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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. Any group of similar organisms that are capable of reproducing






2. The chief disruptive force






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






4. Cannot synthesize their ow food and must depend upon autotrophs or others in the ecosystem to obtain their food






5. Animals that consume dead animals






6. 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






7. Distinct community in a geographic region






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






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






10. 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






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






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






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






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






15. 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






16. Symbiotic relationship from which both organisms derive some benefit






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






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






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






20. 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






21. First to resettle a virgin area






22. Developed long legs and many are hoofed






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






24. 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






25. Include saprophytic organisms and organisms of decay






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






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






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






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






30. Include reproduction and protection from predators and destructive weather






31. 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






32. 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






33. 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






34. Deer - fox - woodchuck - and squirrel






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






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






37. Crawling and sessile organsms






38. 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






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






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






41. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






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






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






44. 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






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






46. 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






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






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






49. 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






50. 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