CH1-4 Questions for Thinking (Teacher Version)

1. A simple ecosystem requires which to function?

A. I only

B. II only

C. III only

D. I and II

E. I and II and III

I. Producers II. Decomposers III. Consumers

2. It involves bacteria, which trap this chemical element in a way which allows multicellular plans and animals to metabolize it.

A. Carbon cycle

B. Nitrogen cycle

C. Hydrologic cycle

D. Phosphorus cycle

E. Biogeological cycle

3. This cycle’s inability to be soluble in water limits the growth of producer populations in many freshwater streams and lakes.

A. Carbon cycle

B. Nitrogen cycle

C. Hydrologic cycle

D. Phosphorus cycle

E. Biogeological cycle

4. It does not involve death, decay, or decomposition to function.

A. Carbon cycle

B. Nitrogen cycle

C. Hydrologic cycle

D. Phosphorus cycle

E. Biogeological cycle

5. Elements cycle through the atmosphere in all of the following biogeochemical cycles EXCEPT which?

A. Carbon

B. Phosphorus

C. Water

D. Oxygen

E. Nitrogen

6. A caterpillar eats a leaf. Of this food, the majority is digested and:

A. Is added to the caterpillar’s bodily material.

B. Is excreted as waste material.

C. Is consumed by microorganisms inside the caterpillar’s digestive system.

D. Converted to energy, allowing the caterpillar to move around and continue living.

7. Ultimately, all energy used on Earth came from:

A. Producers

B. Consumers

C. Earth

D. A Star (the sun)

8. Most of the time, 90% of energy created by producers or consumed by consumers/detrivores is NOT transferrable to the next trophic level because

A. Of the 3rd law of thermodynamics

B. The energy was converted into heat and shed into the environment over the organism’s lifetime

C. The energy was converted to matter to help the organism build itself, and most consumed is not used productively

D. The 90% energy lost was never converted from the matter consumed, and instead excreted.

9. Typically, the % of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next is: A. 0%

B. 10%

C. 25%

D. 50%

Energy flow in an Ecosystem

How/Why is energy lost to the environment?

• Have you ever sat in a chair warm because someone else was sitting in it?

– That person warmed up the chair. Warming the chair used energy!

How are the cows losing energy?

10. Energy flows through an ecosystem:

A. In1 direction only.

B. By getting recycled.

C. Separately from matter.

D. With at least 10% efficiency from one trophic level to another.

11. What is the driving force behind groundwater movement?

A. Additional water leaching down

B. Solar energy

C. Gravity

D. Terrestrial osmosis

12. Mutations can occur through exposure to radiation or chemicals that alter the DNA, or through random mistakes when DNA is copied. Most mutations are:

A. Harmless

B. Lethal

C. Beneficial

12. Explanation: Consider all possible mutations / ways to change something

Beneficial Change

• Low odds to improve something by random chance

Harmful Change

• Highest odds to harm.

• Consider all the ways there are to write a school paper… most arrangements of the words (gene codes) are bad, and few are great, and some are OK.

Neutral Change

• Low, but not lowest odds

• Few ways to write this sentence understandably, most changes won’t improve it.

13. If a squirrel receives a dose of radiation in its brain that allows it to think like a human, will it pass on this trait when it mates?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Impossible to tell

Mutations must be within the cells that are passed on (sperm or egg), gene mutations elsewhere aren’t passed on.

14. The oldest species around are usually ____________ species, due to their wide range of niche tolerances.

A. Specialists

B. Generalists

C. Habitualists

15. Evolution is said to create a new species when:

A. They have traits so different from one another that we name them something new.

B. The organisms with different traits begin fighting and one trait survives.

C. When members of a population cannot breed with other members to produce offspring which can also reproduce. (remember the horse + donkey = mule ?)

16. The greatest times for new species to proliferate is during:

A. Mass extinctions

B. Mass depletions

C. Adaptive radiations

D. Heavy competition with already successful organisms

Explanation: Mass extinctions clear the slate to prevent dominant species from getting all the energy and prevent new species from prospering. Think of trees in a forest taking light. Only when one dies and allows sun through the canopy can a new tree rise up.

There will be many more questions strongly or loosely related to these, including MC, short answer, diagraming, and FRQ. To prep…

• Create flash-cards to review your notes.

• Review your concept map of the nutrient cycles and your annotations.

• Add to your Question Collection.

• Quiz each other.