Question 1

Primary production is lowest in which ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)   creosote bush desert
B)   annual grassland
C)   subalpine forest
D)   temperate deciduous forest
E)   tropical forest

Question 2

The low productivity of arctic tundra ecosystems results

Accepted Answer

A)   entirely because tundra has low evapotranspiration.
B)   entirely because tundra soils are low in nutrients.
C)   entirely because tundra soils retain water poorly.
D)   because tundra soils have low nutrients and retain water poorly.
E)   because tundra has low evapotranspiration and low-nutrient soils.

Question 3

"Actual evapotranspiration" for an ecosystem refers to the amount of water that

Accepted Answer

A)   is taken up from soils by plant roots.
B)   evaporates from soils.
C)   is transpired by plants.
D)   evaporates from soils plus the amount transpired by plants.
E)   could evaporate from soils, if they were kept wet at all times.

Question 4

The terrestrial ecosystems with highest primary production are usually those that are

Accepted Answer

A)   warm and wet.
B)   warm and dry.
C)   cool and wet.
D)   cool and dry.
E)   intermediate in both temperature and moisture.

Question 5

Carnivores that feed on herbivores (or on detritivores)  are referred to as

Accepted Answer

A)   primary producers.
B)   primary consumers.
C)   secondary consumers.
D)   parasitoids.
E)   keystone species.

Question 6

Leibig's "Law of the Minimum" stated that

Accepted Answer

A)   the lowest primary productivity occurs in the coldest ecosystems.
B)   primary productivity is typically controlled entirely by climate.
C)   primary productivity is typically controlled by both climate and soil nutrients.
D)   a single soil nutrient typically limits primary productivity.
E)   the highest primary productivity occurs at the lowest trophic level.

Question 7

You are comparing two population means with a Student's t-Test. If the calculated value of t is greater than the critical value of t, you accept the hypothesis which states that there is a significant difference between the population means.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 8

The major source of nutrients in surface waters of the open ocean is

Accepted Answer

A)   mixing of subsurface with surface waters.
B)   deposition from the atmosphere.
C)   addition by ocean currents bringing nutrients from nearshore waters.
D)   decomposition of dead organic material.
E)   photosynthesis by planktonic algae.

Question 9

The total amount of energy fixed by autotrophs in an ecosystem is called ________________.

Accepted Answer

gross prim...

Question 10

Net primary productivity is the primary productivity of an ecosystem, after subtracting energy lost in

Accepted Answer

A)   dead plant tissues.
B)   inedible plant tissues.
C)   respiration by primary producers.
D)   respiration by primary consumers.
E)   inefficiencies of photosynthesis. C

Question 11

Among marine systems, primary productivity is highest in tropical portions of the major oceans, far from terrestrial influences.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Among lakes, primary productivity seems to be mainly controlled by levels of

Accepted Answer

A)   light.
B)   pollutants.
C)   temperature.
D)   nutrients.
E)   None of the choices are correct.

Question 13

An organism's _________ describes its feeding position within an ecosystem.

Accepted Answer

A)   prey level
B)   production level
C)   consumption level
D)   trophic level
E)   predator level D

Question 14

Experimental fertilizations in the Baltic Sea suggest that primary productivity there is normally limited by

Accepted Answer

A)   phosphorus.
B)   nitrogen.
C)   iron.
D)   potassium.
E)   temperature.

Question 15

Actual evapotranspiration rates are highest in ____________ climates.

Accepted Answer

A)   warm, moist
B)   cold, moist
C)   warm, dry
D)   cold, dry
E)   actual evapotranspiration rate is not affected by climate

Question 16

The rate of primary production on the Serengeti grassland is positively correlated with

Accepted Answer

A)   rainfall.
B)   moderate grazing.
C)   high-intensity grazing.
D)   both rainfall and moderate grazing.
E)   both rainfall and high-intensity grazing.

Question 17

In Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, the fraction of available solar energy fixed by primary producers is

Accepted Answer

A)   approximately 2%.
B)   approximately 15%.
C)   approximately 50%.
D)   nearly all of it.
E)   Primary producers do not fix solar energy.

Question 18

In Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, the largest "standing stock" of energy is represented by biomass of

Accepted Answer

A)   living plant tissues.
B)   dead plant tissues.
C)   invertebrate herbivores.
D)   vertebrate herbivores.
E)   vertebrate carnivores.

Question 19

Bowman and his colleagues, who added nutrients to the alpine tundra on Niwot Ridge, Colorado, found

Accepted Answer

A)   phosphorus is the main nutrient limiting primary production in all meadows.
B)   nitrogen is the main nutrient limiting primary production in all meadows.
C)   phosphorus is the main nutrient limiting primary production in dry meadows.
D)   nitrogen is the main nutrient limiting primary production in wet meadows.
E)   nitrogen and phosphorus jointly limit primary production in wet meadows.

Question 20

An increase about 1,000 years ago in 13C content of human collagen from archeological sites in eastern North America probably records

Accepted Answer

A)   replacement of vegetables and grains in the diet by meat.
B)   replacement of corn by beans and squash in the diet.
C)   increasing consumption of corn.
D)   increasing levels of 13C in soils.
E)   increasing levels of 13C in the atmosphere.

Exam 18: Primary Production and Energy Flow

Primary production is lowest in which ecosystem?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The low productivity of arctic tundra ecosystems results

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

"Actual evapotranspiration" for an ecosystem refers to the amount of water that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The terrestrial ecosystems with highest primary production are usually those that are

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Carnivores that feed on herbivores (or on detritivores) are referred to as

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Leibig's "Law of the Minimum" stated that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

You are comparing two population means with a Student's t-Test. If the calculated value of t is greater than the critical value of t, you accept the hypothesis which states that there is a significant difference between the population means.

Correct AnswerverifiedTrue

The major source of nutrients in surface waters of the open ocean is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The total amount of energy fixed by autotrophs in an ecosystem is called ________________.

Correct Answerverifiedgross prim...View AnswerShow Answer

Net primary productivity is the primary productivity of an ecosystem, after subtracting energy lost in

Correct AnswerverifiedC

Among marine systems, primary productivity is highest in tropical portions of the major oceans, far from terrestrial influences.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Among lakes, primary productivity seems to be mainly controlled by levels of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

An organism's _________ describes its feeding position within an ecosystem.

Correct AnswerverifiedD

Experimental fertilizations in the Baltic Sea suggest that primary productivity there is normally limited by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Actual evapotranspiration rates are highest in ____________ climates.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The rate of primary production on the Serengeti grassland is positively correlated with

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, the fraction of available solar energy fixed by primary producers is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, the largest "standing stock" of energy is represented by biomass of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Bowman and his colleagues, who added nutrients to the alpine tundra on Niwot Ridge, Colorado, found

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

An increase about 1,000 years ago in 13C content of human collagen from archeological sites in eastern North America probably records

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
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True

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gross prim...
View Answer

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C

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D

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An increase about 1,000 years ago in ¹³C content of human collagen from archeological sites in eastern North America probably records

Correct Answer
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