Ecology D. decomposers B. consumers A. producers 1. …science-eduk8r.com/assignments/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ecology... · Which of the following is an example of a producer?

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Ecology

1. Plants make their own food during photosynthesis. In what group do plants belong?

A. producers

B. consumers

C. chloroplasts

D. decomposers

2. Which of the following is an example of a producer?

A. oak tree

B. song bird

C. polar bear

D. mushroom

3. When people eat foods high in proteins, such as meat, eggs and cheese, the body breaksdown the proteins into smaller molecules. What is supplied to cells when the body breaksdown proteins?

A. amino acids

B. nucleic acids

C. phospholipids

D. carbohydrates

4. Organisms can respond to changes in their environment in order to maintain a balance,called homeostasis. What does a tree do to maintain homeostasis during the wintermonths?

A. shivers

B. hibernates

C. absorbs sun

D. loses leaves

5. How do organisms get the energy they need?

A. Plants get energy from fertilizers, and animals get energy by drinking water.

B. Plants get energy from glucose produced in the soil, and animals get energy directlyfrom sunlight.

C. Plants do not require energy because they do not move, and animals get energy byperforming exercise.

D. Plants break down the glucose they produced in photosynthesis, and animals getenergy from eating other organisms.

6. There is a connection between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. The products fromone provide the raw materials for the other. This image shows the relationship betweenthe two processes.

What products of photosynthesis are starting material for cellular respiration?

A. glucose and oxygen

B. heat energy and ATP

C. carbon dioxide and water

D. light energy and chlorophyll

7. Plants can provide the materials that animals use in cellular respiration, and animals canprovide some of the materials that plants use for photosynthesis. This image below showsthe relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

According to the diagram, how does cellular respiration aid the process ofphotosynthesis?

A. It produces ATP.

B. It produces glucose.

C. It produces mitochondria.

D. It produces carbon dioxide.

8. The following diagram shows one way a mutation can form during DNA replication.

What kind of mutation has occurred during the DNA replication shown in the diagram?

A. deletion

B. insertion

C. substitution

D. transcription

9. The two mice pictured below were bred in a laboratory. The two mice are clones.

Which of these choices bestdescribes clones?

A. selectively bred organisms

B. biologically similar organisms

C. artificially selected individuals

D. genetically identical individuals

10. A snapdragon plant with red flowers is crossed with a snapdragon plant with white flowers.The offspring produced have pink flowers. Which of these conditions does this crossillustrate?

A. codominance

B. nondominance

C. complete dominance

D. incomplete dominance

11. Which of these statements best describes what happens during vegetative reproduction?

A. A single-celled organism divides into two new organisms.

B. A parent plant produces spores, which grow into new plants.

C. A new plant develops from a stem or root of its parent plant.

D. Pollen from one plant fertilizes another plant and produces offspring.

12. Which of these statements is true for organisms that reproduce asexually?

A. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare more likely to expend energy to find a mate.

B. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare less likely to expend energy caring for their offspring.

C. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare less likely to require only one parent for reproduction to take place.

D. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare more likely to have offspring genetically different from themselves.

13. Scientists have produced a genetically engineered orange tree that is resistant to disease.Which of the following is the bestexample of a potential benefit to society that could resultfrom this biotechnology?

A. increase in orange crop yield

B. reduction in orange crop yield

C. increase in the cost of orange crop

D. a change in the distribution of insects that pollinate orange flowers

14. How might a deletion mutation in a gene affect the translation of that gene?

A. The mutation would not allow DNA to exit the cytoplasm.

B. The mutation would prevent amino acids from being brought to the ribosome duringtranslation.

C. The amino acids would not be the right shape. They would not be able to assembleto form proteins.

D. The mutation would cause a different sequence of amino acids to be brought to theribosome during translation.

15. Which of the following is an acquired trait in humans?

A. eye color

B. hair color

C. blood type

D. table manners

16. When an organism reproduces by budding, how does the new organism start growing?

A. from within the parent organism

B. from the merging of two parent organisms

C. from a spore produced by a parent organism

D. from the outer surface of the parent organism

17. Proteins are responsible for many of our traits. How can a substitution mutation affect aperson’s traits?

A. This mutation stops DNA from replicating.

B. This mutation prevents ribosomes from synthesizing proteins.

C. This mutation changes the number of chromosomes a person has.

D. This mutation causes a change in the protein that forms during translation.

18. Artificial selection, genetic engineering, and cloning are examples of biotechnology. Whichphrase bestdefines biotechnology?

A. the application of living things and biological processes

B. the use of computers and other electronic devices in the field of biology

C. the development of instrumentation that can be used to study biological processes

D. the process of creating a genetically identical organism, cell, or piece of geneticmaterial

19. How is artificial selection different from genetic engineering?

A. Artificial selection is not related to genetics.

B. Artificial selection is not an example of biotechnology.

C. Artificial selection does not directly change a single organism’s DNA.

D. Artificial selection is used to make genetically identical copies of an organisms, cell,or piece of genetic material.

20. The main goal of biotechnology is to use living organisms and biological processes toimprove life on Earth. Which example would be mostbeneficial to global populations?

A. the engineering of eggplant to make it produce fruit in winter

B. the engineering of yeast to contain an enzyme used for making cheese

C. the engineering of fruits so that they ripen slower and can be shipped farther

D. the engineering of rice crops to withstand flooding and contain more nutrients

21. The dog breed shown below has been bred for many generations. It has been bred for itssmall size and friendly temperament.

This is an example of which of the following types of biotechnology?

A. by cloning

B. selective breeding

C. genetic engineering

D. asexual reproduction

22. A mushroom grows on a dead, rotting oak tree lying in the forest. Which of the followingbest describes the tree and the mushroom?

A. The oak tree was a producer, and the mushroom is a producer.

B. The oak tree was a consumer, and the mushroom is a consumer.

C. The oak tree was a decomposer, and the mushroom is a producer.

D. The oak tree was a producer, and the mushroom is a decomposer.

23. Darwin’s theory of natural selection consists of four important parts. Which of thesecorrectly lists the four essential parts of natural selection?

A. living space, adaptation, selection, and hunting

B. overproduction, genetic variation, selection, and adaptation

C. selection, extinction, underproduction, and competition

D. asexual reproduction, genetic variation, selection, and adaptation

24. Charles Darwin studied the finches of the Galapagos Islands and found that their beaksvary in shape and size.

Darwin found that the finches that ate mostly insects had long, narrow beaks. Finches thatate mostly seeds had shorter, broad beaks to crush seeds. Which statement below bestdescribes how natural selection resulted in the four types of finches shown above?

A. The residents of the Galapagos Islands selectively bred together finches having thetraits that they wanted them to have.

B. The narrow-beaked finches came first, and evolved into the broad-beaked finchesthrough a series of natural mutations.

C. The broad-beaked finches wore down their beaks digging for insects and passedthese narrower beaks on to their offspring.

D. Over time, the finches that were born with beaks better suited to the available foodsupply in their habitats survived and reproduced.

25. Which of these describes a likely reason why a species would become extinct after amajor environmental change?

A. There are not enough members of the species born with a trait necessary to survivein the new environment.

B. The environmental changes mean fewer predators are around.

C. The change in the environment opens new resources with less competition.

D. There are more homes for the species in the changed environment.

26. Which of the following provides structural evidence for evolution?

A. A fossil from the Mesozoic era shows an extinct animal similar to a modern animal.

B. A comparison of similar bones in the legs of a human, a dog, and a bat.

C. A genetic analysis of two animals shows similar sequences of DNA.

D. The embryos of two animals look similar at similar stages.

27. Which of the following happened in Precambrian time?

A. Life began to evolve on Earth.

B. The first mammals appeared.

C. A mass extinction wiped out most dinosaurs.

D. Life on Earth began to move from water to land.

28. The diagram below shows a model of the proposed relationships among some groups ofmammals.

Which of these organisms is most closelyrelated to whales?

A. pig

B. bison

C. camel

D. hippopotamus

29. Similarities in the structures of two different species provide evidence that the speciesevolved from a common ancestor. This type of evidence includes similar structures thathave different functions. Which of the following pairs of features have a similar structurebut have a different function in each organism?

A. a dolphin fin and a shark fin

B. human fingernails and monkey fingernails

C. the front leg of a cat and the wing of a bat

D. the wing of a bumble bee and the wing of a bird

30. The image below shows one type of living thing.

How does the organisms shown in the image obtain the nutrients it needs for lifeprocesses?

A. It creates its own food.

B. It consumes other organisms.

C. It decomposes dead organisms.

D. It absorbs nutrients from the air.

31. What is a population?

A. a group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring

B. a group of organisms of the same species that live in a defined geographical area

C. a process by which inherited traits in a population change over many generations

D. a process in which better-adapted individuals are more likely to survive andreproduce

32. Which of the following statements correctly describes a kingdom of Domain Eukarya?

A. Kingdom Protista includes single-celled organisms that lack nuclei.

B. Kingdom Animalia includes multicellular organisms that make their own food.

C. Kingdom Plantae includes multicellular organisms that can move independently.

D. Kingdom Fungi includes organisms that get energy by decomposing materials in theirenvironment.

33. The diagram below shows the changes over time in a population of mice in the wild after apopulation of hawks has moved into their environment. The white and dark mice differ onlyin color.

Which statement is the most likelyexplanation for why the mouse population changedover time?

A. The white mice are able to reproduce more successfully than the dark mice do.

B. The hawks eat more dark mice than white mice because the dark mice taste better.

C. The hawks eat more white mice than dark mice because they can see the white micemore easily.

D. The hawks eat more dark mice than white mice, because they can see the dark micemore easily.

34. Which of the following is an example of an external stimulus that could cause a plant togrow larger?

A. wilting

B. the presence of a predator

C. abundant sunlight and water

D. extremely dry and hot conditions

35. The following organism grows near a wetland area.

The organism receives plenty of water and clean air. What else does it need to survive?

A. food

B. a place to live

C. similar organisms

D. warm temperatures

36. How did photosynthesizing prokaryotes that lived during Precambrian time help life onEarth become more diverse?

A. They reproduced quickly.

B. They became other organisms.

C. They made conditions more favorable by enriching the soil.

D. They made conditions more favorable by increasing the amount of oxygen.

37. Samantha plans an investigation in which she will study a population of animals. Which ofthese answers bestdescribes the focus of Samantha’s study?

A. a single cat that lives in her house

B. all of the cats in her neighborhood

C. all of the pets owned by her classmates

D. the cats and dogs at a local animal shelter

38. The illustration below shows the changes over time in a population of mice in the wild aftera population of hawks has moved into the grassy fields where they live. The white anddark mice differ only in color.

Which of the following terms would best be used to describe the 3 steps shown in thisdiagram?

A. variation

B. selection

C. overproduction

D. selective breeding

39. Which of the following is an example of homeostasis?

A. A human body loses too much heat on a cold day, and hypothermia occurs.

B. A cactus stores water during wet periods, allowing it to live through dry periods.

C. A human participates in vigorous activity on a hot day and eventually suffers fromdehydration.

D. A snake rests in the sun on a summer day, and its body temperature eventuallybecomes too hot for survival.

40. How do producers get the energy their bodies need to survive?

A. Producers make their own food.

B. Producers get energy through the burning of fossil fuels.

C. Producers cannot make their own food and must eat other organisms.

D. Producers get energy by breaking down the nutrients in dead organisms.

41. What are the four things that all living things need to survive?

A. water, air, food, and a place to live

B. a place to live, light, air, and mobility

C. food, water, a place to live, and family

D. light, food, sleep, and the ability to hunt

42. Which of these scenarios is an example of natural selection?

A. Farmers crossbreed two types of cows to produce a breed of cow that has high-quality beef and can tolerate a hot climate.

B. Dogs of the same breed and having a desirable coat color are bred with one anotherto produce more puppies with that same coat color.

C. Giraffes with longer necks survive a dry season by eating leaves from the tops oftrees. Those giraffes breed more successfully that year.

D. People kill rattlesnakes that rattle when approached by humans, but people do notkill rattlesnakes that remain silent. The quiet snakes survive and breed.

43. Which of these statements best describes what Charles Darwin observed on theGalápagos Islands?

A. The finch population on each island was unique.

B. The finches on the islands ate seeds and nuts but no insects.

C. The finches on the islands were the same as the finches in Ecuador.

D. The finches could produce offspring only with finches from other islands.

44. A species of rodent lives in a moist forest climate. Over time, the climate becomes drierand more desert-like. Which of these adaptations would most likely improve the chancesthat the rodent species could survive as its environment changes?

A. having dark hair and small ears

B. living above ground in damp areas

C. being able to eat only one type of berry

D. being able to eat plants that survive in the changed environment

45. The figure below shows two spotted salamanders. They are the same species ofsalamander, but they live in different areas.

Which of these terms is used to describe the difference between them?

A. variation

B. extinction

C. population

D. overpopulation

46. The diagram below shows a portion of the fossil record in sedimentary rock. Different rocklayers and fossils are clearly visible.

Which layer of rock is the oldest?

A. Layer A is the oldest.

B. Layer B is the oldest.

C. Layer D is the oldest.

D. They are all the same age.

47. Which of these cases provides embryological evidence that two species share a commonancestor?

A. two species with very similar DNA

B. two species with different body structures

C. two species with different structures that have similar functions

D. two different species with similar patterns of early development

48. William discovered that two modern-day species have very similar DNA. He concludesthat the two species are closely related. What type of evidence did William most likelyuseto reach his conclusion?

A. fossil evidence

B. genetic evidence

C. structural evidence

D. evidence from developmental patterns

49. Juan is studying fossils. His teacher wrote the following statements on the board andasked the students to put them in the correct order to describe how fossils are formed.

1. Minerals seep into the organism’s body and replace it with stone.

2. The organism completely decomposes, leaving behind an imprint.

3. An organism dies and its body is covered with a layer of sediment.

4. Time passes, and sediment layers continue to build up on the organism.

Which is the correct order of events for fossil formation?

A. 3, 4, 1, 2

B. 2, 3, 4, 1

C. 1, 3, 2, 4

D. 3, 2, 1, 4

50. Which of these descriptions is an example of an unused body structure?

A. a bat’s wing that enables it to fly

B. the tiny leg bones found in snakes that have no legs

C. the front legs of a dog that supports its weight as it walks and runs

D. the tentacles of an octopus that aid it in movement and catching prey

51. The Permian mass extinction, during which approximately 90% of all marine life becameextinct, occurred during which geologic era?

A. Precambrian Era

B. Paleozoic Era

C. Mesozoic Era

D. Cenozoic Era

52. What role does evolution play during the Cenozoic Era?

A. Evolution caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

B. Evolution did not play a role during the Cenozoic Era.

C. Evolution led to mass extinctions, including many primate species.

D. Evolution led to a greater diversity of living things, including humans.

53. Which statement best describes dinosaurs?

A. Dinosaurs evolved into other animals during the Cenozoic Era.

B. Dinosaurs died out because of natural causes during the Paleozoic Era.

C. Dinosaurs died out because of a mass extinction at the end of the Mesozoic Era.

D. Dinosaurs died out because of natural causes and a mass extinction during thePaleozoic Era.

54. Which factor best explains why classification systems change over time?

A. changing environments lead to reclassification

B. increased plant species leads to reclassification

C. changes in food sources leads to reclassification

D. increased knowledge of genetics leads to reclassification

55. Which of the following is a situation that could lead to the extinction of a species?

A. increased habitat

B. increased food supply

C. increased competition

D. increased population size

56. Which of these best describes the tiny leg bones that some whales have, which do not aidin their movement or serve any other function?

A. structures that grows and improves in function as they are used

B. structures that will become adaptations when the environment changes

C. structures that have lost all or most of their function over evolutionary time

D. structures that function at certain times of the year or under certain conditions

57. The figure below shows two spotted salamanders that belong to the same species.

How does the concept of variation help us understand that the salamanders are membersof the same species, even though they look slightly different?

A. Variation explains why some organisms survive while others do not.

B. Variation describes a range of physical traits among members of a species.

C. Variation describes a group of organisms that live together in the same area.

D. Variation explains the process by which populations gradually change over time.

58. The following diagram shows one type of living thing.

What type of organism is shown in the above image?

A. producer

B. consumer

C. decomposer

D. the diagram does not show a living thing

59. What is a mass extinction?

A. the death of one member of a species

B. the death of every member of a species

C. the death of select members of a species

D. the death of all members of many different species

60. Which of the following phrases describes the cycle of activity that an animal has duringany 24-hour period?

A. The animal’s hibernation period.

B. The animal’s estivation period.

C. The animal’s biological clock.

D. The animal’s circadian rhythm.

61. What is social hierarchy?

A. animals that live together

B. animals that release pheromones to attract mates

C. animals that have dominant and submissive roles

D. animals that hunt together and share food and shelter

62. What are two results of partnerships between fungi and other organisms?

A. yeast and spores

B. hyphae and mycelium

C. lichen and mycorrhizae

D. cyanobacteria and phytoplankton

63. Which of the following exhibits dominant behavior?

A. alpha male in a wolf pack

B. a puppy in a litter of dogs

C. a drone bee in a colony of bees

D. a female deer in a herd of deer

64. With which organisms do fungi partner to produce lichen and mycorrhizae?

A. with hyphae to produce lichen, with yeast to produce mycorrhizae

B. with phytoplankton to produce lichen, with spores to produce mycorrhizae

C. with plant roots to produce lichen, with cyanobacteria to produce mycorrhizae

D. with cyanobacteria to produce lichen, with plant roots to produce mycorrhizae

65. Which behavior could best help an animal survive harsh summer conditions?

A. estivation

B. migration

C. hibernation

D. circadian rhythm

66. What are mycorrhizae?

A. Mycorrhizae are one of the three main types of fungi.

B. Mycorrhizae are the threadlike strands of a fungus used in reproduction.

C. Mycorrhizae are formed by a partnership between fungi and the roots of plants.

D. Mycorrhizae are formed by a partnership between fungi and green algae orcyanobacterium.

67. As you walk past a field of sunflowers, you notice the flowers are all facing the samedirection. This is an example of what?

A. transpiration

B. phototropism

C. photosynthesis

D. sexual reproduction

68. The table below shows some behaviors of animals.

What is the best title for the above table?

A. survival behaviors

B. seasonal behaviors

C. defensive behaviors

D. reproductive behaviors

69. What is social behavior in animals?

A. the tendency of animals to avoid interaction

B. interaction between animals of differing species

C. interaction between animals of the same species

D. the term used to describe the drawbacks of animals living in groups

70. Hibernation is a period of inactivity and decreased body temperature that some animalsexperience in the winter. What is the similar period of inactivity that some animalsexperience in the summer?

A. migration

B. estivation

C. biological clock

D. circadian rhythm

71. A small fish called a cleaner wrasse darts in and out of a larger fish’s mouth, removingand eating parasites and dead tissue. Which term best describes the relationship betweenthe cleaner wrasse and the large fish?

A. mutualism

B. commensalisms

C. parasitism

D. competition

72. Bees have a society in which different members have different responsibilities. Theinteraction among bees is an example of what type of behavior?

A. cooperation

B. competition

C. consumerism

D. commensalism

73. After a mild winter and plenty of food, a deer population grew rapidly. What most likelyhappened to the wolf population in that same ecosystem?

A. It was unaffected.

B. It grew.

C. It shrunk.

D. It went extinct.

74. The diagram below shows an aquatic ecosystem.

What is one abiotic factor shown in this diagram?

A. the snails

B. the water

C. the crab

D. the tree roots

75. Which of the following is an example of a biotic limiting factor for a population?

A. water availability

B. climate

C. disease

D. natural disasters

76. Which of the following is the most likely reason that a population might crash?

A. The competition for the same resource suddenly drops.

B. The number of prey suddenly increases.

C. The number of predators suddenly decreases.

D. The carrying capacity of the environment suddenly drops.

77. Grizzly bears are classified in the order Carnivora. Their diet consists of roots, tubers,berries, nuts, fungus, insects, rodents, and fish. What ecological role best describesgrizzly bears?

A. carnivores

B. omnivores

C. herbivores

D. producers

78. The graph below shows the size of a squirrel population over 20 years.

The trend displayed on the graph could be a result of what factor?

A. emigration

B. immigration

C. increased death rate

D. scarce resources

79. A mangrove swamp contains many organisms living among the large roots of themangrove trees. This food web shows some of the relationships in that ecosystem.

According to the food web, which organism is a producer in the mangrove swamp?

A. crab

B. mold

C. pelican

D. phytoplankton

80. During the 1930s, a large region of the Great Plains experienced a drought that turnedgrasslands into dust. How did this change most likely affect populations of insects livingamong the grasslands?

A. They adapted to eat dust instead of grass.

B. They decreased because the resources they needed were not available.

C. They increased because other populations were eliminated from the environment.

D. They were not affected because the size of a population cannot change over time.

81. The image shows various things that make up a pond.

Which things from the image make up the pond community?

A. water, rocks, clouds, and air only

B. fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects only

C. grasses, cattail reeds, fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects

D. grasses, cattail reeds, water, rocks, clouds, air, fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, crayfish,and insects

82. Some consumers, such as many flying insects, need large amounts of energy to grow andmove from one place to another. How do consumers get energy to function?

A. Consumers obtain all of their energy by eating other organisms.

B. Consumers obtain some energy from other organisms and some from sunlight.

C. Consumers obtain most of their energy by absorbing it from their environments.

D. Consumers convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in food.

83. How is an organism’s niche different from its habitat?

A. Its niche is the organism’s role within the habitat.

B. Its niche is the climate that exists within the habitat.

C. Its niche is the place where an organism lives within a habitat.

D. Its niche is the size of the population to which the organism belongs.

84. The graph below shows the populations of two different animals over a period of time.

Which statement is most likely true of the kinds of animal represented by animal A andanimal B in the graph?

A. A and B are both prey.

B. A and B are both predators.

C. A is prey, and B is a predator.

D. A is a predator, whereas B is prey.

85. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between ecosystemsand biomes?

A. A biome may contain many ecosystems, and ecosystems within the same biome aretypically home to similar species of organisms.

B. An ecosystem may contain many biomes, and biomes within the same ecosystemare typically home to similar species of organisms.

C. Both biomes and ecosystems are characterized by their climate conditions andthe communities that live in them; however, biomes refer to land environments andecosystems refer to aquatic environments.

D. Both biomes and ecosystems are characterized by their climate conditions andthe communities that live in them; however, ecosystems refer to land environments andbiomes refer to aquatic environments.

86. Which of the following describes the relationship between a hermit crab and the molluskthat previously lived in the hermit crab’s shell?

A. parasitism

B. mutualism

C. commensalism

D. predator and prey

87. What causes competition to occur in an environment?

A. Good conditions make resources plentiful.

B. Organisms struggle for a limited resource.

C. Members of a population have different roles.

D. A population falls below the environment’s carrying capacity.

88. What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

A. to control the population of producers and consumers

B. to compete with producers for energy and other resources

C. to provide a source of energy for the producers in the ecosystem

D. to recycle energy and materials from dead producers and consumers

89. The figure below shows a food chain that might exist in a field or meadow.

Which of the following best describes what the food chain represents?

A. how an organism might change over time

B. the movement of organisms throughout the ecosystem

C. the increase in size among organisms in the ecosystem

D. the path of energy transfer from producers to consumers

90. Which of the following is a resource for which two trees growing next to each other in aforest would most likely compete?

A. nutrients in the soil

B. carbon dioxide in the air

C. bark-eating animals that live nearby

D. timber that humans can use for fuel

91. This mangrove ecosystem represented by the food web below consists of a grove of treeswith an extensive root system and the organisms that use the grove for food or shelter.

What do the arrows in the food web represent?

A. the relative location of organisms in the ecosystem

B. the flow of energy from one organism in the ecosystem to another

C. the relative sizes of organisms in the ecosystem from smallest to largest

D. the increase in complexity of organisms from producer through consumer

92. During the 1930s, a large region of the Great Plains experienced a drought that turnedgrasslands into dust. How did this most likely affect the carrying capacity for populations offarm animals?

A. The carrying capacity increased at first and then decreased as time went on.

B. The carrying capacity decreased because the environment no longer had enoughresources.

C. The carrying capacity stayed the same because it depends on the animals ratherthan the environment.

D. The carrying capacity increased because there was more room for animals once theplants were gone from the environment.


Which things from the image are part of the pond ecosystem?

A. grasses and cattail reeds only

B. water, rocks, clouds, and air only

C. fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects only


94. Carnivores and herbivores are both consumers. Which statement best describes how theydiffer from one another?

A. Carnivores produce all the energy they need.

B. Carnivores eat only animals whereas herbivores eat only plants.

C. Carnivores eat living organisms whereas herbivores eat organisms that have died.

D. Carnivores obtain energy by eating food whereas herbivores obtain energy fromsunlight.

95. Which of the following best describes the niche of a sunflower plant?

A. It has roots, stems, and leaves.

B. It produces food through photosynthesis.

C. It requires soil, air, and water in order to survive.

D. It reproduces by making seeds that grow into new plants.


How might the two animals whose populations are represented in the graph be related?

A. There is no relationship between them.

B. The animals compete over the same resources.

C. One animal depends on the other, but the other animal is unaffected.

D. There is a relationship of dependency between the animals, and both are affected.

97. A classmate describes the region in which he lives as “a temperate deciduous forestbiome consisting of several different ecosystems, including meadows, ponds, woods,even rotting logs.” Based on what you know about biomes and ecosystems, could yourclassmate’s description be accurate?

A. Yes, because all temperate deciduous forest biomes contain meadows, ponds,woods, and rotting logs.

B. Yes, because a biome may contain many ecosystems, and an ecosystem includes allthe living and non-living things in a particular area.

C. No, because rotting logs are too small and localized to be considered ecosystems.

D. No, because an ecosystem may contain several different biomes, but a biome doesnot contain several different ecosystems.

98. Small birds called Egyptian plovers sometimes get their food by picking it off the hidesof crocodiles. For this reason, they are also known as crocodile birds. Which kind ofrelationship do crocodiles and Egyptian plovers have?

A. mutualism

B. parasitism

C. predator-prey

D. commensalism

99. Which of the following describes the most likely reason that a group of predators of thesame species would cooperate?

A. to secure a mate

B. to claim a limited resource

C. to kill a larger animal for food

D. to defend each other from attack

100. Which statement describes a difference between decomposers and consumers in anecosystem?

A. Decomposers are types of plants, whereas consumers are types of animals.

B. Decomposers remain in one place, but consumers move around within theecosystem.

C. Decomposers get energy only from plant materials, and consumers eat both plantsand animals.

D. Decomposers can obtain energy by digesting chemical compounds that consumerscannot digest.


Which organism is the primary consumer in this food chain?

A. owl

B. toad

C. beetle

D. plant leaf

102. Which of the following is not a resource that two birds living in the same tree would likelycompete for?

A. oxygen in the air to breathe

B. other birds with which to mate

C. twigs with which to build a nest

D. seeds growing on the tree to eat

103. Which of the following best describes what scientists consider when they study ecology?

A. the interactions of organisms with their environment

B. the interactions of organisms with weather and climate

C. the interactions of organisms to reproduce and produce offspring

D. the interactions of organisms with one another and the environment

104. Which of the following determines where a population can live?

A. whether its needs are met by the biotic factors in the habitat

B. whether its needs are met by the abiotic factors in the habitat

C. whether its needs are met by the abiotic and biotic factors in the habitat

D. whether its needs are met by the other populations of organisms in the habitat

105. The following image shows organisms in a certain land biome.

Which land biome is most likely shown in this image?

A. desert

B. tundra

C. tropical rain forest

D. temperate grassland

106. Which of the following is a biotic factor in an ecosystem?

A. wind

B. tree leaves

C. small rocks

D. light from the sun

107. Which of these statements describes a species?

A. A species is a group of organisms that are closely related.

B. A species is a group of organisms that live in the same habitat.

C. A species is a group of organisms that live in an area and interact.

D. A species is a group of organisms that are closely related and produce fertileoffspring.

108. Each organism has its own role in an ecosystem. Organisms can be producers,consumers, or decomposers. Which of these organisms can be classified as adecomposer?

A.

B.

C.

D.

109. Which of the following consumers is a herbivore?

A. cat

B. horse

C. human

D. vulture

110. A student is identifying food chains in an ecosystem. Which of the following organismsmight be a tertiary consumer?

A. frog

B. redwood tree

C. great white shark

D. athlete’s foot fungus

111. Two types of global food webs show the feeding relationships of organisms. Whatdistinguishes one type of global web from the other?

A. whether the producers are located on land or in water

B. whether or not the food web includes tertiary consumers

C. whether the web includes animals that migrate during the year

D. whether the ecosystem described by the web is localized or very broad

112. All organisms must obtain energy from their environment. Every organism needs thisenergy in order to grow and reproduce. How do producers obtain energy?

A. They obtain energy by eating plants, bacteria, and algae.

B. They extract chemical energy from decaying organic matter.

C. They extract energy from the chemicals in soil, air, and water.

D. They capture energy from sunlight and manufacture their own food.

113. Which of the following is an example of a biotic limiting factor in an ecosystem?

A. New predators move into the ecosystem.

B. A drought occurs for several months.

C. A hurricane passes through an ecosystem.

D. Living space is lost due to human activities.

114. Which of the following events would lead to an increase in the size of a population ofsquirrels?

A. More squirrels are born than die.

B. Some squirrels emigrate in search of food.

C. New predators are added to the ecosystem.

D. A large number of squirrels die because of a forest fire.

115. A scientist creates the following graph to demonstrate the effect of limiting factors on apopulation of rabbits.

According to the graph, during which year did the limiting factors in this environment mostaffect the rabbit population?

A. Year 1

B. Year 2

C. Year 3

D. Year 4

116. Which statement provides an example of how social hierarchy might influence apopulation?

A. Soldier termites defend the colony from predators.

B. Prairie dogs uses a high-pitched bark to communicate.

C. Mistletoe sends roots into tree branches to take in nutrients.

D. Poison tree frogs have bright colors signifying that they are toxic.

117. A scientist observes a population crash among eagles within an island ecosystem. Whichevent might have led to such a crash?

A. Travelers brought new crops to the island.

B. A drop in sea level exposed more of the island.

C. The closing of a dam caused the island to flood.

D. Warm weather conditions resulted in an abundance of food.

118. Which of these statements best explains why trees in a forest do not grow very close toone another?

A. Their seeds blow away from them.

B. Deer eat the newly sprouted seedlings.

C. Trees are harvested by lumber companies.

D. Trees compete for resources directly around them.

119. Hermit crabs and anemones have a mutualistic relationship. Which of these statementsbest describes how they interact?

A. Hermit crabs and anemones live in the same ecosystem and can eat similarorganisms.

B. Anemones can move on their own by using their tentacles and pedal disk. The pedaldisk is on the side of the anemone that is opposite its mouth.

C. Anemones cannot move very quickly, but they can sting predators. When ananemone is riding on a hermit crab’s shell, the anemone protects the crab from predators.

D. When a hermit crab grows too big for a shell, it moves to a larger shell. If ananemone has attached itself to the old shell, the hermit crab will move the anemone to itsnew shell.

120. One relationship between organisms is that of predator-prey. Which of the following is thebest description of a predator?

A. an organism that eats another organism

B. an organism that participates in symbiosis

C. an organism that is eaten by another organism

D. an organism that benefits at the expense of another organism

121. The diagram below shows feeding relationships among some organisms in an ecosystem.

Based on the information shown in the diagram, which answer best describes therelationship between hawks and coyotes?

A. Coyotes are parasites of hawks.

B. Coyotes are predators of hawks.

C. Coyotes and hawks are both prey.

D. Coyotes and hawks compete for the same food.

122. Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

A. A bird is hunted, killed, and eaten by a cat.

B. A bird eats berries, then spreads the seeds.

C. A bird finds an existing hole in a tree and builds a nest in it.

D. A bird finds a small shellfish on a beach, cracks its shell, and eats it.

123. The ecosystem in the diagram below has both biotic and abiotic factors.

Which is an abiotic factor in this ecosystem?

A. fish

B. sand

C. snails

D. plants

124. Which of these statements best describes a niche in an ecosystem?

A. the role of a species in its population

B. the role of a species in its community

C. the way a species uses the resources in its habitat

D. the way a species interacts with other species in its habitat

125. A spider hides in an orchid flower. It captures and eats insects as they enter the flower.How could this be an example of mutualism?

A. if the spider is also eating part of the flower

B. if the spider’s actions do not affect the orchid plant

C. if the insects that the spider captures are harming the flower

D. if the insects that the spider captures are pollinating the flower

126. The diagram below shows some organisms that live in one kind of seaside ecosystem.

Which of the following organisms would benefit most from having patterns and colorationthat help them blend in with the sand-dune grasses?

A. crab

B. sandpiper

C. palm trees

D. grasshopper

127. Which of the following describes a community?

A. all populations that live in the same area

B. all populations that contain the same species

C. all populations that live in the same area and interact

D. all populations that live in the same area but do not interact

128. Green plants use energy from the sun to produce food during the process ofphotosynthesis. This food provides energy to an entire food chain. What starting materialsdo the plants use to make this food?

A. soil and water

B. water and oxygen


D. water, phosphorus, and nitrogen

129. Why are decomposers an essential part of a healthy ecosystem?

A. Decomposers are a necessary part of the diet of most consumers.

B. Decomposers convert plant material into a form that primary consumers can use.

C. Decomposers make resources available to producers by breaking down wastematerials.

D. Decomposers extract energy from sunlight as they break down plant materials,adding returning energy to the system.

130. What is one way that cooperation helps lions to survive?

A. They hunt in a group to increase their likelihood of catching prey.

B. They all have a tan color that helps them blend into their environment.

C. They eat a variety of prey, including zebras, buffaloes, and wildebeest.

D. They live in prides of five to ten adult females and their young, and one or two adultmales.

131. The food web below shows some of the feeding relationships among organisms in Arcticwaters.

Which organism would be least affected by overfishing for cod in Arctic waters?

A. seals

B. shrimp

C. baleen whales

D. toothed whales

132. A scientist is studying a population of elephants contained in an animal preserve. Which ofthe following must be true if the size of the population is increasing?

A. The birth rate has dropped to zero.

B. The birth rate is equal to the death rate.

C. The death rate is greater than the birth rate.

D. The birth rate has become greater than the death rate.

133. What are the ocean zones of a marine ecosystem, from most shallow to deepest?

A. intertidal, neritic, bathyal, abyssal

B. abyssal, neritic, intertidal, bathyal

C. neritic, intertidal, bathyal, abyssal

D. bathyal, abyssal, intertidal, neritic

134. Below is an energy pyramid diagram.

Why is the level at 4 so much smaller than the level at 1?

A. Organisms gain energy as the food chain moves down the pyramid.

B. Fewer organisms are supported as you move down the pyramid.

C. Only the energy that is used is available to organisms at a higher level.

D. Only the energy that is stored is available to organisms at a higher level.

135. What element can be changed by lightning into a form that plants can use?

A. oxygen

B. carbon

C. phosphorous

D. nitrogen

136. Below is a diagram of the carbon cycle.

Which number corresponds to combustion and the release of CO 2, water, and the loss of

energy as heat into the environment?

A. 1

B. 2

C. 3

D. 4

137. What is one way that farmers try to reduce erosion when growing crops?

A. leave bare soil exposed

B. cut trees to increase wind

C. plow rows across slopes

D. allow rain to wash away dirt

138. Some grass species need fire in order for their seeds to germinate. Why might thisadaptation be useful for grasses?

A. Fire allows trees to grow and provide shade for the grasses.

B. The hot temperature of the fire helps the grasses grow faster.

C. Seeds can germinate in an area that has been cleared by a fire.

D. Fire discourages grazing by large animals so grass can grow higher.

139. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Humans do not need to use the ecosystem to meet their basic needs.

B. Cutting forests for food production decreases greenhouse gases.

C. The growing and harvesting of crops does not negatively affect the local ecosystem.

D. The use of land for food production can negatively affect the local ecosystem.

140. The diagram below shows an energy pyramid. In a marine ecosystem, algae carry outphotosynthesis. Barracuda eat snapper fish. Reef sharks eat barracuda.

Which organism would be at the top of the energy pyramid?

A. algae

B. reef shark

C. barracuda

D. snapper fish

141. What happens when resource depletion occurs?

A. chemicals are spilled or dumped into water

B. nutrients are added to an aquatic ecosystem

C. a large fraction of a specific resource is used up

D. materials are changed in form so they can be reused

142. The amount of available energy decreases along a food chain in an ecosystem. How isthis explained by the law of conservation of energy?

A. Living things change energy into matter.

B. The energy is changed to a different form.

C. Only small amounts of energy can be destroyed at a time.

D. Energy is used up when living things conduct life processes.

143. How does natural eutrophication affect a pond ecosystem?

A. It causes nutrients to build up.

B. It causes temperatures to rise.

C. It causes the pond to become deeper.

D. It causes a change in the flow of water.

144. Japanese stiltgrass is thought to have arrived in the United States from Asia. It wasused as packing material for shipments of Chinese porcelain, and its seeds were likelytransported to the US in the packing material. Stiltgrass was first noted growing inTennessee around 1918. The diagrams below show a forested area in Virginia before andafter the spread of Japanese stiltgrass to the state.

What can you infer about Japanese stiltgrass from these images?

A. It is a native plant of Virginia.

B. It outcompetes shrubs and small trees for space.

C. It needs a lot of sunlight and space to grow well.

D. It coexists well with other species of plants.

145. Which of the following human activities is most likely to affect water quantity in an area?

A. boating on a lake

B. constructing a dam

C. dumping chemicals down a drain

D. piloting oil tankers across the ocean

146. Which ecosystem most likely has the greatest biological diversity?

A. a tank that includes several goldfish

B. a tundra region that has many penguins

C. a pine tree in which three groups of birds live

D. a rain forest that has many different types of plants and animals

147. The picture shows an arctic fox.

In which biome does the fox most likely live?

A. desert

B. tundra

C. grasslands

D. temperature rain forest

148. Which is an example of a biome?

A. a cave

B. an old tree

C. a large lake

D. a tropical rain forest

149. The diagram below shows the four zones of the ocean.

Which part of the diagram represents the intertidal zone?

A. Zone 1

B. Zone 2

C. Zone 3

D. Zone 4

150. Which adaptation would best help a lily pad survive in the moving water of a stream?

A. long roots

B. large leaves

C. sweet scent

D. white flowers

151. Which of the following is a way in which humans interact with the ecosystem?

A. Humans improve their nutrition by adding vitamins to various foods.

B. Human activity results in fewer and smaller urban areas.

C. Humans clear and cultivate land to produce food.

D. Farming usually increases biodiversity in a land ecosystem.

152. The diagram below shows an energy pyramid. In a rainforest ecosystem, green plantscarry out photosynthesis. Grasshoppers eat plants. Frogs eat grasshoppers. Hawks eatfrogs.

If you were to place the animals listed above in an energy pyramid, which organism wouldbe at the top of the energy pyramid?

A. frog

B. grasshopper

C. green plant

D. hawk

153. Which is an example of resource depletion?

A. Fertilizers run off farms into nearby waterways.

B. Ships are sunk to make up for the loss of natural reefs.

C. Gases released into the air combine with rain to produce weak acids.

D. More trees are cut down to make paper products than are replanted.

154. How is the law of conservation of energy related to the fact that ecosystems can functionas open systems?

A. Organisms can travel from one ecosystem to another.

B. Energy destroyed in one ecosystem is created in another.

C. Ecosystems can create energy for other ecosystems to use.

D. Energy that leaves an ecosystem is still conserved in a larger system.

155. Which of the following might result from the process of natural eutrophication?

A. A pond becomes a meadow.

B. A rock breaks down into soil.

C. A glacier retreats to expose new land.

D. A non-native species takes resources from native species.

156. Japanese stiltgrass is thought to have arrived in the United States from Asia. It wasused as packing material for shipments of Chinese porcelain, and its seeds were likelytransported to the US in the packing material. Stiltgrass was first noted growing inTennessee around 1918. The diagrams below show a forest area in Virginia before andafter the arrival of Japanese stiltgrass in the state.

If the grass is not removed, what may eventually happen to the forest?

A. Other plants will enter the area and crowd out the stiltgrass, which will disappear.

B. The stiltgrass will die out, because the tall trees block out the sunlight.

C. Tree seedlings will develop among the grass and grow into tall trees, expanding theforest.

D. The forest will die out because new seedlings will be crowded out by the grass.

157. Farmers often give their crops more nutrients by applying chemical fertilizers to the soil.Which of the following describes how this activity is most likely to affect water quality innearby water bodies?

A. If the fertilizers run off into the water, they can cause eutrophication.

B. If the fertilizers run off into the water, the nutrient level may be decreased.

C. If the fertilizers run off into the water, the water will be able to support a greaterdiversity of organisms.

D. Applying chemical fertilizers to soil is unlikely to affect water quality in nearby waterbodies.

158. What does biodiversity indicate about an ecosystem?

A. the location of the ecosystem

B. the overall size of the ecosystem

C. the ability of the ecosystem to survive change

D. the identify of the organisms that began ecological succession in the ecosystem

159. The drawing shows an arctic fox.

What is one important way the fox is adapted to its environment?

A. Its strong paws help it climb tall trees.

B. Its small size helps the fox hide below forest plants.

C. Its white fur helps the fox stand out to other animals.

D. Its small ears and nose slow the fox’s heat loss in a cold climate.

160. Which of the following factors determines a biome’s identity?

A. the climate that exists there

B. the number of people who live there

C. the amount of pollution that occurs there

D. the types of activities that can be done there


Which part of the diagram represents the zone that extends from the base of the neriticzone to the edge of the continental shelf?

A. Zone 1

B. Zone 2

C. Zone 3

D. Zone 4

162. How might a sucker mouth help a tadpole survive in a river ecosystem?

A. It helps the tadpole stay in place while feeding.

B. It lets the tadpole move quickly through water currents.

C. It enables the tadpole to defend itself from its predators.

D. It allows the tadpole to blend into its surroundings more easily.

163. In which biome would you expect to find many coniferous trees?

A. taiga

B. tundra

C. savanna

D. tropical rain forest

164. What important role does fire play in a grassland biome?

A. It helps seeds germinate.

B. It spreads seeds to distant locations.

C. It causes flowers on plants to bloom.

D. It prevents animals from eating plant populations.

165. How are tropical plants such as bromeliads adapted to the biome in which they live?

A. They grow from tree branches rather than the forest floor, which helps them toabsorb more sunlight.

B. They have long, thick roots, which helps them to gather the nutrients that are founddeep within the soil.

C. They have hollow leaves and stems for storing water, which helps them to survivelong periods with little rainfall.

D. They lose their leaves during the winter, which helps them to save energy when thetemperature falls and prevents the buildup of snow.

166. How is a tundra biome similar to a desert biome?

A. Both biomes have dry, rocky soils.

B. Both biomes lack plants or animals.

C. Both biomes are hot during the day and cold at night.

D. Both biomes are characterized by very little precipitation.

167. A researcher is investigating the plants shown below.

Which biome is the researcher most likely studying?

A. taiga

B. desert

C. grassland


168. Which example represents an abiotic factor in an aquatic ecosystem?

A. Water lilies float on top of a pond.

B. A population of bass is living in a lake.

C. The pH of a lake is decreased by acid rain.

D. Dragonflies feed on small insects near a pond.

169. How do rivers and streams differ from lakes and ponds?

A. Rivers and streams are made up of salt water instead of fresh water.

B. Unlike the water in lakes and ponds, the water in rivers and streams flows.

C. Fish can live in rivers and streams, whereas plants grow in lakes and ponds.

D. Lakes and ponds form only after heavy rains, whereas rivers and streams alwaysexist.

170. The illustration below shows a river otter.

What is one way the otter is adapted to living in the moving water of a river?

A. It has sharp claws.

B. It has long whiskers.

C. It has a streamlined body.

D. It has an Earth-toned color.

171. Which ocean zone is at the deepest location?

A. neritic zone

B. bathyal zone

C. abyssal zone

D. intertidal zone

172. Carbon exists in many forms on Earth. The diagram below shows part of the carbon cycle.

What is happening in Step 1?

A. Animals are decomposing and releasing carbon into the soil.

B. Animals are releasing energy into the environment and storing carbon.

C. Animals are converting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to oxygen.

D. Animals are breaking down organic molecules and releasing carbon dioxide into theatmosphere.

173. A scientist is studying a substance that is cycled through ecosystems. Which of thefollowing substances might the scientist be studying?

A. soil

B. copper

C. glucose

D. nitrogen

174. Where does the majority of evaporation on Earth occur?

A. between rivers and oceans

B. between the oceans and the atmosphere

C. between the ground and the atmosphere

D. between Earth’s surface and underground aquifers

175. Which phrase best describes a consumer in an ecosystem?

A. an organism that is at the bottom of the food chain

B. an organism that breaks down dead plants and animals

C. an organism that gets its energy by eating plants or animals

D. an organism that converts light energy into chemical energy

176. How is secondary succession different from primary succession?

A. Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance in an area that was previouslyuninhabited.

B. Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance in an area in which the soil hasremained intact.

C. Secondary succession occurs over a longer period of time than primary succession.

D. Secondary succession occurs when animals are introduced to an area that had onlyplants.

177. How do pioneer species make ecological succession possible on an island formed fromvolcanic eruptions?

A. They use chemicals to produce food.

B. They establish homes in which animals can live.

C. They break down rock into soil in which plants can grow.

D. They adjust the climate by altering the average temperature in a region.

178. Which statement best describes ecosystems?

A. They can never change once they are established.

B. They constantly change in different ways over time.

C. Ecosystems always revert back to their original state.

D. Each ecosystem can exist for only a specific length of time.

179. Which term best describes the number and variety of organisms in a given area during aspecific period of time?

A. carrying capacity

B. biodiversity

C. succession

D. eutrophication

180. The diagram shows changes to a pond ecosystem over time.

Through which of the following processes are plant communities taking over theecosystem?

A. acidification

B. primary succession

C. climate disturbance

D. natural eutrophication

181. What will most likely happen to a native species if an exotic species outcompetes it forfood?

A. The native species will become extinct.

B. The native species will adapt to less food.

C. The native species will find another food source.

D. The native species will use the exotic species for food.

182. Which of the following might decrease the amount of water available in an ecosystem?

A. spilling oil

B. dumping sewage

C. constructing a dam

D. producing acid rain

183. Which is a positive result of increased human food production?

A. Food crops replace native plants.

B. Farming can cause topsoil to blow away.

C. Health and nutrition have improved worldwide.

D. Clear cutting of forests for food production destroys animal habitats.

184. What is the term used to describe an unwanted change to an ecosystem that can becaused by substances or energy?

A. eutrophication

B. pollution

C. resource depletion

D. stewardship

185. The diagram shows a large ecosystem surrounding a pond.

How might animals in the ecosystem be harmed by the human activity shown in thediagram?

A. Many animal species might be prevented from mating.

B. Some animal species may be able to travel more easily.

C. Animal species may have to compete for food resources.

D. Additional resources might be created for animal species.

186. What happens when an ecosystem undergoes eutrophication?

A. An exotic species is introduced into a region.

B. The density of people living in an area increases.

C. The pH of a body of water drops below normal levels.

D. The amount of nutrients in an aquatic ecosystem increases.

187. Which phrase best describes the soil in a grassland biome?

A. dry and frozen

B. rocky, sandy, and dry

C. deep, dark, and nutrient rich

D. thin, acidic, and nutrient poor

188. The diagram shows a person commuting to work.

Which of the following best describes what the person is doing?

A. recycling natural resources

B. depleting natural resources

C. conserving natural resources

D. identifying new natural resources

189. A farmer clears an area of old forest and plants a fruit orchard. Now a number of quail arenesting in the grassy areas underneath and around the fruit trees. In addition, other birdsand animals come to the orchard to eat the fruit that has fallen to the ground. Which of thestatements about this orchard ecosystem is true?

A. The orchard is an example of how human land use has no benefit to otherorganisms.

B. The orchard is an example of human land use that can benefit other organisms.

C. The orchard benefits humans but not other organisms.

D. The orchard does not benefit any organisms.

190. The following table lists the number and variety of organisms in four different ecosystems.

Based on the table, which ecosystem is likely the most sustainable?

A. Ecosystem 1

B. Ecosystem 2

C. Ecosystem 3

D. Ecosystem 4

191. Which of the following is the best example of how the water cycle carries on energytransfer?

A. a flooding river depositing silt on a floodplain

B. a warm ocean current warming the air above it

C. ocean water depositing sand particles on a shore

D. water seeping through the soil and dissolving salts

192. Pigs are not native to Hawaii. They were brought by the Polynesians who discoveredHawaii. Later, sailors brought other pigs. Now, wild pigs create many problems on theislands. They destroy native plants and create habitats where mosquitoes breed. Themosquitoes bring disease and death to native birds. What is this an example of?

A. a natural population disturbance that has no effect on native populations

B. a human-caused population disturbance that has a positive effect on nativepopulations

C. a human-caused population disturbance that threatens the survival of nativepopulations

D. competition among native species that threatens the survival of native populations

193. Only a small amount of the energy consumed by an organism is available to flow to thenext organism in a food web. Which of the following statements explains the reason forthis?

A. Most of the energy is used for life processes.

B. Primary and secondary consumers compete for food.

C. There are many more producers than consumers in a food web.

D. There are many more consumers than producers in a food web.

194. The diagram below shows interactions between different animals in an ecosystem.

What type of ecosystem might be represented by the above diagram?

A. ocean

B. desert

C. wetland

D. arctic tundra

195. Worms break down dead plants in the soil to release nutrients. Which property of nutrientsshows that they are matter?

A. Nutrients are warm.

B. Nutrients have mass.

C. Nutrients can do work.

D. Nutrients contain energy.

196. Why are decomposers so important to the flow of energy in an ecosystem?

A. Many different organisms eat decomposers in order to get energy.

B. Decomposers are at the top of the energy pyramid so they require a lot of energy.

C. Decomposers convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy which otherorganisms then eat.

D. Decomposers release the nutrients within dead organisms, making those nutrientsavailable to other organisms.

197. The diagrams below show a 10-acre piece of land as it looked 10 years ago and as itlooks today. The habitat has changed. For example, the pond has been replaced by aroad and houses.

Which of the following is the most likely change to the populations of organisms in thearea?

A. fewer frogs now than 10 years ago

B. fewer flies now than 10 years ago

C. more marsh plants now than 10 years ago

D. more mosquitoes now than 10 years ago



B. Giraffes having longer necks survive a dry season by eating leaves from the tops oftrees. Those giraffes breed more successfully that year.

C. Dogs of the same breed and having a desirable coat color are bred with one anotherto produce more puppies with that same coat color.


199. This global food web shows how parts of a meadow ecosystem interact with parts of amarsh ecosystem.

Which of these is a food chain that is part of the global food web?

A. meadow grass → rabbit → fox → hawk

B. marsh grass → snail → small fish → hawk

C. marsh grass → grasshopper → mouse → fox

D. meadow grass → grasshopper → praying mantis → small fish

200. Which adaptation will best help an organism survive in an estuary?

A. being able to remove excess salt

B. being able to obtain energy without sunlight

C. being able to build nests on low branches of trees

D. being able to maintain internal temperature in frigid waters

201. The following table shows some behaviors of animals.

Which of the following is the best title for the above table?

A. seasonal behaviors

B. methods of defense

C. courtship behaviors

D. methods of marking territory

202. How does an increase in the human population affect ecosystems?

A. A larger human population increases Earth’s biodiversity.

B. A larger human population has a greater need for natural resources.

C. A larger human population produces more natural resources for living things.

D. A larger human population helps matter cycle through ecosystems more quickly.

203. Which of the following statements about energy pyramids is true?

A. Producers are most likely to be found in the top level.

B. Carnivores are most likely to be found in the bottom level.

C. The largest proportion of organisms are found in the top level.

D. The smallest proportion of organisms are found in the top level.

204. Without other changes to a population, which of the following will cause a population toincrease in size?

A. The birth rate equals the death rate.

B. The birth rate is less than the death rate.

C. The birth rate is greater than the death rate.

D. The birth rate and the death rate both equal 0.

205. Each level of organization in an ecosystem is made up of parts. Which of the following isan example of the population level of organization in a coral reef ecosystem?

A. seawater

B. a clown fish

C. a group of anemones

D. a colony of coral and a stand of sea grass

206. Scientists studied predator-prey relationships in a habitat. The diagram below shows thefeeding relationships among organisms that a scientist might find in a certain environment.

Which animal is both a predator and prey?

A. owl

B. plant

C. snake

D. cricket

207. Which division of geologic time is also known as The Age of Reptiles?

A. Precambrian time

B. Paleozoic era

C. Mesozoic era

D. Cenozoic era

208. Remoras are small fish that attach to sharks but do not harm them. When sharks tear preyapart, remoras eat the leftovers. What statement about the relationship between remorasand sharks is true?

A. Remoras are parasites and sharks are their hosts.

B. Remoras and sharks have a mutualistic relationship.

C. Remoras and sharks have a predator-prey relationship.

D. The relationship between remoras and sharks is an example of commensalism.

209. The graph below shows the population of a group of rabbits in a restricted area studiedover a period of 5 years.

Which statement might explain why the population levels off as shown in the graph?

A. The resources in the area ran out.

B. The rabbits encountered a new disease.

C. Predators were introduced into the area.

D. Competition for resources limits the rabbit population.

210. Which of the following best explains why many plants experience dormancy?

A. longer days

B. more rainfall

C. shorter nights

D. less direct sunlight

211. Which of the following scenarios describes an example of extinction?

A. Water pollution kills off all the fish that live in a small pond.

B. Every individual in a species of wolf is killed by hunters or lack of food.

C. The cutting down of a tree forces a bird to build a new nest in another tree.

D. A population of deer must move to a new forest when its original habitat is destroyedby fire.

212. How would the introduction of an exotic species most likely affect an ecosystem?

A. It would pollute the water or land.

B. It would increase the available resources.

C. It would compete with native species for resources.

D. It would cause the size of the ecosystem to increase.

213. Which of these would most likely have a negative effect on the quality of a drinking watersupply?

A. overfishing of ocean-dwelling species

B. protecting animal habitats

C. turning off the faucet while brushing teeth

D. waste products entering the water supply

214. A student is examining data about an unknown type of bird in a local ecosystem. The datais shown below.

What can the student infer about this organism’s niche in the community by examining itsphysical characteristics?

A. The bird is likely a producer.

B. The bird is likely prey for other animals.

C. The bird is likely a predator of other animals.

D. The bird likely does not have a niche within the community.

215. Which of the following was a major milestone that allowed for greater diversity of lifeduring the Paleozoic era?

A. Reptiles became more diverse.

B. Many marine animals went extinct.

C. Photosynthetic prokaryotes produced more oxygen.

D. Animals moved from the sea to the land.

216. Which of the following best states how living organisms fit into the water cycle?

A. Living organisms are a primary source of condensation.

B. Living organisms are a primary source of precipitation.

C. The bodies of living organisms consist mostly of water.

D. The bodies of living organisms produced all the water on Earth.

217. Which of the following types of organism first appeared on Earth during the Cenozoic era?

A.

B.

C.

D.

218. An ecologist observed these animals in a biome.

Which biome is the ecologist studying?

A. tundra

B. desert

C. grassland


219. How can the production of food crops affect the soil in an area?

A. Food crops improve soil quality by adding nutrients to the soil.

B. Tilling and harvesting break up the topsoil, helping it to stay in place.

C. Tilling and harvesting can allow topsoil to blow away, reducing soil quality.

D. Chemicals used in food production may pass through the soil and into the watersupply, benefiting freshwater ecosystems.

220. What is an innate behavior?

A. a behavior taught by parents

B. a behavior that causes a change

C. a behavior that does not depend on learning

D. a behavior that depends on observation or experience


A. Decomposers are types of plants, and consumers are types of animals.




Ecology

ANSWER KEY

1. Plants make their own food during photosynthesis. In what group do plants belong?

A. producers

B. consumers

C. chloroplasts

D. decomposers

2. Which of the following is an example of a producer?

A. oak tree

B. song bird

C. polar bear

D. mushroom

3. When people eat foods high in proteins, such as meat, eggs and cheese, the body breaksdown the proteins into smaller molecules. What is supplied to cells when the body breaksdown proteins?

A. amino acids

B. nucleic acids

C. phospholipids

D. carbohydrates

4. Organisms can respond to changes in their environment in order to maintain a balance,called homeostasis. What does a tree do to maintain homeostasis during the wintermonths?

A. shivers

B. hibernates

C. absorbs sun

D. loses leaves

5. How do organisms get the energy they need?

A. Plants get energy from fertilizers, and animals get energy by drinking water.

B. Plants get energy from glucose produced in the soil, and animals get energy directlyfrom sunlight.

C. Plants do not require energy because they do not move, and animals get energy byperforming exercise.

D. Plants break down the glucose they produced in photosynthesis, and animals getenergy from eating other organisms.

6. There is a connection between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. The products fromone provide the raw materials for the other. This image shows the relationship betweenthe two processes.

What products of photosynthesis are starting material for cellular respiration?

A. glucose and oxygen

B. heat energy and ATP


D. light energy and chlorophyll

7. Plants can provide the materials that animals use in cellular respiration, and animals canprovide some of the materials that plants use for photosynthesis. This image below showsthe relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

According to the diagram, how does cellular respiration aid the process ofphotosynthesis?

A. It produces ATP.

B. It produces glucose.

C. It produces mitochondria.

D. It produces carbon dioxide.

8. The following diagram shows one way a mutation can form during DNA replication.

What kind of mutation has occurred during the DNA replication shown in the diagram?

A. deletion

B. insertion

C. substitution

D. transcription

9. The two mice pictured below were bred in a laboratory. The two mice are clones.

Which of these choices bestdescribes clones?

A. selectively bred organisms

B. biologically similar organisms

C. artificially selected individuals

D. genetically identical individuals

10. A snapdragon plant with red flowers is crossed with a snapdragon plant with white flowers.The offspring produced have pink flowers. Which of these conditions does this crossillustrate?

A. codominance

B. nondominance

C. complete dominance

D. incomplete dominance

11. Which of these statements best describes what happens during vegetative reproduction?

A. A single-celled organism divides into two new organisms.

B. A parent plant produces spores, which grow into new plants.

C. A new plant develops from a stem or root of its parent plant.

D. Pollen from one plant fertilizes another plant and produces offspring.

12. Which of these statements is true for organisms that reproduce asexually?

A. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare more likely to expend energy to find a mate.

B. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare less likely to expend energy caring for their offspring.

C. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare less likely to require only one parent for reproduction to take place.

D. Compared to organisms that reproduce sexually, organisms that reproduce asexuallyare more likely to have offspring genetically different from themselves.

13. Scientists have produced a genetically engineered orange tree that is resistant to disease.Which of the following is the bestexample of a potential benefit to society that could resultfrom this biotechnology?

A. increase in orange crop yield

B. reduction in orange crop yield

C. increase in the cost of orange crop

D. a change in the distribution of insects that pollinate orange flowers

14. How might a deletion mutation in a gene affect the translation of that gene?

A. The mutation would not allow DNA to exit the cytoplasm.

B. The mutation would prevent amino acids from being brought to the ribosome duringtranslation.

C. The amino acids would not be the right shape. They would not be able to assembleto form proteins.

D. The mutation would cause a different sequence of amino acids to be brought to theribosome during translation.

15. Which of the following is an acquired trait in humans?

A. eye color

B. hair color

C. blood type

D. table manners

16. When an organism reproduces by budding, how does the new organism start growing?

A. from within the parent organism

B. from the merging of two parent organisms

C. from a spore produced by a parent organism

D. from the outer surface of the parent organism

17. Proteins are responsible for many of our traits. How can a substitution mutation affect aperson’s traits?

A. This mutation stops DNA from replicating.

B. This mutation prevents ribosomes from synthesizing proteins.

C. This mutation changes the number of chromosomes a person has.

D. This mutation causes a change in the protein that forms during translation.

18. Artificial selection, genetic engineering, and cloning are examples of biotechnology. Whichphrase bestdefines biotechnology?

A. the application of living things and biological processes

B. the use of computers and other electronic devices in the field of biology

C. the development of instrumentation that can be used to study biological processes

D. the process of creating a genetically identical organism, cell, or piece of geneticmaterial

19. How is artificial selection different from genetic engineering?

A. Artificial selection is not related to genetics.

B. Artificial selection is not an example of biotechnology.

C. Artificial selection does not directly change a single organism’s DNA.

D. Artificial selection is used to make genetically identical copies of an organisms, cell,or piece of genetic material.

20. The main goal of biotechnology is to use living organisms and biological processes toimprove life on Earth. Which example would be mostbeneficial to global populations?

A. the engineering of eggplant to make it produce fruit in winter

B. the engineering of yeast to contain an enzyme used for making cheese

C. the engineering of fruits so that they ripen slower and can be shipped farther

D. the engineering of rice crops to withstand flooding and contain more nutrients

21. The dog breed shown below has been bred for many generations. It has been bred for itssmall size and friendly temperament.

This is an example of which of the following types of biotechnology?

A. by cloning

B. selective breeding

C. genetic engineering

D. asexual reproduction

22. A mushroom grows on a dead, rotting oak tree lying in the forest. Which of the followingbest describes the tree and the mushroom?

A. The oak tree was a producer, and the mushroom is a producer.

B. The oak tree was a consumer, and the mushroom is a consumer.

C. The oak tree was a decomposer, and the mushroom is a producer.

D. The oak tree was a producer, and the mushroom is a decomposer.

23. Darwin’s theory of natural selection consists of four important parts. Which of thesecorrectly lists the four essential parts of natural selection?

A. living space, adaptation, selection, and hunting

B. overproduction, genetic variation, selection, and adaptation

C. selection, extinction, underproduction, and competition

D. asexual reproduction, genetic variation, selection, and adaptation

24. Charles Darwin studied the finches of the Galapagos Islands and found that their beaksvary in shape and size.

Darwin found that the finches that ate mostly insects had long, narrow beaks. Finches thatate mostly seeds had shorter, broad beaks to crush seeds. Which statement below bestdescribes how natural selection resulted in the four types of finches shown above?

A. The residents of the Galapagos Islands selectively bred together finches having thetraits that they wanted them to have.

B. The narrow-beaked finches came first, and evolved into the broad-beaked finchesthrough a series of natural mutations.

C. The broad-beaked finches wore down their beaks digging for insects and passedthese narrower beaks on to their offspring.

D. Over time, the finches that were born with beaks better suited to the available foodsupply in their habitats survived and reproduced.

25. Which of these describes a likely reason why a species would become extinct after amajor environmental change?

A. There are not enough members of the species born with a trait necessary to survivein the new environment.

B. The environmental changes mean fewer predators are around.

C. The change in the environment opens new resources with less competition.

D. There are more homes for the species in the changed environment.

26. Which of the following provides structural evidence for evolution?

A. A fossil from the Mesozoic era shows an extinct animal similar to a modern animal.

B. A comparison of similar bones in the legs of a human, a dog, and a bat.

C. A genetic analysis of two animals shows similar sequences of DNA.

D. The embryos of two animals look similar at similar stages.

27. Which of the following happened in Precambrian time?

A. Life began to evolve on Earth.

B. The first mammals appeared.

C. A mass extinction wiped out most dinosaurs.

D. Life on Earth began to move from water to land.

28. The diagram below shows a model of the proposed relationships among some groups ofmammals.

Which of these organisms is most closelyrelated to whales?

A. pig

B. bison

C. camel

D. hippopotamus

29. Similarities in the structures of two different species provide evidence that the speciesevolved from a common ancestor. This type of evidence includes similar structures thathave different functions. Which of the following pairs of features have a similar structurebut have a different function in each organism?

A. a dolphin fin and a shark fin

B. human fingernails and monkey fingernails

C. the front leg of a cat and the wing of a bat

D. the wing of a bumble bee and the wing of a bird

30. The image below shows one type of living thing.

How does the organisms shown in the image obtain the nutrients it needs for lifeprocesses?

A. It creates its own food.

B. It consumes other organisms.

C. It decomposes dead organisms.

D. It absorbs nutrients from the air.

31. What is a population?

A. a group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring

B. a group of organisms of the same species that live in a defined geographical area

C. a process by which inherited traits in a population change over many generations

D. a process in which better-adapted individuals are more likely to survive andreproduce

32. Which of the following statements correctly describes a kingdom of Domain Eukarya?

A. Kingdom Protista includes single-celled organisms that lack nuclei.

B. Kingdom Animalia includes multicellular organisms that make their own food.

C. Kingdom Plantae includes multicellular organisms that can move independently.

D. Kingdom Fungi includes organisms that get energy by decomposing materials in theirenvironment.

33. The diagram below shows the changes over time in a population of mice in the wild after apopulation of hawks has moved into their environment. The white and dark mice differ onlyin color.

Which statement is the most likelyexplanation for why the mouse population changedover time?

A. The white mice are able to reproduce more successfully than the dark mice do.

B. The hawks eat more dark mice than white mice because the dark mice taste better.

C. The hawks eat more white mice than dark mice because they can see the white micemore easily.

D. The hawks eat more dark mice than white mice, because they can see the dark micemore easily.

34. Which of the following is an example of an external stimulus that could cause a plant togrow larger?

A. wilting

B. the presence of a predator

C. abundant sunlight and water

D. extremely dry and hot conditions

35. The following organism grows near a wetland area.

The organism receives plenty of water and clean air. What else does it need to survive?

A. food

B. a place to live

C. similar organisms

D. warm temperatures

36. How did photosynthesizing prokaryotes that lived during Precambrian time help life onEarth become more diverse?

A. They reproduced quickly.

B. They became other organisms.

C. They made conditions more favorable by enriching the soil.

D. They made conditions more favorable by increasing the amount of oxygen.

37. Samantha plans an investigation in which she will study a population of animals. Which ofthese answers bestdescribes the focus of Samantha’s study?

A. a single cat that lives in her house

B. all of the cats in her neighborhood

C. all of the pets owned by her classmates

D. the cats and dogs at a local animal shelter

38. The illustration below shows the changes over time in a population of mice in the wild aftera population of hawks has moved into the grassy fields where they live. The white anddark mice differ only in color.

Which of the following terms would best be used to describe the 3 steps shown in thisdiagram?

A. variation

B. selection

C. overproduction

D. selective breeding

39. Which of the following is an example of homeostasis?

A. A human body loses too much heat on a cold day, and hypothermia occurs.

B. A cactus stores water during wet periods, allowing it to live through dry periods.

C. A human participates in vigorous activity on a hot day and eventually suffers fromdehydration.

D. A snake rests in the sun on a summer day, and its body temperature eventuallybecomes too hot for survival.

40. How do producers get the energy their bodies need to survive?

A. Producers make their own food.

B. Producers get energy through the burning of fossil fuels.

C. Producers cannot make their own food and must eat other organisms.

D. Producers get energy by breaking down the nutrients in dead organisms.

41. What are the four things that all living things need to survive?

A. water, air, food, and a place to live

B. a place to live, light, air, and mobility

C. food, water, a place to live, and family

D. light, food, sleep, and the ability to hunt



B. Dogs of the same breed and having a desirable coat color are bred with one anotherto produce more puppies with that same coat color.

C. Giraffes with longer necks survive a dry season by eating leaves from the tops oftrees. Those giraffes breed more successfully that year.


43. Which of these statements best describes what Charles Darwin observed on theGalápagos Islands?

A. The finch population on each island was unique.

B. The finches on the islands ate seeds and nuts but no insects.

C. The finches on the islands were the same as the finches in Ecuador.

D. The finches could produce offspring only with finches from other islands.

44. A species of rodent lives in a moist forest climate. Over time, the climate becomes drierand more desert-like. Which of these adaptations would most likely improve the chancesthat the rodent species could survive as its environment changes?

A. having dark hair and small ears

B. living above ground in damp areas

C. being able to eat only one type of berry

D. being able to eat plants that survive in the changed environment

45. The figure below shows two spotted salamanders. They are the same species ofsalamander, but they live in different areas.

Which of these terms is used to describe the difference between them?

A. variation

B. extinction

C. population

D. overpopulation

46. The diagram below shows a portion of the fossil record in sedimentary rock. Different rocklayers and fossils are clearly visible.

Which layer of rock is the oldest?

A. Layer A is the oldest.

B. Layer B is the oldest.

C. Layer D is the oldest.

D. They are all the same age.

47. Which of these cases provides embryological evidence that two species share a commonancestor?

A. two species with very similar DNA

B. two species with different body structures

C. two species with different structures that have similar functions

D. two different species with similar patterns of early development

48. William discovered that two modern-day species have very similar DNA. He concludesthat the two species are closely related. What type of evidence did William most likelyuseto reach his conclusion?

A. fossil evidence

B. genetic evidence

C. structural evidence

D. evidence from developmental patterns

49. Juan is studying fossils. His teacher wrote the following statements on the board andasked the students to put them in the correct order to describe how fossils are formed.

1. Minerals seep into the organism’s body and replace it with stone.

2. The organism completely decomposes, leaving behind an imprint.

3. An organism dies and its body is covered with a layer of sediment.

4. Time passes, and sediment layers continue to build up on the organism.

Which is the correct order of events for fossil formation?

A. 3, 4, 1, 2

B. 2, 3, 4, 1

C. 1, 3, 2, 4

D. 3, 2, 1, 4

50. Which of these descriptions is an example of an unused body structure?

A. a bat’s wing that enables it to fly

B. the tiny leg bones found in snakes that have no legs

C. the front legs of a dog that supports its weight as it walks and runs

D. the tentacles of an octopus that aid it in movement and catching prey

51. The Permian mass extinction, during which approximately 90% of all marine life becameextinct, occurred during which geologic era?

A. Precambrian Era

B. Paleozoic Era

C. Mesozoic Era

D. Cenozoic Era

52. What role does evolution play during the Cenozoic Era?

A. Evolution caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

B. Evolution did not play a role during the Cenozoic Era.

C. Evolution led to mass extinctions, including many primate species.

D. Evolution led to a greater diversity of living things, including humans.

53. Which statement best describes dinosaurs?

A. Dinosaurs evolved into other animals during the Cenozoic Era.

B. Dinosaurs died out because of natural causes during the Paleozoic Era.

C. Dinosaurs died out because of a mass extinction at the end of the Mesozoic Era.

D. Dinosaurs died out because of natural causes and a mass extinction during thePaleozoic Era.

54. Which factor best explains why classification systems change over time?

A. changing environments lead to reclassification

B. increased plant species leads to reclassification

C. changes in food sources leads to reclassification

D. increased knowledge of genetics leads to reclassification

55. Which of the following is a situation that could lead to the extinction of a species?

A. increased habitat

B. increased food supply

C. increased competition

D. increased population size

56. Which of these best describes the tiny leg bones that some whales have, which do not aidin their movement or serve any other function?

A. structures that grows and improves in function as they are used

B. structures that will become adaptations when the environment changes

C. structures that have lost all or most of their function over evolutionary time

D. structures that function at certain times of the year or under certain conditions

57. The figure below shows two spotted salamanders that belong to the same species.

How does the concept of variation help us understand that the salamanders are membersof the same species, even though they look slightly different?

A. Variation explains why some organisms survive while others do not.

B. Variation describes a range of physical traits among members of a species.

C. Variation describes a group of organisms that live together in the same area.

D. Variation explains the process by which populations gradually change over time.

58. The following diagram shows one type of living thing.

What type of organism is shown in the above image?

A. producer

B. consumer

C. decomposer

D. the diagram does not show a living thing

59. What is a mass extinction?

A. the death of one member of a species

B. the death of every member of a species

C. the death of select members of a species

D. the death of all members of many different species

60. Which of the following phrases describes the cycle of activity that an animal has duringany 24-hour period?

A. The animal’s hibernation period.

B. The animal’s estivation period.

C. The animal’s biological clock.

D. The animal’s circadian rhythm.

61. What is social hierarchy?

A. animals that live together

B. animals that release pheromones to attract mates

C. animals that have dominant and submissive roles

D. animals that hunt together and share food and shelter

62. What are two results of partnerships between fungi and other organisms?

A. yeast and spores

B. hyphae and mycelium

C. lichen and mycorrhizae

D. cyanobacteria and phytoplankton

63. Which of the following exhibits dominant behavior?

A. alpha male in a wolf pack

B. a puppy in a litter of dogs

C. a drone bee in a colony of bees

D. a female deer in a herd of deer

64. With which organisms do fungi partner to produce lichen and mycorrhizae?

A. with hyphae to produce lichen, with yeast to produce mycorrhizae

B. with phytoplankton to produce lichen, with spores to produce mycorrhizae

C. with plant roots to produce lichen, with cyanobacteria to produce mycorrhizae

D. with cyanobacteria to produce lichen, with plant roots to produce mycorrhizae

65. Which behavior could best help an animal survive harsh summer conditions?

A. estivation

B. migration

C. hibernation

D. circadian rhythm

66. What are mycorrhizae?

A. Mycorrhizae are one of the three main types of fungi.

B. Mycorrhizae are the threadlike strands of a fungus used in reproduction.

C. Mycorrhizae are formed by a partnership between fungi and the roots of plants.

D. Mycorrhizae are formed by a partnership between fungi and green algae orcyanobacterium.

67. As you walk past a field of sunflowers, you notice the flowers are all facing the samedirection. This is an example of what?

A. transpiration

B. phototropism

C. photosynthesis

D. sexual reproduction

68. The table below shows some behaviors of animals.

What is the best title for the above table?

A. survival behaviors

B. seasonal behaviors

C. defensive behaviors

D. reproductive behaviors

69. What is social behavior in animals?

A. the tendency of animals to avoid interaction

B. interaction between animals of differing species

C. interaction between animals of the same species

D. the term used to describe the drawbacks of animals living in groups

70. Hibernation is a period of inactivity and decreased body temperature that some animalsexperience in the winter. What is the similar period of inactivity that some animalsexperience in the summer?

A. migration

B. estivation

C. biological clock

D. circadian rhythm

71. A small fish called a cleaner wrasse darts in and out of a larger fish’s mouth, removingand eating parasites and dead tissue. Which term best describes the relationship betweenthe cleaner wrasse and the large fish?

A. mutualism

B. commensalisms

C. parasitism

D. competition

72. Bees have a society in which different members have different responsibilities. Theinteraction among bees is an example of what type of behavior?

A. cooperation

B. competition

C. consumerism

D. commensalism

73. After a mild winter and plenty of food, a deer population grew rapidly. What most likelyhappened to the wolf population in that same ecosystem?

A. It was unaffected.

B. It grew.

C. It shrunk.

D. It went extinct.

74. The diagram below shows an aquatic ecosystem.

What is one abiotic factor shown in this diagram?

A. the snails

B. the water

C. the crab

D. the tree roots

75. Which of the following is an example of a biotic limiting factor for a population?

A. water availability

B. climate

C. disease

D. natural disasters

76. Which of the following is the most likely reason that a population might crash?

A. The competition for the same resource suddenly drops.

B. The number of prey suddenly increases.

C. The number of predators suddenly decreases.

D. The carrying capacity of the environment suddenly drops.

77. Grizzly bears are classified in the order Carnivora. Their diet consists of roots, tubers,berries, nuts, fungus, insects, rodents, and fish. What ecological role best describesgrizzly bears?

A. carnivores

B. omnivores

C. herbivores

D. producers

78. The graph below shows the size of a squirrel population over 20 years.

The trend displayed on the graph could be a result of what factor?

A. emigration

B. immigration

C. increased death rate

D. scarce resources

79. A mangrove swamp contains many organisms living among the large roots of themangrove trees. This food web shows some of the relationships in that ecosystem.

According to the food web, which organism is a producer in the mangrove swamp?

A. crab

B. mold

C. pelican

D. phytoplankton

80. During the 1930s, a large region of the Great Plains experienced a drought that turnedgrasslands into dust. How did this change most likely affect populations of insects livingamong the grasslands?

A. They adapted to eat dust instead of grass.

B. They decreased because the resources they needed were not available.

C. They increased because other populations were eliminated from the environment.

D. They were not affected because the size of a population cannot change over time.


Which things from the image make up the pond community?

A. water, rocks, clouds, and air only

B. fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects only

C. grasses, cattail reeds, fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects


82. Some consumers, such as many flying insects, need large amounts of energy to grow andmove from one place to another. How do consumers get energy to function?

A. Consumers obtain all of their energy by eating other organisms.

B. Consumers obtain some energy from other organisms and some from sunlight.

C. Consumers obtain most of their energy by absorbing it from their environments.

D. Consumers convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in food.

83. How is an organism’s niche different from its habitat?

A. Its niche is the organism’s role within the habitat.

B. Its niche is the climate that exists within the habitat.

C. Its niche is the place where an organism lives within a habitat.

D. Its niche is the size of the population to which the organism belongs.


Which statement is most likely true of the kinds of animal represented by animal A andanimal B in the graph?

A. A and B are both prey.

B. A and B are both predators.

C. A is prey, and B is a predator.

D. A is a predator, whereas B is prey.

85. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between ecosystemsand biomes?

A. A biome may contain many ecosystems, and ecosystems within the same biome aretypically home to similar species of organisms.

B. An ecosystem may contain many biomes, and biomes within the same ecosystemare typically home to similar species of organisms.

C. Both biomes and ecosystems are characterized by their climate conditions andthe communities that live in them; however, biomes refer to land environments andecosystems refer to aquatic environments.

D. Both biomes and ecosystems are characterized by their climate conditions andthe communities that live in them; however, ecosystems refer to land environments andbiomes refer to aquatic environments.

86. Which of the following describes the relationship between a hermit crab and the molluskthat previously lived in the hermit crab’s shell?

A. parasitism

B. mutualism

C. commensalism

D. predator and prey

87. What causes competition to occur in an environment?

A. Good conditions make resources plentiful.

B. Organisms struggle for a limited resource.

C. Members of a population have different roles.

D. A population falls below the environment’s carrying capacity.

88. What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

A. to control the population of producers and consumers

B. to compete with producers for energy and other resources

C. to provide a source of energy for the producers in the ecosystem

D. to recycle energy and materials from dead producers and consumers


Which of the following best describes what the food chain represents?

A. how an organism might change over time

B. the movement of organisms throughout the ecosystem

C. the increase in size among organisms in the ecosystem

D. the path of energy transfer from producers to consumers

90. Which of the following is a resource for which two trees growing next to each other in aforest would most likely compete?

A. nutrients in the soil

B. carbon dioxide in the air

C. bark-eating animals that live nearby

D. timber that humans can use for fuel

91. This mangrove ecosystem represented by the food web below consists of a grove of treeswith an extensive root system and the organisms that use the grove for food or shelter.

What do the arrows in the food web represent?

A. the relative location of organisms in the ecosystem

B. the flow of energy from one organism in the ecosystem to another

C. the relative sizes of organisms in the ecosystem from smallest to largest

D. the increase in complexity of organisms from producer through consumer

92. During the 1930s, a large region of the Great Plains experienced a drought that turnedgrasslands into dust. How did this most likely affect the carrying capacity for populations offarm animals?

A. The carrying capacity increased at first and then decreased as time went on.

B. The carrying capacity decreased because the environment no longer had enoughresources.

C. The carrying capacity stayed the same because it depends on the animals ratherthan the environment.

D. The carrying capacity increased because there was more room for animals once theplants were gone from the environment.


Which things from the image are part of the pond ecosystem?

A. grasses and cattail reeds only

B. water, rocks, clouds, and air only

C. fish, ducks, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects only


94. Carnivores and herbivores are both consumers. Which statement best describes how theydiffer from one another?

A. Carnivores produce all the energy they need.

B. Carnivores eat only animals whereas herbivores eat only plants.

C. Carnivores eat living organisms whereas herbivores eat organisms that have died.

D. Carnivores obtain energy by eating food whereas herbivores obtain energy fromsunlight.

95. Which of the following best describes the niche of a sunflower plant?

A. It has roots, stems, and leaves.

B. It produces food through photosynthesis.

C. It requires soil, air, and water in order to survive.

D. It reproduces by making seeds that grow into new plants.


How might the two animals whose populations are represented in the graph be related?

A. There is no relationship between them.

B. The animals compete over the same resources.

C. One animal depends on the other, but the other animal is unaffected.

D. There is a relationship of dependency between the animals, and both are affected.

97. A classmate describes the region in which he lives as “a temperate deciduous forestbiome consisting of several different ecosystems, including meadows, ponds, woods,even rotting logs.” Based on what you know about biomes and ecosystems, could yourclassmate’s description be accurate?

A. Yes, because all temperate deciduous forest biomes contain meadows, ponds,woods, and rotting logs.

B. Yes, because a biome may contain many ecosystems, and an ecosystem includes allthe living and non-living things in a particular area.

C. No, because rotting logs are too small and localized to be considered ecosystems.

D. No, because an ecosystem may contain several different biomes, but a biome doesnot contain several different ecosystems.

98. Small birds called Egyptian plovers sometimes get their food by picking it off the hidesof crocodiles. For this reason, they are also known as crocodile birds. Which kind ofrelationship do crocodiles and Egyptian plovers have?

A. mutualism

B. parasitism

C. predator-prey

D. commensalism

99. Which of the following describes the most likely reason that a group of predators of thesame species would cooperate?

A. to secure a mate

B. to claim a limited resource

C. to kill a larger animal for food

D. to defend each other from attack


A. Decomposers are types of plants, whereas consumers are types of animals.





Which organism is the primary consumer in this food chain?

A. owl

B. toad

C. beetle

D. plant leaf

102. Which of the following is not a resource that two birds living in the same tree would likelycompete for?

A. oxygen in the air to breathe

B. other birds with which to mate

C. twigs with which to build a nest

D. seeds growing on the tree to eat

103. Which of the following best describes what scientists consider when they study ecology?

A. the interactions of organisms with their environment

B. the interactions of organisms with weather and climate

C. the interactions of organisms to reproduce and produce offspring

D. the interactions of organisms with one another and the environment

104. Which of the following determines where a population can live?

A. whether its needs are met by the biotic factors in the habitat

B. whether its needs are met by the abiotic factors in the habitat

C. whether its needs are met by the abiotic and biotic factors in the habitat

D. whether its needs are met by the other populations of organisms in the habitat

105. The following image shows organisms in a certain land biome.

Which land biome is most likely shown in this image?

A. desert

B. tundra

C. tropical rain forest

D. temperate grassland

106. Which of the following is a biotic factor in an ecosystem?

A. wind

B. tree leaves

C. small rocks

D. light from the sun

107. Which of these statements describes a species?

A. A species is a group of organisms that are closely related.

B. A species is a group of organisms that live in the same habitat.

C. A species is a group of organisms that live in an area and interact.

D. A species is a group of organisms that are closely related and produce fertileoffspring.

108. Each organism has its own role in an ecosystem. Organisms can be producers,consumers, or decomposers. Which of these organisms can be classified as adecomposer?

A.

B.

C.

D.

109. Which of the following consumers is a herbivore?

A. cat

B. horse

C. human

D. vulture

110. A student is identifying food chains in an ecosystem. Which of the following organismsmight be a tertiary consumer?

A. frog

B. redwood tree

C. great white shark

D. athlete’s foot fungus

111. Two types of global food webs show the feeding relationships of organisms. Whatdistinguishes one type of global web from the other?

A. whether the producers are located on land or in water

B. whether or not the food web includes tertiary consumers

C. whether the web includes animals that migrate during the year

D. whether the ecosystem described by the web is localized or very broad

112. All organisms must obtain energy from their environment. Every organism needs thisenergy in order to grow and reproduce. How do producers obtain energy?

A. They obtain energy by eating plants, bacteria, and algae.

B. They extract chemical energy from decaying organic matter.

C. They extract energy from the chemicals in soil, air, and water.

D. They capture energy from sunlight and manufacture their own food.

113. Which of the following is an example of a biotic limiting factor in an ecosystem?

A. New predators move into the ecosystem.

B. A drought occurs for several months.

C. A hurricane passes through an ecosystem.

D. Living space is lost due to human activities.

114. Which of the following events would lead to an increase in the size of a population ofsquirrels?

A. More squirrels are born than die.

B. Some squirrels emigrate in search of food.

C. New predators are added to the ecosystem.

D. A large number of squirrels die because of a forest fire.

115. A scientist creates the following graph to demonstrate the effect of limiting factors on apopulation of rabbits.

According to the graph, during which year did the limiting factors in this environment mostaffect the rabbit population?

A. Year 1

B. Year 2

C. Year 3

D. Year 4

116. Which statement provides an example of how social hierarchy might influence apopulation?

A. Soldier termites defend the colony from predators.

B. Prairie dogs uses a high-pitched bark to communicate.

C. Mistletoe sends roots into tree branches to take in nutrients.

D. Poison tree frogs have bright colors signifying that they are toxic.

117. A scientist observes a population crash among eagles within an island ecosystem. Whichevent might have led to such a crash?

A. Travelers brought new crops to the island.

B. A drop in sea level exposed more of the island.

C. The closing of a dam caused the island to flood.

D. Warm weather conditions resulted in an abundance of food.

118. Which of these statements best explains why trees in a forest do not grow very close toone another?

A. Their seeds blow away from them.

B. Deer eat the newly sprouted seedlings.

C. Trees are harvested by lumber companies.

D. Trees compete for resources directly around them.

119. Hermit crabs and anemones have a mutualistic relationship. Which of these statementsbest describes how they interact?

A. Hermit crabs and anemones live in the same ecosystem and can eat similarorganisms.

B. Anemones can move on their own by using their tentacles and pedal disk. The pedaldisk is on the side of the anemone that is opposite its mouth.

C. Anemones cannot move very quickly, but they can sting predators. When ananemone is riding on a hermit crab’s shell, the anemone protects the crab from predators.

D. When a hermit crab grows too big for a shell, it moves to a larger shell. If ananemone has attached itself to the old shell, the hermit crab will move the anemone to itsnew shell.

120. One relationship between organisms is that of predator-prey. Which of the following is thebest description of a predator?

A. an organism that eats another organism

B. an organism that participates in symbiosis

C. an organism that is eaten by another organism

D. an organism that benefits at the expense of another organism

121. The diagram below shows feeding relationships among some organisms in an ecosystem.

Based on the information shown in the diagram, which answer best describes therelationship between hawks and coyotes?

A. Coyotes are parasites of hawks.

B. Coyotes are predators of hawks.

C. Coyotes and hawks are both prey.

D. Coyotes and hawks compete for the same food.

122. Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

A. A bird is hunted, killed, and eaten by a cat.

B. A bird eats berries, then spreads the seeds.

C. A bird finds an existing hole in a tree and builds a nest in it.

D. A bird finds a small shellfish on a beach, cracks its shell, and eats it.

123. The ecosystem in the diagram below has both biotic and abiotic factors.

Which is an abiotic factor in this ecosystem?

A. fish

B. sand

C. snails

D. plants

124. Which of these statements best describes a niche in an ecosystem?

A. the role of a species in its population

B. the role of a species in its community

C. the way a species uses the resources in its habitat

D. the way a species interacts with other species in its habitat

125. A spider hides in an orchid flower. It captures and eats insects as they enter the flower.How could this be an example of mutualism?

A. if the spider is also eating part of the flower

B. if the spider’s actions do not affect the orchid plant

C. if the insects that the spider captures are harming the flower

D. if the insects that the spider captures are pollinating the flower

126. The diagram below shows some organisms that live in one kind of seaside ecosystem.

Which of the following organisms would benefit most from having patterns and colorationthat help them blend in with the sand-dune grasses?

A. crab

B. sandpiper

C. palm trees

D. grasshopper

127. Which of the following describes a community?

A. all populations that live in the same area

B. all populations that contain the same species

C. all populations that live in the same area and interact

D. all populations that live in the same area but do not interact

128. Green plants use energy from the sun to produce food during the process ofphotosynthesis. This food provides energy to an entire food chain. What starting materialsdo the plants use to make this food?

A. soil and water

B. water and oxygen


D. water, phosphorus, and nitrogen

129. Why are decomposers an essential part of a healthy ecosystem?

A. Decomposers are a necessary part of the diet of most consumers.

B. Decomposers convert plant material into a form that primary consumers can use.

C. Decomposers make resources available to producers by breaking down wastematerials.

D. Decomposers extract energy from sunlight as they break down plant materials,adding returning energy to the system.

130. What is one way that cooperation helps lions to survive?

A. They hunt in a group to increase their likelihood of catching prey.

B. They all have a tan color that helps them blend into their environment.

C. They eat a variety of prey, including zebras, buffaloes, and wildebeest.

D. They live in prides of five to ten adult females and their young, and one or two adultmales.

131. The food web below shows some of the feeding relationships among organisms in Arcticwaters.

Which organism would be least affected by overfishing for cod in Arctic waters?

A. seals

B. shrimp

C. baleen whales

D. toothed whales

132. A scientist is studying a population of elephants contained in an animal preserve. Which ofthe following must be true if the size of the population is increasing?

A. The birth rate has dropped to zero.

B. The birth rate is equal to the death rate.

C. The death rate is greater than the birth rate.

D. The birth rate has become greater than the death rate.

133. What are the ocean zones of a marine ecosystem, from most shallow to deepest?

A. intertidal, neritic, bathyal, abyssal

B. abyssal, neritic, intertidal, bathyal

C. neritic, intertidal, bathyal, abyssal

D. bathyal, abyssal, intertidal, neritic

134. Below is an energy pyramid diagram.

Why is the level at 4 so much smaller than the level at 1?

A. Organisms gain energy as the food chain moves down the pyramid.

B. Fewer organisms are supported as you move down the pyramid.

C. Only the energy that is used is available to organisms at a higher level.

D. Only the energy that is stored is available to organisms at a higher level.

135. What element can be changed by lightning into a form that plants can use?

A. oxygen

B. carbon

C. phosphorous

D. nitrogen

136. Below is a diagram of the carbon cycle.

Which number corresponds to combustion and the release of CO 2, water, and the loss of

energy as heat into the environment?

A. 1

B. 2

C. 3

D. 4

137. What is one way that farmers try to reduce erosion when growing crops?

A. leave bare soil exposed

B. cut trees to increase wind

C. plow rows across slopes

D. allow rain to wash away dirt

138. Some grass species need fire in order for their seeds to germinate. Why might thisadaptation be useful for grasses?

A. Fire allows trees to grow and provide shade for the grasses.

B. The hot temperature of the fire helps the grasses grow faster.

C. Seeds can germinate in an area that has been cleared by a fire.

D. Fire discourages grazing by large animals so grass can grow higher.

139. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Humans do not need to use the ecosystem to meet their basic needs.

B. Cutting forests for food production decreases greenhouse gases.

C. The growing and harvesting of crops does not negatively affect the local ecosystem.

D. The use of land for food production can negatively affect the local ecosystem.

140. The diagram below shows an energy pyramid. In a marine ecosystem, algae carry outphotosynthesis. Barracuda eat snapper fish. Reef sharks eat barracuda.

Which organism would be at the top of the energy pyramid?

A. algae

B. reef shark

C. barracuda

D. snapper fish

141. What happens when resource depletion occurs?

A. chemicals are spilled or dumped into water

B. nutrients are added to an aquatic ecosystem

C. a large fraction of a specific resource is used up

D. materials are changed in form so they can be reused

142. The amount of available energy decreases along a food chain in an ecosystem. How isthis explained by the law of conservation of energy?

A. Living things change energy into matter.

B. The energy is changed to a different form.

C. Only small amounts of energy can be destroyed at a time.

D. Energy is used up when living things conduct life processes.

143. How does natural eutrophication affect a pond ecosystem?

A. It causes nutrients to build up.

B. It causes temperatures to rise.

C. It causes the pond to become deeper.

D. It causes a change in the flow of water.

144. Japanese stiltgrass is thought to have arrived in the United States from Asia. It wasused as packing material for shipments of Chinese porcelain, and its seeds were likelytransported to the US in the packing material. Stiltgrass was first noted growing inTennessee around 1918. The diagrams below show a forested area in Virginia before andafter the spread of Japanese stiltgrass to the state.

What can you infer about Japanese stiltgrass from these images?

A. It is a native plant of Virginia.

B. It outcompetes shrubs and small trees for space.

C. It needs a lot of sunlight and space to grow well.

D. It coexists well with other species of plants.

145. Which of the following human activities is most likely to affect water quantity in an area?

A. boating on a lake

B. constructing a dam

C. dumping chemicals down a drain

D. piloting oil tankers across the ocean

146. Which ecosystem most likely has the greatest biological diversity?

A. a tank that includes several goldfish

B. a tundra region that has many penguins

C. a pine tree in which three groups of birds live

D. a rain forest that has many different types of plants and animals

147. The picture shows an arctic fox.

In which biome does the fox most likely live?

A. desert

B. tundra

C. grasslands

D. temperature rain forest

148. Which is an example of a biome?

A. a cave

B. an old tree

C. a large lake

D. a tropical rain forest


Which part of the diagram represents the intertidal zone?

A. Zone 1

B. Zone 2

C. Zone 3

D. Zone 4

150. Which adaptation would best help a lily pad survive in the moving water of a stream?

A. long roots

B. large leaves

C. sweet scent

D. white flowers

151. Which of the following is a way in which humans interact with the ecosystem?

A. Humans improve their nutrition by adding vitamins to various foods.

B. Human activity results in fewer and smaller urban areas.

C. Humans clear and cultivate land to produce food.

D. Farming usually increases biodiversity in a land ecosystem.

152. The diagram below shows an energy pyramid. In a rainforest ecosystem, green plantscarry out photosynthesis. Grasshoppers eat plants. Frogs eat grasshoppers. Hawks eatfrogs.

If you were to place the animals listed above in an energy pyramid, which organism wouldbe at the top of the energy pyramid?

A. frog

B. grasshopper

C. green plant

D. hawk

153. Which is an example of resource depletion?

A. Fertilizers run off farms into nearby waterways.

B. Ships are sunk to make up for the loss of natural reefs.

C. Gases released into the air combine with rain to produce weak acids.

D. More trees are cut down to make paper products than are replanted.

154. How is the law of conservation of energy related to the fact that ecosystems can functionas open systems?

A. Organisms can travel from one ecosystem to another.

B. Energy destroyed in one ecosystem is created in another.

C. Ecosystems can create energy for other ecosystems to use.

D. Energy that leaves an ecosystem is still conserved in a larger system.

155. Which of the following might result from the process of natural eutrophication?

A. A pond becomes a meadow.

B. A rock breaks down into soil.

C. A glacier retreats to expose new land.

D. A non-native species takes resources from native species.

156. Japanese stiltgrass is thought to have arrived in the United States from Asia. It wasused as packing material for shipments of Chinese porcelain, and its seeds were likelytransported to the US in the packing material. Stiltgrass was first noted growing inTennessee around 1918. The diagrams below show a forest area in Virginia before andafter the arrival of Japanese stiltgrass in the state.

If the grass is not removed, what may eventually happen to the forest?

A. Other plants will enter the area and crowd out the stiltgrass, which will disappear.

B. The stiltgrass will die out, because the tall trees block out the sunlight.

C. Tree seedlings will develop among the grass and grow into tall trees, expanding theforest.

D. The forest will die out because new seedlings will be crowded out by the grass.

157. Farmers often give their crops more nutrients by applying chemical fertilizers to the soil.Which of the following describes how this activity is most likely to affect water quality innearby water bodies?

A. If the fertilizers run off into the water, they can cause eutrophication.

B. If the fertilizers run off into the water, the nutrient level may be decreased.

C. If the fertilizers run off into the water, the water will be able to support a greaterdiversity of organisms.

D. Applying chemical fertilizers to soil is unlikely to affect water quality in nearby waterbodies.

158. What does biodiversity indicate about an ecosystem?

A. the location of the ecosystem

B. the overall size of the ecosystem

C. the ability of the ecosystem to survive change

D. the identify of the organisms that began ecological succession in the ecosystem

159. The drawing shows an arctic fox.

What is one important way the fox is adapted to its environment?

A. Its strong paws help it climb tall trees.

B. Its small size helps the fox hide below forest plants.

C. Its white fur helps the fox stand out to other animals.

D. Its small ears and nose slow the fox’s heat loss in a cold climate.

160. Which of the following factors determines a biome’s identity?

A. the climate that exists there

B. the number of people who live there

C. the amount of pollution that occurs there

D. the types of activities that can be done there


Which part of the diagram represents the zone that extends from the base of the neriticzone to the edge of the continental shelf?

A. Zone 1

B. Zone 2

C. Zone 3

D. Zone 4

162. How might a sucker mouth help a tadpole survive in a river ecosystem?

A. It helps the tadpole stay in place while feeding.

B. It lets the tadpole move quickly through water currents.

C. It enables the tadpole to defend itself from its predators.

D. It allows the tadpole to blend into its surroundings more easily.

163. In which biome would you expect to find many coniferous trees?

A. taiga

B. tundra

C. savanna


164. What important role does fire play in a grassland biome?

A. It helps seeds germinate.

B. It spreads seeds to distant locations.

C. It causes flowers on plants to bloom.

D. It prevents animals from eating plant populations.

165. How are tropical plants such as bromeliads adapted to the biome in which they live?

A. They grow from tree branches rather than the forest floor, which helps them toabsorb more sunlight.

B. They have long, thick roots, which helps them to gather the nutrients that are founddeep within the soil.

C. They have hollow leaves and stems for storing water, which helps them to survivelong periods with little rainfall.

D. They lose their leaves during the winter, which helps them to save energy when thetemperature falls and prevents the buildup of snow.

166. How is a tundra biome similar to a desert biome?

A. Both biomes have dry, rocky soils.

B. Both biomes lack plants or animals.

C. Both biomes are hot during the day and cold at night.

D. Both biomes are characterized by very little precipitation.

167. A researcher is investigating the plants shown below.

Which biome is the researcher most likely studying?

A. taiga

B. desert

C. grassland


168. Which example represents an abiotic factor in an aquatic ecosystem?

A. Water lilies float on top of a pond.

B. A population of bass is living in a lake.

C. The pH of a lake is decreased by acid rain.

D. Dragonflies feed on small insects near a pond.

169. How do rivers and streams differ from lakes and ponds?

A. Rivers and streams are made up of salt water instead of fresh water.

B. Unlike the water in lakes and ponds, the water in rivers and streams flows.

C. Fish can live in rivers and streams, whereas plants grow in lakes and ponds.

D. Lakes and ponds form only after heavy rains, whereas rivers and streams alwaysexist.

170. The illustration below shows a river otter.

What is one way the otter is adapted to living in the moving water of a river?

A. It has sharp claws.

B. It has long whiskers.

C. It has a streamlined body.

D. It has an Earth-toned color.

171. Which ocean zone is at the deepest location?

A. neritic zone

B. bathyal zone

C. abyssal zone

D. intertidal zone

172. Carbon exists in many forms on Earth. The diagram below shows part of the carbon cycle.

What is happening in Step 1?

A. Animals are decomposing and releasing carbon into the soil.

B. Animals are releasing energy into the environment and storing carbon.

C. Animals are converting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to oxygen.

D. Animals are breaking down organic molecules and releasing carbon dioxide into theatmosphere.

173. A scientist is studying a substance that is cycled through ecosystems. Which of thefollowing substances might the scientist be studying?

A. soil

B. copper

C. glucose

D. nitrogen

174. Where does the majority of evaporation on Earth occur?

A. between rivers and oceans

B. between the oceans and the atmosphere

C. between the ground and the atmosphere

D. between Earth’s surface and underground aquifers

175. Which phrase best describes a consumer in an ecosystem?

A. an organism that is at the bottom of the food chain

B. an organism that breaks down dead plants and animals

C. an organism that gets its energy by eating plants or animals

D. an organism that converts light energy into chemical energy

176. How is secondary succession different from primary succession?

A. Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance in an area that was previouslyuninhabited.

B. Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance in an area in which the soil hasremained intact.

C. Secondary succession occurs over a longer period of time than primary succession.

D. Secondary succession occurs when animals are introduced to an area that had onlyplants.

177. How do pioneer species make ecological succession possible on an island formed fromvolcanic eruptions?

A. They use chemicals to produce food.

B. They establish homes in which animals can live.

C. They break down rock into soil in which plants can grow.

D. They adjust the climate by altering the average temperature in a region.

178. Which statement best describes ecosystems?

A. They can never change once they are established.

B. They constantly change in different ways over time.

C. Ecosystems always revert back to their original state.

D. Each ecosystem can exist for only a specific length of time.

179. Which term best describes the number and variety of organisms in a given area during aspecific period of time?

A. carrying capacity

B. biodiversity

C. succession

D. eutrophication

180. The diagram shows changes to a pond ecosystem over time.

Through which of the following processes are plant communities taking over theecosystem?

A. acidification

B. primary succession

C. climate disturbance

D. natural eutrophication

181. What will most likely happen to a native species if an exotic species outcompetes it forfood?

A. The native species will become extinct.

B. The native species will adapt to less food.

C. The native species will find another food source.

D. The native species will use the exotic species for food.

182. Which of the following might decrease the amount of water available in an ecosystem?

A. spilling oil

B. dumping sewage

C. constructing a dam

D. producing acid rain

183. Which is a positive result of increased human food production?

A. Food crops replace native plants.

B. Farming can cause topsoil to blow away.

C. Health and nutrition have improved worldwide.

D. Clear cutting of forests for food production destroys animal habitats.

184. What is the term used to describe an unwanted change to an ecosystem that can becaused by substances or energy?

A. eutrophication

B. pollution

C. resource depletion

D. stewardship

185. The diagram shows a large ecosystem surrounding a pond.

How might animals in the ecosystem be harmed by the human activity shown in thediagram?

A. Many animal species might be prevented from mating.

B. Some animal species may be able to travel more easily.

C. Animal species may have to compete for food resources.

D. Additional resources might be created for animal species.

186. What happens when an ecosystem undergoes eutrophication?

A. An exotic species is introduced into a region.

B. The density of people living in an area increases.

C. The pH of a body of water drops below normal levels.

D. The amount of nutrients in an aquatic ecosystem increases.

187. Which phrase best describes the soil in a grassland biome?

A. dry and frozen

B. rocky, sandy, and dry

C. deep, dark, and nutrient rich

D. thin, acidic, and nutrient poor

188. The diagram shows a person commuting to work.

Which of the following best describes what the person is doing?

A. recycling natural resources

B. depleting natural resources

C. conserving natural resources

D. identifying new natural resources

189. A farmer clears an area of old forest and plants a fruit orchard. Now a number of quail arenesting in the grassy areas underneath and around the fruit trees. In addition, other birdsand animals come to the orchard to eat the fruit that has fallen to the ground. Which of thestatements about this orchard ecosystem is true?

A. The orchard is an example of how human land use has no benefit to otherorganisms.

B. The orchard is an example of human land use that can benefit other organisms.

C. The orchard benefits humans but not other organisms.

D. The orchard does not benefit any organisms.

190. The following table lists the number and variety of organisms in four different ecosystems.

Based on the table, which ecosystem is likely the most sustainable?

A. Ecosystem 1

B. Ecosystem 2

C. Ecosystem 3

D. Ecosystem 4

191. Which of the following is the best example of how the water cycle carries on energytransfer?

A. a flooding river depositing silt on a floodplain

B. a warm ocean current warming the air above it

C. ocean water depositing sand particles on a shore

D. water seeping through the soil and dissolving salts

192. Pigs are not native to Hawaii. They were brought by the Polynesians who discoveredHawaii. Later, sailors brought other pigs. Now, wild pigs create many problems on theislands. They destroy native plants and create habitats where mosquitoes breed. Themosquitoes bring disease and death to native birds. What is this an example of?

A. a natural population disturbance that has no effect on native populations

B. a human-caused population disturbance that has a positive effect on nativepopulations

C. a human-caused population disturbance that threatens the survival of nativepopulations

D. competition among native species that threatens the survival of native populations

193. Only a small amount of the energy consumed by an organism is available to flow to thenext organism in a food web. Which of the following statements explains the reason forthis?

A. Most of the energy is used for life processes.

B. Primary and secondary consumers compete for food.

C. There are many more producers than consumers in a food web.

D. There are many more consumers than producers in a food web.

194. The diagram below shows interactions between different animals in an ecosystem.

What type of ecosystem might be represented by the above diagram?

A. ocean

B. desert

C. wetland

D. arctic tundra

195. Worms break down dead plants in the soil to release nutrients. Which property of nutrientsshows that they are matter?

A. Nutrients are warm.

B. Nutrients have mass.

C. Nutrients can do work.

D. Nutrients contain energy.

196. Why are decomposers so important to the flow of energy in an ecosystem?

A. Many different organisms eat decomposers in order to get energy.

B. Decomposers are at the top of the energy pyramid so they require a lot of energy.

C. Decomposers convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy which otherorganisms then eat.

D. Decomposers release the nutrients within dead organisms, making those nutrientsavailable to other organisms.

197. The diagrams below show a 10-acre piece of land as it looked 10 years ago and as itlooks today. The habitat has changed. For example, the pond has been replaced by aroad and houses.

Which of the following is the most likely change to the populations of organisms in thearea?

A. fewer frogs now than 10 years ago

B. fewer flies now than 10 years ago

C. more marsh plants now than 10 years ago

D. more mosquitoes now than 10 years ago



B. Giraffes having longer necks survive a dry season by eating leaves from the tops oftrees. Those giraffes breed more successfully that year.

C. Dogs of the same breed and having a desirable coat color are bred with one anotherto produce more puppies with that same coat color.


199. This global food web shows how parts of a meadow ecosystem interact with parts of amarsh ecosystem.

Which of these is a food chain that is part of the global food web?

A. meadow grass → rabbit → fox → hawk

B. marsh grass → snail → small fish → hawk

C. marsh grass → grasshopper → mouse → fox

D. meadow grass → grasshopper → praying mantis → small fish

200. Which adaptation will best help an organism survive in an estuary?

A. being able to remove excess salt

B. being able to obtain energy without sunlight

C. being able to build nests on low branches of trees

D. being able to maintain internal temperature in frigid waters

201. The following table shows some behaviors of animals.

Which of the following is the best title for the above table?

A. seasonal behaviors

B. methods of defense

C. courtship behaviors

D. methods of marking territory

202. How does an increase in the human population affect ecosystems?

A. A larger human population increases Earth’s biodiversity.

B. A larger human population has a greater need for natural resources.

C. A larger human population produces more natural resources for living things.

D. A larger human population helps matter cycle through ecosystems more quickly.

203. Which of the following statements about energy pyramids is true?

A. Producers are most likely to be found in the top level.

B. Carnivores are most likely to be found in the bottom level.

C. The largest proportion of organisms are found in the top level.

D. The smallest proportion of organisms are found in the top level.

204. Without other changes to a population, which of the following will cause a population toincrease in size?

A. The birth rate equals the death rate.

B. The birth rate is less than the death rate.

C. The birth rate is greater than the death rate.

D. The birth rate and the death rate both equal 0.

205. Each level of organization in an ecosystem is made up of parts. Which of the following isan example of the population level of organization in a coral reef ecosystem?

A. seawater

B. a clown fish

C. a group of anemones

D. a colony of coral and a stand of sea grass

206. Scientists studied predator-prey relationships in a habitat. The diagram below shows thefeeding relationships among organisms that a scientist might find in a certain environment.

Which animal is both a predator and prey?

A. owl

B. plant

C. snake

D. cricket

207. Which division of geologic time is also known as The Age of Reptiles?

A. Precambrian time

B. Paleozoic era

C. Mesozoic era

D. Cenozoic era

208. Remoras are small fish that attach to sharks but do not harm them. When sharks tear preyapart, remoras eat the leftovers. What statement about the relationship between remorasand sharks is true?

A. Remoras are parasites and sharks are their hosts.

B. Remoras and sharks have a mutualistic relationship.

C. Remoras and sharks have a predator-prey relationship.

D. The relationship between remoras and sharks is an example of commensalism.

209. The graph below shows the population of a group of rabbits in a restricted area studiedover a period of 5 years.

Which statement might explain why the population levels off as shown in the graph?

A. The resources in the area ran out.

B. The rabbits encountered a new disease.

C. Predators were introduced into the area.

D. Competition for resources limits the rabbit population.

210. Which of the following best explains why many plants experience dormancy?

A. longer days

B. more rainfall

C. shorter nights

D. less direct sunlight

211. Which of the following scenarios describes an example of extinction?

A. Water pollution kills off all the fish that live in a small pond.

B. Every individual in a species of wolf is killed by hunters or lack of food.

C. The cutting down of a tree forces a bird to build a new nest in another tree.

D. A population of deer must move to a new forest when its original habitat is destroyedby fire.

212. How would the introduction of an exotic species most likely affect an ecosystem?

A. It would pollute the water or land.

B. It would increase the available resources.

C. It would compete with native species for resources.

D. It would cause the size of the ecosystem to increase.

213. Which of these would most likely have a negative effect on the quality of a drinking watersupply?

A. overfishing of ocean-dwelling species

B. protecting animal habitats

C. turning off the faucet while brushing teeth

D. waste products entering the water supply

214. A student is examining data about an unknown type of bird in a local ecosystem. The datais shown below.

What can the student infer about this organism’s niche in the community by examining itsphysical characteristics?

A. The bird is likely a producer.

B. The bird is likely prey for other animals.

C. The bird is likely a predator of other animals.

D. The bird likely does not have a niche within the community.

215. Which of the following was a major milestone that allowed for greater diversity of lifeduring the Paleozoic era?

A. Reptiles became more diverse.

B. Many marine animals went extinct.

C. Photosynthetic prokaryotes produced more oxygen.

D. Animals moved from the sea to the land.

216. Which of the following best states how living organisms fit into the water cycle?

A. Living organisms are a primary source of condensation.

B. Living organisms are a primary source of precipitation.

C. The bodies of living organisms consist mostly of water.

D. The bodies of living organisms produced all the water on Earth.

217. Which of the following types of organism first appeared on Earth during the Cenozoic era?

A.

B.

C.

D.

218. An ecologist observed these animals in a biome.

Which biome is the ecologist studying?

A. tundra

B. desert

C. grassland


219. How can the production of food crops affect the soil in an area?

A. Food crops improve soil quality by adding nutrients to the soil.

B. Tilling and harvesting break up the topsoil, helping it to stay in place.

C. Tilling and harvesting can allow topsoil to blow away, reducing soil quality.

D. Chemicals used in food production may pass through the soil and into the watersupply, benefiting freshwater ecosystems.

220. What is an innate behavior?

A. a behavior taught by parents

B. a behavior that causes a change

C. a behavior that does not depend on learning

D. a behavior that depends on observation or experience


A. Decomposers are types of plants, and consumers are types of animals.




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Ecology D. decomposers B. consumers A. producers 1. …science-eduk8r.com/assignments/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ecology... · Which of the following is an example of a producer?