Target: 10 questions in 10 minutes
1. What is the term used to describe the study of the timing of recurring natural events, such as the seasonal changes in plants and the migration patterns of animals?
  • A. Chronology
  • B. Ecology
  • C. Phenology
  • D. Meteorology
2. How might natural cycle timings affected by climate change negatively impact an ecosystem?
  • A. Widen niches of native organisms
  • B. Alter the timing of resource availability, leading to potential imbalances in food webs.
  • C. Enhance the synchronisation between species, promoting more efficient ecosystem functioning.
  • D. Cause the local extinction of specialised species but benefit more generalist species.
3. How could reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) potentially adapt to the earlier blooming of the Arctic chickweed (Cerastium arcticum) caused by climate change?
  • A. The reindeer could shift the timing of their migration to better coincide with the chickweed's spring growth.
  • B. The reindeer could diversify their diet and rely less on the chickweed as a primary food source.
  • C. The reindeer could increase their foraging efficiency to compensate for the earlier availability of the chickweed.
  • D. The reindeer could not adapt to this change, as it is outside the scope of their normal behavioural and physiological responses.

4. The images show brown and grey colour variants of the tawny owl:

brown and grey tawny owls

 Martin Mecnarowski (http://www.photomecan.eu/)
and
Quartl
c.c. BY-SA 3.0
How has melting of snow due to climate change affected tawny owl (Strix aluco) colour variation in Finland?
  • A. The selective pressures have favoured the lighter grey variant, as it provides better camouflage
  • B. The selective pressures have favoured the darker brown variant, as they are better camouflaged
  • C. The selective pressures have remained unchanged, as the tawny owl's colouration is not affected by the melting snow.
  • D. The selective pressures have led to the disappearance of distinct colour variants, as the population becomes more genetically homogeneous.

Q5-8. The image below shows stages in succession in an ecosystem:

image -stages in succession in an ecosystem

 Adapted from Caseylm95
c.c. BY-SA 3.0
5. What type of succession is shown in the diagram above?
  • A. Primary
  • B. Secondary
  • C. Cyclical
  • D. Arrested
6. What types of autotrophic organisms are typically the first to colonise the region in the above example?
  • A. Mature trees and shrubs
  • B. Grasses and herbaceous plants
  • C. Lichen and moss
  • D. Fungi and bacteria

7. How do the soil depth, mineral content and aeration change as succession progresses in the example above?

  Soil depth Soil mineral content Soil aeration
A Increases Remain constant Increase
B Decrease Increase Decrease
C Remain constant Decrease Increase
D Increase Increase Increase
8. How do the trophic relationships within the living community change as succession advances in the example above?
  • A. The trophic relationships remain simple and linear throughout succession.
  • B. The trophic relationships become more complex and web-like as succession progresses.
  • C. The trophic relationships become more dominated by top predators as succession advances.
  • D. The trophic relationships are not influenced by the progression of succession.
9. Which of the following does not applies to primary and cyclical succession in forest ecosystems?
  • A. Primary succession and cyclical succession can both occur in the same forest ecosystem.
  • B. Primary succession occurs after a complete removal of the soil, while cyclical succession tends to follow disturbances like fires.
  • C. Primary succession often leads to the establishment of a climax forest community, while cyclical succession may result in a cycle of communities.
  • D. Cyclical succession is more common in temperate forests, while primary succession is more typical of tropical forest ecosystems.
10. How might the grazing of farm livestock influence the progression of ecological succession in a temperate forest biome?
  • A. Grazing has no impact on the progression of succession towards the climax community.
  • B. Grazing accelerates the progression of succession towards the climax community.
  • C. Grazing should be used to manage rewilding in temperate forest biomes.
  • D. Grazing prevents the succession from reaching the climax community, maintaining an early successional state.