Ecology and Weather Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What defines a tundra biome?

A cold and treeless biome with low-growing vegetation. (correct)

A biome characterized by warm temperatures and high rainfall.

A biome with hot summers and cool winters.

A forest biome dominated by deciduous trees.

Which type of forest is characterized by coniferous evergreen trees?

Savanna

Taiga (Boreal forest) (correct)

Tropical rainforest

Temperate rainforest

What is permafrost?

A type of wetland that is not submerged.

A layer of soil that supports abundant vegetation.

A permanently frozen layer of soil that is impermeable. (correct)

A seasonally frozen layer of soil.

In which biome would you find high precipitation and moderate temperatures?

Temperate rainforest Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a freshwater wetland?

An area that is submerged or saturated with water for part of the year. Signup and view all the answers

Which zone of a lake is described as where sunlight does not reach?

Profundal zone Signup and view all the answers

Which biome is characterized by hot temperatures and extremely dry conditions?

Hot desert Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of a savanna?

Distinct wet and dry seasons with warm temperatures Signup and view all the answers

What is defined as the average weather conditions in a given region over a long period of time?

Climate Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following interactions is characterized by one species benefiting while the other is neither helped nor harmed?

Commensalism Signup and view all the answers

Which principle states that two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist?

Competitive exclusion principle Signup and view all the answers

What process do plants and algae use to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen?

Photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the struggle of individuals within or between species to obtain a shared limiting resource?

Competition Signup and view all the answers

What type of organism lays eggs inside other organisms, commonly referred to as its host?

Parasitoid Signup and view all the answers

Which species can best be described as a species that spreads rapidly and causes harm to the ecosystem?

Invasive species Signup and view all the answers

Which type of biome is characterized by distinctive plant growth forms based on temperature and precipitation?

Terrestrial biome Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of mineralization in the ecosystem?

To break down organic matter and convert it back to inorganic compounds. Signup and view all the answers

Which process leads to the formation of nitrogen gas in the atmosphere?

Denitrification Signup and view all the answers

What type of environment is described as anaerobic?

An environment that lacks oxygen. Signup and view all the answers

What defines gross primary productivity (GPP) in an ecosystem?

The total amount of solar energy captured by producers via photosynthesis. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during an algal bloom?

A significant increase in the algal population of a waterway. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following defines net primary productivity (NPP)?

The energy captured by producers minus the energy used in respiration. Signup and view all the answers

What describes a dead zone in aquatic environments?

A region where oxygen concentrations are too low to support aquatic life. Signup and view all the answers

How is biomass defined in ecological terms?

The total mass of all living matter in a specific area. Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's main claim regarding European starlings?

European starlings are competitors of native species in the United States Signup and view all the answers

Which statement serves as evidence supporting the author's main claim about European starlings?

European starling populations have grown exponentially in the United States Signup and view all the answers

What impact do European starlings have on native bird species in the United States?

They restrict the nesting opportunities for native species Signup and view all the answers

Why have European starling numbers increased exponentially in the United States?

They are more aggressive in seeking nesting sites Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic of European starlings distinguishes them from native species?

Their aggression in securing nesting sites Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about aquatic biomes is correct?

Lakes contain littoral zones and intertidal zones. Signup and view all the answers

What defines the limnetic zone in a lake?

It is the area where sunlight can penetrate, allowing photosynthesis. Signup and view all the answers

Which biome provides ecosystem services such as flood reduction and water pollution filtration?

Freshwater wetlands Signup and view all the answers

The coexistence of eight woodpecker species in Oregon based on tree diameter is an example of what ecological concept?

Resource partitioning Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

Oxpeckers eating parasites off a rhino. Signup and view all the answers

What is the best interpretation of Poli's stellate barnacles expanding their distribution when rock barnacles are removed?

Poli's barnacles prefer to avoid competition with rock barnacles. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about European starlings is accurate?

They are native to England. Signup and view all the answers

What ecological relationship is displayed when cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds?

Parasitism Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Climate and Weather

Climate represents the long-term average weather conditions of a region.
Weather describes the short-term atmospheric conditions at a specific location, encompassing temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and wind speed.

Community Ecology and Symbiotic Relationships

Community ecology examines interactions between species within an ecosystem.
Symbiosis involves two species living in close, long-term association.
Competition arises when individuals (intraspecific) or species (interspecific) vie for limited resources.
The competitive exclusion principle posits that two species competing for the same limiting resources cannot coexist indefinitely.
Resource partitioning describes the evolutionary adaptation of species to share resources through behavioral or morphological differences.
Predation features one animal killing and consuming another.
Parasitoids are predators that lay eggs inside their host organisms.
Parasitism involves an organism (parasite) living on or in another (host), potentially causing harm.
Pathogens are disease-causing parasites.
Herbivory is the consumption of plants or algae by animals.
Mutualism benefits both participating species.
Commensalism benefits one species without affecting the other.

Photosynthesis and Biomes

Photosynthesis utilizes solar energy to convert CO2 and H2O into glucose and O2 by plants and algae.
The biosphere encompasses all life on Earth.
Native species inhabit their historical ranges.
Exotic/alien species are found outside their historical ranges.
Invasive species rapidly spread and cause harm.
Biomes categorize plants and animals found in specific regions.
Terrestrial biomes are categorized by temperature, precipitation, and plant life.
Aquatic biomes are classified by salinity, depth, and water flow.
Habitat refers to a species' natural living area.

Terrestrial Biomes

Tundra is a cold, treeless biome with low-growing vegetation and permafrost (permanently frozen soil).
Taiga/Boreal forests consist of coniferous evergreens adapted to cold winters and short growing seasons.
Temperate rainforests have moderate temperatures and high precipitation.
Temperate seasonal forests experience warm summers, cold winters, and significant precipitation.
Shrublands/woodlands are characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.
Temperate grasslands/cold deserts have cold winters, hot, dry summers.
Tropical rainforests are warm and wet, near the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and abundant rainfall.
Savannas/tropical seasonal forests have warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons.
Hot deserts, at approximately 30° N and S latitude, are hot, extremely dry, with sparse vegetation.

Aquatic Biomes: Lakes and Ponds

Freshwater biomes include streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands.
The littoral zone is the shallow, near-shore area with abundant algae and emergent plants.
The limnetic zone is the sunlit open water area.
Phytoplankton are floating algae.
The profundal zone lacks sunlight, below the limnetic zone in deep lakes.
The benthic zone is the lake/pond bottom.
Oligotrophic lakes have low nutrient levels and phytoplankton.
Mesotrophic lakes have moderate fertility.
Eutrophic lakes are highly fertile.

Aquatic Biomes: Wetlands and Estuaries

Freshwater wetlands are submerged or saturated for some time each year, supporting emergent vegetation.
Estuaries are coastal areas where freshwater meets saltwater.

Nutrient Cycling

Mineralization/ammonification is the breakdown of organic matter into inorganic compounds (like ammonium) by decomposers.
Denitrification converts nitrates into nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas, released into the atmosphere.
Anaerobic environments lack oxygen; aerobic environments are oxygen-rich.
Leaching involves dissolved molecules moving through soil via groundwater.
The phosphorus cycle describes phosphorus movement in the biosphere.
Algal blooms are rapid increases in algal populations.
Hypoxic conditions indicate low oxygen levels.
Dead zones have extremely low oxygen, killing aquatic life.

Water Cycle

The hydrologic cycle describes water movement in the biosphere.
Transpiration is water release from leaves during photosynthesis.
Evapotranspiration is the combined evaporation and transpiration.
Runoff is water flowing over land into streams and rivers.

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Producers/autotrophs (plants, algae, some bacteria) use sunlight to produce energy.
Cellular respiration unlocks energy from chemical compounds.
Anaerobic respiration occurs without oxygen.
Primary productivity measures the rate of solar energy conversion into organic compounds.
Gross primary productivity (GPP) is the total solar energy captured by producers.
Net primary productivity (NPP) is GPP minus energy used by producers for respiration.
Biomass is the total mass of living matter in an area.
Standing crop is the biomass at a specific time.
Consumers/heterotrophs obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

Aquatic Biome Characteristics

Aquatic biomes are not characterized by dominant plant growth forms. Lakes do contain littoral zones. Freshwater wetlands have emergent plants; ponds and lakes don't necessarily have them in their deepest areas.

Limnetic Zone

The limnetic zone is the open water area of a lake where sunlight penetrates. Phytoplankton are not the only photosynthetic organisms present.

Freshwater Wetlands

Freshwater wetlands reduce flood severity and filter water pollutants.

Resource Partitioning Example

Eight woodpecker species coexist in Oregon forests by partitioning resources (nesting sites based on tree type and size).

Commensalism Example

Oxpeckers benefit by eating parasites on rhinos, without harming the rhinos (commensalism).

Competitive Interactions

Rock barnacles compete with Poli's stellate barnacles for space; removing rock barnacles allows stellate barnacles to expand downward.

Invasive Species

European starlings displace native birds in the US due to their aggressive nesting behavior, resulting in exponential population growth. This aggressiveness is evidence of their competition with native species.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the differences between climate and weather, as well as community ecology and its various interactions. This quiz covers symbiotic relationships, predation, and competitive principles in ecosystems. Dive deep into the world of species interactions and resource management.