Test Bank For
Ecology Concepts and Applications Release 2025 Anna A. Sher and Manuel C. Molles
Chapters 1-23
Chapter 1
Introduction to Ecology: Historical Foundations and Developing Frontiers
1) Which of the following levels of organization is/are correctly ordered?
A) Population, ecosystem, landscape, individual, interaction
B) Individual, population, interaction, community, ecosystem
C) Biosphere, landscape, individual, community, interaction
D) Ecosystem, landscape, region, interaction, population
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: B
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
2) Robert MacArthur's observations on the Warblers of North America indicate that they
A) are fiercely competitive.
B) cannot coexist.
C) reduce competition by feeding during different times of the day.
D) reduce competition by feeding in different zones.
E) both are fiercely competitive and cannot coexist.
Answer: D
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
3) What is ecology?
A) The study of relationships between organisms and the environment
B) The study of animal and plant population interactions
C) The study of the abiotic portion of the environment
D) The study of the biosphere
E) The study of environmental change
Answer: A
Section: 01.00
Topic: Introductory Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
,Learning Outcome: 01.01 Discuss the concept of environment as it pertains to the science of
ecology.
4) Nalini Nadkarni's study of tropical and temperate rain forests determined that
A) rain forests have nutrient rich soils.
B) the herbaceous layer determines the nutrient balance.
C) epiphyte mats contain a significant source of nutrients.
D) as one moves up the canopy, species richness decreases.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: C
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
5) The highest level of ecological organization focuses on
A) the gene.
B) the biosphere.
C) warbler use of trees.
D) forests.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: B
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
6) A population can be defined as
A) a group of individuals of a single species inhabiting a defined area.
B) an association of interacting species.
C) a group of individuals of a single species and all of the physical and chemical factors
influencing them.
D) all of the organisms in a defined area.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: A
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
,7) Physiological ecologists study
A) nutrient cycling and energy flow through ecosystems.
B) exchanges of materials, energy, and organisms between communities.
C) physiological and anatomical mechanisms by which organisms deal with variation in their
physical and chemical environment.
D) physiological and anatomical mechanisms by which organisms deal with variation in their
social environment.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: C
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.03 Distinguish between the types of questions addressed by ecologists
working at different levels of organization.
8) The pioneering work of Nalini Nadkarni in rain forest ecology revealed that
A) epiphyte mats in some tropical forests contain nutrient quantities equal to the nutrient content of
the canopy foliage.
B) the epiphyte mass in temperate rain forests may be four times the mass of leaves on their host
tree.
C) in both temperate and tropical rain forests, trees obtain nutrients by extending roots into
epiphyte mats.
D) the epiphyte mass in temperate rain forests may be four times the mass of leaves on their host
tree and in both temperate and tropical rain forests, trees obtain nutrients by extending roots into
epiphyte mats.
E) All of the choices are correct.
Answer: D
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
9) Population ecologists do not study
A) reproductive ecology.
B) distribution and abundance.
C) energy flow.
D) extinction.
E) adaptation.
Answer: C
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.03 Distinguish between the types of questions addressed by ecologists
, working at different levels of organization.
10) Ecologists study
A) communities.
B) ecosystems.
C) individual organisms.
D) populations.
E) All of the choices are correct.
Answer: E
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
11) An ecosystem is defined as
A) all the organisms that live in an area.
B) the physical environment with which organisms interact.
C) an association of interacting species.
D) all of the organisms that live in an area and the physical environment with which they interact.
E) all of the individuals of a single species that live in an area and the physical environment with
which they interact.
Answer: D
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
12) According to Margaret Davis, who studied pollen contained within lake sediments, the
vegetation landscape of the Appalachian Mountains from 12,000 years ago until approximately
100 years ago changed from
A) spruce→chestnut→beech.
B) chestnut→spruce→beech.
C) beech→spruce→chestnut.
D) spruce→beech→chestnut.
E) chestnut→beech→spruce.
Answer: D
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
13) Norris and colleagues found that warblers using different habitats did not have different carbon
Ecology Concepts and Applications Release 2025 Anna A. Sher and Manuel C. Molles
Chapters 1-23
Chapter 1
Introduction to Ecology: Historical Foundations and Developing Frontiers
1) Which of the following levels of organization is/are correctly ordered?
A) Population, ecosystem, landscape, individual, interaction
B) Individual, population, interaction, community, ecosystem
C) Biosphere, landscape, individual, community, interaction
D) Ecosystem, landscape, region, interaction, population
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: B
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
2) Robert MacArthur's observations on the Warblers of North America indicate that they
A) are fiercely competitive.
B) cannot coexist.
C) reduce competition by feeding during different times of the day.
D) reduce competition by feeding in different zones.
E) both are fiercely competitive and cannot coexist.
Answer: D
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
3) What is ecology?
A) The study of relationships between organisms and the environment
B) The study of animal and plant population interactions
C) The study of the abiotic portion of the environment
D) The study of the biosphere
E) The study of environmental change
Answer: A
Section: 01.00
Topic: Introductory Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
,Learning Outcome: 01.01 Discuss the concept of environment as it pertains to the science of
ecology.
4) Nalini Nadkarni's study of tropical and temperate rain forests determined that
A) rain forests have nutrient rich soils.
B) the herbaceous layer determines the nutrient balance.
C) epiphyte mats contain a significant source of nutrients.
D) as one moves up the canopy, species richness decreases.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: C
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
5) The highest level of ecological organization focuses on
A) the gene.
B) the biosphere.
C) warbler use of trees.
D) forests.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: B
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
6) A population can be defined as
A) a group of individuals of a single species inhabiting a defined area.
B) an association of interacting species.
C) a group of individuals of a single species and all of the physical and chemical factors
influencing them.
D) all of the organisms in a defined area.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: A
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
,7) Physiological ecologists study
A) nutrient cycling and energy flow through ecosystems.
B) exchanges of materials, energy, and organisms between communities.
C) physiological and anatomical mechanisms by which organisms deal with variation in their
physical and chemical environment.
D) physiological and anatomical mechanisms by which organisms deal with variation in their
social environment.
E) None of the choices are correct.
Answer: C
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.03 Distinguish between the types of questions addressed by ecologists
working at different levels of organization.
8) The pioneering work of Nalini Nadkarni in rain forest ecology revealed that
A) epiphyte mats in some tropical forests contain nutrient quantities equal to the nutrient content of
the canopy foliage.
B) the epiphyte mass in temperate rain forests may be four times the mass of leaves on their host
tree.
C) in both temperate and tropical rain forests, trees obtain nutrients by extending roots into
epiphyte mats.
D) the epiphyte mass in temperate rain forests may be four times the mass of leaves on their host
tree and in both temperate and tropical rain forests, trees obtain nutrients by extending roots into
epiphyte mats.
E) All of the choices are correct.
Answer: D
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
9) Population ecologists do not study
A) reproductive ecology.
B) distribution and abundance.
C) energy flow.
D) extinction.
E) adaptation.
Answer: C
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 3. Apply
Learning Outcome: 01.03 Distinguish between the types of questions addressed by ecologists
, working at different levels of organization.
10) Ecologists study
A) communities.
B) ecosystems.
C) individual organisms.
D) populations.
E) All of the choices are correct.
Answer: E
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
11) An ecosystem is defined as
A) all the organisms that live in an area.
B) the physical environment with which organisms interact.
C) an association of interacting species.
D) all of the organisms that live in an area and the physical environment with which they interact.
E) all of the individuals of a single species that live in an area and the physical environment with
which they interact.
Answer: D
Section: 01.01
Topic: Overview of Ecology
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02 Describe the levels of ecological organization, for example,
population, studied by ecologists.
12) According to Margaret Davis, who studied pollen contained within lake sediments, the
vegetation landscape of the Appalachian Mountains from 12,000 years ago until approximately
100 years ago changed from
A) spruce→chestnut→beech.
B) chestnut→spruce→beech.
C) beech→spruce→chestnut.
D) spruce→beech→chestnut.
E) chestnut→beech→spruce.
Answer: D
Section: 01.02
Topic: Sampling Ecological Research
Bloom's: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.07 Compare the spatial and temporal scales addressed by the research of
Robert MacArthur, Nalini Nadkarni, and Margaret Davis.
13) Norris and colleagues found that warblers using different habitats did not have different carbon
