,Elements of Ecology, 9e (Smith)
Chapter 1 The Nature of Ecology
1.1 Short Answer Questions
1) ________ is activism with a stated aim of protecting the natural environment, particularly
from the negative impacts of human activities.
Answer: Environmentalism
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
2) ________ is the scientific study of the relationship between organisms and their environment.
Answer: Ecology
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
3) The living, or ________, and nonliving, or ________, components of the environment interact
within an ecosystem.
Answer: biotic; abiotic
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
4) A group of individuals of the same species that occupies a given area is referred to as a(n)
________.
Answer: population
Topic: Section 1.3
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
5) All populations of different species living and interacting within an ecosystem are referred to
collectively as a(n) ________.
Answer: community
Topic: Section 1.3
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
6) At the ________ level, an ecologist might focus on the factors that affect the relative
abundance of various populations in the area.
Answer: community
Topic: Section 1.4
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
7) All science begins with ________, which is the first step in the process known as the scientific
method.
Answer: observation
Topic: Section 1.5
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
1
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
,8) In a field experiment, an ecologist measures the effects of nitrogen on productivity, plotting
data for nitrogen on the x-axis and productivity on the y-axis. In this experiment, the dependent
variable is ________.
Answer: productivity
Topic: Section 1.5
Bloom's Taxonomy: Application/Analysis
9) A(n) ________ is an abstract, simplified representation of a real system, allowing us to predict
some behavior or response using a set of explicit assumptions.
Answer: model
Topic: Section 1.6
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
10) The ________ forms the basic unit in ecology.
Answer: individual
Topic: Section 1.9
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
1.2 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) The term "ecology" is defined as the study of the
A) environment.
B) relationships between organisms.
C) relationships between organisms and their environment.
D) impact of humans on the environment.
Answer: C
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
2) Which of the following is a cornerstone of the science of ecology?
A) Environmentalism
B) Darwin's theory of natural selection
C) Economics
D) Populations
Answer: B
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
3) Moisture and concentration of oxygen
A) are parts of an organism's environment.
B) have no effect on the physiology of an organism.
C) are biological conditions that impact an organism's survival.
D) do not vary in the environment.
Answer: A
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
2
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
, 4) The interaction of a biotic community and its abiotic environment is referred to as a(n)
A) biosphere.
B) ecosystem.
C) population.
D) biome.
Answer: B
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
5) Which of the following is considered an abiotic component of the ecosystem?
A) temperature
B) microbes
C) plants
D) animals
Answer: A
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
6) A biome is
A) the thin layer surrounding the Earth that supports all life.
B) all the populations of different species living and interacting within an ecosystem.
C) a broad-scale region dominated by similar types of ecosystems.
D) an area of land or water composed of a patchwork of communities and ecosystems.
Answer: C
Topic: Section 1.3
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
3
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 1 The Nature of Ecology
1.1 Short Answer Questions
1) ________ is activism with a stated aim of protecting the natural environment, particularly
from the negative impacts of human activities.
Answer: Environmentalism
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
2) ________ is the scientific study of the relationship between organisms and their environment.
Answer: Ecology
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
3) The living, or ________, and nonliving, or ________, components of the environment interact
within an ecosystem.
Answer: biotic; abiotic
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
4) A group of individuals of the same species that occupies a given area is referred to as a(n)
________.
Answer: population
Topic: Section 1.3
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
5) All populations of different species living and interacting within an ecosystem are referred to
collectively as a(n) ________.
Answer: community
Topic: Section 1.3
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
6) At the ________ level, an ecologist might focus on the factors that affect the relative
abundance of various populations in the area.
Answer: community
Topic: Section 1.4
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
7) All science begins with ________, which is the first step in the process known as the scientific
method.
Answer: observation
Topic: Section 1.5
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
1
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
,8) In a field experiment, an ecologist measures the effects of nitrogen on productivity, plotting
data for nitrogen on the x-axis and productivity on the y-axis. In this experiment, the dependent
variable is ________.
Answer: productivity
Topic: Section 1.5
Bloom's Taxonomy: Application/Analysis
9) A(n) ________ is an abstract, simplified representation of a real system, allowing us to predict
some behavior or response using a set of explicit assumptions.
Answer: model
Topic: Section 1.6
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
10) The ________ forms the basic unit in ecology.
Answer: individual
Topic: Section 1.9
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
1.2 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) The term "ecology" is defined as the study of the
A) environment.
B) relationships between organisms.
C) relationships between organisms and their environment.
D) impact of humans on the environment.
Answer: C
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
2) Which of the following is a cornerstone of the science of ecology?
A) Environmentalism
B) Darwin's theory of natural selection
C) Economics
D) Populations
Answer: B
Topic: Section 1.1
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
3) Moisture and concentration of oxygen
A) are parts of an organism's environment.
B) have no effect on the physiology of an organism.
C) are biological conditions that impact an organism's survival.
D) do not vary in the environment.
Answer: A
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
2
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
, 4) The interaction of a biotic community and its abiotic environment is referred to as a(n)
A) biosphere.
B) ecosystem.
C) population.
D) biome.
Answer: B
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
5) Which of the following is considered an abiotic component of the ecosystem?
A) temperature
B) microbes
C) plants
D) animals
Answer: A
Topic: Section 1.2
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
6) A biome is
A) the thin layer surrounding the Earth that supports all life.
B) all the populations of different species living and interacting within an ecosystem.
C) a broad-scale region dominated by similar types of ecosystems.
D) an area of land or water composed of a patchwork of communities and ecosystems.
Answer: C
Topic: Section 1.3
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
3
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
