. Animals that eat both plants and animals






8. 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






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






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






11. Animals that feed on secondary consumer






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






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






14. 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






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






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






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






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






19. 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






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






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






22. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






23. 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






24. 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






25. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






26. Crawling and sessile organsms






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






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






29. Lichens and moss






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






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






32. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






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






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






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






36. The stable - living part of the ecosystem in whicih populations exist in balance with each other and with the environment






37. 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






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






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






40. 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






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






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






43. Distinct community in a geographic region






44. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






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






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






47. Conserve water actively






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






49. More than 70% of earth -plants have little controlling influence in communities -most stable ecosystems; the conditions affecting temperature - amount of available oxygen and cabon dioxide - and amount of suspended or dissolve materials are very stab






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