Ecology and Climate PDF

Ecology and Climate (Slides 3.1) 1. What is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment called? ○ a) Biology ○ b) Ecology ○ c) Environmental Science ○ d) Geography 2. Who was the first to define ecology as the "eco...

Ecology and Climate (Slides 3.1) 1. What is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment called? ○ a) Biology ○ b) Ecology ○ c) Environmental Science ○ d) Geography 2. Who was the first to define ecology as the "economy of nature"? ○ a) Carl Linnaeus ○ b) Charles Darwin ○ c) Ellen Richards ○ d) Ernest Haeckel 3. What are abiotic factors that impact biomes? ○ a) Predator-prey relationships ○ b) Nutrient distribution and climate ○ c) Competition for resources ○ d) Microbial diversity 4. Which cells drive atmospheric circulation at the equator? ○ a) Hadley cells ○ b) Ferrel cells ○ c) Polar cells ○ d) Equatorial cells 5. What defines a biome? ○ a) A region's climate only ○ b) Largest regional ecosystems with specific soil and climate conditions ○ c) Areas with high biodiversity only ○ d) Regions dependent on human interaction 6. What drives global precipitation and temperature? ○ a) Ocean currents ○ b) Human activity ○ c) Soil types ○ d) Nutrient cycling 7. What type of biome forms in areas with low precipitation and high temperature? ○ a) Tundra ○ b) Desert ○ c) Grassland ○ d) Temperate forest 8. Which abiotic factor is critical for defining aquatic ecosystems? ○ a) Soil type ○ b) Salinity ○ c) Competition ○ d) Predator-prey interactions 9. What does the Gulf Stream do?  ○ a) Causes polar circulation ○ b) Distributes heat from equatorial regions ○ c) Removes heat from Europe ○ d) Prevents upwelling of nutrients 10. Why do seasonal changes occur on Earth? ○ a) Earth's orbit around the Sun ○ b) Tilt of Earth's axis ○ c) Global wind patterns ○ d) Ocean currents Productivity and Biodiversity (Slides 3.2) 11. What is the ultimate energy source for the biosphere? ○ a) Heat ○ b) Water ○ c) Electromagnetic radiation ○ d) Geothermal energy 12. What does GPP stand for? ○ a) Gross Primary Production ○ b) General Plant Productivity ○ c) Geothermal Power Potential ○ d) Global Phytoplankton Presence 13. Net Primary Productivity (NPP) is calculated as: ○ a) GPP + Respiration ○ b) Respiration - GPP ○ c) GPP - Respiration ○ d) GPP / Respiration 14. Which ecosystem has the highest standing crop biomass? ○ a) Open ocean ○ b) Tropical rainforest ○ c) Desert ○ d) Arctic tundra 15. Why do tropical regions have higher biodiversity? ○ a) Greater stability and productivity ○ b) Lack of predators ○ c) Limited competition ○ d) Higher latitudes 16. What is the range of global terrestrial NPP? ○ a) 0.1–1.5 kg C/m²/year ○ b) 0.1–3.2 kg C/m²/year ○ c) 1–10 kg C/m²/year ○ d) 10–30 kg C/m²/year 17. What limits productivity in open oceans?  ○ a) Light availability ○ b) Nutrient availability ○ c) Water salinity ○ d) Temperature 18. What is a carbon sink? ○ a) A source of carbon emissions ○ b) A storage system for carbon ○ c) A type of fossil fuel ○ d) A region where carbon is recycled 19. Which latitudinal gradient theory suggests stability promotes biodiversity? ○ a) Productivity hypothesis ○ b) Stability hypothesis ○ c) Species-area hypothesis ○ d) Energy-flow hypothesis 20. What percentage of energy is transferred between trophic levels? ○ a) 10% ○ b) 20% ○ c) 50% ○ d) 90% Ecosystems and Dynamics (Slides 3.3) 21. What is a defining characteristic of ecosystems? ○ a) They remain in equilibrium. ○ b) They are static systems. ○ c) They are complex dynamic systems. ○ d) They do not involve abiotic factors. 22. What is the primary principle of ecosystem dynamics? ○ a) Species evolve independently. ○ b) Reductionism explains all interactions. ○ c) Everything is ultimately connected. ○ d) The Gaia hypothesis governs ecosystems. 23. What is feedback in ecosystems? ○ a) A simple input-output relationship ○ b) Independent of system interactions ○ c) Process affecting inputs by outputs, amplifying or reducing effects ○ d) Always leads to ecosystem instability 24. What does the Gaia hypothesis propose? ○ a) Earth is a passive system influenced by life. ○ b) The biosphere acts as a self-regulating superorganism. ○ c) Evolution is independent of abiotic factors. ○ d) Climate is solely driven by atmospheric dynamics. 25. What is "competitive exclusion"?  ○ a) Species sharing identical niches ○ b) Dominant species outcompeting others in a shared niche ○ c) No competition in stable environments ○ d) Adaptive radiation due to resource sharing Answer Key 1. b 2. d 3. b 4. a 5. b 6. a 7. b 8. b 9. b 10. b 11. c 12. a 13. c 14. b 15. a 16. b 17. b 18. b 19. b 20. a 21. c 22. c 23. c 24. b 25. b Predation, Parasitism, and Mutualism 1. What is the result of excluding dingo predators from red kangaroo populations? A) Kangaroo populations decrease B) Kangaroo populations remain constant C) Kangaroo populations increase 10-30 times D) Kangaroo populations are unaffected 2. What term describes the evolutionary arms race between bats and moths? A) Symbiosis B) Coevolution C) Parasitism D) Competition 3. What controls hare populations in predator-prey cycles? A) Top-down predator control only B) Bottom-up food availability only C) Both predator control and food availability D) Neither food nor predator availability 4. Which organism benefits while causing harm to its host? A) Mutualist B) Predator C) Parasite D) Commensal 5. What is the key feature of obligate mutualism? A) Species can survive independently B) Both species cannot survive without the other C) Only one species benefits D) Relationship is temporary Ecosystem Structure and Biodiversity 6. What is the role of keystone species in ecosystems? A) Their removal has little effect B) They support entire ecosystems C) They are always top predators D) They are the most abundant species 7. Why did kelp ecosystems in Alaska begin to collapse in the 1990s? A) Excess fishing boats B) Orcas eating otters C) Sea lions eating kelp D) Lack of sunlight 8. What happens to species richness when habitat size increases by 10x? A) Species richness doubles  B) Species richness triples C) Species richness stays the same D) Species richness decreases 9. What is the greatest threat to biodiversity? A) Pollution B) Overexploitation C) Habitat destruction D) Invasive species 10. Which succession involves new land formation, like volcanic islands? A) Primary succession B) Secondary succession C) Intermediate succession D) Climax succession Global Dilemmas 11. What is eutrophication caused by? A) Excess oxygen in water B) Excess nutrients in water C) Lack of sunlight D) Decrease in water pH 12. What is the main impact of zebra mussels in ecosystems? A) Increase biodiversity B) Improve water quality C) Restructure aquatic food webs D) Promote fish populations 13. What is a “dead zone” in aquatic ecosystems? A) Area with low oxygen levels B) Area with high species diversity C) Area with low salinity D) Area with high nutrient availability 14. What greenhouse gas effect did Svante Arrhenius predict? A) Increase in global rainfall B) Cooling of the atmosphere C) Global warming due to CO₂ D) Decrease in biodiversity 15. What percentage of Earth’s species are impacted by climate change? A) ~50% B) ~70% C) ~90% D) ~20% Invasive Species and Management 16. How many invasive species are currently estimated in the US? A) ~1,000 B) ~5,000 C) ~50,000 D) ~100,000 17. What act prohibits trade in illegally taken wildlife? A) Lacey Act B) Non-Indigenous Species Act C) Plant Protection Act D) Wildlife Conservation Act 18. Which invasive species was successfully controlled using biological methods? A) Zebra mussels B) Lionfish C) Prickly pear cactus D) Asian clams 19. What is the cost of invasive species to the US annually? A) $50 billion B) $138 billion C) $1 billion D) $500 million 20. What is the first step in managing invasive species? A) Containment B) Prevention C) Eradication D) Long-term control Disturbance and Succession 21. What hypothesis states moderate disturbances foster diversity? A) Climax hypothesis B) Intermediate disturbance hypothesis C) Disturbance-resilience hypothesis D) Flux equilibrium hypothesis 22. Which species is considered an extremophile? A) Lions B) Tardigrades C) Sea otters D) Amphipods 23. What happens to biodiversity after habitat fragmentation? A) Increases  B) Stays the same C) Decreases D) Varies by ecosystem 24. Which human activity most threatens tropical rainforests? A) Logging B) Burning for farms C) Urban development D) Mining 25. What happens during secondary succession? A) Soil formation begins B) Ecosystems recover faster than primary succession C) New volcanic land is colonized D) Forests become grasslands Answer Key 1. C 2. B 3. C 4. C 5. B 6. B 7. B 8. A 9. C 10. A 11. B 12. C 13. A 14. C 15. C 16. C 17. A 18. C 19. B 20. B 21. B 22. B 23. C 24. B 25. B Multiple-Choice Quiz: Predation, Ecosystems, and Global Dilemmas 1. What is coevolution in the context of predator-prey interactions? A) Evolution of unrelated species B) Simultaneous evolution of predators and prey in response to each other C) Competition among prey species D) Mutual benefits between predators and prey 2. What discovery did Charles Elton make about lynx and hare populations? A) Their populations are unaffected by each other B) Predator-prey cycles last approximately 10 years C) Lynx are independent of prey population changes D) Hares thrive only in cold climates 3. What is the ecological importance of removing predators, as seen in skunk and duck experiments? A) It decreases prey survival rates B) It improves survival rates of prey like duck hatchlings C) It has no significant effect D) It reduces biodiversity 4. What are the two main controls on hare abundance? A) Temperature and migration B) Predator control and food availability C) Habitat size and migration D) Rainfall and vegetation density 5. What does parasitism typically result in for the host? A) Increased reproduction B) Reduced harm and increased abundance C) Harm or death of the host D) Mutual benefits 6. How does Toxoplasma gondii influence human behavior? A) It increases fearfulness B) It changes career choices toward management and entrepreneurship C) It causes no detectable changes D) It decreases risk-taking behavior 7. What type of mutualism involves both species benefiting but being able to survive independently? A) Obligate B) Defensive C) Facultative D) Dispersive 8. What is a keystone species? A) The largest predator in an ecosystem B) A species with little effect on ecosystem balance C) A species crucial for maintaining ecosystem structure and balance D) Any species living in symbiosis 9. In the kelp ecosystem, which species is the keystone species? A) Sea lions B) Orcas C) Sea otters D) Urchins 10. What is the greatest threat to biodiversity globally? A) Habitat destruction B) Overexploitation C) Invasive species D) Pollution 11. What impact does habitat fragmentation have on biodiversity? A) It improves genetic diversity B) It causes rapid species recovery C) It isolates species, making them more vulnerable D) It prevents species extinction 12. What does the intermediate disturbance hypothesis propose? A) Low levels of disturbance maximize biodiversity B) High levels of disturbance maximize biodiversity C) Moderate disturbance fosters greater species diversity D) Disturbance always decreases species diversity 13. What is the primary cause of eutrophication? A) Natural ocean currents B) Excess nutrients from land runoff C) Low oxygen levels in water D) Overfishing 14. What are aquatic “dead zones” characterized by? A) High oxygen levels B) Low oxygen levels C) Excessive nutrients D) Stable predator-prey dynamics 15. What is salinization primarily caused by? A) Overfishing B) Habitat destruction C) Excessive salt from human activities like irrigation runoff D) Nutrient loss in soil 16. How do invasive species impact ecosystems? A) They create new habitats for native species B) They generally go unnoticed C) They compete with native species, often outcompeting them D) They reduce extinction rates 17. What is an example of successful biological control of an invasive species? A) Use of herbicides on weeds B) Introducing the moth Cactoblastis to control prickly pear cactus in Australia C) Removing predators from aquatic ecosystems D) Preventing eutrophication 18. What role do tardigrades play in new environments? A) Climax species B) Pioneer species C) Keystone species D) Invasive species 19. What is the greenhouse effect? A) A natural process warming Earth’s surface through greenhouse gases B) A process exclusively caused by human activity C) The cooling of Earth’s atmosphere D) A reduction in global biodiversity 20. What is the Keeling Curve? A) A model of predator-prey cycles B) A record of CO2 concentration since 1958 C) A temperature record over the past century D) A biodiversity index 21. How does climate change primarily threaten biodiversity? A) By reducing migration patterns B) Through habitat shifts, abundance declines, and new predators or diseases C) By increasing species richness D) By encouraging interspecies cooperation 22. What are some economic costs of invasive species in the U.S.? A) $50,000 annually B) $138 billion annually C) $15 million annually D) $1 billion annually 23. How is primary succession initiated? A) After a volcanic eruption B) Following logging activities C) Through nutrient runoff into rivers D) During deforestation 24. What is secondary succession? A) Growth after soil is destroyed B) Recovery in areas where soil remains intact C) Growth without any biological material D) Immediate ecosystem recovery 25. What percentage of species diversity has decreased globally due to human activity over the last 50 years? A) 10% B) 20% C) 50% D) 80% Answer Key 1. B 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. B 7. C 8. C 9. C 10. A 11. C 12. C 13. B 14. B 15. C 16. C 17. B 18. B 19. A 20. B 21. B 22. B 23. A 24. B 25. C Ecology, Ecosystems, and Biodiversity Question 1 Biotic factors that impact the environment include: A) Nutrient distribution B) Predator/prey relationships C) All of these D) Dissolved oxygen, salinity, current, and tides E) Climate effects Question 2 The biosphere is comprised of the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and ecosphere. A) True B) False Question 3 Which of the following is true? A) SC = NPP – Respiration B) NPP = Respiration - GPP C) GPP = NPP – Respiration D) NPP = GPP - Respiration E) GPP = Respiration - NPP Question 4 What is the primary source of energy that powers the biosphere? A) The sun B) ATP C) None of these D) Primary producers E) Decomposers/detritivores Question 5 Ellen Richards was: A) The head of the Massachusetts State Water Quality Lab in the late 1800s B) The first woman to graduate with a degree in chemistry from MIT C) A proponent of sustainable, environmental stewardship D) An instructor of environmental chemistry at MIT E) All of these Question 6 Partitioning of food resources in Anolis spp. lizards on the Exuma Islands is determined by: A) Parasitism B) Time of feeding C) Temperature D) Size of species E) Disease Question 7 Which of the following components comprise the biome: A) All of these B) Hydrosphere C) Atmosphere D) Lithosphere E) None of these Question 8 Which of the following is not a carbon source? A) Burning fossil fuels B) Respiration C) All of these D) Photosynthesis E) Forest fires Question 9 A habitat is comprised of a community of organisms and its environment. A) True B) False Question 10 What percentage of the energy at lower trophic levels is transferred to the next level? A) 15% B) 5% C) 90% D) 1% E) 10% Question 11 What happens when a population exceeds the carrying capacity of its ecosystem? A) The carrying capacity of the ecosystem increases to accommodate the population B) The population undergoes a rapid growth phase C) This can lead to a crash in the population D) The population undergoes a decline phase Question 12 The world’s oceans: A) Have higher mean productivity than tropical rainforest ecosystems B) None of these C) Have lower average productivity, but higher net productivity than terrestrial systems D) Have higher average productivity, but lower net productivity than terrestrial systems E) Have lower net productivity than tropical rainforest ecosystems Question 13 Competition between individuals of two different species is referred to as: A) Interference competition B) Direct competition C) Interspecific competition D) Intraspecific competition E) None of these Question 14 Which scientist is responsible for introducing us to competitive exclusion? A) Carl Linnaeus B) Ernst Haeckel C) G. Evelyn Hutchinson D) Charles Darwin E) G.F. Gause Question 15 The Whittaker diagram is based on: A) Ecosystem size B) All of these C) Precipitation and temperature D) Space and time E) Biotic and abiotic factors Question 16 The mountain mouse-warbler outcompetes the rusty mouse-warbler at high altitudes. When the former is removed, the latter expands its range. This is an example of: A) Space partitioning B) Intraspecific competition C) Interspecific competition D) Niche expansion E) Character displacement Question 17 What is the 1st Principle of Ecosystems Dynamics? A) Everything is ultimately connected to everything else. B) Ecosystems are static and unchanging. C) Ecosystems are not affected by external factors. D) Everything is separate from everything else. Question 18 The modern view of nature is that: A) Nature is dependent upon solar energy to regenerate global water and nutrient cycles B) We can predict what all communities will look like C) Large amounts of disturbance are ideal D) Nature is never at equilibrium E) Nature can always regenerate a healthy ecosystem Question 19 The following type of competition is described as a direct interaction, such as fighting over a single resource: A) Intraspecific competition B) Apparent competition C) None of these D) Interference competition E) Exploitative competition Question 20 The biotic organisms in hydrothermal vent biomes are typically powered by which biochemical process? A) Photoautotrophic B) Homoautotrophic C) Heteroautotrophic D) None of these E) Chemoautotrophic Question 21 The Gaia hypothesis suggests that: A) Life and environment evolved as a connected system B) All of these C) The biosphere is homeostatic D) The environment is controlled through positive and negative feedback mechanisms E) Species with the most progeny will inherit control of the environment Question 22 The levels of organization in Ecology include: A) Individual > Community > Population > Ecosystem > Biome > Biosphere B) Population > Individual > Community > Ecosystem > Biosphere > Biome C) Individual > Population > Community > Ecosystem > Biosphere > Biome D) Individual > Population > Community > Biome > Ecosystem > Biosphere E) Individual > Population > Community > Ecosystem > Biome > Biosphere Question 23 Which one of the following is not a complex dynamic system? A) The human brain B) Social networks C) A lake food web D) The internet E) All of the bridges in a city Question 24 An ecosystem can be defined as: A) None of these B) A community of organisms and its environment functioning as a unit C) The regions of the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere occupied by living organisms D) A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region  E) A “home” where an organism lives Question 25 How many species are there? A) 8,700,000 B) 400,000 C) 1,800,000 D) It is unknown E) 1 trillion Question 26 The Latitudinal Diversity Gradient can be described as: A) Biodiversity increases as latitude decreases moving from the poles to the equator B) None of these C) Biodiversity is highest at the prime meridian and decreases with longitude D) Biodiversity decreases with latitude moving from the poles to the equator E) Biodiversity is lowest at the prime meridian and increases with longitude Answer Key 1. B 2. A 3. D 4. A 5. E 6. D 7. E 8. D 9. B 10. E 11. C 12. C 13. C 14. E 15. C 16. D 17. A 18. D 19. D 20. E 21. B 22. E 23. E 24. B 25. D 26. A