Ecology Test Practice

Ecological Relationships Match the relationship type to its definition Mutualism Both species benefit Commensalism One species benefits, one species is neither harmed nor benefits Parasitism One species benefits, and in doing so harms another Predation One organism hunts and consumes another Competition Two or more organisms want the same resource in the same place at the same time The oak mistletoe is a green, leafy plant that grows on trees and has white berries. Mistletoe seeds are spread to other trees through the waste of birds that feed on the berries. The mistletoe seedlings grow into the tree to obtain water and nutrients.Which answer choice correctly identifies a relationship between two of these organisms? The relationship between the tree and the mistletoe is commensalism The relationship between the birds and the trees is predator-prey The relationship between the birds and the trees is mutualism The relationship between the tree and the mistletoe is parasitism Leaf-cutter ants harvest leaves and carry them to fungi that convert plant material into a usable form for the ants to digest. The fungi depend on the leaves for nutrients. The ants also produce an antibiotic on their bodies that helps protect the fungi from harmful bacteria.Which of these explains the relationship between the leaf-cutter ants and the fungi? Predation, because the ants feed on the fungi Mutualism, because both the ants and the fungi benefit from each other Competition, because both organisms consume the same resource for energy Commensalism, because the ants receive energy from the fungi and the fungi are unaffected In some coral reefs, a symbiotic relationship exists between pygmy seahorses and sea fans. The pygmy seahorse can wrap its tail around the branches of the sea fan. This allows the pygmy seahorse to be camouflaged within the sea fan, protecting it from predators. The pygmy seahorse does not harm or benefit the sea fan while it grasps the branches with its tail.What is the correct classification of this symbiotic relationship? Predator Mutualism Commensalism Parasite In an experiment, two plants are grown together for a time and then separated. Plant 2 is a parasite of Plant 1.Which graph best predicts the growth of Plant 1 and Plant 2 during the experiment? Researchers have observed striped hyenas and gray wolves hunting together in certain areas. One hypothesis suggests that changing hunting behavior aids both species in obtaining better and more resources. In this hypothesis the hyenas benefit because the wolves chase and take down large animals, such as goats, that the hyenas usually cannot catch alone. The wolves benefit from hyenas using their jaw strength to crack open large bones of prey to access additional nutrients from bone marrow.Which table best identifies the ecological relationships among the gray wolf, hyena, and goats? The populations of which organisms will most likely increase as a result of a disease that suddenly reduced the population of Texas horned lizards? Grasses and ants Ants and grasshoppers Grasshoppers and Texas cottonmouths Texas cottonmouths and red-shouldered hawks This question has two parts.Part A:Giant salvinia is a floating fern native to Brazil introduced to Texas as an aquarium plant and is now found in large bodies of water across the state. The invasive plant may be carried to new bodies of water by fishing and recreational boats. It grows quickly, covering large areas of the water's surface. When the plant dies and decomposes, the oxygen content in the water declines.Which statement bestdescribes how giant salvinia affects a Texas ecosystem? It promotes the growth of new types of plants. It increases the stability of the ecosystem. It provides an energy source for the ecosystem. It inhibits the growth of native plant species. Which evidence supports the answer to part A? Giant salvinia is poisonous to other plants that grow on the water's surface. Giant salvinia produces waste products that are used by other plants. Giant salvinia releases carbon dioxide that other plants cannot use. Giant salvinia prevents light from reaching plants that grow underwater. Purple loosestrife is an invasive flowering plant species now found in North America. In an effort to control the purple loosestrife, biologists tested and released three beetle species to use as a biological control of the plant.Which result is an unintended negative consequence of releasing these beetle species into the environment? There will be an increase in the available habitat for non-native plant species. There will be an increase in the population numbers of native beetle species in the habitat. There will be an increase in competition for food resources among all beetle species in the habitat. There will be an increase in pollination of native flowering plant species. Oil spills in the ocean affect marine food webs. Animals that are initially affected by oil spills include sea otters, seabirds, and other organisms that spend most of their time on the ocean surface.Based on the food web, how would a significant decrease in the sea otter population due to an oil spill most likely affect this ecosystem? The sea urchin population would increase causing the kelp population to decrease. The fish population would increase in response to the changes in the mussel population. The mussel population would increase in response to the changes in the algae population. The killer whale population would increase causing the fish population to decrease. Food Webs