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






2. Vegetation such as vines and eppiphytes






3. Ammonia (NH3) is broken down to release free nitrogen - which returns to the beginning of the denitrifying






4. The chief disruptive force






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






6. 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






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






8. Recycle water - oxygen - and phosphorus






9. Forest floors contain moss and lichens






10. 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






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






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






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






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






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






16. Animals that consume primary consumers (carnivores)






17. Organisms that manufacture their own food






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






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. 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






21. Determines water holding capacity






22. Individuals belonging to the same species use the same resources and if a particular resource is limited - then these organisms must compete with one another






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






24. 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






25. Animals that consume dead animals






26. The ultimate source of energy for all organisms






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






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






29. 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






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






31. Rock and soil surface






32. Rivers - lakes - ponds - and marshes






33. Adaptations for maintaining their internal osmolarity and conserving water






34. 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






35. 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






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






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






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






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






41. Animals that feed on secondary consumer






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






43. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment






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






45. 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






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






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






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






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






50. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods