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

1. 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?

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

2. Turnover of water in temperate lakes during the spring and fall is made possible by which of the following?

cold, more dense water layered at the bottomthe changes in the density of water as seasonal temperatures changecurrents generated by nektonic animalswarm, less dense water layered at the topa distinct thermocline between less dense warm water and cold, dense water

3. When climbing a mountain, we can observe transitions in biological communities that are analogous to the changes

in biomes at different latitudes.in an ecosystem as it evolves over time.across the United States from east to west.at different depths in the ocean.in a community through different seasons.

4. 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.have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire.produce well-provisioned seeds.disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree.have thin seed coats.

5. In temperate lakes, the surface water is replenished with nutrients during turnovers that occur in the

spring and summer.autumn and spring.summer and autumn.autumn and winter.summer and winter.

6. 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.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.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.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.

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

Correlation of climate with biome distribution is sufficient to determine the cause of biome patterns.Seasonal fluctuation of temperature is not a limiting factor in biome distribution if areas have the same annual temperature and precipitation means.Average annual temperature and precipitation are sufficient to predict which biome will be found in an area.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.Not only is the average climate important in determining biome distribution but so is the pattern of climatic variation.

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

tropical forest and savannatundra and polar icechaparral and temperate broadleaf foresttemperate broadleaf forest and grasslanddesert and chaparral

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

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

10. Two plant species live in the same biome but on different continents. Although the two species are not at all closely related, they may appear quite similar as a result of

convergent evolution.gene flow.parallel evolution.introgression.allopatric speciation.

11. Trees are not usually found in the tundra biome because of

permafrost.overbrowsing by musk ox and caribou.extreme winter temperatures.insufficient annual precipitation.acidic soils.

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

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

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

available 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 amount of nitrate and phosphate in the soil, and wildflower abundance and diversitythe pH and dissolved oxygen concentration, and the streams in which brook trout can livethe number of frost-free days, and competition between species of introduced grasses and native alpine grasses

14. If the direction of Earth's rotation reversed, the most predictable effect would be

a big change in the length of the year.a loss of seasonal variation at high latitudes.no more night and day.the elimination of ocean currents.winds blowing from west to east along the equator.

15. 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.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.The likelihood of a wildfire occurring in a given ecosystem is highly predictable over the short term.Fire is unnatural in ecosystems and should be prevented.

16. If you are interested in observing a relatively simple community structure in a clear water lake, you would do well to choose diving into

a eutrophic lake.an oligotrophic lake.a lake with consistently warm temperatures.a relatively shallow lake.a nutrient-rich lake.

17. Generalized global air circulation and precipitation patterns are caused by

polar, cool, moist high-pressure air masses from the poles that move along the surface, releasing precipitation along the way to the equator where they are heated and dried.air masses that are dried and heated over continental areas that rise, cool aloft, and descend over oceanic areas followed by a return flow of moist air from ocean to land, delivering high amounts of precipitation to coastal areas.rising, warm, moist air masses that cool and release precipitation as they rise and then, at high altitude, cool and sink back to the surface as dry air masses after moving north or south of the tropics.mountain ranges that deflect air masses containing variable amounts of moisture.the revolution of Earth around the sun.

18. What would be the effect on climate in the temperature latitudes if Earth were to slow its rate of rotation from a 24-hour period of rotation to a 48-hour period of rotation?

The climate would stay the same. The only change would be longer days and nights.Winter seasons in both the northern and southern hemispheres would have more abundant and frequent precipitation events.There would be a smaller range between daytime high and nighttime low temperatures.Large scale weather events such as tornadoes and hurricanes would no longer be a part of regional climates.Seasons would be longer and more distinct (colder winters and warmer summers).

19. Which of the following areas of study focuses on the exchange of energy, organisms, and materials between ecosystems?

ecosystem ecologypopulation ecologycommunity ecologyorganismal ecologylandscape ecology

21. Which of the following abiotic factors has the greatest influence on the metabolic rates of plants and animals?

windwatertemperaturedisturbancesrocks and soil

22. Which of the following levels of ecological organization is arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive?

individual, community, population, ecosystemcommunity, ecosystem, individual, populationpopulation, ecosystem, individual, communityindividual, population, community, ecosystemecosystem, community, population, individual

23. Which of the following is true with respect to oligotrophic lakes and eutrophic lakes?

Oligotrophic lakes are more subject to oxygen depletion.Rates of photosynthesis are lower in eutrophic lakes.Sediments in oligotrophic lakes contain larger amounts of decomposable organic matter.Eutrophic lake water contains lower concentrations of nutrients.Eutrophic lakes are richer in nutrients.

24. Palm trees and subtropical plants are commonplace in Land's End, England, whose latitude is the equivalent of Labrador in coastal Canada where the local flora is subarctic. Which statement best explains why this apparent anomaly exists between North America and Europe?

Labrador receives sunlight of lower duration and intensity than does Land's End.Labrador does not get enough rainfall to support the subtropical flora found in Land's End.Warm ocean currents interact with England, whereas cold ocean currents interact with Labrador.Labrador is too windy to support tall plants, such as palm trees.Rainfall fluctuates greatly in England; rainfall is consistently high in Labrador.

25. Which of the following is responsible for the differences in summer and winter temperature stratification of deep temperate zone lakes?

Winter ice sinks in the summer.Stratification always follows the fall and spring turnovers.Water is densest at 4°C. Stratification is caused by a thermocline.Oxygen is most abundant in deeper waters.

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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 |

Without work one finishes nothing. - Ralph Waldo Emerson© 2026 Fatskills.com

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?
Privacy | Terms |

Without work one finishes nothing. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
© 2026 Fatskills.com