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Ecology Final Exam Actual Questions and
Verified Answers
Define Ecology - ✔ANASWER✔-The study of interactions between
organisms and their environment
Ecology - ✔ANASWER✔-scientific study of interactions among
organisms and between organisms and their environment
Species - ✔ANASWER✔-A population or group of populations whose
members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable,
fertile offspring
Keystone species - ✔ANASWER✔-a species that influences the
survival of many other species in an ecosystem
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dominant species - ✔ANASWER✔-those species in a community that
are the most abundant or that collectively have the highest biomass
Disturbance - ✔ANASWER✔-A discrete event that disrupts an
ecosystem or community. Examples of natural disturbances include
fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, and floods. Examples of human-
caused disturbances include deforestation, overgrazing, and plowing.
primary succession - ✔ANASWER✔-an ecological succession that
begins in an area where no biotic community previously existed
secondary succession - ✔ANASWER✔-succession on a site where an
existing community has been disrupted
extirpation - ✔ANASWER✔-the extinction of a species from specific
geographic areas
extinction - ✔ANASWER✔-disappearance of a species from all parts of
its geographical range
primary productivity - ✔ANASWER✔-synthesis of organic materials by
green plants using the energy captured in photosynthesis
secondary productivity - ✔ANASWER✔-The rate at which consumer
convert chemical energy from their food into their own biomass
GPP - ✔ANASWER✔-Gross primary productivity
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NPP - ✔ANASWER✔-The Gross Primary Productivity minus the
respiration rate of autotrophs is equal to
biodiveristy - ✔ANASWER✔-the vairety of organisms considered at all
levels from populations to ecosystems.
biological oxygen demand - ✔ANASWER✔-the amount of oxygen
needed by microorganisms to decompose biological wastes into carbon
dioxide, water, and minerals.
acid precipitation - ✔ANASWER✔-rain containing acids that form in
the atmosphere when industrial gas emissions (especially sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides) combine with water
energy budgets - ✔ANASWER✔-all gains of incoming energy and all
losses of outgoing energy in a system (Earth)
SLOSS - ✔ANASWER✔-Single Large or Several Small. A reserve
should be large enough to support viable populations of endangered
species, keep ecosystems intact, and isolate critical core areas from
external forces
pheromones - ✔ANASWER✔-odorless chemicals that serve as social
signals to members of one's species
Ecology Final Exam Actual Questions and
Verified Answers
Define Ecology - ✔ANASWER✔-The study of interactions between
organisms and their environment
Ecology - ✔ANASWER✔-scientific study of interactions among
organisms and between organisms and their environment
Species - ✔ANASWER✔-A population or group of populations whose
members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable,
fertile offspring
Keystone species - ✔ANASWER✔-a species that influences the
survival of many other species in an ecosystem
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dominant species - ✔ANASWER✔-those species in a community that
are the most abundant or that collectively have the highest biomass
Disturbance - ✔ANASWER✔-A discrete event that disrupts an
ecosystem or community. Examples of natural disturbances include
fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, and floods. Examples of human-
caused disturbances include deforestation, overgrazing, and plowing.
primary succession - ✔ANASWER✔-an ecological succession that
begins in an area where no biotic community previously existed
secondary succession - ✔ANASWER✔-succession on a site where an
existing community has been disrupted
extirpation - ✔ANASWER✔-the extinction of a species from specific
geographic areas
extinction - ✔ANASWER✔-disappearance of a species from all parts of
its geographical range
primary productivity - ✔ANASWER✔-synthesis of organic materials by
green plants using the energy captured in photosynthesis
secondary productivity - ✔ANASWER✔-The rate at which consumer
convert chemical energy from their food into their own biomass
GPP - ✔ANASWER✔-Gross primary productivity
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NPP - ✔ANASWER✔-The Gross Primary Productivity minus the
respiration rate of autotrophs is equal to
biodiveristy - ✔ANASWER✔-the vairety of organisms considered at all
levels from populations to ecosystems.
biological oxygen demand - ✔ANASWER✔-the amount of oxygen
needed by microorganisms to decompose biological wastes into carbon
dioxide, water, and minerals.
acid precipitation - ✔ANASWER✔-rain containing acids that form in
the atmosphere when industrial gas emissions (especially sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides) combine with water
energy budgets - ✔ANASWER✔-all gains of incoming energy and all
losses of outgoing energy in a system (Earth)
SLOSS - ✔ANASWER✔-Single Large or Several Small. A reserve
should be large enough to support viable populations of endangered
species, keep ecosystems intact, and isolate critical core areas from
external forces
pheromones - ✔ANASWER✔-odorless chemicals that serve as social
signals to members of one's species
