Each of the following is an abiotic factor in the environment 

EXCEPT

plant life

soil t

ype

Rainfall

temperat

ure

71%

10%10%10%

1. plant life2. soil type3. Rainfall4. temperature

Which is a biotic factor that affects the size of a population in a specific ecosystem?

avera

ge te

mperatu

re of t

..

type of s

oil in th

e ecosy

...

number and kinds o

f pr..

.

conce

ntration of o

xygen ..

0%10%

81%

10%

1. average temperature of the ecosystem

2. type of soil in the ecosystem

3. number and kinds of predators in the ecosystem

4. concentration of oxygen in the ecosystem

During a long period when there is no rainfall, a mountain lion may temporarily leave its usual 

hunting territory to drink from a farm pond. This behavior is probably due to

its need to

find differe

n...

the ch

ange in an

abiotic .

..

its need to

find a new ha...

the ch

ange in a

biotic fa...

6%19%

3%

71%1. its need to find different foods to eat

2. the change in an abiotic factor in its environment

3. its need to find a new habitat

4. the change in a biotic factor in its environment

An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism is 

called

Competition

Symbiosis

Mutu

alism

Predation

3%

71%

16%10%

1. Competition2. Symbiosis3. Mutualism 4. Predation

A symbiosis in which both species benefit is

Commensalis

m

Mutu

alism

Competition

Parasiti

sm

3% 0%3%

94%1. Commensalism2. Mutualism3. Competition4. Parasitism

The symbiotic relationship between a flower and the insect that feeds on its 

nectar is an example of

mutu

alism beca

use th

e ...

parasiti

sm beca

use th

e i...

commensa

lism beca

use t..

predati

on because

the i..

.

68%

0%

19%13%

1. mutualism because the flower provides the insect with food, and the insect pollinates the flower

2. parasitism because the insect lives off the nectar from the flower

3. commensalism because the insect does not harm the flower and the flower does not benefit from the relationship

4. predation because the insect feeds on the flower

When individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate, it is called

logisti

c gro

wth

growth

density

exponential g

rowth

multi

ple growth

19%

0%

71%

10%

1. logistic growth2. growth density3. exponential growth4. multiple growth

As resources in a population become less available, population growth

declines r

apidly

incre

ases s

lowly

reach

es carry

ing capacit

y

enters

a phase

of exp

on...

74%

3%

19%

3%

1. declines rapidly2. increases slowly3. reaches carrying 

capacity4. enters a phase of 

exponential growth

In a logistic growth curve, exponential growth is the phase in which the population

reach

es carry

ing capacit

y

grows q

uickly

and few ...

growth

begins t

o slow...

growth

stops

26%

6%

23%

45%1. reaches carrying 

capacity2. grows quickly and 

few animals are dying

3. growth begins to slow down

4. growth stops

A biotic or an abiotic resource in the environment that causes population size to decrease is a

carry

ing cap

acity

limiting n

utrient

limiting f

actor

growth

facto

r

6%16%

61%

16%

1. carrying capacity2. limiting nutrient3. limiting factor4. growth factor

All of the following are limiting factors EXCEPT

Immigr

ation

Competition

Predation

Human dist

urban

ces

39%

26%26%

10%

1. Immigration2. Competition3. Predation4. Human disturbances

If a population grows larger than the carrying capacity of the environment, the

death ra

te m

ay rise

birthra

te may r

ise

death ra

te m

ust fall

birthra

te must

fall

42% 42%

10%6%

1. death rate may rise2. birthrate may rise3. death rate must fall4. birthrate must fall

Which of the following is characteristic of parasitism?  

One org

anism

kills and ...

Two organism

s live to

ge...

Two organism

s feed si

de ..

One org

anism

lives i

n or ..

10%

61%

26%

3%

1. One organism kills and consumes another. 

2. Two organisms live together and neither is harmed

3. Two organisms feed side by side from the same food. 

4. One organism lives in or on another and benefits.  

An ecosystem is made up of:

living t

hings only

Physica

l enviro

nment only

living t

hings and th

e phy...

living t

hings and deca

yi..

6% 10%

74%

10%

1. living things only  2. Physical environment 

only3. living things and the 

physical environment4. living things and 

decaying matter

When a rabbit population in a meadow cannot grow any larger, it has reached the

Climax c

ommuni...

Carrying ca

pac...

Limiti

ng facto

...

Minim

um size

10%0%

16%

74%1. Climax community2. Carrying capacity3. Limiting factor4. Minimum size

A population of rabbits is at its carrying capacity when the population

Reproduce

s

becomes e

xtinc..

.

stops g

rowing

can’t s

urvive

6%

39%

52%

3%

1. Reproduces2. becomes extinct3. stops growing4. can’t survive

An unusually cold winter causes the squirrel population to decrease.  This is an example of 

temperature as a

carry

ing cap

ac...

Limiti

ng facto

...

Climax c

ommuni...

Pattern in

spa...

0%6%6%

87%1. carrying capacity2. Limiting factor3. Climax community4. Pattern in space

Many individuals of the same species living together in a defined area form a/an  

Community

Ecosy

stem

Population

Biome

39%

6%

32%

23%

1. Community2. Ecosystem3. Population4. Biome

Which of the following is characteristic of parasitism? 

One org

anism

k...

Two organism

s ...

One org

anism

l...

Two organism

s ...

10%3%

84%

3%

1. One organism kills and consumes another.

2. Two organisms live together and neither is harmed

3. One organism lives in or on another and benefits.

4. Two organisms nourish each other; both benefit. 

Which list of terms is in the correct order, from simplest to most complex?

organ

ism, c

omm...

organ

ism, p

opu...

organ

ism, p

opu...

organ

ism, c

omm...

42%

10%

35%

13%

1. organism, community, population, ecosystem, biome

2. organism, population, community, biome, ecosystem

3. organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome

4. organism, community, ecosystem, population, biome

All the leopard frogs in a pond make up the pond’s leopard frog:

Population N

iche

Habita

t

Community

70%

7%10%13%

1. Population2. Niche3. Habitat4. Community

Biotic factors in an ecosystem may include:

bacteria

, soil..

.

plants, anim

al...

temperat

ure, w...

animals,

fungi...

3% 3%7%

87%1. bacteria, soil, and water

2. plants, animals, and bacteria

3. temperature, water, and soil

4. animals, fungi, and temperature

Certain bacteria living in a human's large intestine help to produce vitamin K. This relationship is an example of

Parasiti

sm

Mutu

alism

Commensalis

m

Predation

7% 7%

40%47%

1. Parasitism2. Mutualism3. Commensalism4. Predation

An herbivore population may

oscilla

te up a...

exceed it

s car..

.

exceed it

s car..

.

all of t

he abo...

10%

77%

0%

13%

1. oscillate up and down as its major predator increases and decreases in number.

2. exceed its carrying capacity if its major predator is removed.

3. exceed its carrying capacity when it is introduced to a new community.

4. all of the above are true.

Which of the following IS NOT an example of mutualism?

a flowering pl...

a host sp

ecies..

.

root f

ungi (my...

nitrogen-fi

xin...

3% 3%14%

79%1. a flowering plant and its pollinator species

2. a host species and its parasite. 

3. root fungi (mycorrhizae) and tree species

4. nitrogen-fixing bacteria and their host species