Question 1

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.

Accepted Answer

Water selectively reflects and absorbs certain wavelengths of light, which affects how different colors are seen at various depths. This selective absorption and reflection influence the availability of light for photosynthetic organisms in aquatic environments.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

The abyssal zone refers to the deepest and darkest part of the ocean where little to no sunlight is able to penetrate. As a result, photosynthesis cannot occur and primary productivity rates are extremely low in this zone.

Question 3

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.

Accepted Answer

During seasonal turnover, nutrients from the bottom of the lake are brought up to the surface layers, which promotes the growth of phytoplankton. Without seasonal turnover, the surface layers would become depleted of nutrients, which would limit the growth of phytoplankton and other aquatic organisms that depend on them. This could have far-reaching ecological consequences for the limnetic ecosystem.

Question 4

For plants, what are the most important climatic factors?
A)sunlight, temperature, snow
B)sunlight, soil type, precipitation
C)sunlight, soil type, elevation
D)sunlight, temperature, precipitation
E)sunlight, temperature, wind

Accepted Answer

For plants, the most important climatic factors are sunlight, temperature, and precipitation. Soil type, elevation, snow and wind can also affect plant growth and survival, but they are not as essential as the three factors mentioned in option D. Therefore, the correct answer is D.

Question 5

If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga)?
A)tundra and polar ice
B)temperate broadleaf forest and grassland
C)desert and chaparral
D)tropical forest and savanna
E)chaparral and temperate broadleaf forest

Accepted Answer

As global warming progresses, temperatures in regions currently characterized by coniferous forests (taiga) are expected to increase, making these areas more suitable for species typical of warmer climates, such as those found in temperate broadleaf forests and grasslands.

Question 6

Generally speaking, deserts are located in places where air masses are usually
A)tropical.
B)humid.
C)rising.
D)descending.
E)expanding.

Accepted Answer

Deserts are often located in areas where air masses are descending. This descending air warms, expands, and loses its moisture, leading to dry conditions.

Question 7

Coral reefs can be found on the southern east coast of the United States but not at similar latitudes on the southern west coast. Differences in which of the following most likely account for this?
A)sunlight intensity
B)precipitation
C)day length
D)ocean currents
E)salinity

Accepted Answer

Ocean currents affect the water temperature and nutrient supply, which are important factors for coral reef growth. The Gulf Stream current, which flows along the southern east coast of the United States, brings warm, nutrient-rich water from the tropics, making it suitable for coral reef growth. There is no similar current on the southern west coast, which may explain the lack of coral reefs in that area.

Question 8

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% 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

Accepted Answer

Deep-sea vent communities are not dependent on sunlight for energy, as they rely on chemosynthesis using sulfur compounds. Therefore, they would be least affected by a reduction in sunlight caused by dust in the atmosphere.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

Predation and competition are both important biotic factors that can affect the structure and organization of biological communities. Precipitation, wind, nutrient availability, soil pH, temperature, water, light intensity, and seasonality are more abiotic factors that can also have an impact on communities.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about the ocean pelagic biome is true?
A)The ocean is a vast, deep storehouse that always provides sustenance; it is the next "frontier" for feeding humanity.
B)Because it is so immense, the pelagic ocean biome is globally uniform.
C)Globally, more photosynthesis occurs in the ocean neritic biome than in the pelagic biome.
D)Pelagic ocean photosynthetic activity is disproportionately low in relation to the size of the biome.
E)The most abundant animals are vertebrate fishes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements about the...

Question 11

Community ecology focuses on
A)analyzing factors that affect population sizes.
B)organisms' physiology and behaviour that enables them to cope in a particular environment.
C)interactions among species that affect the structure and organization of a community.
D)flow of energy and chemical cycling of energy between organisms and the environment.
E)interactions of individuals in many different populations.

Accepted Answer

Community ecology is concerned with the interactions among different species within a particular ecosystem or community. Therefore, the correct option is C, which describes the interactions among species that affect the structure and organization of a community. Option A is too narrow because population size is just one aspect of community ecology, whereas B and D describe different aspects of individual adaptation and ecosystem processes, respectively. Option E is also too broad and does not reflect the specific focus of community ecology.

Question 12

If you are interested in observing a relatively simple community structure 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.

Accepted Answer

Oligotrophic lakes are characterized by low nutrient levels, leading to clear water and a relatively simple community structure, making them ideal for observing such ecosystems.

Question 13

Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the distribution of organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change?
A)Remove, to the mineral soil, all of the organisms from an experimental plot and monitor the colonization of the area over time in terms of both species diversity and abundance.
B)Look back at the changes that occurred since the Ice Age and how species redistributed as glaciers melted, then make predictions on future distribution in species based on past trends.
C)Compare and contrast the flora and fauna of warm/cold/dry/wet climates to shed light on how they evolved to be suited to their present-day environment.
D)Quantify the impact of human activities on present-day populations of threatened and endangered species to assess the rate of extirpation and extinction.
E)There is no scientific investigation that can help make predictions on the future distribution of organisms.

Accepted Answer

Looking at the changes that have occurred since the Ice Age and how species redistributed as glaciers melted will provide insight into how organisms have previously adapted to changing climates. This information can help make predictions about future distribution in species based on past trends.

Question 14

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.

Accepted Answer

Water is densest at 4°C, which allows for the formation of a temperature stratification in deep temperate zone lakes. In the summer, the warmer surface water remains separate from the cooler, denser water at the bottom of the lake. In the winter, the surface water cools and eventually freezes, allowing for mixing with the deeper water. This leads to a more uniform temperature throughout the lake. The abundance of oxygen in deeper waters and the sinking of winter ice do not directly contribute to temperature stratification. Stratification is caused by a thermocline, which is the layer of water where temperature changes rapidly with depth. While fall and spring turnovers can contribute to changes in lake stratification, they do not always follow a predictable pattern.

Question 15

In the pelagic zone of oceans, which abiotic factors would reduce or limit productivity to the greatest extent?
A)temperature
B)light penetration
C)nutrients
D)depth
E)seasonal turnover

Accepted Answer

In the pelagic zone, the most limiting factor for productivity is usually light availability. Light is necessary for photosynthesis, which is the primary source of energy for most organisms in this zone. The surface layer of the ocean receives the most light, but the intensity decreases rapidly with depth. As a result, productivity decreases with depth, and only a small fraction of the total light energy entering the surface layer is available to the species that live in deeper areas. Nutrient availability and temperature may also affect productivity, but their impact is generally less severe than that of light. Depth and seasonal turnover are not abiotic factors that directly limit productivity, but they may indirectly affect it by changing the physical and chemical conditions of the water.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

The turnover of water in temperate lakes during the spring and fall is made possible by the changes in the density of water as seasonal temperatures change. In the spring and fall, surface water cools and becomes denser, causing it to sink and mix with the deeper, colder water. This turnover allows for important nutrient cycling and oxygenation of deeper waters.

Question 17

What is the limiting factor for the growth of trees in the tundra?
A)low precipitation
B)cold temperatures
C)insufficient minerals in bedrock
D)pH of soils
E)permafrost

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the limiting factor for the...

Question 18

Which series is correctly layered from top to bottom in a tropical rain forest?
A)ground layer, shrub/immature layer, understory, canopy, emergent layer
B)canopy, emergent layer, understory, shrub/immature layer, ground layer
C)canopy, understory, shrub/immature layer, emergent layer, ground layer
D)emergent layer, canopy, understory, shrub/immature layer, ground layer
E)emergent layer, understory, canopy, ground layer, shrub/immature layer

Accepted Answer

The correct layering of a tropical rainforest from top to bottom is: emergent layer (the tallest trees), canopy (the layer below the emergents which forms a dense layer of foliage), under story (smaller trees and plants beneath the canopy), shrub/immature layer (young trees and shrubs), and ground layer (the forest floor).

Question 19

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.

Accepted Answer

Turnovers occur when the surface water cools and becomes denser, causing it to sink and mix with the deeper layers of the lake. This typically happens in the autumn and spring when the temperature difference between the surface and deep waters is greatest. These turnovers bring nutrients from the deeper waters up to the surface, replenishing the surface water with nutrients.

Question 20

A rain shadow is
A)the leeward side of the mountain that receives dry air.
B)the windward side of the mountain that receives much of rain.
C)the region close to shore sheltered by the mountains.
D)the windward side of the mountain that receives little rain.
E)regions near 30 degrees N and 30 degrees S latitude that have dry air.

Accepted Answer

A rain shadow is the leeward side of a mountain range that receives much drier air than the windward side. As the moist air rises up the windward side and cools down, it releases its moisture as precipitation. By the time the air reaches the leeward side, it has lost much of its moisture, and so the region experiences much less rainfall.

Quiz 52: An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

Which of the following can be said about light in aquatic environments?

Which marine zone would have the lowest rates of primary productivity (photosynthesis) ?

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?

For plants, what are the most important climatic factors?

If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga) ?

Generally speaking, deserts are located in places where air masses are usually

Coral reefs can be found on the southern east coast of the United States but not at similar latitudes on the southern west coast. Differences in which of the following most likely account for this?

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% for one year, which of the following marine communities most likely would be least affected?

Which of the following are important biotic factors that can affect the structure and organization of biological communities?

Which of the following statements about the ocean pelagic biome is true?

Community ecology focuses on

If you are interested in observing a relatively simple community structure in a clear water lake, you would do well to choose diving into

Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the distribution of organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change?

Which of the following is responsible for the differences in summer and winter temperature stratification of deep temperate zone lakes?

In the pelagic zone of oceans, which abiotic factors would reduce or limit productivity to the greatest extent?

Turnover of water in temperate lakes during the spring and fall is made possible by which of the following?

What is the limiting factor for the growth of trees in the tundra?

Which series is correctly layered from top to bottom in a tropical rain forest?

In temperate lakes, the surface water is replenished with nutrients during turnovers that occur in the

A rain shadow is