Ecology and Environmental Interactions Quiz

What is the primary focus of ecology?

• The study of individual organisms

• The study of interactions among organisms and their environments

• The study of physical environments only

• The study of human impact on the planet

Which of the following best describes a microclimate?

• A small area with a climate different from its surroundings

• A climate that is always hot

• A climate that is the same across a large region

• A climate that changes daily

What is a niche in ecological terms?

• A type of competition among species

• The role and position a species has in its environment

• A place where an organism lives

• A specific climate zone

How do organisms compete in an ecosystem?

• By competing for limited resources

• By fighting each other physically

• By sharing resources equally

• By avoiding each other

What happens to predator populations if prey populations decrease?

• Predator populations become extinct

• Predator populations decrease

• Predator populations remain the same

• Predator populations increase

What is a keystone species?

• A species that is the largest in an ecosystem

• A species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment

• A species that is the most numerous

• A species that is the least important

What characterizes primary succession?

• It involves only animal species

• It occurs in areas with existing soil

• It begins on newly exposed surfaces without soil

• It happens after a natural disaster

Which of the following is a result of secondary succession?

• The original ecosystem is restored exactly as it was

• A completely new ecosystem forms

• The ecosystem recovers but is not identical to the original

• No recovery occurs

What is a major threat to biodiversity?

• Predation

• Human activities like pollution and habitat destruction

• Herbivory

• Natural disasters

What is essential for life in underwater environments?

• Dissolved nutrients like oxygen and nitrogen

• Low oxygen levels

• High temperatures

• Complete darkness