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






2. Conserve water actively






3. 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






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






5. 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






6. One species may be competitively superior to the other and drive the second to extinction






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






8. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






9. 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






10. 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






11. Any group of similar organisms that are capable of reproducing






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






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






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






15. 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






16. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






17. The oceans






18. 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






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






20. Lichens and moss






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






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






23. The metabolically produced CO2 is released to the air. The rest of the orgnaic carbon remains locked whthin an organism until its death (except for wastes given off) - at which time decay processes by bacteria return the CO2 to the air






24. Affect the type of vegetation that can be supported






25. The chief disruptive force






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






27. 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






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






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






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






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






33. Distinct community in a geographic region






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






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






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






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






38. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






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






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






41. Developed long legs and many are hoofed






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






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






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






45. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






46. Include saprophytic organisms and organisms of decay






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






48. 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






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