Question 1

Which of the following best describes the hierarchy of ecological study from smallest to largest scale?

Accepted Answer

Organismal, population, community, ecosystem, landscape, global

Question 2

Which abiotic factor is most directly responsible for the formation of a 'rain shadow' on the leeward side of a mountain range?

Accepted Answer

Wind direction

Question 3

A climograph is used to illustrate which relationship in terrestrial biomes?

Accepted Answer

Annual mean temperature vs. annual mean precipitation

Question 4

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of oligotrophic lakes?

Accepted Answer

Low nutrient content and high oxygen levels

Question 5

Why do deserts often have plants with reduced leaf surface area?

Accepted Answer

To reduce water loss through transpiration

Question 6

Which process is responsible for mixing oxygenated surface water with nutrient-rich deeper water in temperate lakes?

Accepted Answer

Seasonal turnover

Question 7

Which of the following best explains why the tropics receive more solar energy per unit area than higher latitudes?

Accepted Answer

Sunlight strikes the tropics more directly, reducing the area over which energy is spread

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a biotic factor limiting species distribution?

Accepted Answer

Predation by native animals

Question 9

A population of bumblebees is observed to contract its southern range but not expand northward as the climate warms. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Asymmetric range shift due to climate change

Question 10

Which adaptation would you expect to find in an organism living in the abyssal zone of the ocean?

Accepted Answer

Enzymes adapted to high pressure and low temperature

Question 11

Which of the following equations best represents the relationship between temperature and the rate of biological processes in most organisms?

Accepted Answer

$$Q_{10} = \frac{R_2$}{R_1$}^{\frac{10}{T_2$-T_1$}}$$

Question 12

Which of the following is a real-world example of a species transplant causing ecological disruption?

Accepted Answer

Introduction of zebra mussels to the Great Lakes

Question 13

Which biome is characterized by permafrost, herbaceous vegetation, and supports migratory birds and grazers?

Accepted Answer

Tundra

Question 14

In which aquatic zone does most photosynthesis occur?

Accepted Answer

Photic zone

Question 15

Which of the following best explains why water temperature in large bodies of water fluctuates less than air temperature over land?

Accepted Answer

Water has a higher specific heat capacity than land

Question 16

Which of the following is a key feature of the chaparral biome?

Accepted Answer

Highly seasonal precipitation with hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters

Question 17

Which of the following is the best example of vertical layering in a terrestrial biome?

Accepted Answer

A forest with canopy, understory, shrub, and ground layers

Question 18

Which of the following is a plausible reason why a species is absent from a particular area, according to the flowchart for species distribution?

Accepted Answer

The area is accessible but the species cannot survive due to biotic or abiotic factors

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the effect of global air circulation on precipitation patterns?

Accepted Answer

Warm, moist air rises at the equator, cools, and releases precipitation; dry air descends at 30° latitude

Question 20

Which of the following is a correct statement about the relationship between ecology and evolutionary biology?

Accepted Answer

Ecological interactions can drive evolutionary changes over time

Ecology: Introduction, Climate, Biomes, and Species Distribution

Study Guide - Practice Questions