A species' ecological niche is

Answer: Its complete role and resource use in the ecosystem (habitat + interactions + activities) Habitat = address; niche = profession. Niche encompasses what, when, where, and how a species uses resources.

The sequence shown best illustrates which type of ecological succession?

Answer: Primary succession (begins with no soil) Primary succession begins on bare rock or lifeless substrate (no soil); pioneer species like lichens establish first.

A relationship in which one species benefits and the other is unaffected is

Answer: Commensalism +/0 interaction. Mutualism = +/+. Parasitism = +/-. Predation = +/-.

AP Biology · Topic 8.5

Community Ecology Practice

Part of Ecology.(SYI-2.D)

Practice questions

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Sample questions

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Sample 1difficulty 2/5
$A species' ecological niche is$
- A
  $Just its body size and morphology relative to other species in the ecosystem$
- B
  $Only the physical habitat where it lives (ignoring its interactions and resource use)$
- C
  $Solely its trophic level in the food web (independent of habitat or interactions)$
- D
  $Its complete role and resource use in the ecosystem (habitat + interactions + activities)$
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Why
$Habitat = address; niche = profession. Niche encompasses what, when, where, and how a species uses resources.$
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Sample 2difficulty 2/5
$The sequence shown best illustrates which type of ecological succession?$
- A
  $Primary succession (begins with no soil)$
  check_circle
- B
  $Climax succession$
- C
  $Secondary succession$
- D
  $Disturbance succession$
Why
$Primary succession begins on bare rock or lifeless substrate (no soil); pioneer species like lichens establish first.$
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Sample 3difficulty 2/5
$A relationship in which one species benefits and the other is unaffected is$
- A
  $Commensalism$
  check_circle
- B
  $Parasitism$
- C
  $Mutualism$
- D
  $Predation$
Why
$+/0 interaction. Mutualism = +/+. Parasitism = +/-. Predation = +/-.$
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Sample 4difficulty 2/5
$The relationship between flowers and their pollinators is typically$
- A
  $Commensalism — only one species benefits$
- B
  $Predation — one species kills the other$
- C
  $Parasitism — one species harms the other$
- D
  $Mutualism — both species benefit$
  check_circle
Why
$Pollinator gets food (nectar, pollen); plant gets reproduction. Both win.$
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Sample 5difficulty 2/5
$Primary succession occurs on$
- A
  $Periodically flooded riparian surfaces (river floodplains, deltas) — wetland plants come first$
- B
  $Recently disturbed soil-bearing surfaces (burned forests, plowed fields) — grasses come first$
- C
  $Newly exposed lifeless surfaces (bare rock, lava flows) — pioneer species like lichens come first$
  check_circle
- D
  $Long-undisturbed mature ecosystems (old-growth forests, climax prairies) — shade species dominate$
Why
$Primary: starts from no soil. Secondary: existing soil after disturbance.$
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