Download Sample Midterm1 ____ 1. The term "ecology" is defined as the study

Sample Midterm1
____
1. The term "ecology" is defined as the study of the
a. environment.
c. relationships between organisms and their
environment.
b. relationships between organisms.
____
____
____
2. A group of individuals of the same species occupying a given area is referred to as a(n)
a. community.
c. population.
b. biome.
d. ecosystem.
3. All of the interacting microbes, plants, and animals inhabiting a forest would be referred to as a(n)
a. community.
c. biome.
b. ecosystem.
d. biosphere.
4. A hypothesis refers to a(n)
a. phenomenon that is observed but is not yet
c. un-testable explanation for an observed
understood.
b. testable explanation for an observed
____
phenomenon.
5. Ecology is the same as environmentalism.
a. True
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
d. impact of humans on the environment.
phenomenon
d. a falsified explanation for an observed
phenomenon.
b. False
6. An ecosystem includes both living and non-living components.
a. True
b. False
7. The characteristics that give an organism an advantage in a given environment are called
a. mutations
c. adaptations
b. genes
d. phenotypes.
8. The mechanism of evolution on which Darwin proposed in The Origin of Species
a. genetic drift.
c. genetic plasticity.
b. natural selection
d. acclimatization.
9. Which of the following can result in a bimodal distribution (selection for the extreme forms) of a trait in a population?
a. stabilizing selection
c. random mating
b. directional selection
d. disruptive selection
10. What is the primary original source of genetic variation in a population?
a. mutation
c. blending inheritance
b. genetic drift
d. cloning
11. Evolution is a change in ________ over time.
a. phenotypes
c. gene frequencies (or the gene pool)
b. mutations
d. inheritance
12. Which of the following is necessary for the process of speciation?
a. directional selection
c. reproductive isolation (populations not
sharing in the same gene pool)
b. random mating (no selection by sexes or d. genetic drift
selection based on other criteria)
13. A population of a species that is adapted to its unique local environmental conditions is called a(n)
a. clinal population.
c. geographic isolate.
b. subspecies.
d. ecotype.
14. Peter and Rosemary Grant documented natural selection and evolution in a population of finches in the Galapagos
Islands.
a. True
b. False
____ 15. Sexual reproduction results in more genetic variation than does asexual reproduction. .
a. True
b. False
____ 16. Genetic variation is essential for natural selection. .
a. True
b. False
____ 17. The appearance, behavior or biochemical characteristics an individual in a population is its ___________________.
a. gene pool
c. genotype
b. phenotype
d. heritability
____ 18. Which of the following statements reflects the principle of the first law of thermodynamics?
a. Entropy tends to increase.
c. the potential energy stored in chemical bonds
tends to degrade into a form unavailable to
living things.
b. Chemical reactions are exothermic.
d. light energy absorbed by plants may be
converted to heat or stored in chemical bonds
____ 19. Through the process of ________, energy is assimilated by plants.
a. photosynthesis
c. decomposition
b. primary production
d. regeneration
____ 20. The rate or amount of energy storage as organic matter by plants after respiration is
a. photosynthesis.
c. gross primary productivity.
net
primary
productivity.
b.
d. standing crop.
____ 21. Highest primary productivity is favored by
a. low temperatures and moist conditions.
c. high temperatures and moist conditions.
low
temperatures
and
dry
conditions.
b.
d. high temperatures and dry conditions.
____ 22. In the surface waters of oceans, ________ is the major limitation on primary productivity
a. low light
c. low moisture
low
nutrient
content
b.
d. low temperature
____ 23. Ecosystems have two major food chains: ________ and ________.
a. producers; consumers
c. primary; secondary
b. autotrophs; heterotrophs
d. grazing; detrital
____ 24. Higher trophic levels in a food chain contain ________ energy (and biomass) compared to lower trophic levels.
a. less
c. insufficient
b. more
d. about equal
____ 25. Water vapor and ________ are the two major atmospheric gases that absorb energy from the sun.
a. oxygen
c. carbon dioxide
b. nitrogen
d. hydrogen
____ 26. Seasonal variation in temperature and day length is due to the
a. tilt of the Earth's axis.
c. spinning of the Earth on its axis
b. greenhouse effect.
d. latitudinal variation in solar radiation striking
the Earth's surface.
____ 27. Relative humidity is the
a. amount of pressure at a given temperature at
which water transforms from a liquid to a
gaseous state.
b. amount of pressure water vapor exerts
independent of the pressure of dry air.
c. temperature at which saturation vapor pressure
is achieved.
d. amount of water vapor in the air relative to the
saturation vapor pressure (or the maximum
amount air could actually contain at that
temperature).
____ 28. In the vicinity of the Equator, air typically
a. rises, cools, and the moisture in it precipitates. c. rises, cools, and is dry.
b. descends, warms, and precipitates.
d. descends, warms, and is dry.
____ 29. A rain shadow
a. occurs as prevailing winds are warmed as they c. occur at about 30 degrees north and south of
rise in the atmosphere
the equator.
b. may occur on the lee side of a mountain range d. occur in tropical areas as heavy rains form due
where conditions may be quite dry
to adiabatic cooling of surface air rising into
the atmosphere.
____ 30. Broad areas with similar climatic conditions are termed _____________________.
a. community.
c. ecosystem.
b. biome.
d. biosphere.
____ 31. Dew forms
a. on cool surfaces when relative humidity is low c. only when temperature drops below freezing
and temperature drops
b. on cool surfaces when relative humidity is
d. both a and c
high and temperature drops
____ 32. Arid terrestrial biomes occur at about 30 degrees north and south of the equator because at these latitudes
a. adiabatic cooling fails to cause condensation c. most water was long ago pumped from the
of water in the atmosphere
surface for developing human populations
b. cool, dry air descends towards the surface of d. off shore waters tend to be unusually salty
the earth
resulting in decreased evaporation
____ 33. A classification of plant formations and associated animal life into biotic units based on the predominant plant types,
with at least eight major terrestrial types, is referred to as a
a. community.
c. ecosystem.
biome.
b.
d. biosphere.
____ 34. Which terrestrial biome has the highest diversity of plant and animal life?
a. tropical savanna
c. temperate deciduous forest
b. tropical rain forest
d. boreal forest
____ 35. Frozen, treeless plains dominated by sedges, heaths, and willows at high latitudes and elevations is referred to as
a. prairie.
c. tundra.
b. steppe.
d. pampas.
____ 36. Which of the following gases in the atmosphere is NOT a greenhouse gas?
a. carbon dioxide
c. water vapor
b. methane
d. actually all of these are greenhouse gasses
____ 37. Which of the following is most likely to occur as a consequence of global climate change?
a. increases in sea levels, coastal erosion,
c. The rates of decomposition and microbial will
flooding, and salinity of aquifers
b. crop production may or remain relatively
increase, thus increasing emissions of carbon
dioxide.
d. all of these may occur
constant or even increase in developed
countries and decrease in developing
countries.
____ 38. The world's oceans have so far served as net sinks for atmospheric carbon.
a. True
b. False
____ 39. As a consequence of global climate change, plant and animal distributions will generally shift toward higher latitudes
and elevations.
a. True
b. False
____ 40. The proportion of the world's population exposed to malarial infection or, for that matter to other tropical diseases is
expected to increase as a consequence of global climate change.
a. True
b. False
43. Describe the potential impacts of global climate change on coastal environments.