Chapter 52 – Flashcards

1) Which level of ecological study focuses the most on abiotic factors? A) speciation ecology B) population ecology C) community ecology D) ecosystem ecology

2) Which abiotic factor would have the most significant physiological effect on migrating salmon? A) water solute content B) competition for resources C) ambient temperature D) human-built structural interferences

3) Which of the following levels of ecological organization is arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive? A) community, ecosystem, organism, population B) ecosystem, community, population, organism C) population, ecosystem, organism, community D) organism, population, community, ecosystem E) organism, community, population, ecosystem

4) For a species to be called "invasive," it must _____. I) be introduced to a new area II) spread rapidly in this new area III) eliminate native species A) only I B) only II C) only III D) only II and III E) I, II, and III

5) Which is a likely biotic factor limiting songbird distribution in Hawaii to alpine habitats? A) temperature B) oxygen content C) moisture D) insects causing fatal diseases in songbirds at lower altitudes

6) Which of the following levels of ecological organization is arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive? A) community, ecosystem, organism, population B) ecosystem, community, population, organism C) population, ecosystem, organism, community D) organism, population, community, ecosystem E) organism, community, population, ecosystem

7) As climate changes because of global warming, plant species' ranges in the northern hemisphere may move northward. The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are those that _____. A) have seeds that are easily dispersed by wind or animals B) have thin seed coats C) produce well-provisioned seeds D) have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire E) disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree

8) Which of the following are important biotic factors that can affect the structure and organization of biological communities? A) precipitation, wind B) nutrient availability, soil pH C) predation, competition D) temperature, water E) light intensity, seasonality

9) A certain species of pine tree survives only in scattered locations at elevations above 2800 meters in the western United States. To understand why this tree grows only in these specific places, an ecologist should _____. A) conclude that lower elevations are limiting to the survival of this species B) study the anatomy and physiology of this species C) investigate the various biotic and abiotic factors that are unique to high altitude D) analyze the soils found in the vicinity of these trees, looking for unique chemicals that may support their growth E) collect data on temperature, wind, and precipitation at several of these locations for a year

10) If the Earth were to reorient such that the North Pole always received direct sunlight (always faced the Sun), how would that change Earth's climate? A) The equators would not change in climate. B) The South Pole would get colder. C) The equators would get warmer. D) The North Pole would get more wind.

11) Theoretically, which would be the most effective way to disrupt a Hadley cell? A) Remove all equatorial moisture and convection. B) Extensively water the deserts. C) Heat the poles. D) Shift the Sun to apply direct rays 30 degrees south latitude.

12) What would happen to the seasons if the Earth were tilted 35 degrees off its orbital plane instead of the usual 23.5 degrees? A) The seasons would disappear. B) Winters and summers would be more severe. C) Winters and summers would be less severe. D) The seasons would be shorter

13) Which of the following statements regarding altitude and climate are true? I) Species composition on different sides of a mountain range are often different from each other. II) Rain shadows may appear on one side of a mountain range. III) The higher the altitude, the warmer the climate. IV) Both sides of a mountain range generally receive equal amounts of precipitation. A) only I and II B) only III and IV C) only I, II, and IV D) only II, III, and IV E) only I, II, and III

14) The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is that _____. A) there is more ice at the poles B) sunlight strikes the poles at a lower angle C) the poles are farther from the sun D) the polar atmosphere is thinner and contains fewer greenhouse gases E) the poles are permanently tilted away from the sun

15) Which climograph shows the climate for location 1? A) A B) C C) E D) G E) H

16) Which climograph shows the climate for location 2? A) B B) C C) D D) F E) H

17) Which climograph shows the climate for location 3? A) B B) C C) D D) E E) F

18) Which climograph shows the climate for location 4? A) A B) B C) C D) E E) G

19) Which climograph shows the climate for location 5? A) A B) C C) D D) E E) H

20) Which of the following best substantiates why location 3 is an equatorial (tropical) climate? A) It has a monsoon season during the winter months. B) It has consistent monthly averages for rainfall. C) The temperature is high for each monthly average. D) The temperatures reach 100°F during some months. E) The temperatures are lower in June, July, and August.

21) The specific abiotic factors defining a biome are _____. I) annual variation in temperature and precipitation II) average annual temperature and moisture levels III) maximum annual temperature and moisture levels IV) maximum annual temperatures, moisture levels, and average annual temperature A) only I and II B) only III and IV C) only I, II, and IV D) only II, III, and IV E) only I, II, and III

22) In the figure above, which number would designate the arctic tundra biome? A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 5 E) The arctic tundra is not designated by a number in the figure above

23) In the figure above, which number would designate the biome with the highest variation in annual precipitation? A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4

24) Which of the following biomes has the highest variation in annual temperature? A) subtropical deserts B) arctic tundra C) temperate forests D) temperate grasslands E) boreal forests / taiga

25) Based on the data in the figure above, which of the following statements are correct? I) Area 1 would be considered a desert because of its high average temperature. II) Area 1 has more average precipitation than Area 2. III) Area 2 would be considered a desert because of its low average precipitation. IV) Area 2 has a larger annual temperature variation. A) only I and III B) only II and IV C) only I, II, and IV D) only II, III, and IV E) only I, II, and III

26) Based on the data in the figure above, which of the following statements is true? A) Area 1 could be called a boreal forest/taiga. B) Area 2 could be called a temperate grassland. C) Area 1 could be called a tropical wet/rain forest. D) Area 2 could be tundra

27) Based on the data in the figure above, which of the following statements are correct? I) Area 1 has more average precipitation than Area 2. II) Area 1 has a higher average temperature than Area 2. III) Both areas have low variation in monthly precipitation. IV) Area 2 has a lower annual temperature variation compared to Area 1. A) only I and III B) only II and IV C) only I, II, and IV D) only II, III, and IV E) only I, II, and III

28) Based on the data in the figure above, which of the following statements is true? A) The data from Area 1 describes a subtropical desert. B) The data from Area 2 describes an arctic tundra. C) The data from Area 1 describes a tropical wet/rain forest. D) The data from Area 2 describes a boreal forest.

29) Which of the following statements best describes the effect of climate on biome distribution? A) Average annual temperature and precipitation are sufficient to predict which biome will be found in an area. B) Seasonal fluctuation of temperature is not a limiting factor in biome distribution if areas have the same annual temperature and precipitation means. C) The average climate and pattern of climate are important in determining biome distribution. D) Temperate forests and grasslands are different biomes because they receive a different quality and quantity of sunlight, even though they have essentially the same annual temperature and precipitation. E) Correlation of climate with biome distribution is sufficient to determine the cause of biome patterns.

30) Which of the following can be said about light in aquatic environments? A) Water selectively reflects and absorbs certain wavelengths of light. B) Photosynthetic organisms that live in deep water probably use red light. C) Longer wavelengths penetrate to greater depths. D) Light penetration seldom limits the distribution of photosynthetic species. E) Most photosynthetic organisms avoid the surface where the light is too intense

31) Turnover of water in temperate lakes during the spring and fall is made possible by which of the following? A) warm, less dense water layered at the top B) cold, more dense water layered at the bottom C) a distinct thermocline between less dense, warm water and cold, dense water D) the changes in the density of water as seasonal temperatures change E) currents generated by nektonic animals

32) In temperate lakes, the surface water is replenished with nutrients during turnovers that occur in the _____. A) autumn and spring B) autumn and winter C) spring and summer D) summer and winter E) summer and autumn

33) Which of the following is responsible for the differences in summer and winter temperature stratification of deep temperate zone lakes? A) Water is densest at 4°C. B) Oxygen is most abundant in deeper waters. C) Winter ice sinks in the summer. D) Stratification is caused by a thermocline. E) Stratification always follows the fall and spring turnovers

34) Imagine that a deep temperate zone lake did not turn over during the spring and fall seasons. Based on the physical and biological properties of limnetic ecosystems, what would be the difference from normal seasonal turnover? A) The lake would be uniformly cold during the winter and summer. B) The lake would fail to freeze over in winter. C) An algal bloom of algae would result every spring. D) Lakes would suffer a nutrient depletion in surface layers. E) The pH of the lake would become increasingly alkaline.

35) Which marine zone would have the lowest rates of primary productivity (photosynthesis)? A) pelagic B) abyssal C) neritic D) continental shelf E) intertidal

36) If you are interested in observing a relatively simple community Astructure in a clear water lake, you would do well to choose diving into _____. A) an oligotrophic lake B) a eutrophic lake C) a relatively shallow lake D) a nutrient-rich lake E) a lake with consistently warm temperatures

37) If a meteor impact or volcanic eruption injected a lot of dust into the atmosphere and reduced the sunlight reaching Earth's surface by 70 percent for one year, which of the following marine communities most likely would be least affected? A) deep-sea vent B) coral reef C) intertidal D) pelagic E) estuary

38) Which zone has a condition of constant temperature? A) A B) B C) C D) D E) E

39) Which zone produces the most global oxygen gas? A) A B) B C) C D) D E) E

40) Which zone experiences the most abiotic change over a 24-hour period? A) A B) B C) C D) D E) E