Basic Biology Practice Test: Basics of Ecology and the Biosphere | Practice Test / Quiz / MCQs

1. Which of the following choices includes all of the others in creating global terrestrial climates?

global wind patternsevaporation of water from ocean surfacesocean currentsEarth's rotation on its axisdifferential heating of Earth's surface

2. Which of the following events might you predict to occur if the tilt of Earth's axis relative to its plane of orbit was increased to 33 1/2 degrees?

Winters and summers in Australia would likely become less distinct seasons.Seasonal variation at the equator might decrease.Summers and winters in the United States would likely become warmer and colder, respectively.Both northern and southern hemispheres would experience summer and winter at the same time.Both poles would experience massive ice melts.

3. Which of the following can be said about light in aquatic environments?

Light penetration seldom limits the distribution of photosynthetic species.Longer wavelengths penetrate to greater depths.Photosynthetic organisms that live in deep water probably use red light.Water selectively reflects and absorbs certain wavelengths of light.Most photosynthetic organisms avoid the surface where the light is too intense.

4. Which of the following might be an investigation of microclimate?

competitive interactions between various species of songbirds during spring migrationthe effect of sunlight intensity on species composition in a decaying rat carcassthe effect of different nitrogen applications on corn productivitythe seasonal population fluctuation of nurse sharks in coral reef communitiesthe effect of ambient temperature on the onset of caribou migration

5. Imagine that a deep temperate zone lake did not 'turn over' during the spring and fall seasons. Based on the physical and biological properties of limnetic ecosystems, what would be the difference from normal seasonal turnover?

Lakes would suffer a nutrient depletion in surface layers.The pH of the lake would become increasingly alkaline.The lake would be uniformly cold during the winter and summer.The lake would fail to freeze over in winter.An algal bloom of algae would result every spring.

6. Which statement describes how climate might change if Earth was 75% land and 25% water?

Earth would experience an unprecedented global warming.Terrestrial ecosystems would likely experience more precipitation.More terrestrial microclimates would be created because of daily fluctuations in climate.Earth's daytime temperatures would be higher and nighttime temperatures lower.Summers would be longer and winters shorter at midlatitude locations.

7. If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga)?

chaparral and temperate broadleaf foresttemperate broadleaf forest and grasslanddesert and chaparraltundra and polar icetropical forest and savanna

8. Which of the following statements best describes the effect of climate on biome distribution?

Temperate forests and grasslands are different biomes because they receive a different quality and quantity of sunlight, even though they have essentially the same annual temperature and precipitation.Seasonal fluctuation of temperature is not a limiting factor in biome distribution if areas have the same annual temperature and precipitation means.Not only is the average climate important in determining biome distribution but so is the pattern of climatic variation.Average annual temperature and precipitation are sufficient to predict which biome will be found in an area.Correlation of climate with biome distribution is sufficient to determine the cause of biome patterns.

9. Which of the following investigations would shed the most light on the distribution of organisms in temperate regions that are faced with climate change?

Quantify the impact of man's activities on present-day populations of threatened and endangered species to assess the rate of extirpation and extinction.There is no scientific investigation that can help make predictions on the future distribution of organisms.Look back at the changes that occurred since the Ice Age and how species redistributed as glaciers melted, then make predictions on future distribution in species based on past trends.Remove, to the mineral soil, all of the organisms from an experimental plot and monitor the colonization of the area over time in terms of both species diversity and abundance.Compare and contrast the flora and fauna of warm/cold/dry/wet climates to shed light on how they evolved to be suited to their present-day environment.

11. Air masses formed over the Pacific Ocean are moved by prevailing westerlies where they encounter extensive north-south mountain ranges, such as the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades. Which statement best describes the outcome of this encounter between a landform and an air mass?

The warm, moist Pacific air rises and cools, releasing precipitation as it moves up the windward side of the range, and this cool, now dry air mass heats up as it descends on the leeward side of the range.The cool, moist Pacific air heats up as it rises, releasing its precipitation as it passes the tops of the mountains, and this warm, now dry air cools as it descends on the leeward side of the range.These air masses remain essentially unchanged in moisture content and temperature as they pass over these mountain ranges.These air masses are blocked by the mountain ranges, producing high annual amounts of precipitation on the windward sides of these mountain ranges.The cool, dry Pacific air heats up and picks up moisture from evaporation of the snowcapped peaks of the mountain range, releasing this moisture as precipitation when the air cools while descending on the leeward side of the range.

12. The oceans affect the biosphere in all of the following ways except

regulating the pH of freshwater biomes and terrestrial groundwater.being the source of most of Earth's rainfall.removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.producing a substantial amount of the biosphere's oxygen.moderating the climate of terrestrial biomes.

15. The success with which plants extend their range northward following glacial retreat is best determined by

their tolerance to shade.their seed dispersal rate.whether there is simultaneous migration of herbivores.their size.their growth rate.

16. Which of the examples below provides appropriate abiotic and biotic factors that might determine the distribution of the species in question?

the pH and dissolved oxygen concentration, and the streams in which brook trout can liveavailable sunlight and increased salinity in the top few meters of the ocean, and the abundance and diversity of phytoplankton communitiesincreased predation and decreased food availability, and a prairie dog population after a prairie firethe number of frost-free days, and competition between species of introduced grasses and native alpine grassesthe amount of nitrate and phosphate in the soil, and wildflower abundance and diversity

19. Which of the following statements about the ocean pelagic biome is true?

The most abundant animals are vertebrate fishes.Because it is so immense, the pelagic ocean biome is globally uniform.Pelagic ocean photosynthetic activity is disproportionately low in relation to the size of the biome.The ocean is a vast, deep storehouse that always provides sustenance; it is the next 'frontier' for feeding humanity.Globally, more photosynthesis occurs in the ocean neritic biome than in the pelagic biome.

21. Which of the following statements best describes the interaction between fire and ecosystems?

Many kinds of plants and plant communities have adapted to frequent fires.Fire is unnatural in ecosystems and should be prevented.The likelihood of a wildfire occurring in a given ecosystem is highly predictable over the short term.Chaparral communities have evolved to the extent that they rarely burn.The suppression of forest fires by man has prevented certain communities, such as grasslands, from reaching their climax stage.

22. Studying species transplants is a way that ecologists

develop mathematical models for distribution and abundance of organisms.consolidate a landscape region into a single ecosystem.determine if dispersal is a key factor in limiting distribution of organisms.determine the abundance of a species in a specified area.determine the distribution of a species in a specified area.

23. Why is the climate drier on the leeward side of mountain ranges that are subjected to prevailing winds?

The sun illuminates the leeward side of mountain ranges at a more direct angle, converting to heat energy, which evaporates most of the water present.More organisms live on the sheltered, leeward side of mountain ranges where their utilization of water lowers the amount available when compared to the windward side.Air masses pushed by the prevailing winds are stopped by mountain ranges and the moisture is used up in the stagnant air masses on the leeward side.Deserts usually are found on the leeward side of mountain ranges.Pushed by the prevailing winds on the windward side, air is forced to rise, cool, condense, and drop its precipitation, leaving only dry air to descend the leeward side.

24. Which of the following biomes is correctly paired with the description of its climate?

tundra–long summers, mild winterssavanna–low temperature, precipitation uniform during the yeartemperate broadleaf forest–relatively short growing season, mild winterstemperate grasslands–relatively warm winters, most rainfall in summertropical forests–nearly constant day length and temperature

25. As climate changes because of global warming, species' ranges in the northern hemisphere may move northward, using effective reproductive adaptations to disperse their seeds. The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are those that

have seeds that are easily dispersed by wind or animals.produce well-provisioned seeds.disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree.have thin seed coats.have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire.

25 Questions

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25 Questions

❤ If you liked Fatskills, consider supporting us by checking out The Life Manuals You Never Got.

About | Explore | User Guide | Topics | Subjects | Doubt Solver | Career Aptitude Test | Answers | Free Tools | What Should We Know? Privacy | Terms |

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All trademarks, logos and brand names are the property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement.

About | Explore | User Guide | Topics | Subjects | Doubt Solver | Career Aptitude Test | Answers | Free Tools | What Should We Know?
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Without work one finishes nothing. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
© 2026 Fatskills.com