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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. Animals that consume only plants or plant foods






2. Recycle water - oxygen - and phosphorus






3. 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






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






5. 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






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






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






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






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






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






11. Conserve water actively






12. Only animal life and other heterotrophic life exists






13. 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






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






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






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






17. Links between oceans and land






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






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






20. Rock and soil surface






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






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






23. Animals that feed on secondary consumer






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






25. Rivers - lakes - ponds - and marshes






26. Organisms that manufacture their own food






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






28. Determines water holding capacity






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






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






31. 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






32. 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






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






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






35. Distinct community in a geographic region






36. Polar bears - musk oxen - and arctic hens






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






38. Include saprophytic organisms and organisms of decay






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






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






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






42. Lichens and moss






43. 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






44. 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






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






46. 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






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






48. 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






49. Algae - crabs - crustacea - and many different species of fish






50. 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