Community Ecology of Animal mcqs January 8, 2026April 9, 2024 by u930973931_answers 32 min Score: 0 Attempted: 0/32 Subscribe 1. In community ecology, what term describes all the interacting populations of organisms living in a particular area? (A) Community (B) Ecosystem (C) Biome (D) Population 2. Which of the following is an example of a symbiotic relationship where one species benefits while the other is unaffected? (A) Commensalism (B) Parasitism (C) Mutualism (D) Predation 3. What is the term for the role or function of an organism within its community? (A) Habitat (B) Niche (C) Ecosystem (D) Trophic level 4. Which of the following is NOT a trophic level in a typical ecological pyramid? (A) Producers (B) Primary consumers (C) Detritivores (D) Tertiary consumers 5. In a food chain, which organisms are always at the base? (A) Tertiary consumers (B) Primary consumers (C) Decomposers (D) Producers 6. What term describes a relationship in which one species benefits while the other is harmed? (A) Mutualism (B) Commensalism (C) Predation (D) Parasitism 7. Which of the following describes the number of different species represented in a community? (A) Genetic diversity (B) Species diversity (C) Ecosystem diversity (D) Habitat diversity 8. Which factor influences species diversity in a community by affecting resource availability? (A) Predation (B) Competition (C) Mutualism (D) Commensalism 9. Which term describes a group of species that have similar ecological roles and fill the same niche in their respective communities? (A) Guild (B) Indicator species (C) Competitive exclusion (D) Keystone species 10. What is the term for a species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment relative to its abundance? (A) Indicator species (B) Endemic species (C) Invasive species (D) Keystone species 11. What term describes the gradual change in species composition of a community over time? (A) Biodiversity loss (B) Species turnover (C) Ecological succession (D) Habitat fragmentation 12. Which of the following is an example of a pioneer species in primary succession? (A) Trees (B) Shrubs (C) Grasses (D) Mosses 13. What is the term for the variety of habitats within a given area? (A) Species diversity (B) Genetic diversity (C) Ecosystem diversity (D) Habitat diversity 14. Which factor contributes to the stability of a community? (A) High competition (B) Low species diversity (C) High species diversity (D) Low predation 15. What is the term for a stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species composition? (A) Climax community (B) Pioneer community (C) Primary community (D) Secondary community 16. Which of the following is an example of a secondary consumer in a food chain? (A) Grasshopper (B) Rabbit (C) Hawk (D) Snake 17. Which is an example of a density-independent factor regulating population size? (A) Predation (B) Disease (C) Weather (D) Competition 18. What term describes the concept that two species cannot occupy the same niche in the same community for an extended period? (A) Symbiosis (B) Competitive exclusion principle (C) Trophic cascade (D) Ecological succession 19. Which describes a situation where two species evolve in response to one another? (A) Competitive exclusion (B) Ecological succession (C) Coevolution (D) Habitat fragmentation 20. What term describes the variety of different alleles within a species? (A) Species diversity (B) Ecosystem diversity (C) Genetic diversity (D) Habitat diversity 21. Which statement about mutualism is true? (A) It benefits one species while harming the other. (B) It benefits one species while the other is unaffected. (C) It benefits both species involved. (D) It benefits neither species. 22. Which factor is most likely to increase species diversity within a community? (A) Increased competition (B) Introduction of invasive species (C) Habitat destruction (D) Reduced predation pressure 23. Which of the following is an example of an ecosystem engineer? (A) Deer (B) Rabbit (C) Hawk (D) Beaver 24. Which term describes the number of individuals per unit area or volume in a population? (A) Density (B) Dispersion (C) Abundance (D) Diversity 25. Which factor contributes to habitat fragmentation? (A) Habitat restoration (B) Habitat destruction (C) Conservation efforts (D) Reduced human activity 26. What is the term for the range of physical and biological conditions in which a species can survive and reproduce? (A) Habitat (B) Niche (C) Population (D) Ecosystem 27. Which is an example of a density-dependent factor regulating population size? (A) Weather (B) Predation (C) Disease (D) Habitat destruction 28. What term describes the distribution of individuals within a population? (A) Density (B) Diversity (C) Abundance (D) Dispersion 29. Which factor can contribute to an increase in species diversity within a community? (A) Habitat destruction (B) Climate change (C) Speciation events (D) Reduced competition 30. What term describes a species found only in one geographic area? (A) Invasive species (B) Endemic species (C) Indicator species (D) Keystone species 31. Which statement about primary succession is true? (A) It occurs on previously inhabited areas. (B) It begins with a well-established community. (C) It starts with pioneer species colonizing bare rock. (D) It is typically faster than secondary succession. 32. What term describes the process by which a community changes after a disturbance removes most of its species? (A) Secondary succession (B) Primary succession (C) Ecological succession (D) Trophic cascade