Introduction to Environmental Geology, 5e (Keller)
Chapter 4 Ecology and Geology
4.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) A group of individuals capable of interbreeding is called a(n)
A) ecosystem
B) species
C) biota
D) ecological community
2) The study of controls over the distribution and abundance of living things is called
A) ecosystem restoration
B) biota
C) ecosystem management
D) ecology
3) How a species “makes its living” is called its
A) habitat
B) niche
C) biota
D) ecology
4) The dominant processes in an ecosystem are
A) life and death
B) damage and restoration
C) energy flows and chemical cycles
D) interactions of biota and geologic environment
5) As an ecosystem evolves following disturbance, it follows the path of
A) succession
B) restoration
C) naturalization
D) ecology
6) An indigenous ecosystem is one that
A) is heavily impacted by humans
B) is not substantially impacted by humans
C) is reconstructed by humans
D) includes native human beings
7) Coastal marshes reduce flooding and coastal erosion. This impact is an example of
A) ecosystem restoration
B) ecological succession
C) environmental stewardship
D) natural service functions of ecosystems
8) Why are native trees more diverse in North America than in Europe?
A) The larger ice sheets in North America caused more species to go extinct.
B) North American trees expanded into mountain ranges during glaciations.
C) European trees were trapped between the ice sheet and E-W trending mountain ranges.
D) North American trees are all of tropical origin.
9) Species with disproportionate influences on their ecosystems are called
A) dominant species
B) keystone species
C) endangered species
D) natural species
10) One result of wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park is
A) increase in fine sediment in streams
B) increased species diversity in prey species
C) decreased species diversity in prey species
D) regrowth of streamside vegetation
11) Sea otter reintroduction in Alaska has led to
A) extinction of sea urchins
B) increase in kelp forests
C) decrease in kelp forests
D) ecosystem degradation
12) Which of the following does not tend to increase biodiversity in an ecosystem?
A) evolution
B) diverse habitats
C) extreme disturbance
D) relatively constant environmental factors
13) The Kissimmee River in Florida needed restoration because of
A) channelization
B) extreme industrial pollution
C) seawall construction
D) introduction of exotic species
14) Restoring the Everglades ecosystem will require
A) controlling human population in south Florida
B) channelization of rivers
C) reintroduction of endangered species
D) extensive groundwater pumping
15) What human activities have impacted the Everglades negatively?
A) removal of keystone species
B) commercial fishing
C) wetlands draining
D) removal of sand dune vegetation
1) Landslides in Southern California mountains can benefit steelhead trout.
2) An ecosystem involves only the living organisms in a region.
3) The part of an ecosystem where a species lives is called its niche.
4) Ecosystems can be constructed by humans.
5) Tree roots can interact with the geological environment to help reduce landsliding.
6) Mountain ranges may have influenced biodiversity of trees in Europe and North America.
7) Wolves in Yellowstone National Park reduced streamside willows by forcing the elk to take
cover in the stream channels.
8) Sea urchins help preserve kelp in kelp forests.
9) Disturbance in an ecosystem can increase biodiversity.
10) Disturbance in an ecosystem can decrease biodiversity.
11) Seawalls can decrease biodiversity by narrowing beaches.
12) The Kissimmee River ecosystem benefited greatly from stream channelization and flood
control.
13) A volcano that erupts with frequent, moderate eruptions is more likely to increase
biodiversity than is a volcano that erupts with major eruptions.
14) Succession of tree species should be a common process in an avalanche chute.
4.3 Short Answer Questions
1) ________ is the study of controls over the distribution and abundance of living things.
2) A(n) ________ is a group of individuals capable of interbreeding.
3) A(n) ________ is a group of populations of different species living in the same area with
varying degrees of interaction with each other.
4) The ________ of a sea urchin in a kelp forest is eating kelp.
5) A(n) ________ of coastal marshes is the prevention of coastal erosion.
6) The orientation of mountain ranges influenced the diversity of ________ species in Europe
and North America.
7) A(n) ________ species has an effect on its ecological community disproportionate to its
abundance.
8) Wolves and sea otters are examples of ________ species.
9) ________ was a prominent scientist who advocated the use of an appropriate time scale in
analyzing the environmental crisis.
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10) ________ is the process of altering a site or area with the objective of reestablishing
indigenous, historical ecosystems.
11) Introduction of a(n) ________ plant species reduced biodiversity of small dunes at the
University of California, Santa Barbara.
12) The ________ of a region includes all living organisms living there.
13) Cheatgrass is an exotic plant that continues to invade the sagebrush steppe ecosystems of the
western interior United States. It is likely to decrease the ________ of the region.