Ecology Pre-Assessment

The Pre-Assessment for the Ecology, the eight unit in the course Introduction to Biology for Veterinary Technicians at Penn Foster College

Using bacteria to remove toxins from contaminated soil is an example of what?

Bioremediation

In California, temperatures on the coast can be significantly different from temperatures inland. As an example, the average July high temperature is 64 degrees F at Half Moon Bay and 87 degrees F at Walnut Creek, about 25 miles inland. This provides an illustration of what phenomenon?

An area can have several microclimates.

What is the study of statistics related to a population's growth and needs?

Demographics

Which of the following is a nonrenewable energy resource?

Natural gas

Which of the following statements best characterizes primary consumers?

Primary consumers are heterotrophic herbivores that eat primary producers.

Which term describes the gases that surround the Earth?

Atmosphere

A food web can be illustrated as a pyramid. In this representation, all the primary producers would be grouped together, forming one _______ of the food web.

trophic level

Which of the following is a density-dependent factor that limits the growth of a population?

A virus spreads and kills animals in a population.

What part of the Earth receives the most direct sunlight over the course of a year?

The equator

The Great Auk was a penguin-like bird that lived in the Arctic. It became extinct because it was hunted for its meat, fat, and feathers. This is an illustration of what threat to biodiversity?

Overharvesting

The cattle egret is a type of heron that often follows herds of livestock, eating insects that the livestock herd disturbs as it moves in a field. The livestock appears to be unaffected by the egrets. This illustrates what type of relationship?

Commensalism

A group of ecologists is studying a population of dolphins. To estimate the size of the population, they're using a catch, mark, and release strategy. In their first sampling, they catch and mark 10 dolphins. In their second sampling, they catch 20 dolphins, five of which were already marked from the first sampling. Approximately how many dolphins are in this population?

40

Why are marine ecosystems often defined by the depth of the water?

The amount of sunlight an area receives determines what organisms can live there.

What does the plateau on a logistic growth curve represent?

The carrying capacity for the population

The carbon cycle takes place over what time frame, driven by what types of processes?

The carbon cycle has a short-term and a long-term time frame; biological processes are relevant in the short term, and geological processes are relevant in the long term.

Mutualism

Both species benefit from the relationship.

Parasitism

The parasite benefits, and the host is negatively affected.

Commensalism

One species benefits, and the other is unaffected (neither helped nor harmed).

Uniform

The population is spread out and, for the most part, occupies the entire area of its range evenly.

Random

There's no pattern.

Clumped

Individuals are clustered together in groups.

What are biotic factors in a forest ecosystem?

- The parts of an ecosystem that are alive

- The parts of an ecosystem that aren't alive

- Trees, grasses, lichen, mosses, wildflowers, birds, insects, mammals, and microorganisms

Which processes affect population size?

- Emigration

- Carrying capacity

- Mortality

- Natality

Which is included in nonrenewable energy sources?

- Oil is a liquid fossil fuel found deep in the earth.

- Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel primarily made of methane.

- Fossil fuel is formed from fossilized plants and animals that have been subjected to intense pressure underground.