30 Questions
What is the process by which individuals with favorable variations are more likely to survive and reproduce?
Natural Selection
What happens to the percentage of individuals showing favorable variations over time?
It increases
What is the estimated percentage of species that have gone extinct?
98-99%
What is the process by which a new species emerges from a previously existing species?
Speciation
What is the result of a species dividing into two isolated subpopulations?
Speciation
What is the concept that two or more species can reciprocally influence the evolutionary direction of the other?
Coevolution
What percentage of energy is lost as heat when moving from one trophic level to the next?
90%
Why is biomass used as a proxy in measuring energy in ecosystems?
Because it is difficult to measure the amount of energy contained in each trophic level
What is a food web?
A series of multiple, overlapping food chains
What is the byproduct of photosynthesis in plants?
Oxygen
What process do decomposers use to recycle organic molecules?
Respiration
What is the primary function of herbivores in the carbon cycle?
To break down complex organic molecules into simpler molecular building blocks
What is a possible way for a species to become extinct suddenly?
Toxic pollution rendering its entire habitat unlivable
What is the result of coevolutionary relationships between different species?
Each party exerts selective pressures on the other
What is a characteristic of prey adaptation in response to predation?
Higher reproduction rate
Which of the following is an example of a coevolutionary relationship?
Grazing animals and grass species
What is the result of one species being extirpated from a region?
The species is removed from the local ecosystem
What is an example of a local species at risk in Oman?
Arabian Oryx
What is a consequence of an increase in the number of plants and algae?
The creation of 'dead zones'
What is the ultimate source of phosphorus atoms?
Rock
Why do animals gain necessary phosphorus?
From consuming plants or other animals
What happens when too much nitrogen or phosphorus is applied as fertilizer?
The growth rate of bacteria, algae, and aquatic plants increases
What is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned?
Carbon dioxide
What happens to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere when forests are converted to agricultural land?
It increases
What is the primary function of carbon sinks?
To remove carbon atoms from the active, short-term nutrient cycle
What is the result of converting forests to agricultural land?
An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
What is the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?
To convert nitrogen gas into ammonia
What is the primary sink for nitrogen?
The atmosphere
What is the result of excessive fertilizer application in aquatic ecosystems?
An increase in the growth rate of bacteria, algae, and aquatic plants
What is the function of denitrifying bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?
To convert nitrite to nitrogen gas
Test your understanding of the process of evolution through natural selection, where individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to changes in a population over time.
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