- 1. Ecosystem ecology is the study of interactions and relationships between living organisms and their environment within an ecosystem. It seeks to understand the flow of energy, nutrients, and materials through ecological systems and how these processes shape and influence the structure and function of ecosystems. Ecosystem ecologists examine the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of ecosystems and their interconnections, as well as the impacts of human activities on these natural systems. By studying the complex web of relationships within ecosystems, ecosystem ecology plays a crucial role in informing conservation efforts, ecosystem management, and our understanding of global environmental issues.
What is an ecosystem?
A) A biome defined by its climatic conditions.
B) A community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment.
C) A single species living in a specific area.
D) An individual organism interacting with its surroundings.
- 2. What term describes the process of organic matter breakdown into simpler compounds in an ecosystem?
A) Autotrophic nutrition
B) Assimilation
C) Decomposition
D) Photosynthesis
- 3. What is the term for the total mass of living organisms in a given area?
A) Biomass
B) Population density
C) Trophic level
D) Energy pyramid
- 4. What is the main role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
A) Break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients
B) Create new genetic variations
C) Produce oxygen for other organisms
D) Regulate the climate
- 5. What is a trophic level in an ecosystem?
A) Seasonal pattern of weather in an area
B) Position an organism occupies in a food chain
C) Geographical zone where species live
D) Type of soil composition
- 6. What term is used to describe the variety of living organisms in an ecosystem?
A) Endangered species
B) Ecological succession
C) Biodiversity
D) Habitat destruction
- 7. How does energy flow through an ecosystem?
A) Unidirectionally, from producers to consumers
B) Bidirectionally, between predators and prey
C) Vertically, from soil to plants
D) In cycles, between different trophic levels
- 8. Which term is used to describe the range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives?
A) Habitat
B) Community
C) Biosphere
D) Ecosystem
- 9. What is the process of water moving through and between ecosystems known as?
A) Transpiration
B) Water cycle
C) Runoff
D) Aquatic cycle
- 10. What is a climax community in ecological succession?
A) Intermediate stage before reaching maturity
B) First group of pioneer species in an area
C) Temporary community after a disturbance
D) Stable, self-sustaining community at the final stage of succession
- 11. What is the term for the process by which toxins become more concentrated in successive trophic levels?
A) Biomagnification
B) Photosynthesis
C) Adaptation
D) Mutualism
- 12. Which process is responsible for converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants?
A) Nitrogen fixation
B) Ammonification
C) Nitrification
D) Denitrification
- 13. What is the primary source of energy in most ecosystems?
A) Geothermal heat
B) Wind
C) Chemical energy
D) Sunlight
- 14. What is the process by which green plants use sunlight to synthesize food from carbon dioxide and water?
A) Respiration
B) Transpiration
C) Photosynthesis
D) Decomposition
- 15. What type of organisms break down dead plant and animal material in an ecosystem?
A) Producers
B) Carnivores
C) Decomposers
D) Herbivores
- 16. Which gas is a byproduct of respiration and combustion that contributes to the greenhouse effect?
A) Carbon dioxide
B) Methane
C) Oxygen
D) Nitrogen
- 17. What term describes the maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely?
A) Carrying capacity
B) Population density
C) Habitat fragmentation
D) Biodiversity
- 18. What is the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment?
A) Genetics
B) Physics
C) Ecology
D) Biology
- 19. Which term describes a species that plays a unique and crucial role in the ecosystem?
A) Invasive species
B) Indicator species
C) Keystone species
D) Endangered species
- 20. Which term refers to organisms that feed on primary producers in a food chain?
A) Herbivores
B) Carnivores
C) Decomposers
D) Autotrophs
- 21. What type of species is typically the first to colonize a barren or disturbed ecosystem?
A) Invasive species
B) Indicator species
C) Pioneer species
D) Endemic species
- 22. What type of relationship between two species benefits both organisms involved?
A) Mutualism
B) Parasitism
C) Competition
D) Predation
- 23. What process involves the release of excess nutrients into a body of water, leading to excessive plant growth and oxygen depletion?
A) Eutrophication
B) Infiltration
C) Biological magnification
D) Deforestation
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