Skip to main content
Back

Introduction to Ecology quiz #3

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/38
  • What is an example of a biotic factor?
    Plants
  • How do lichens contribute to primary succession?
    Lichens break down rock to form soil, allowing other plants to grow and further succession.
  • How is a food web different from a food chain?
    A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains, while a food chain is a linear sequence of organisms where nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.
  • Which is one event that may lead to primary succession?
    A volcanic eruption creating new land.
  • Why does primary succession take longer than secondary succession?
    Primary succession takes longer because it starts on bare rock or sand without soil, requiring pioneer species to create soil.
  • What best illustrates ecological succession?
    A forest regrowing after a fire
  • What types of ecological succession are included?
    Both A and B
  • What does the pioneer species do to prepare the area for other organisms?
    Pioneer species modify the environment, often by creating soil and altering conditions to make it more habitable for other species.
  • How do tides affect the organisms living in intertidal zones?
    Tides create fluctuating conditions of moisture, temperature, and salinity, requiring organisms to adapt to changing environments.
  • What is the primary function of decomposers in an ecosystem?
    Decomposers recycle nutrients by breaking down dead organisms and waste products.
  • What is the role of decomposers in the food chain?
    Decomposers break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
  • What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
    Decomposers break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
  • What are the 7 main types of ecosystems?
    The 7 main types of ecosystems are forest, grassland, desert, tundra, freshwater, marine, and urban.
  • What is an organism's niche?
    An organism's niche is its role in the ecosystem, including its use of resources and interactions with other organisms.
  • What situations/conditions lead to the start of secondary succession?
    Secondary succession begins in areas where a disturbance has occurred but soil remains, such as after a fire or flood.
  • What is the role of a decomposer in a food web?
    Decomposers recycle nutrients by breaking down dead organisms and waste products.
  • What is a keystone species? Give an example.
    A keystone species is one that has a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem. An example is the sea otter, which controls sea urchin populations.
  • What is a possible result of resource partitioning?
    Niche differentiation
  • What are two key factors in species richness equatorial–polar gradients?
    Climate stability and energy availability are key factors in species richness along equatorial–polar gradients.
  • How is oxygen cycled in a pond ecosystem?
    Oxygen is consumed by all organisms
  • Rainforest organisms do not usually have to compete for which resource? A) Light B) Water C) Nutrients D) Space
    B) Water
  • The maximum amount of organisms a habitat can support with the amount of resources available?
    Carrying capacity
  • What are some examples of disturbances that lead to secondary succession?
    Examples include forest fires, hurricanes, and human activities like agriculture.
  • What is the role of a decomposer?
    Decomposers break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
  • Which animal is a primary consumer?
    Rabbit
  • Which species is the pioneer species?
    Lichens are often pioneer species in primary succession.
  • How is a niche different from a habitat?
    A niche is the role an organism plays in its environment, while a habitat is the physical place where it lives.
  • What are examples of biotic factors in an ecosystem?
    Plants
  • What does an organism’s niche include in terms of meeting its needs?
    All of the above
  • Which two of the following organisms are tertiary consumers in this food web? A) Lion B) Rabbit C) Eagle D) Grass
    A) Lion and C) Eagle
  • What are the first organisms that inhabit a barren landscape called?
    Pioneer species
  • What is an example of an abiotic factor in a desert habitat?
    Sand
  • What is an example of a factor that is not biotic?
    Water
  • What are the pioneer species for secondary succession?
    Grasses and weeds are common pioneer species in secondary succession.
  • Which example would be found in Earth’s biosphere? A) A mountain B) A river C) A forest D) All of the above
    D) All of the above
  • Decomposers are associated with which class of food web? A) Producers B) Consumers C) Detritivores D) Herbivores
    C) Detritivores
  • Which of these subjects is most likely to be studied in ecology? A) Chemical reactions B) Historical events C) Organism interactions D) Mathematical equations
    C) Organism interactions
  • What is primary succession?
    The establishment of a community in an area with no soil