Question 1

What advantage would there be for an ecosystem ecologist to measure net ecosystem production (NEP)  instead of net primary production (NPP) ?

Accepted Answer

A)   NPP cannot be expressed in energy/unit of area/unit of time.
B)   NEP can be expressed in terms of carbon fixed by photosynthesis for an entire ecosystem, minus respiration by producers, allowing the measurement of net CO₂ flux.
C)   NEP represents the amount of energy from light converted to chemical energy, minus the energy used by all organisms for cellular respiration, which could indicate whether or not carbon is being stored.
D)   NPP shows the rate at which the standing crop is utilized by consumers.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 2

Use the following figure to answer the question.

Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the figure. What is the limiting portion of the cycle for plants?

Accepted Answer

A)   industrial nitrogen fixation
B)   nitrogen lost to the atmosphere
C)   internal nitrogen cycling in the oceans
D)   nitrogen fixation by bacteriaE) None of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 3

Which of the following has the greatest effect on the rate of chemical cycling in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)   the rate of decomposition in the ecosystem
B)   the production efficiency of the ecosystem's consumers
C)   the trophic efficiency of the ecosystem
D)   the location of the nutrient reservoirs in the ecosystemE) All of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 4

Owls eat rats, mice, shrews, and small birds. Assume that, over a period of time, an owl consumes 5,000 J of animal material. The owl loses 2,300 J in feces and owl pellets and uses 2,500 J for cellular respiration. What is the production efficiency of this owl?

Accepted Answer

A)   8%
B)   7.4%
C)   2%
D)   40%E) A) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 5

Many of the organisms in the ocean are nutrient-limited. If you wanted to investigate this phenomenon, one reasonable approach would be to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   observe Antarctic Ocean productivity from year to year to see if it changes
B)   experimentally enrich some areas of the ocean and compare their productivity to that of untreated areas
C)   compare nutrient concentrations between the photic zone and the benthic zone in various marine locations
D)   contrast nutrient uptake by autotrophs in marine locations that are different temperaturesE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 6

How is net ecosystem production (NEP)  typically estimated in ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)   by detecting the amount of heat energy released by the ecosystem
B)   by measuring gas exchange from vegetation as well as estimates of respiration by all other organisms
C)   by measuring the rate of decomposition by detritivores
D)   by calculating the annual total of incoming solar radiation per unit of areaE) A) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 7

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding mineral nutrients in soils and their implication for primary productivity?

Accepted Answer

A)   Globally, phosphorous availability is most limiting to primary productivity.
B)   Adding a nonlimiting nutrient will stimulate primary productivity.
C)   Phosphorous is sometimes unavailable to producers due to leaching.
D)   Alkaline soils are more productive than acidic soils.E) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 8

Use the following figure to answer the question.

After looking at the results in the figure, what can be concluded about productivity in the experimental ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)   Productivity is higher at depth than at the surface, but only initially.
B)   Productivity is higher at the surface than at depth; however, an additional experiment could further test the effect of depth by introducing FeSO₄ at 30 m deep and measuring the chlorophyll a response.
C)   Productivity is higher at the surface than at depth, and would be predicted to increase sharply after day 12.
D)   Productivity at a depth of 30 m is low only because of a lack of sunlight, not a lack of iron sulfate.E) C) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 9

Why does a vegetarian leave a smaller ecological footprint than an omnivore?

Accepted Answer

A)   Fewer animals are slaughtered for human consumption.
B)   There is an excess of plant biomass in all terrestrial ecosystems.
C)   Vegetarians need to ingest less chemical energy than omnivores.
D)   Eating meat is an inefficient way of acquiring photosynthetic productivity.E) A) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 10

Why is terrestrial productivity higher in equatorial climates?

Accepted Answer

A)   Productivity increases with temperature.
B)   Productivity increases with water availability.
C)   Productivity increases with available sunlight.
D)   The answer is most likely a combination of the other responses.E) A) and B)
F) B) and D)

Question 11

Which of the following ecosystems would likely have the largest net primary productivity per hectare and why?

Accepted Answer

A)   open ocean, because of the total biomass of photosynthetic autotrophs
B)   grassland, because of rapid growth, the small standing crop biomass that results from consumption by herbivores, and rapid decomposition
C)   tundra, because of the incredibly rapid period of growth during the summer season
D)   deep ocean, due to the high activity of chemoautotrophs at deep sea ventsE) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

Question 12

Which of the following organisms is incorrectly paired with its trophic level?

Accepted Answer

A)   cyanobacterium-primary producer
B)   grasshopper-primary consumer
C)   zooplankton-primary producer
D)   fungus-detritivoreE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 13

Which of the following locations are major reservoirs for carbon in the carbon cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)   the ocean, atmosphere, and fossilized and live plant and animal biomass
B)   the atmosphere
C)   fossilized plant and animal remains (coal, oil, and natural gas) 
D)   sediments and sedimentary rocksE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 14

Use the following figure to answer the question.

Which habitat type in the figure makes available the most new tissue to consumers?

Accepted Answer

A)   tropical wet forest
B)   open ocean
C)   algal beds and reefs
D)   wetlandsE) C) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 15

Suppose you are studying the nitrogen cycling between vegetation, sediments, and water in a pond ecosystem over the course of a month. While you are collecting data, a flock of 100 Canada geese lands and spends the night during a fall migration. What could you do to eliminate error in your study as a result of this event?

Accepted Answer

A)   Find out how much nitrogen is consumed in plant material by a Canada goose over about a 12-hour period, multiply this number by 100, and add that amount to the total nitrogen in the ecosystem.
B)   Find out how much nitrogen is eliminated by a Canada goose over about a 12-hour period, multiply this number by 100, and subtract that amount from the total nitrogen in the ecosystem.
C)   Find out how much nitrogen is consumed from vegetation and eliminated by a Canada goose over about a 12-hour period and multiply this number by 100; enter this +/- value into the nitrogen budget of the ecosystem.
D)   Put a net over the pond so that no more migrating flocks can land on the pond and alter the nitrogen balance of the pond.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 16

Nitrifying bacteria participate in the nitrogen cycle mainly by

Accepted Answer

A)   converting nitrogen gas to ammonia.
B)   releasing ammonium from organic compounds, thus returning it to the soil.
C)   converting ammonium to nitrate, which plants absorb.
D)   incorporating nitrogen into amino acids and organic compounds.E) C) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 17

Use the following figure to answer the question.

Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the figure. How are humans altering this cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)   industrial nitrogen fixation
B)   nitrogen lost to the atmosphere
C)   reduction of nitrogen available to terrestrial ecosystems
D)   reduction of nitrogen fixation by bacteriaE) B) and C)
F) A) and B)

Question 18

Which of the following statements is correct about biogeochemical cycling?

Accepted Answer

A)   Phosphorus is the limiting nutrient that most widely affects biomass production.
B)   The phosphorus cycle involves the weathering of rocks.
C)   The carbon cycle has maintained a constant atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide for the past million years.
D)   The nitrogen cycle involves movement of diatomic nitrogen between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem.E) A) and C)
F) B) and C)

Question 19

Use the following figure to answer the question.

Food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem (arrows represent energy flow and letters represent species) 
Examine this food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem. Which pair of species could be omnivores?

Accepted Answer

A)   A and D
B)   B and C
C)   C and D
D)   C and EE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 20

Use the following figure to answer the question.

After looking at the experiment in the figure, what can be concluded about productivity in marine ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)   Nothing can be said based on this information.
B)   Marine organisms break down iron for energy and thus for productivity.
C)   Iron can be a limiting nutrient in productivity.
D)   Productivity increases when chlorophyll a is added.E) A) and C)
F) B) and C)

Exam 55: Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology

Use the following figure to answer the question. After looking at the results in the figure, what can be concluded about productivity in the experimental ecosystem?

Correct Answer
verified

Use the following figure to answer the question. Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the figure. What is the limiting portion of the cycle for plants?

Correct Answer
verified

Many of the organisms in the ocean are nutrient-limited. If you wanted to investigate this phenomenon, one reasonable approach would be to ________.

Correct Answer
verified

What advantage would there be for an ecosystem ecologist to measure net ecosystem production (NEP) instead of net primary production (NPP) ?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following ecosystems would likely have the largest net primary productivity per hectare and why?

Correct Answer
verified

Why does a vegetarian leave a smaller ecological footprint than an omnivore?

Correct Answer
verified

Owls eat rats, mice, shrews, and small birds. Assume that, over a period of time, an owl consumes 5,000 J of animal material. The owl loses 2,300 J in feces and owl pellets and uses 2,500 J for cellular respiration. What is the production efficiency of this owl?

Correct Answer
verified

Use the following figure to answer the question. Food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem (arrows represent energy flow and letters represent species) Examine this food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem. Which pair of species could be omnivores?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following statements is correct about biogeochemical cycling?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following organisms is incorrectly paired with its trophic level?

Correct Answer
verified

Use the following figure to answer the question. Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the figure. How are humans altering this cycle?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Why is terrestrial productivity higher in equatorial climates?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following has the greatest effect on the rate of chemical cycling in an ecosystem?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding mineral nutrients in soils and their implication for primary productivity?

Correct Answer
verified

How is net ecosystem production (NEP) typically estimated in ecosystems?

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following locations are major reservoirs for carbon in the carbon cycle?

Correct Answer
verified

Nitrifying bacteria participate in the nitrogen cycle mainly by

Correct Answer
verified

Use the following figure to answer the question. Which habitat type in the figure makes available the most new tissue to consumers?

Correct Answer
verified

Use the following figure to answer the question. After looking at the experiment in the figure, what can be concluded about productivity in marine ecosystems?

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 55: Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology

Use the following figure to answer the question. After looking at the results in the figure, what can be concluded about productivity in the experimental ecosystem?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Use the following figure to answer the question. Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the figure. What is the limiting portion of the cycle for plants?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Many of the organisms in the ocean are nutrient-limited. If you wanted to investigate this phenomenon, one reasonable approach would be to ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What advantage would there be for an ecosystem ecologist to measure net ecosystem production (NEP) instead of net primary production (NPP) ?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following ecosystems would likely have the largest net primary productivity per hectare and why?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why does a vegetarian leave a smaller ecological footprint than an omnivore?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Owls eat rats, mice, shrews, and small birds. Assume that, over a period of time, an owl consumes 5,000 J of animal material. The owl loses 2,300 J in feces and owl pellets and uses 2,500 J for cellular respiration. What is the production efficiency of this owl?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Use the following figure to answer the question. Food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem (arrows represent energy flow and letters represent species) Examine this food web for a particular terrestrial ecosystem. Which pair of species could be omnivores?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statements is correct about biogeochemical cycling?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following organisms is incorrectly paired with its trophic level?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Use the following figure to answer the question. Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the figure. How are humans altering this cycle?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is terrestrial productivity higher in equatorial climates?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following has the greatest effect on the rate of chemical cycling in an ecosystem?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding mineral nutrients in soils and their implication for primary productivity?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How is net ecosystem production (NEP) typically estimated in ecosystems?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following locations are major reservoirs for carbon in the carbon cycle?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Nitrifying bacteria participate in the nitrogen cycle mainly by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Use the following figure to answer the question. Which habitat type in the figure makes available the most new tissue to consumers?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Use the following figure to answer the question. After looking at the experiment in the figure, what can be concluded about productivity in marine ecosystems?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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