Question

Which of the following features is NOT a typical characteristic of a degraded ecosystem?

a. dominance by small, short-lived species

b. simplicity in structure and function

c. low rates of productivity

d. rapid rate of decomposition

Which of the following is a key characteristic of chemicals that bioconcentrate?

a. highly abundant in the ambient environment

b. organochlorines

c. of low molecular weight

d.fat soluble

Which of the following characteristics is fundamental to a resilient ecosystem?

a. the ability to return to its original conditions after a disturbance

b. the ability to survive following a disturbance

c.the ability to resist the effects of a stressor

d. the presence of a broad range of ecological tolerances

Which characteristic is common among species that compose early successional communities?

a. stress tolerant

b. highly competitive

c. slow growing

d. short lived

Which condition represents a change in the functional properties of an ecosystem following disturbance?

a. an increased rate of carbon cycling

b. a reduction in species diversity

c. an increase in the number of detritivores

d. a change in the acidity of the soil

Which characteristic is common among species that compose early successional communities?

a. stress tolerant

b. highly competitive

c.slow growing

d.short lived

Consider the whole-lake eutrophication experiments conducted at the Experimental Lakes Area. Recall that the two basins of an hourglass-shaped lake were separated by a vinyl barrier, and different nutrients were applied on either side of the barrier. What is the main reason why the researchers used this design rather than applying different nutrients to two different lakes?

a. It provides an experimental control for environmental factors such as precipitation, temperature, etc.

b.It allows researchers to test for the effects of the barrier.

c.It allows the researchers to test for the effect of more than one nutrient at a time.

d. It allows the experiment to be replicated in several locations.

In the context of environmental factors, which of the following words is a synonym for abiotic?

a. constraining

b. inert

c. inorganic

d. physical

Eutrophication in lakes can lead to which of the following conditions?

a. increased algae populations

b. increased pH

c. decreased pH

d. increased heavy metals

Xerotolerant plants are plants that tolerate only small amounts of which of the following?

a. sunlight

b. salt

c. pollution

d. water

Which statement supports Liebig’s Law of the Minimum?

a. an ecosystem with limited diversity of nutrients can support only limited species populations

b. the productivity of a crop is determined by the most scarce factor

c. least abundance that would allow a population to sustain itself

d. least amount of area required to support a species

What is the term for what happens when an environmental stressor exceeds a level of biological or ecological tolerance?

a. response

b. toxicity

c. constraint

d. inhibition

Which of the following situations best defines the term “contamination”?

a. the concentration of a chemical is below the threshold of biological tolerance

b. the concentration of a chemical exceeds the limits of biological tolerance

c. a chemical causes a sublethal biological response

d. a chemical causes a lethal biological response

Which of the following describes a key difference between the species that invade a chronically stressed area and those that invade a disturbed area?

a. Competitive ability is necessary in chronically stressed areas, but not in disturbed areas.

b. Stress-tolerance is necessary in chronically stressed areas, but not in disturbed areas.
c.Rapid growth is necessary in chronically stressed areas, but not in disturbed areas

d. Actually, there is no consistent difference between species that invade chronically stressed areas or disturbed areas.

Answer 1

1. a. dominance by small, short-lived species

2. d.fat soluble

3. a. the ability to return to its original conditions after a disturbance

4. a. stress tolerant

5. b. a reduction in species diversity

6. a. stress tolerant

7. a. It provides an experimental control for environmental factors such as precipitation, temperature, etc.

8. b. inert

9. a. increased algae populations

10. d. water

11. b. the productivity of a crop is determined by the most scarce factor

12. b. toxicity

13. b. the concentration of a chemical exceeds the limits of biological tolerance

14. b. Stress-tolerance is necessary in chronically stressed areas, but not in disturbed areas.