Question 1

Which of the following best defines ecology?

Accepted Answer

The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment

Question 2

Why are the tropics warmer than temperate regions?

Accepted Answer

Sunlight strikes the tropics at a higher (larger) angle, delivering more energy per unit area

Question 3

If the Earth's tilt increased from $$23.5^{\circ} to$$ $$28^{\circ}$$, what would be the most likely effect on the seasons?

Accepted Answer

Winters and summers would be more severe

Question 4

Which of the following is the main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator?

Accepted Answer

Sunlight strikes the poles at a lower (smaller) angle

Question 5

Mountains can create rain shadows. In South America, the Atacama Desert is on the western side of the Andes. Which wind direction is responsible for this rain shadow?

Accepted Answer

West to east

Question 6

Why do coastal areas generally have more moderate climates than inland areas?

Accepted Answer

Water has a high specific heat, so oceans moderate temperature changes

Question 7

Which biome is characterized by low temperatures, low precipitation, and permafrost?

Accepted Answer

Arctic tundra

Question 8

A region has an average annual temperature of $$15^{\circ}C$ and annual precipitation of 125$$\ \mathrm{cm}$$. Which biome would you expect to find there?

Accepted Answer

Temperate seasonal forest

Question 9

Which of the following best describes a biome?

Accepted Answer

A region defined by its dominant types of vegetation and distinctive abiotic conditions

Question 10

Which biome has the highest net primary productivity (NPP)?

Accepted Answer

Tropical rainforest

Question 11

Which of the following is a primary abiotic driver of species distribution across the globe?

Accepted Answer

Temperature and precipitation

Question 12

What is the main reason why polar bears are not found at the South Pole?

Accepted Answer

They cannot disperse through warmer latitudes to reach the South Pole

Question 13

Which of the following best describes an organism's niche?

Accepted Answer

The range of abiotic and biotic conditions under which an organism can survive, grow, and reproduce

Question 14

The realized niche of a species is:

Accepted Answer

The portion of the fundamental niche actually occupied by the species due to biotic interactions

Question 15

Hawaiian honeycreepers can live in forests at elevations of 1,000–3,500 m, but after the introduction of avian malaria (present up to 1,900 m), they are only found at 2,000–3,500 m. This area represents their ________ niche, constrained by ________.

Accepted Answer

Realized; biotic factors

Question 16

Which of the following is true about the relationship between fundamental and realized niches?

Accepted Answer

A realized niche can never be larger than the fundamental niche

Question 17

Which of the following best explains why deserts are often found at around $$30^{\circ} N $$and S latitude?

Accepted Answer

Descending dry air masses at these latitudes inhibit precipitation

Question 18

Which of the following is a likely effect of a mountain range on the climate of a region?

Accepted Answer

It can create a rain shadow, leading to dry conditions on the leeward side

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the effect of ocean currents on climate?

Accepted Answer

Warm ocean currents can raise temperatures in coastal regions at higher latitudes

Question 20

Which of the following is true about the distribution of terrestrial biomes?

Accepted Answer

Both the average and variation in temperature and precipitation determine biome distribution

Ecology, Climate, and Biomes: Organisms and the Environment

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