Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between a population and a community in ecology?

Accepted Answer

A population is a group of individuals of a single species living in the same general area, while a community is an assemblage of populations of various species living close enough for potential interaction.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of an abiotic factor that can influence the distribution of organisms?

Accepted Answer

Salinity

Question 3

A scientist observes that two species of barnacles occupy different zones on a rocky shore. When one species is removed, the other expands its range. What ecological concept does this experiment best illustrate?

Accepted Answer

The difference between fundamental and realized niche

Question 4

Which of the following equations correctly represents net primary productivity (NPP) in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

$NPP = GPP - R$

Question 5

In a salt marsh ecosystem, if the gross primary productivity (GPP) is 34,580 kcal/m$^2$/yr and the net primary productivity (NPP) is 6,585 kcal/m$^2$/yr, how much energy is used for plant respiration?

Accepted Answer

$34,580 - 6,585 = 27,995$ kcal/m$^2$/yr

Question 6

Which of the following best explains why food chains are usually limited to only a few trophic levels?

Accepted Answer

Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient, with only about 10% of energy passed on to the next level.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of Batesian mimicry?

Accepted Answer

A harmless snake species mimics the coloration of a venomous snake.

Question 8

Which of the following interactions is correctly matched with its effect on the two species involved?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism: (+/+)

Question 9

A population of mice in a barn feeds on stored grain. An owl preys on the mice. If one acre of land yields 1000 kg of wheat, and only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, how much wheat is needed to support 2 kg of owl biomass (assuming mice are the only food source for the owl and wheat is the only food for the mice)?

Accepted Answer

2000 kg

Question 10

Which of the following is a likely consequence of introducing an invasive species into a new ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

The invasive species may become dominant due to lack of natural predators or diseases.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the competitive exclusion principle?

Accepted Answer

Two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist in the same place.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a component of an organism's ecological niche?

Accepted Answer

Genetic mutation rate

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of character displacement?

Accepted Answer

Two species of finches on the same island evolve different beak sizes to reduce competition.

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the role of a keystone species in a community?

Accepted Answer

A species that exerts strong control on community structure by its ecological role, not necessarily by its abundance.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about energy flow in ecosystems is correct?

Accepted Answer

Energy flows in one direction, from the sun to producers to consumers, and is eventually lost as heat.

Question 16

Which of the following is a primary producer in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Grass

Question 17

Which of the following is a plausible factor that could limit the carrying capacity of the human population on Earth?

Accepted Answer

Buildup of wastes

Question 18

Which of the following best describes mutualism?

Accepted Answer

Both species benefit from the interaction.

Question 19

If only about 1% of the light that strikes green leaves is captured as chemical energy, and a plant receives 100,000 kcal of sunlight per year, how much energy is captured by the plant?

Accepted Answer

$1,000$ kcal

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why communities with higher species diversity are more resistant to invasive species?

Accepted Answer

They use resources more completely, leaving fewer opportunities for invaders to establish.

Population, Community, and Ecosystem Ecology: Key Concepts and Interactions

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