Test Bank
to accompany
Ecology, Sixth Edition
Bowman • Hacker
Chapter 1: The Web of Life
TEST BANK QUESTIONS
Multiple Choice
1. What is one reason that amphibians are especially good biological indicators of
environmental conditions?
a. They live in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.
b. It is difficult for pollutants to pass through their skin.
c. They are declining in number.
d. They can tolerate high levels of pollution.
Answer: a
Key Concept: Deformity and Decline in Amphibian Populations: A Case Study
Learning Objective: Not aligned
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
2. The ecological study of the effect of Ribeiroia and pesticides on frog populations
suggests that all of these statements about the study of ecology are true except that
a. it describes how organisms affect the environment.
b. it describes how the environment affects organisms.
c. it studies how biotic and abiotic factors affect each other.
d. humans are not part of its subject matter.
Answer: d
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
3. West Nile virus can be considered an example of an unintended consequence of
ecological interactions because it
a. originated in Africa.
b. is transmitted by mosquitoes.
c. emerged due to human impacts on the environment.
d. is increasing rapidly due to a rise in trematode populations.
Answer: c
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
© 2024
,4. Refer to the figure.
Which state(s) was the last to report human cases of West Nile?
a. Maine
b. New York
c. Washington and Oregon
d. Georgia and Alabama
Answer: a
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
5. Refer to the figure.
© 2024
,Compare the number of reported West Nile virus cases between the pair of states. Which
pair has a similar number of cases?
a. Maine and New York
b. Rhode Island and West Virginia
c. Washington and Montana
d. Texas and Alabama
Answer: b
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 4. Analyzing
6. In 1878, seal hunters introduced rabbits to Macquarie Island, between Australia and
Antarctica. The rabbit population soared and the Myxoma virus was then introduced to
kill off rabbits. It worked, but the islands’ cats, which had depended on the rabbits for
food, began eating seabirds instead. To save the seabirds, scientists started a program to
kill off the cats. Twenty-four years later, in 2009, the rabbit population had exploded
again, and rabbits were ravaging native plant species and devastating the island’s
ecosystem. This story appears to be an example of
a. sound, responsible ecological management.
b. unintended ecological consequences.
c. predictable but unavoidable consequences.
d. a series of catastrophes resulting from random chance.
Answer: d
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 4. Analyzing
© 2024
, 7. What evidence led Ruth and Sessions to conclude that parasites could be the cause of
some of the deformities in the frogs found in the ponds of Northern California?
a. None of the deformed frogs found in the ponds were infected with the parasites.
b. They directly observed the parasites causing the deformities.
c. Glass beads placed near the location of limb development in tadpoles mimicked the
effect of parasites and caused deformities.
d. Deformities in the frogs occurred in nature but not in the laboratory.
Answer: c
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
8. In addition to the frogs themselves, which organisms act as hosts for the flatworm that
has been linked to deformities in frogs?
a. Birds and snails
b. Snails and turtles
c. Turtles and birds
d. Snails and clams
Answer: a
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
9. Refer to the figure.
The figure is based on Johnson’s experiment on the effects of trematode parasites on
tadpoles. Which statement best describes the control group in the experiment?
a. Tadpoles were grown in the absence of trematode parasites.
b. Tadpoles were allowed to grow in nets in their natural environment.
© 2024
to accompany
Ecology, Sixth Edition
Bowman • Hacker
Chapter 1: The Web of Life
TEST BANK QUESTIONS
Multiple Choice
1. What is one reason that amphibians are especially good biological indicators of
environmental conditions?
a. They live in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.
b. It is difficult for pollutants to pass through their skin.
c. They are declining in number.
d. They can tolerate high levels of pollution.
Answer: a
Key Concept: Deformity and Decline in Amphibian Populations: A Case Study
Learning Objective: Not aligned
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
2. The ecological study of the effect of Ribeiroia and pesticides on frog populations
suggests that all of these statements about the study of ecology are true except that
a. it describes how organisms affect the environment.
b. it describes how the environment affects organisms.
c. it studies how biotic and abiotic factors affect each other.
d. humans are not part of its subject matter.
Answer: d
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
3. West Nile virus can be considered an example of an unintended consequence of
ecological interactions because it
a. originated in Africa.
b. is transmitted by mosquitoes.
c. emerged due to human impacts on the environment.
d. is increasing rapidly due to a rise in trematode populations.
Answer: c
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
© 2024
,4. Refer to the figure.
Which state(s) was the last to report human cases of West Nile?
a. Maine
b. New York
c. Washington and Oregon
d. Georgia and Alabama
Answer: a
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
5. Refer to the figure.
© 2024
,Compare the number of reported West Nile virus cases between the pair of states. Which
pair has a similar number of cases?
a. Maine and New York
b. Rhode Island and West Virginia
c. Washington and Montana
d. Texas and Alabama
Answer: b
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 4. Analyzing
6. In 1878, seal hunters introduced rabbits to Macquarie Island, between Australia and
Antarctica. The rabbit population soared and the Myxoma virus was then introduced to
kill off rabbits. It worked, but the islands’ cats, which had depended on the rabbits for
food, began eating seabirds instead. To save the seabirds, scientists started a program to
kill off the cats. Twenty-four years later, in 2009, the rabbit population had exploded
again, and rabbits were ravaging native plant species and devastating the island’s
ecosystem. This story appears to be an example of
a. sound, responsible ecological management.
b. unintended ecological consequences.
c. predictable but unavoidable consequences.
d. a series of catastrophes resulting from random chance.
Answer: d
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 4. Analyzing
© 2024
, 7. What evidence led Ruth and Sessions to conclude that parasites could be the cause of
some of the deformities in the frogs found in the ponds of Northern California?
a. None of the deformed frogs found in the ponds were infected with the parasites.
b. They directly observed the parasites causing the deformities.
c. Glass beads placed near the location of limb development in tadpoles mimicked the
effect of parasites and caused deformities.
d. Deformities in the frogs occurred in nature but not in the laboratory.
Answer: c
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
8. In addition to the frogs themselves, which organisms act as hosts for the flatworm that
has been linked to deformities in frogs?
a. Birds and snails
b. Snails and turtles
c. Turtles and birds
d. Snails and clams
Answer: a
Key Concept: 1.1 Events in the natural world are interconnected.
Learning Objective: 1.1.1 Explain how interactions between organisms and their
environment can affect other organisms and potentially lead to unexpected consequences.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
9. Refer to the figure.
The figure is based on Johnson’s experiment on the effects of trematode parasites on
tadpoles. Which statement best describes the control group in the experiment?
a. Tadpoles were grown in the absence of trematode parasites.
b. Tadpoles were allowed to grow in nets in their natural environment.
© 2024
