LTC 10.1 - I can define and provide examples of biosphere, biome, community, population, species,
habitat, and niche.
1. Collectively, all the biotic and abiotic components in a particular area are best described as which
of the following?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Community
Ecosystem
Niche
Population
2. As John travels by train up a mountain, he observes that the terrain changes from coniferous trees
to small shrubs. Which level of organization has most likely remained the same?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
3. Put the level of organization in order from smallest to largest.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Population, Community, Organism, Biosphere, Biome, Ecosystem
Organism, Community, Population, Biosphere, Ecosystem, Biome
Organism, Population, Community, Biosphere, Biome, Ecosystem
Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere
LTC 10.2 - I can discuss the biotic and abiotic factors that affect land and aquatic biomes.
1. In North America, grasslands (prairies) and deciduous forests have growing seasons of similar
length and temperature. Which major factor determines whether a region develops into grassland
or a deciduous forest?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Amount of rain
Amount of sunlight
Nutrient content of the soil
Type of animal populations
Amount of rain
2. Which biome gets the greatest amount of precipitation and the highest average temperature?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Taiga
Temperate Rain Forest
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
3. Which biome receives the least amount of rainfall?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Desert
Temperate Rain Forest
Grassland
Temperate Deciduous Forest
4. In which oceanic zone would we expect to find coral reefs?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Benthic Zone
Pelagic Zone
Photic Zone
Aphotic Zone
Both A and C
Both B and D
All of the above
5. A region of land that drains into a river, river system, or another body of water is called a
a.
b.
c.
d.
Stream
Estuary
Watershed
Lake
6. A highly productive aquatic ecosystem that forms where rivers meets the ocean.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Stream
Lake
Kelp Forest
Estuary
LTC 10.3 - I can discuss the role of bacteria in biogeochemical cycles.
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which biogeochemical cycle is completely dependent on bacteria?
Carbon cycle
Water cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Phosphorus cycle
2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which biogeochemical cycle relies on cellular respiration and photosynthesis?
Carbon cycle
Water cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Phosphorus cycle
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which biogeochemical cycle doesn’t involve chemicals in the atmosphere?
Carbon cycle
Water cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Phosphorus cycle
4.
a.
b.
c.
The evaporation of water from the leaves of plants is called
Condensation
Transpiration
Nitrogen fixation
d. Precipitation
LTC 10.4 - I can explain how energy flows through ecosystems.
1. Which of the following would NOT be a producer?
a. Tree
b. Algae
c. Bacteria using chemosynthesis in hydrothermal vents
d. Deer
2. Which of the following would NOT be a consumer?
a. Cow
b. Cyanobacteria using photosynthesis
c. Frog
d. Human
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of the following descriptions best describes the majority of humans?
Herbivore
Omnivore
Detritivore
Carnivore
LTC 10.5 1. Consider the following simple lake food chain. According to this food chain, which of these organisms
is the tertiary consumer?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Pike
Perch
Dragonfly larvae
Mosquito larvae
2. Assume that 10% of the energy absorbed by one trophic level is transferred to the next successive
level and the same amount of energy is available at the primary producer level of each of these food
chains. How much energy would be available to human in Food Chain 2 as compared to the energy
available to humans in Food Chain 1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
10 times less energy
10 times more energy
100 times less energy
100 times more energy
3. Which energy pyramid accurately represents the amount of energy in a desert food chain including
cacti, hawks, insects, and snakes?
A
B
C
D
LTC 10.6 - I can explain how organisms cooperate (symbiosis) and compete in ecosystems and how
interrelationships and inter-dependencies (predation) of organisms may generate ecosystems that are
stable for thousands of years.
1. Zooxanthellae are protists that live inside reef-building coral polyps and provide the corals nutrients.
Corals protect zooxanthellae and give them access to light for photosynthesis. When most of the
zooxanthellae inside corals die, the corals also die. Zooxanthellae living in closely related coral species
may not be closely related, while zooxanthellae living in distantly related corals may be more closely
related. Which description of the relationship between zooxanthellae and corals is accurate?
a. It is a chance relationship that occurs frequently only if both types of organisms exist close together
b. It is a chance relationship that occurs frequently because zooxanthellae are common on coral reefs.
c. It is a symbiotic relationship that most likely evolved on coral reefs in 1 geographic location.
d. It is a symbiotic relationship that most likely evolved on coral reefs in a number of geographic
locations.
2. An oxpecker is a bird that usually feeds on parasites on a rhinoceros’s back. It occasionally picks scabs
off the rhinoceros’s back and drinks blood from the wounds. Describe the relationship(s) between the
oxpecker and the rhinoceros.
a. Mutualism only
b. Mutualism and predation
c. Mutualism and parasitism
d. Mutualism and commensalism
3. A biologist recorded the number of rabbits in a population over 30 generations. Which of the
following statements best explains why the number of rabbits in the population dramatically decreased
between Points A and B shortly after the 10th generation?
a. A new predator that feeds solely on the rabbit’s main competitor was introduced into the rabbit
habitat.
b. Area farmers set traps for coyotes, the rabbit’s main predator.
c. A change in environmental condition led to a significant increase in the amount of food available
to the rabbits.
d. A fatal disease infected a large proportion of the rabbits in this population.
4. A certain species of protist lives within the intestines of a termite. After the termite chews and
swallows wood, the protist enzymatically digests the wood, providing a usable source of energy for both
itself and the termite. The relationship between the protist and the termite is best described as:
a. Competitive
b. Mutualistic
c. Parasitic
d. Predatory
LTC 10.7 - I can describe the growth of populations, including exponential and logistic growth.
1. Louise places 1 bacterium in a Petri dish at time 0. The population increases exponentially, doubling
every hour, and there are no limiting factors. How many bacteria will be in the Petri dish after 6 hours?
a. 6
b. 16
c. 32
d. 64
2. In a classic study of population growth, G.F. Gause obtained data on growth rates of 2 species of
Paramecium, a common ciliate protozoan. The 2 species grew in separate cultures. The graph shows the
results. According to this data, which is the most accurate comparison of the 2 species’ growth?
a. Both show exponential growth, but P. caudatum has a higher rate of increase.
b. Both show logistic growth, but P. caudatum has a higher rate of increase.
c. P. caudatum show exponential growth, but P. bursaria show logistic growth.
d. P. bursaria show exponential growth, but P. caudatum shows logistic growth.
e. Option 5
LTC 10.8 - I can explain how the amount of life any environment can support is limited (limiting
factors) and explain the concept of carrying capacity.
Using the graph, determine which statement most likely describes the relationship between the
population of organisms and the resources available to the population.
a.
b.
c.
d.
There are adequate resources to support this stable population.
There are adequate resources to support this unstable population.
There are inadequate resources to support this stable population.
There are inadequate resources to support this unstable population.
LTC 10.9 - I can explain ecological succession and the different communities that result.
1. If a football field in the taiga is abandoned, which group of organisms will most likely be part of the
resulting climax community?
a. Apple tree, deer, and wolf
b. Cactus, snake, and hawk
c. Grass, mouse, and coyote
d. Pine tree, moose, and bear
2. When a new volcanic island forms, the pioneer species are the first species to successfully colonize
the island. Which of the following characteristics would be the most advantageous to a pioneer species
colonizing this newly formed island?
a. Low dispersal rate
b. Narrow environmental tolerance
c. High reproductive rate
d. Long generation time
LTC 10.10 - I can evaluate the significance of human interference with major ecosystems and address
issues relating to environmental concerns.
1. Assume burning 1 kg of organic plant material (biomass) as fuel releases the same amount of carbon
dioxide (CO2) as burning 1 kg of fossil fuels. Why would burning biomass instead of fossil fuel keep the
amount of CO2 in the atmosphere relatively stable?
a. Plants capture CO2 during photosynthesis and release it when they are burned as biomass.
b. CO2 released by burning biomass is from a natural source and does not affect the atmosphere.
c. Sunlight breaks down the gases released by burning biomass before they reach the atmosphere.
d. Gases released by burning biomass contain more environmental pollutants than the gases released by
burning fossils fuels.
2. For years, runoff from a nearby industrial plant has entered a certain lake. The runoff causes seasonal
blooms of algae in the lake. These algae are short-lived and die off quickly. Which of the following
graphs most likely illustrates the growth pattern of this algal population from the beginning of the spring
seasonal bloom to the end of the resultant die-off of the algal population?
A
B
C
D
3. The human population
a. Is in a period of stable, logistic growth.
b. Is in a period of decline.
c. Is in a period of exponential growth.
d. Is above carrying capacity.
4. The burning of fossil fuels has caused all these environmental issues EXCEPT
a. Global warming
b. Acid Rain
c. Smog
d. Ozone depletion
5. As a pollutant moves up the food chain, it accumulates in higher concentrations in the bodies of 3rd
order and 4th order consumers. This process is called
a. Biodiversity
b. Biomagnification
c. Conservation
d. Global warming
6. An ecosystem with high biodiversity
a. Is unhealthy.
b. Is healthy.
7.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Which of these is NOT a threat to biodiversity?
Pollution
Habitat fragmentation
Conservation
Invasive species