BIOL 301 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
What pair of species would you expect to exhibit commensalism? (+/0) - Correct
Answers -A. Owls and oak trees
B. Osprey and herons
C. Coyotes and foxes
D. Algae and kelp
A. Owls and oak trees
Which type of interaction between species results in positive outcomes for both
species? - Correct Answers -A. Mutualism
B. Commensalism
C. Herbivory
D. Heterotrophism
A. Mutualism
The boundaries of communities are - Correct Answers -A. Flexible
B. Difficult for species to cross
C. Clear and distinct
D. Never overlapping
A. Flexible
An ecologist who studies populations would most likely be interested in births and
deaths of ______ belong to a particular species in a particular place. - Correct Answers
-individuals
The range of biotic and abiotic conditions a species can tolerate is its _____. - Correct
Answers -niche
To better understand what happens in an aquatic system (freshwater lake) when
exposed to acid deposition (acid rain), an ecologist would likely look at the lake from the
______. - Correct Answers -ecosystem level
Which is the best action if an experiment does not support a hypothesis? - Correct
Answers -A. Create a mathematical model
,B. Revise the hypothesis
C. Test the hypothesis again
D. Publish your results
B. Revise the hypothesis
A moose, a monarch butterfly, and a wolf are all examples of _____. - Correct Answers
-Heterotrophs
Which interaction is characterized by negative effects on the fitness of both species
involved? - Correct Answers -A. Predation
B. Herbivory
C. Commensalism
D. Competition
D. Competition
A phenotype is the _____ of an individual's traits. - Correct Answers -expression
In evolution by natural selection, some individuals have ____ fitness because of their
traits. - Correct Answers -higher
Organisms that use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis are _____. - Correct Answers -
autotrophs
The formulation of hypotheses is a critical step in the scientific process. In the simplest
terms, what is a hypothesis? - Correct Answers -A. An explanation
B. An experiment
C. An observation
D. A proven fact
A. An explanation
Which ecological level would be of most interest to an ecologist studying adaptations? -
Correct Answers -A. Ecosystem
B. Population
C. Individual
D. Community
C. Individual
Photoperiod is the amount of light that occurs each _____; provides a cue for many
events in the life histories of virtually all organisms - Correct Answers -day
_____ flowers are flowers that contain both male and female flowers - Correct Answers
-Perfect
,______ hermaphrodites are individuals that possess male and female reproductive
functions at the same time; self-fertilization - Correct Answers -Simultaneous
______ hermaphrodites are individuals that possess male or female reproductive
function and then switch to the other; self-fertilization - Correct Answers -Sequential
Monoecious are plants that have _____ male and female flowers on the same individual
- Correct Answers -separate
At what ecological level does evolution occur? - Correct Answers -A. Individual
B. Population
C. Ecosystem
D. Community
B. Population
Which photosynthesis method is best suited to warm, dry environments?
I. C3 Fixation
II. C4 Fixation
III. CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) - Correct Answers -A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II only
D. II and III only
E. III only
D. II and III only
Photosynthesis primarily allows plants to produce ______. - Correct Answers -glucose
Anaerobic conditions are more common in _____ water than in the _____. - Correct
Answers -deep; shallows
Aquatic organisms have developed streamlined shapes to adapt to the _____ of water. -
Correct Answers -viscosity
Spotted salamanders lay eggs in gelatinous masses on twigs partially submerged in
small ponds or vernal pools. Associated with the eggs, scientists have found a species
of alga living in a mutualistic relationship with the developing eggs. What benefit does
the salamander receive from this relationship? - Correct Answers -A. The salamander
eggs are better camouflaged
B. The salamander embryos receive an increased N supply
C. The salamander embryos receive an increased CO2 supply
D. The salamander embryos receive an increased O2 supply
, D. The salamander embryos receive an increased O2 supply
A symbiotic relationship with algae is central to - Correct Answers -A. Mangrove
swamps
B. Intertidal zones
C. Coral reefs
D. Ponds and lakes
C. Coral reefs
The primary cause of coral bleaching is - Correct Answers -A. Decreased water
temperature
B. Increased water pH
C. Decreased water pH
D. Decreased salt concentrations
E. Increased water temperature
E. Increased water temperature
Fish obtain oxygen from the water through their gills using - Correct Answers -A.
Recurrent circulation
B. Concurrent circulation
C. Unidirectional circulation
D. Countercurrent circulation
D. Countercurrent circulation
Which ecological level would be of most interest to an ecologist studying adaptations? -
Correct Answers -A. Ecosystem
B. Population
C. Individual
D. Community
C. Individual
A fish that has tissue solute concentrations that are higher than surrounding water is
______ and is trying not to drinking the environmental water in an attempt to _____
internal water concentrations. - Correct Answers -hyperosmotic; maintain
A plant with a high number of stomata has a high rate of _____. - Correct Answers -
transpiration
Which is NOT a true statement? - Correct Answers -A. All ectotherms are poikilotherms
B. Ectotherms tend to have lower metabolic rates than endotherms
C. Ectotherms are able to alter their body temperature
AND ANSWERS
What pair of species would you expect to exhibit commensalism? (+/0) - Correct
Answers -A. Owls and oak trees
B. Osprey and herons
C. Coyotes and foxes
D. Algae and kelp
A. Owls and oak trees
Which type of interaction between species results in positive outcomes for both
species? - Correct Answers -A. Mutualism
B. Commensalism
C. Herbivory
D. Heterotrophism
A. Mutualism
The boundaries of communities are - Correct Answers -A. Flexible
B. Difficult for species to cross
C. Clear and distinct
D. Never overlapping
A. Flexible
An ecologist who studies populations would most likely be interested in births and
deaths of ______ belong to a particular species in a particular place. - Correct Answers
-individuals
The range of biotic and abiotic conditions a species can tolerate is its _____. - Correct
Answers -niche
To better understand what happens in an aquatic system (freshwater lake) when
exposed to acid deposition (acid rain), an ecologist would likely look at the lake from the
______. - Correct Answers -ecosystem level
Which is the best action if an experiment does not support a hypothesis? - Correct
Answers -A. Create a mathematical model
,B. Revise the hypothesis
C. Test the hypothesis again
D. Publish your results
B. Revise the hypothesis
A moose, a monarch butterfly, and a wolf are all examples of _____. - Correct Answers
-Heterotrophs
Which interaction is characterized by negative effects on the fitness of both species
involved? - Correct Answers -A. Predation
B. Herbivory
C. Commensalism
D. Competition
D. Competition
A phenotype is the _____ of an individual's traits. - Correct Answers -expression
In evolution by natural selection, some individuals have ____ fitness because of their
traits. - Correct Answers -higher
Organisms that use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis are _____. - Correct Answers -
autotrophs
The formulation of hypotheses is a critical step in the scientific process. In the simplest
terms, what is a hypothesis? - Correct Answers -A. An explanation
B. An experiment
C. An observation
D. A proven fact
A. An explanation
Which ecological level would be of most interest to an ecologist studying adaptations? -
Correct Answers -A. Ecosystem
B. Population
C. Individual
D. Community
C. Individual
Photoperiod is the amount of light that occurs each _____; provides a cue for many
events in the life histories of virtually all organisms - Correct Answers -day
_____ flowers are flowers that contain both male and female flowers - Correct Answers
-Perfect
,______ hermaphrodites are individuals that possess male and female reproductive
functions at the same time; self-fertilization - Correct Answers -Simultaneous
______ hermaphrodites are individuals that possess male or female reproductive
function and then switch to the other; self-fertilization - Correct Answers -Sequential
Monoecious are plants that have _____ male and female flowers on the same individual
- Correct Answers -separate
At what ecological level does evolution occur? - Correct Answers -A. Individual
B. Population
C. Ecosystem
D. Community
B. Population
Which photosynthesis method is best suited to warm, dry environments?
I. C3 Fixation
II. C4 Fixation
III. CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) - Correct Answers -A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II only
D. II and III only
E. III only
D. II and III only
Photosynthesis primarily allows plants to produce ______. - Correct Answers -glucose
Anaerobic conditions are more common in _____ water than in the _____. - Correct
Answers -deep; shallows
Aquatic organisms have developed streamlined shapes to adapt to the _____ of water. -
Correct Answers -viscosity
Spotted salamanders lay eggs in gelatinous masses on twigs partially submerged in
small ponds or vernal pools. Associated with the eggs, scientists have found a species
of alga living in a mutualistic relationship with the developing eggs. What benefit does
the salamander receive from this relationship? - Correct Answers -A. The salamander
eggs are better camouflaged
B. The salamander embryos receive an increased N supply
C. The salamander embryos receive an increased CO2 supply
D. The salamander embryos receive an increased O2 supply
, D. The salamander embryos receive an increased O2 supply
A symbiotic relationship with algae is central to - Correct Answers -A. Mangrove
swamps
B. Intertidal zones
C. Coral reefs
D. Ponds and lakes
C. Coral reefs
The primary cause of coral bleaching is - Correct Answers -A. Decreased water
temperature
B. Increased water pH
C. Decreased water pH
D. Decreased salt concentrations
E. Increased water temperature
E. Increased water temperature
Fish obtain oxygen from the water through their gills using - Correct Answers -A.
Recurrent circulation
B. Concurrent circulation
C. Unidirectional circulation
D. Countercurrent circulation
D. Countercurrent circulation
Which ecological level would be of most interest to an ecologist studying adaptations? -
Correct Answers -A. Ecosystem
B. Population
C. Individual
D. Community
C. Individual
A fish that has tissue solute concentrations that are higher than surrounding water is
______ and is trying not to drinking the environmental water in an attempt to _____
internal water concentrations. - Correct Answers -hyperosmotic; maintain
A plant with a high number of stomata has a high rate of _____. - Correct Answers -
transpiration
Which is NOT a true statement? - Correct Answers -A. All ectotherms are poikilotherms
B. Ectotherms tend to have lower metabolic rates than endotherms
C. Ectotherms are able to alter their body temperature
