Diversity of Form and Function
Ecology Exam Questions with
Correct Answers
ecology def - Correct Answer: Study of interaction among organisms and between organisms and their
environment
factors that determine where species live - Correct Answer: no species found everywhere on earth
-climate (temp, water availability)
-primary producers
What area of Earth has direct sun exposure? - Correct Answer: equator
what is the sun's position at the poles? - Correct Answer: -light is spread out
-goes through more atmosphere
why do you see seasonal changes in temp going from equator to poles? - Correct Answer: consequence
of earth's tilt relative to axis of rotation
what hemisphere tilts towards the sun from april-sept? - Correct Answer: northern hemisphere
what hemisphere tilts towards the sun from sept-april? - Correct Answer: southern hemisphere
climate factors that affect precipitation - Correct Answer: -warm air holds moisture
-warm air rises, and then cools
-as it cools, moisture precipitates
-cool, dry air is displaced by rising moist air
,climate factors that affect wind - Correct Answer: -as earth rotates, air circulates
where is rotation of earth faster? - equator or poles - Correct Answer: at equator
what do prevailing winds do? - Correct Answer: move ocean currents
currents ____ at high latitudes and _____ at low latitudes - Correct Answer: warm; cool
process of global circulation driven by wind patterns - Correct Answer: 1) the trade winds push water
toward the equator..
2) ...where it moves westward until it reaches a continent
3)...then moves north or south along the coast, forming circular currents called gyres
4) the Equatorial Countercurrent arises between the hemispheric gyres
where are milder temps seen? - Correct Answer: land near oceans (water has high specific heat)
what do mountain ranges produce? - Correct Answer: rain shadows
rain shadow - Correct Answer: -as air rises up slope, it cools, releases water
-on leeward side, air is dry, creating a desert
why can't organisms operate outside of defined range of temps? - Correct Answer: -below 0 C, water
freezes and form ice crystals in cells that disrupt membranes
-if too hot, proteins lose structure, and enzymes can't function
adaptions for climate.. - Correct Answer: specialized traits that allow an organism to survive otherwise
unfavorable conditions
(alaskan frog can be 65% frozen, but ice is in extracellular spaces)
,how do some plants or fish tolerate cold conditions? - Correct Answer: they maintain high [] of
compounds that serve as antifreeze
adaptions by altering behavior to survive unfavorable conditions - Correct Answer: -hibernation in
winter, aestivation in summer (slow metabolism)
-migration to favorable conditions
vegetation provides - Correct Answer: food, habitat
tropical rain forest - Correct Answer: ○ Warm, wet
○ High productivity (measure of amount of things that are alive), high diversity (a lot of different kinds of
species)
deserts - Correct Answer: ○ Hot or cold
○ Dry
○ Productivity limited by water
Temperate hardwood woodlands - Correct Answer: ○ Seasonal variation in temp
○ Wet
○ High productivity
Chaparral - Correct Answer: ○ Hot dry summers,
○ Cool, wet winters
temperate evergreen forest - Correct Answer: -clusters of evergreen trees in temperate areas
-warm summers/mild winters
-soil in these forests is poor in nutrients
grassland - Correct Answer: ○ Drier than woodlands
○ Fires shape landscape
, § Most trees killed by fires
§ Herbaceous perennials dominate
○ Deep roots hold and enrich soil
○ Grasses: C4: photosynthesis
○ Forbs (nonwoody, nongrass angiosperms)
○ Corn replaced prairie
Soil no longer held: erodes
what are life zones in oceans defined by? - Correct Answer: illumination (shallow, intermediate, deep)
what zone is open ocean? - Correct Answer: pelagic zone
what zone is deepest ocean? - Correct Answer: abyssal zone
what zone is the seafloor? - Correct Answer: benthic zone
zones that are between pelagic zone and abyssal zone - Correct Answer: photic zone (upper) and aphotic
zone (lower)
where is fresh water found? - Correct Answer: -rivers and lakes
-estuaries (fresh and salt water meet)
characteristics of rivers and lakes - Correct Answer: - light variation
-nutrients are circulated each year by overturn
what is distribution of species due to? - Correct Answer: -climate
- evolutionary history
-range
Ecology Exam Questions with
Correct Answers
ecology def - Correct Answer: Study of interaction among organisms and between organisms and their
environment
factors that determine where species live - Correct Answer: no species found everywhere on earth
-climate (temp, water availability)
-primary producers
What area of Earth has direct sun exposure? - Correct Answer: equator
what is the sun's position at the poles? - Correct Answer: -light is spread out
-goes through more atmosphere
why do you see seasonal changes in temp going from equator to poles? - Correct Answer: consequence
of earth's tilt relative to axis of rotation
what hemisphere tilts towards the sun from april-sept? - Correct Answer: northern hemisphere
what hemisphere tilts towards the sun from sept-april? - Correct Answer: southern hemisphere
climate factors that affect precipitation - Correct Answer: -warm air holds moisture
-warm air rises, and then cools
-as it cools, moisture precipitates
-cool, dry air is displaced by rising moist air
,climate factors that affect wind - Correct Answer: -as earth rotates, air circulates
where is rotation of earth faster? - equator or poles - Correct Answer: at equator
what do prevailing winds do? - Correct Answer: move ocean currents
currents ____ at high latitudes and _____ at low latitudes - Correct Answer: warm; cool
process of global circulation driven by wind patterns - Correct Answer: 1) the trade winds push water
toward the equator..
2) ...where it moves westward until it reaches a continent
3)...then moves north or south along the coast, forming circular currents called gyres
4) the Equatorial Countercurrent arises between the hemispheric gyres
where are milder temps seen? - Correct Answer: land near oceans (water has high specific heat)
what do mountain ranges produce? - Correct Answer: rain shadows
rain shadow - Correct Answer: -as air rises up slope, it cools, releases water
-on leeward side, air is dry, creating a desert
why can't organisms operate outside of defined range of temps? - Correct Answer: -below 0 C, water
freezes and form ice crystals in cells that disrupt membranes
-if too hot, proteins lose structure, and enzymes can't function
adaptions for climate.. - Correct Answer: specialized traits that allow an organism to survive otherwise
unfavorable conditions
(alaskan frog can be 65% frozen, but ice is in extracellular spaces)
,how do some plants or fish tolerate cold conditions? - Correct Answer: they maintain high [] of
compounds that serve as antifreeze
adaptions by altering behavior to survive unfavorable conditions - Correct Answer: -hibernation in
winter, aestivation in summer (slow metabolism)
-migration to favorable conditions
vegetation provides - Correct Answer: food, habitat
tropical rain forest - Correct Answer: ○ Warm, wet
○ High productivity (measure of amount of things that are alive), high diversity (a lot of different kinds of
species)
deserts - Correct Answer: ○ Hot or cold
○ Dry
○ Productivity limited by water
Temperate hardwood woodlands - Correct Answer: ○ Seasonal variation in temp
○ Wet
○ High productivity
Chaparral - Correct Answer: ○ Hot dry summers,
○ Cool, wet winters
temperate evergreen forest - Correct Answer: -clusters of evergreen trees in temperate areas
-warm summers/mild winters
-soil in these forests is poor in nutrients
grassland - Correct Answer: ○ Drier than woodlands
○ Fires shape landscape
, § Most trees killed by fires
§ Herbaceous perennials dominate
○ Deep roots hold and enrich soil
○ Grasses: C4: photosynthesis
○ Forbs (nonwoody, nongrass angiosperms)
○ Corn replaced prairie
Soil no longer held: erodes
what are life zones in oceans defined by? - Correct Answer: illumination (shallow, intermediate, deep)
what zone is open ocean? - Correct Answer: pelagic zone
what zone is deepest ocean? - Correct Answer: abyssal zone
what zone is the seafloor? - Correct Answer: benthic zone
zones that are between pelagic zone and abyssal zone - Correct Answer: photic zone (upper) and aphotic
zone (lower)
where is fresh water found? - Correct Answer: -rivers and lakes
-estuaries (fresh and salt water meet)
characteristics of rivers and lakes - Correct Answer: - light variation
-nutrients are circulated each year by overturn
what is distribution of species due to? - Correct Answer: -climate
- evolutionary history
-range
