Chapter 06 - Kinds of Ecosystems and Communities

Chapter 06
Kinds of Ecosystems and Communities

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which biome is characterized by organisms which are inactive during the day and burrow
underground?
A. tundra
B. taiga
C. rainforest
D. desert

2. Which biome is characterized by tree frogs, large vines, and fruit-eating birds and bats?
A. grassland
B. savanna
C. tropical rainforest
D. tundra

3. Which biome is characterized by having no reptiles or amphibians and an abundance of

migratory waterfowl?
A. desert
B. tundra
C. taiga
D. grassland

4. The two major factors influencing vegetation in biomes are

A. precipitation and temperature.
B. soil fertility and hydrology.
C. day length and climate.
D. topography and soil type.

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5. Savannas are found in

A. Europe.
B. tropical parts of Africa.
C. Canada.
D. None of these are correct.

6. Mediterranean Shrublands (Chaparral) have been heavily impacted by humans because

A. they are near the oceans.
B. have a moderate climate.
C. both they are near the oceans and have a moderate climate
D. None of these are correct.

7. In a rainforest, most of the sunlight is captured by trees and therefore only

A. small plants grow there.
B. fast growing trees and shrubs grow there.
C. vines can grow underneath them.
D. shade-tolerant plants live beneath the canopy.

8. Human impact on temperate forests include

A. farming.
B. logging.
C. population centers.
D. All of these are correct.

9. Oceans cover approximately

A. 40% of the Earth's surface.
B. 50% of the Earth's surface.
C. 60% of the Earth's surface.
D. 70% of the Earth's surface.

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10. Which group of organisms forms the base of the energy pyramid in a pelagic marine
ecosystem?
A. plankton
B. zooplankton
C. bacteria
D. sea grass

11. In desert biomes, flowering usually coincides with

A. moisture availability.
B. Santa Anna winds.
C. cool summers.
D. migration of monarch butterflies.

12. Which of the following is NOT a threat to tropical rainforests?

A. logging
B. ranching
C. agriculture
D. All are threats.

13. In addition to northern latitudes, patches of tundra-like plant communities are also found
A. in cold deserts.
B. in marshes.
C. in bogs.
D. on mountain tops.

14. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of temperate deciduous forests?

A. They have fewer species than a tropical rainforest.
B. They contain shade-tolerant spring wildflowers.
C. They produce useful plant products such as cashew nuts, vanilla, and rubber.
D. All of the choices are characteristics.

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15. Which of the following is NOT true of climax communities?

A. They have fewer types of interactions among organisms.
B. They have more kinds of organisms.
C. They are in energy balance.
D. They are able to maintain their mix of species.

16. Which is an example of secondary succession?

A. bare rock
B. a burned field
C. standing water
D. pure sand

17. Primary succession is

A. a progression that begins with a total lack of organisms.
B. of very short duration.
C. a progression that begins with destruction of an existing ecosystem.
D. All of these are correct.

18. Development and impact on desert areas is mainly due to

A. air conditioning.
B. roads and highways.
C. modern irrigation.
D. None of these are correct.

19. What is the dominant organism colonizing bare rock during primary succession?
A. bacteria
B. algae
C. lichens
D. submergent plants

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20. Each stage in the process of succession is called a

A. seral stage.
B. primary stage.
C. reef-forming stage.
D. None of these are correct.

21. Ecologists have learned that succession is influenced by many factors other than climate
alone including
A. rainfall and temperature patterns.
B. invasive species, disease, human land use history, and seed dispersal.
C. biogeochemical cycles, available oxygen, and superfund sites.
D. slope, wind patterns, and toxicity levels.

22. A floating bog is an example of

A. secondary succession.
B. aquatic primary succession.
C. terrestrial primary succession.
D. None of these are correct.

23. Savannas differ from grasslands by having

A. less annual precipitation.
B. lower average annual temperature.
C. no grazers.
D. flat-topped trees scattered throughout.

24. Which of the following is NOT a region in a lake ecosystem?

A. limnetic zone
B. pelagic zone
C. euphotic zone
D. littoral zone

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25. Shallow warm nutrient-rich lakes are described as

A. oligotrophic.
B. benthic.
C. eutrophic.
D. limnetic.

26. What is the term used to describe a shallow, partially enclosed area where freshwater
enters the ocean?
A. coral reef
B. abyssal ecosystem
C. mangrove swamp
D. estuary

27. Seaweed and other attached marine organisms prefer to grow in which of the following
regions?
A. benthic
B. pelagic
C. abyssal
D. neritic

28. The unusual forest biome occurring in California, Oregon, Washington, and British
Columbia is called a
A. tropical rainforest.
B. boreal forest.
C. temperate rainforest.
D. temperate deciduous forest

29. Conservation easements can

A. decrease the economic value of a tract of land.
B. restrict access in order to protect endangered species.
C. prohibit the subdivision or development of a tract of land.
D. All of the above are correct.

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30. You would find a temperate rainforest along the coasts of all of the following states
except
A. southern Alaska.
B. northern California.
C. northern British Columbia.
D. northern New York.

31. Seasonal flooding of the Amazon can create wetland forests known as
A. the chaparral.
B. the tropical forest.
C. the varzea.
D. the terra firma.

32. Plants in this biome have features to survive long drought even though rainfall totals can
be as high as 250 cm in a given month.
A. savanna
B. tundra
C. desert
D. tropical dry forest

Which of the following best matches the description?

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33. Biome that lacks trees and has permanently frozen soil.
A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

34. Area of grasses and reeds that is either flooded permanently or for most of the year.
A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

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35. Photosynthetic free-floating marine organisms.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

36. Biome which is dominated by grass, and in which trees are rare.
A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

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37. Biome which receives less than 25 cm of precipitation per year.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

38. Upper layer of the ocean where the sun's rays penetrate.
A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

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39. Region with rooted vegetation in a freshwater ecosystem.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

40. Early stages of succession that begin the soil-building process.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

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41. Biome composed of a broad band of coniferous and deciduous trees.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

42. Biome that has a change of seasons and evenly distributed annual precipitation.
A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

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43. Organisms that swim in the open ocean water.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

44. Organisms that live on the bottom of marine or freshwater ecosystems.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

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45. Biome dominated by grasses and fire- and drought-resistant trees.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

46. Attached organisms in freshwater streams and rivers.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

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47. Amount of oxygen required to destroy organic molecules in aquatic ecosystems.

A. phytoplankton
B. littoral zone
C. desert
D. pioneer community
E. grassland
F. boreal forest
G. pelagic
H. tundra
I. benthic
J. deciduous forest
K. biochemical oxygen demand
L. periphyton
M. marsh
N. savanna
O. euphotic

True / False Questions

48. Ecologists have discovered that the process of succession is very predictable.
FALSE

49. Recently, biologists discovered a new community of organisms that live in the canopy of
tropical rainforests.
TRUE

50. Most temperate deciduous forests have survived without impact from human activity due
to their location.
FALSE

51. Taiga, Northern Coniferous Forest, and Boreal Forest are names for the same type of
biome.
TRUE

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52. Hurricanes, flooding, and fire are examples of disturbances which result in secondary
succession.
TRUE

53. In general, the soil of climax seral stages is less fertile than the soil of pioneer
communities.
FALSE

54. Muddy shores are often poor in oxygen.

TRUE

55. Coral reefs are cold-water marine ecosystems dominated by tubeworms.

FALSE

56. Streams differ from lakes in that they are high in pre-glacial sediment.
FALSE

57. Mangrove swamps are tropical marine shoreline ecosystems dominated by trees.
TRUE

58. In an aquatic ecosystem, sedges and grasses are often found in central deeper portions of
the waterbody.
FALSE

59. Tiny photosynthetic organisms that float near the ocean surface are called zooplankton.
FALSE

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60. The primary determiners of biomes are the amount and distribution of rainfall and the
yearly temperature cycle.
TRUE

61. Organisms in each biome have adapted to the climatic conditions typical of that biome.
TRUE

62. Rocky shores along the ocean provide surfaces for organisms to attach themselves.
TRUE

63. Deep cold-water lakes with poor productivity are called oligotrophic systems.
TRUE

64. Regional terrestrial climax communities are called eutrophic systems.

FALSE

65. In the open ocean, light penetrates many miles to the ocean floor.
FALSE

66. Organisms that are attached to the bottom of an aquatic ecosystem are termed pelagic.
FALSE

67. The upper layer of an aquatic ecosystem where sunlight penetrates is termed the euphotic
zone.
TRUE

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68. Non-native invasive species increase the biological diversity of an ecosystem.

FALSE

69. More than 50% of the original wetlands found in the United States have been drained and
filled.
TRUE

70. Coral reefs can be altered by fishing and siltation from rivers.
TRUE

71. Freshwater resources in lakes and rivers account for about 0.02% of the world's water.
TRUE

72. Twenty percent of wetlands in the United States have been drained and filled.
TRUE

73. The Blue Oak Ranch Reserve in San Jose, California is unique because it has remained
undeveloped for its entire history.
TRUE

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