Practice Quiz

Practice Quiz Chapters 2, 3, and 4

In your groups • On a piece of paper, number 1-33. As the questions appear, record your answer to each question.

1. • Diversity refers to A) number of different species present B) number of ecological niches C) amount of genetic diversity D) All of the above

2. • Indicator species are important because A) they suggest that a barren ecosystem will soon recover B) they suggest the level of resilience an ecosystem will have C) their presence indicates something about the ecosystem as a whole D) All of the above

3. • Species which are specialists A) Have narrowly specific habitat requirements B) Tend to have lower reproductive rates than generalists C) Are very intolerant to environmental change D) All of the above

4. • The finches of the Galapagos Islands were particularly interesting to Darwin because A) The birds lived together on the same islands B) the birds were related but had been modified to survive under different conditions C) they were all the same species but their beaks were different D) they were more colorful than the mainland birds

5. • Primary productivity is the direct result of A) photosynthesis. B) respiration. C) grazers feeding on plants. D) net primary productivity.

6. Red winged blackbirds chase away other red wings from the area around their nests. This behavior is called _______ and is an example of ___________ competition. A) co-evolution, intraspecific B) territoriality, intraspecific C) commensalism, intraspecific D) territoriality, interspecific

7. • Co-evolution is illustrated by A) an insect species becoming immune to a toxic substance produced by rhubarb to foil herbivory. B) development of greater speed by gazelles in response to prior development of greater speed by leopards, a gazelle predator. C) development of greater root depth in a plant species in response to increased competition for water with another species. D) all of the above.

8. • The most useable form of Nitrogen to plants is • Nitrogen gas • Nitrite • Nitrate • Ammonia

9. • Which of the following would NOT be an act of predation? A) a moose nibbling on aspen shoots B) a crow feeding on a road-kill rabbit C) a black bear eating blueberries D) disease-causing bacteria invading human lung tissue

10. • Attributes of a broad niche could include an organism having A) a wide range of foods eaten. B) activity periods extending over much of the day and evening. C) tolerance of a wide range of temperatures. D) all of the above.

11. • An organism's absence from a particular environment can be caused by A) a single critical factor that exceeds the organism's tolerance limits. B) absence of an essential resource. C) a combination of different factors working in concert. D) all of the above.

12. • A population A) Consists of all the plants and animals in a given region B) Consists of all individuals of a given species living in the same area C) Consists of all species on earth D) Consists of a given species and all of the other species it consumes

13. • A carbon sink is a place where carbon A) atoms wash up for supper. B) is stored after removal from the atmosphere. C) is released after cellular respiration. D) is the carbon released by combustion.

14. • The final breakdown and recycling of organic material is accomplished by A) top level consumers. B) decomposers. C) scavengers. D) detritivores.

15. • The _________ cycle is most dependent on a variety of types of bacteria that shift the element among several different chemical forms. A) nitrogen B) carbon C) sulfur D) phosphorus

16. • Photosynthesis and respiration are most significant in the ______ cycle. A) nitrogen B) carbon C) sulfur D) phosphorus

17. • Which have the most diverse diet? A) photosynthetic plants B) herbivores C) omnivores D) carnivores

18. • The productivity of an ecosystem refers to the • A) amount of food consumed by the organisms per unit space. • B) average number of offspring produced per adult female per unit time. • C) amount of biological material produced during a certain period of time. • D) reproductive output.

19. • A group of individuals of a particular type that are able to successfully interbreed is called a/an A) community. B) ecosystem. C) species. D) population.

20. • The conservation of matter principle is that matter A) is composed of atoms and molecules. B) cannot be created, destroyed, nor changed in form. C) must be used carefully or earth will eventually run out. D) can neither be created nor destroyed.

21. • Which of the following is not a basic principle of science? A) We can learn through observation. B) Simpler explanations are preferable. C) Nothing can be absolutely proven. D) All of the above are basic scientific principles.

22. • Which of the following does not apply to manipulative experiments? A) Extraneous variables are held constant. B) Most experiments are done in the laboratory. C) They are useful for studying large scale geologic forces. D) They can be affected by experimenter bias.

23. • Inherent value refers to value A) possessed by something merely because it exists. B) earned through moral behavior. C) deserved because of one's usefulness to others. D) conferred only on those people that cannot be held responsible for their own behavior.

24. • Toxic colonialism occurs in a number of forms including: A) attempts to locate waste dumps and other undesirable facilities on Native American reservations. B) taking advantage of poor Third World countries by disposing of toxic wastes in such places. C) use of environmentally risky technologies in poor countries but not in industrialized countries. D) all of the above.

25. • In science a theory is A) simply someone's opinion. B) a tentative explanation, comparable to a hypothesis. C) an explanation supported by a substantial body of evidence. D) speculation.

26. • How can citizens make sense of all the information out there related to environmental issues? A) They can apply critical thinking to what they read and hear. B) They can seek further scientific information. C) They can determine the authority of the source of the information. D) All of the above.

27. • The process of science is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT which one? Science A) attempts to keep explanations as simple as possible. B) normally provides absolute proof. C) attempts to be objective. D) is inherently skeptical.

28. • Scientific paradigms can be characterized by all of the following EXCEPT which one? A) once agreed upon remain unchanged forever. B) are broad patterns of thought that guide thinking. C) influence how we interpret evidence. D) determine which questions we understand to be relevant to issues at hand.

29. • Statistical tests A) provide us with raw numbers such as the number of people in a given city B) focus on determining the probability that observed phenomena occurred by chance C) Are only used in science to influence political decision-making D) Aand B are correct

30. • Manipulative experiments A) are not useful to ecologists because they depend on the natural environment. B) are most often conducted in a laboratory C) do not allow the scientist to control variables D) None of the above

31. • Mathematical models can be A) used to explain climate change B) used to illustrate population dynamics C) used to allow a researcher to manipulate variables without causing problems in the real systems D) All of the above

32. • In evaluating the value of a report on environmental issues, it is important to consider A) the reliability of the sources B) if the claims been verified C) the position of the scientific community D) all of the above

33. • Ecological systems often undergo periodic disturbances A) such as floods and fires B) and show resilience when they recover quickly C) only in arid environments D) 1 and 2 are correct

Answers to Practice Quiz