Intro to environmental science exam 2

An ecologist hiking up a mountain may notice different biomes along the way due to all of the following except ______

latitude

Secondary consumers would eat what?

herbivores

The loss of an apex consumer would impact which trophic level of a food web?

all of them

Which one of the following is not a biogeochemical cycle?

energy cycle

If you are concerned about the biomagnification of toxins, what would you most want to avoid?

Tuna (tertiary consumer)

Where would you expect to find the most photosynthesis in an ocean biome?

intertidal zone

How would the loss of fungi in a forest affect biogeochemical cycles in the area?

Carbon would accumulate in dead organic matter and waste

The position of an organism along a food chain is known as its ____ ____

trophic level

What natural forces release carbon dioxide and other atmospheric gases?

volcanoes

Decomposers are associated with which class of the food web?

detrital

Organisms that can make their own food using inorganic molecules are called _____

chemoautotrophs

Species with limited resources usually exhibit a _____ growth curve

logistic

Humans have which type of survivorship curve?

Type I

Which form of symbiosis benefits one member, but neither benefits nor harms the other member?

Commensalism

What is NOT mentioned as a threat to biodiversity?

Natural disasters

Pollination is an example of __ ______ ______

an ecosystem service

What is the primary driver of habitat destruction?

Human population growth and resource use

A mass extinction is defined as what?

a loss of 50% of species

A secondary plant compound might be used for which of the following?

a new drug

What is one of the significant consequences of invasive species introduction into new ecosystems

resource competition, predation, or disease for native species

What organization certifies sustainably harvested forest products to combat illegal logging

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

What was the name of the first international agreement on climate change?

Kyoto Protocol

What is the main goal of the Endangered Species Act in the US?

To develop management plans for listed at-risk species

During the middle of the 19th century, which scientist independently derived and proposed a theory of evolution that was similar to Darwin’s?

Alfred Wallace

How is a clumped population distribution beneficial for prey animals?

Being a member of a larger group provides protection for each individual from predation

Two species have the same ecological niche. If they lived in the same habitat, both would compete until one species became predominant and the other became locally extinct. This process is summarized by what?

Competitive exclusion principle

Which of the following approaches would be the most effective way to reduce greenhouse carbon dioxide?

~~~~~

The first species to live on a new land, such as that formed from volcanic lava, are called ______

Pioneer species

Which of the following methods will tell an ecologist about a population’s size and density?

quadrat

The movement of mineral nutrients though organisms and their environment is called a ____ cycle

biogeochemical

What do deserts and chaparral have in common?

dry and hot summers

The weight of living organisms in an ecosystem at a particular point in time is called ____

biomass

What is an example of a weather event?

A windstorm blew down trees in Minnesota’s boundary waters canoe area on July 4, 1999

What best describes a freshwater ecosystem?

Rarest and has the greatest diversity of aquatic life and fish

What would be described as anthropogenic?

logging a forest

As Darwin recognized, populations evolve through natural selection when which of the following conditions are met?

• More offspring are produced than can survive

• competition for limited resources

• variation of traits among individuals

What are the three greatest proximate threats to biodiversity?

overharvesting, exotic species introduction, habitat loss

How many mass extinctions have been identified in the fossil record?

5

Which statement is false?

All living things can be classified into one of four taxonomic domains

What term is used for wild animals killed for food, and how has its commercialization affected certain species?

Bush meat, leading to overharvesting and endangering some species

The ability of an ecosystem to return to its equilibrium state after an environmental disturbance is called ____

resilience

The process whereby oxygen is depleted by the growth of microorganisms due to excess nutrients in aquatic systems is called ______

eutrophication

A forest fire is an example of _____ regulation

density-independent

Which type of country has the greatest proportion of young individuals?

economically underdeveloped

Mt. St. Helens - Eruption would lead to what process

primary succession

What is an example of a biotic factor

disease-causing microbe

what biome is characterized by short growing seasons

arctic tundra’s

the conversion of nitrogen gas (N2) into ammonia (NH3) happens during which process?

nitrogen fixation

A larger human population could be supported if all humans derived their food from which trophic level?

producers