1. Which of the following organizational hierarchies is correct?
A. ecosystem --->population --->community --->biome
B. biome --->community --->population --->ecosystem
C. community --->population --->ecosystem --->biome
D. population --->community --->ecosystem --->biome
E. None of the above is correct
2. A relatively distinct terrestrial region characterized by similar environmental factors regardless of where it occurs in the
world is called a/an:
A. biome. B. community.
C. ecosystem. D. habitat.
E. population.
3. Tundra
A. has an extended day length during its growing season.
B. has nutrient-rich soils.
C. is characterized by heavy precipitation.
D. experiences very long winters and long summers.
E. occurs in extreme southern latitudes.
4. The biological community that characterizes the arctic tundra is:
A. migrating herbivores, small mammals, and predatory birds.
B. large trees.
C. mosses, lichens, and dwarf woody plants.
D. diverse amphibians and reptiles.
E. A and C
5. The boreal forest:
A. is also known as the taiga.
B. covers approximately 21% of the Earth's land area.
C. has a layer of permafrost.
D. cannot support amphibians or reptiles.
E. is highly suited for conversion to agriculture.
6. Smaller non-parasitic plants that grow attached to larger plants are referred to as:
A. phytoplankton. B. epiphytes.
C. geophytes. D. lianas.
E. kelp.
7. The biome with high amounts of precipitation, large narrow-leaved evergreen trees, and epiphytes of mosses, lichens,
and ferns is the:
A. tropical rain forest. B. temperate deciduous forest.
C. Amazon rain forest. D. boreal forest.
E. temperate rain forest.
8. Flowing-water ecosystems receive most of their energy from:
A. light. B. water.
C. wind. D. organic detritus.
E. minerals.
9. The shallow-water area along the shore of a lake or pond is called the:
A. limnetic zone. B. littoral zone.
C. profundal zone. D. benthic zone.
E. intertidal zone.
10. In a standing-water ecosystem like a lake, the open-water area away from the shore extending down as far as sunlight
penetrates is known as the:
A. limnetic zone. B. littoral zone.
C. profundal zone. D. benthic zone.
E. intertidal zone.
11. The deepest zone in a large lake, below where the sunlight penetrates, is the:
A. limnetic zone. B. littoral zone.
C. profundal zone. D. benthic zone.
E. intertidal zone.
12. In temperate lakes, falling temperatures in autumn may cause a mixing of the lake waters called:
A. thermocline. B. fall turnover.
C. thermal turnover. D. thermal stratification.
E. blooms.
13. A coastal body of water partly surrounded by land and accessible to the sea and fresh water is called a/an:
A. salt marsh. B. estuary.
C. swamp. D. bog.
E. reef.
14. Which of the following does not occur at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems?
A. estuary B. oceanic province
C. mangrove forest D. salt marsh
E. intertidal zone
15. Ecosystem services supported by the estuarine environment include all of the following EXCEPT:
A. biological habitat. B. trapping pollution.
C. groundwater supply. D. storm buffering.
E. marinas.
16. Adaptations found in inhabitants of the rocky intertidal zone include:
A. soft bodies.
B. an anchor or some other means of attachment.
C. streamlining.
D. warning coloration.
E. delicate outer coverings or bodies.17. For coral reefs to form in tropical waters it is necessary for what particular organism to live with the coral animals?
A. sea urchins
B. kelps
C. coral bacteria
D. giant clams
E. zooxanthellae
18. DDT is harmful to eagles because it:
A. damages their feathers. B. causes their eggs to have thin shells.
C. causes bronchitis. D. kills the eagles' prey.
E. causes them to go blind.
19. Strictly speaking, the genetic variety within a species is termed:
A. biodiversity. B. species diversity.
C. genetic diversity. D. ecosystem diversity.
E. endemism.
20. Ecosystem diversity is:
A. forests, prairies, deserts, coral reefs, lakes, and others.
B. simply the number of different species in a given area.
C. the variety of interactions among organisms in natural communities.
D. the genetic variety within all populations of a given species.
E. A and C
21. Strictly speaking, the number of different species is termed:
A. biodiversity. B. species diversity.
C. genetic diversity. D. ecosystem diversity.
E. a population.
22. Bacteria and fungi are important to humans because they:
A. help control weeds. B. pollinate crop plants.
C. provide us shelter. D. deplete nutrient minerals in the soil.
E. provide us with foods and antibiotics.
23. Insects are an important biological resource because they:
A. enrich the soil with nitrogen. B. help control weeds and insect pests.
C. are involved in the recycling of nutrients. D. pollinate crop plants.
E. B and D
24. The continuous, low-level extinction of species that has occurred throughout the history of life on Earth is known as:
A. mass extinction. B. evolution.
C. background extinction. D. human impact extinction.
E. biotic pollution.
25. A species in imminent danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range is said to be:
A. endangered. B. threatened.
C. extirpated. D. commercially extinct.
E. endemic.
26. When extinction is less imminent, but the population of a species is quite low, it is said to be:
A. endangered. B. threatened.
C. extirpated. D. commercially extinct.
E. endemic.
27. A species that only lives in one localized area, usually an island, is said to be:
A. endangered. B. threatened.
C. extirpated. D. extinct.
E. endemic.
28. Which of the following states represents one of the major areas of concern with respect to declining biological diversity
within the United States?
A. Alaska B. Vermont
C. Colorado D. Hawaii
E. Maine
29. The evolution of a large number of related species from an ancestral organism is called:
A. conservation biology. B. ex situ conservation.
C. adaptive radiation. D. embryo transfer.
E. endemism.
30. The single greatest threat to biological diversity is:
A. introduction of exotic species. B. air pollution.
C. overexploitation. D. habitat loss.
E. water pollution.
31. The introduction of an exotic species onto an island is an example of:
A. commercial harvest. B. biotic pollution.
C. commercial extinction. D. background extinction.
E. endemism.
32. Which of the following is an example of biotic pollution?
A. elephants in southern Africa B. black-footed ferrets in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana
C. brown tree snake in Guam D. California condor in the United States
E. passenger pigeons in North America
33. Which of the following statements about amphibians is TRUE?
A. Amphibians are represented by about 500 species of frogs, toads, and salamanders.
B. Populations of amphibians in a few local areas have declined dramatically in the last few decades.
C. Amphibians lay their eggs in dry, sandy areas close to a source of water.
D. Their moist, absorptive skin makes amphibians very susceptible to environmental contaminants.
E. Scientists increasingly perceive amphibians to be fair-weather species.
34. Which of the following have been linked to the dramatic global decline of amphibian populations?
A. agricultural chemicals B. increased UV radiation
C. infectious diseases D. global climate warming
E. All of the above
35. In situ conservation occurs:
A. in laboratories. B. in zoos.
C. in parks and reserves. D. without human intervention.
E. in seed banks.
36. One problem with protecting vulnerable habitat areas as a means of conserving species diversity is:
A. that there are so few of these areas, less than 500 worldwide.
B. that multiple uses of the area sometimes conflict with the goal of preserving species.
C. that there is enough money, but not enough expertise to manage them effectively.
D. that too much of the protection is located in tropical rain forests and not enough is in remote mountain areas.
E. that too often the protected areas are in highly populated areas.
37. One of the controversies associated with the Endangered Species Act is that it:
A. has generated too many unresolved cases with developers, over 1000 to date.
B. allows for no compromises between species protection and development or livelihood concerns.
C. only enhances economic development in specific regions of the country.
D. provides too much consideration of individual property rights.
E. focuses on saving a few popular species rather than the larger number of less glamorous species.
38. The established migration routes of birds are called:
A. migration pathways. B. air paths.
C. flyways D. beelines.
E. spinners.
49. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many whale populations suffered:
A. extinction. B. endemism.
C. adaptive radiation. D. biotic pollution.
E. commercial extinction.
50. Write a good multiple-choice question, and answer it.
FRQ
Please answer all of the questions for each topic. Please label (A, B, C etc) each part of your answer.
1. Endangered species
A. Explain what biodiversity is.
B. Explain/describe two reason why we should be concerned with biodiversity.
C. Describe two characteristics that make some species prone to extinction
D. Describe two major factors that contribute to loss of biodiversity.
E. Identify and describe two laws or documents/agreements that are designed to protect species.
2. Biodiversity
A. Briefly explain the Theory of Island Biogeography. Be sure to discuss the factors that influence the species
diversity (number of species) found on islands.
B. Briefly explain what habitat fragmentation is.
C. How might the Theory of Island Biogeography apply to habitat destruction and fragmentation?
E. Discuss two strategies for protecting and conserving biological diversity.
3. Biomes
A. What is the primary factor that determines the distribution of life on earth?
B. Compare/contrast Temperate and Tropical Rainforest. Be sure to include abiotic factors as well as biotic
factors.
C. Which biome is the most productive in terms of agriculture? Briefly explain why this might be so.
D. Coral Reefs are often compared to Tropical Rainforests. Why?