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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. Deer - fox - woodchuck - and squirrel






2. Group of organisms of the same species living together in a given location






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






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






5. Rhododendrons and pines are more suited for growth in acid oil






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






7. Lichens and moss






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






9. Consumer organisms that are higher in hte food chain are usually larger and heavier than those further down






10. Symbiotic relationship from which both organisms derive some benefit






11. 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






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






13. Receive less rainfall than the temperate forests - have long - cold winters - and are inhabited by single coniferous tree-the spruce -extreme northern parts of Canada and Russia






14. Algae - sponges - clams - snails - sea urchins - starfish - and crabs






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






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






17. The oceans






18. 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






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






20. Two fates await the ammonia (NH3). some are nitrified or dentrified






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






22. The ultimate source of energy for all organisms






23. 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






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






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






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






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






28. Crawling and sessile organsms






29. Energy is transferred from the original sources in green plants through a series o organisms with repeated stages of consumption and finally decomposition






30. 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






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. First to resettle a virgin area






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






34. 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






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






36. 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






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






38. 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






39. The chief disruptive force






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






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






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






43. 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






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






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






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






47. Determines water holding capacity






48. Animals that consume green plants (herbivores)






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






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