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






4. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






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






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






7. The chief disruptive force






8. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






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






10. 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






11. 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






12. Deer - fox - woodchuck - and squirrel






13. 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






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






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






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






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 that feed on secondary consumer






19. Crawling and sessile organsms






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






21. Include saprophytic organisms and organisms of decay






22. Monkeys - lizards - snakes - and birds - floor is inhabited by saprophytes






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






24. 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






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






26. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






27. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






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






29. Material is cycled and recycled betweenn organisms and their environments - passing from inorganic forms to organic forms and then back to the inorganic forms






30. Organisms that manufacture their own food






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






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






33. 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






34. 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






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






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






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






38. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






48. Symbiotic relationship from which both organisms derive some benefit






49. 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






50. Needs constant energy source and cycling of materials between the living system