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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. Determined by the same decisive factors-temperatures and rainfall






2. Rock and soil surface






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






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






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






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






7. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






8. Encompasses all that is external to the organism and is necessary for its existence






9. Free-living organisms that feed on other living organisms






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. Animals that consume green plants (herbivores)






12. The ultimate source of energy for all organisms






13. Distinct community in a geographic region






14. 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






15. Polar bears - musk oxen - and arctic hens






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






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






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






19. Links between oceans and land






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






21. Determines water holding capacity






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






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






24. Animals that eat both plants and animals






25. 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






26. 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






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






28. 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






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






30. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






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






32. 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






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






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






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






36. 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






37. Conserve water actively






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






39. The oceans






40. 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






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






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






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






44. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






45. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






46. Rivers - lakes - ponds - and marshes






47. One that exerts control over the other species that are present






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






49. Animals that feed on secondary consumer






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