Bio Lecture HW 8, 9, and 10
Consider the food chain of grass → grasshopper → mouse → snake → hawk. About how much of the chemical energy fixed by photosynthesis of the grass (100 percent) is available to the hawk? A) 0.01 percent B) 0.1 percent C) 1 percent D) 60 percent E) 10 percent
A) 0.01 percent
Which of the following scenarios would provide the most relevant data on population density? A) Count the number of pine trees in several randomly selected 10-meter-square plots and extrapolate this number to the fraction of the study area these plots represent. B) Add the number of births and subtract the individuals that die to see if the population's density is increasing or decreasing. C) Use the mark-recapture method to estimate the size of the population. D) Calculate the difference between all of the immigrants and emigrants to see if the population is growing or shrinking. E) Count the number of nests of a particular species of songbird and multiply this by a factor that extrapolates these data to actual animals.
A) Count the number of pine trees in several randomly selected 10-meter-square plots and extrapolate this number to the fraction of the study area these plots represent.
Which of the following examples would most accurately measure the density of the population being studied? A) Counting the number of moss plants in 1-square-meter quadrants B) Counting the number of times a 1-kilometer transect is intersected by tracks of red squirrels after a snowfall C) Counting the number of zebras from airplane census observations. D) Counting the number of coyote droppings per hectare E) Counting the number of prairie dog burrows per hectare
A) Counting the number of moss plants in 1-square-meter quadrants
In the figure, which of the following survivorship curves most applies to humans living in developed countries? A) Curve A B) Curve B C) Curve C D) Curve A or Curve B
A) Curve A
An ecologist recorded 12 white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, per square kilometer in one woodlot and 20 per square kilometer in another woodlot. What was the ecologist comparing? A) Density B) Range C) Cohorts D) Dispersion E) Carrying capacity
A) Density
Which of the following levels of ecological organization is arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive? A) Ecosystem, community, population, and organism B) Organism, community, population, and ecosystem C) Organism, population, community, and ecosystem D) Population, ecosystem, organism, and community E) Community, ecosystem, organism, and population
A) Ecosystem, community, population, and organism
The difference between net primary productivity (NPP) and gross primary productivity (GPP) is that ________. A) GPP includes the energy used in cellular respiration B) GPP includes the energy lost to the environment C) GPP is the energy used in growth and reproduction D) GPP is part of NPP
A) GPP includes the energy used in cellular respiration
Philippe Bouchet and colleagues conducted a massive survey of marine mollusks on the west coast of New Caledonia. Twenty percent of the species found had only a single specimen collected. What does that suggest about the diversity of mollusks in this area? A) Many of the species from this 20 percent are probably rare. B) They were not sampling uniformly throughout the area. C) Many of the species from this 20 percent are most likely just dispersing through the area. D) They did not spend enough time sampling in the area. E) The west coast of New Caledonia is not an appropriate habitat for mollusks.
A) Many of the species from this 20 percent are probably rare.
What is the term used to describe the process shown in the panels in the accompanying figure, assuming Time 2 follows Time 1? A) Niche differentiation B) Competition C) Niche realization D) Species interaction
A) Niche differentiation
If all individuals in the last remaining population of a particular bird species were all highly related, which type of diversity would be of greatest concern when planning to keep the species from going extinct? I. Genetic diversity II. Species diversity III. Ecosystem diversity A) Only I B) Only II C) Only III D) Only II and III E) I, II, and III
A) Only I
Trophic efficiency is ________. A) the percentage of production transferred from one trophic level to the next B) about 90 percent in most ecosystems C) the ratio of net secondary production to assimilation of primary production D) a measure of how nutrients are cycled from one trophic level to the next E) usually greater than production efficiencies
A) Percentage of production transferred from one trophic level to the next.
Theoretically, which would be the most effective way to disrupt a Hadley cell? A) Remove all equatorial moisture and convection. B) Extensively water the deserts. C) Shift the Sun to apply direct rays 30 degrees south latitude. D) Heat the poles.
A) Remove all equatorial moisture and convection.
With regard to the destruction of tropical forests, the focus is often on biodiversity and the impact on these ecosystems. What is a direct benefit to humans that helps explain why these forests need to be preserved? A) The diversity could contain novel drugs for consumers. B) This diversity could contain undocumented insect species. C) Natural and undisturbed areas are important wildlife habitats. D) The plant diversity provides shade, which reduces the impact of global warming.
A) The diversity could contain novel drugs for consumers.
Which of the following is TRUE of species interactions? A) They can act as agents of natural selection. B) They do little to affect species distributions. C) The outcome of any species interactions is static through time. D) They cannot affect species abundance.
A) They can act as agents of natural selection.
Populations grow as a result of ________ and decline as a result of ________. A) births; emigration B) deaths; emigration C) births; immigration D) deaths; immigration
A) births; emigration
As you study two closely related predatory insect species, the two-spot and the three-spot avenger beetles, you notice that each species seeks prey at dawn in areas without the other species. However, where their ranges overlap, the two-spot avenger beetle hunts at night and the three-spot hunts in the morning. When you bring them into the laboratory and isolate the two different species, you discover that the offspring of both species are found to be nocturnal. You have discovered an example of ________. A) resource partitioning B) mutualism C) facultative commensalism D) character displacement E) Batesian mimicry
A) resource partitioning
Community stability refers to ________. A) the ability of a community to maintain productivity and other aspects of ecosystem function as conditions change over time and to recover to former levels of productivity or species richness after a disturbance B) how quickly a community recovers following a disturbance C) the extent to which a community remains unchanged during a disturbance D) how many species are in the community
A) the ability of a community to maintain productivity and other aspects of ecosystem function as conditions change over time and to recover to former levels of productivity or species richness after a disturbance
The Anthropocene is a proposed new epoch of history that reflects _______. A) the effects of human population growth and land-use changes caused by it B) the effects of temperature on species distribution C) the effects of the distribution of wealth and resources on Earth D) the effects of the precipitation on species distribution
A) the effects of human population growth and land-use changes caused by it
The introduction of the Burmese python by pet owners in Florida has resulted in ________. A) the threatening of many native species B) its failure to compete with native species and its quick elimination C) eradication of nonnative rats and other undesirable/pest species D) a good lesson in biological control E) a new species of hybrids from crossbreeding with a native snake species
A) the threatening of many native species
After looking at the experiment in the accompanying figure, what can be said about nutrient export in ecosystems? Nutrient export is A) typically 10 times higher in a clear-cut watershed B) typically 10 times lower in a clear-cut watershed C) typically 10 times higher in an uncut watershed D) not affected by any form of cutting
A) typically 10 times higher in a clear-cut watershed
A population is correctly defined as having which of the following characteristics? I. Inhabiting the same general area II. Belonging to the same species III. Possessing a constant and uniform density and dispersion III. Possessing a constant and uniform density and dispersion A) Only I B) Only I and II C) Only II and III D) Only III E) I, II, and III
B) Only I and II
Which of the following terms includes all of the others? A) Species richness B) Biodiversity C) Genetic diversity D) Species diversity E) Ecosystem diversity
B) Biodiversity
Some birds follow moving swarms of army ants in the tropics. As the ants march along the forest floor hunting insects and small vertebrates, birds follow and pick off any insects or small vertebrates that fly or jump out of the way of the ants. This situation is an example of what kind of species interaction between the birds and the ants. A) Cooperation B) Commensalism C) Mutualism D) Consumption E) Parasitism
B) Commensalism
Which of the communities in the figure has the highest species diversity? A) Community 1 B) Community 2 C) Community 3 D) Communities 1 and 2 E) Communities 1 and 3
B) Community 2
In the figure, which of the following survivorship curves implies that an animal may lay many eggs with the same probability of dying each year of life? A) Curve A B) Curve B C) Curve C
B) Curve B
Recall that Clements's view of biological communities is that of a highly predictable and interrelated structure, while Gleason's view of biological communities is that individual species operate independently. If we set up many identical sterilized ponds in the same area and allowed them to be colonized, what should we predict if we wished to test Gleason's hypothesis? A) Similar plankton communities will develop in all ponds. B) Different plankton communities will develop in all ponds. C) Limited plankton communities will develop in all ponds. D) Identical plankton communities will develop in all ponds. E) Initially the number of species in each pond will be greater than the number normally found in similar environments.
B) Different plankton communities will develop in all ponds.
Which of the following statements is consistent with the principle of competitive exclusion? A) Two species with the same fundamental niche will exclude other competing species. B) Even a slight reproductive advantage will eventually lead to the elimination of the less well adapted of two competing species. C) Natural selection tends to increase competition between related species. D) The random distribution of one competing species will have a positive impact on the population growth of the other competing species. E) Bird species generally do not compete for nesting sites.
B) Even a slight reproductive advantage will eventually lead to the elimination of the less well adapted of two competing species.
Which statement is TRUE with regard to human population growth? A) Its rate of increase continues to grow at an exponential rate. B) Its rate of growth is slowing. C) Its rate of growth is increasing. D) It is at a zero reproduction rate. E) There is no scientific prediction that can be made about human population growth.
B) Its rate of growth is slowing.
Considering the global carbon cycle, which of the following is the largest reservoir of carbon? A) Atmosphere B) Oceans C) Algae in lakes and streams D) Terrestrial ecosystems
B) Oceans
Which of the following factors account for the inefficiency of the rate of photosynthesis? I. Even when conditions are ideal, the pigments that drive photosynthesis can absorb only a fraction of the light wavelengths available and thus a fraction of the total energy received. II. Plants in equatorial biomes have drastically reduced photosynthetic rates in winter. III. If conditions get dry, stomata close to conserve water. IV. The efficiency of enzymes is not temperature dependent. A) Only I, II, and III B) Only I and III C) Only II, III, and IV D) Only I, II, and IV E) Only II and III
B) Only I and III
Which is a likely biotic factor limiting açaí palms distribution? A) Moisture B) Presence of toucans and other seed dispersing birds C) Oxygen content D) Temperature
B) Presence of toucans and other seed dispersing birds
What does the graph in the accompanying figure tell you about the definition of a keystone species? A) Removing a keystone species from the community will eventually allow for the invasion of a new species. B) Removing a keystone species from the community drastically reduces diversity. C) A keystone species has little interaction with other species in an environment. D) Adding a keystone species to the community will make it more diverse.
B) Removing a keystone species from the community drastically reduces diversity.
Which abiotic factor would have the most significant acute physiological effect on migrating salmon as they move from saltwater to freshwater? A) Human-built structural interferences B) Salinity differences C) Competition for resources D) Ambient temperature
B) Salinity differences
The study of factors that determine the size and structure of populations through time is called ________. A) immigration biology B) demography C) community ecology D) logistic growth
B) demography
n prairies, the presence of plants in the onion family may discourage herbivores within the prairie. This is an example of ________. A) resource use efficiency B) facilitation C) competition D) predation
B) facilitation
Community resilience refers to ________. A) the extent to which a community remains unchanged during a disturbance B) how quickly a community recovers following a disturbance C) how many species are in the community D) the ability of a community to maintain productivity and other aspects of ecosystem function as conditions change over time and to recover to former levels of productivity or species richness after a disturbance
B) how quickly a community recovers following a disturbance
Net primary productivity is important because ________. A) it is not important because of the inefficiency of energy flow through food webs B) it is the source of chemical energy used by a species throughout a food web C) it can lead to the expiration of more CO2 into the atmosphere by plants D) it leads to lower biodiversity within small areas
B) it is the source of chemical energy used by a species throughout a food web
When primary producers expend energy to build new tissue, this is ________. A) maintenance cost B) net primary productivity and the amount of energy available to consumers C) maintenance costs and the amount of energy available to consumers D) the amount of energy available to consumers net primary productivity
B) net primary productivity and the amount of energy available to consumers
Nitrogen is available to plants mostly in the form of ________. A) nitrogen in the atmosphere B) nitrate and ammonium ions in the soil C) nitrite ions in the soil D) nucleic acids from decomposing plants and animals E) uric acid from animal excretions
B) nitrate and ammonium ions in the soil
The decline of mammals in Africa is associated to the unsustainable hunting of animals for their ivory, skins, horns, and other body parts. This is an example of ________. A) habitat destruction or degradation B) overexploitation C) introduction of invasive species and disease D) climate change E) pollution
B) overexploitation
Marsupials are found only in North and South America and in the Australian region. Their distribution is a result of the breakup of the supercontinent Pangea into Gondwana and Laurasia 120 mya. The modern distribution of marsupials is therefore a result of the effect of ________. A) past biotic factors B) past abiotic factors C) present biotic factors D) present abiotic factors
B) past abiotic factors
The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is that ________. A) the poles are permanently tilted away from the Sun B) sunlight strikes the poles at a lower angle C) the poles are farther from the Sun D) there is more ice at the poles E) the polar atmosphere is thinner and contains fewer greenhouse gases
B) sunlight strikes the poles at a lower angle
Although extinction is a natural process, current extinctions are of concern to environmentalists because ________. A) most current extinctions are caused by introduced species B) the rate of extinction is higher than background extinction rates C) more animals than ever before are going extinct D) current extinction is primarily affecting plant diversity
B) the rate of extinction is higher than background extinction rates
The main way phosphorus becomes available to organisms from the environment is known as ________. A) supplementation B) weathering C) recycling D) phosphorization
B) weathering
What interactions exist between a tick on a dog and the dog? The symbols +, −, and 0 are to be used to show the results of interactions between individuals and groups of individuals in the examples that follow. The symbol + denotes a positive interaction, − denotes a negative interaction, and 0 denotes where individuals are not affected by interacting. The first symbol refers to the first organism mentioned. A) +/+ B) −/− C) +/− D) 0/0 E) +/0
C) +/−
Which of the communities in the figure has the lowest species richness? A) Community 1 B) Community 2 C) Community 3 D) Communities 1 and 2 E) Communities 1 and 3
C) Community 3
Why do populations grow more slowly as they approach their carrying capacity? A) Individuals voluntarily stop mating so that overcrowding does not occur. B) The incoming energy decreases in populations experiencing a high rate of increase. C) Density-dependent factors lead to fewer births and increased mortality. D) Density-independent factors lead to fewer births and increased mortality. E) Hormonal changes promote higher death rates in crowded populations.
C) Density-dependent factors lead to fewer births and increased mortality.
Why is energy lost when herbivores eat primary producers? A) Most primary producers contain no usable energy for herbivores. B) Digestion takes place so rapidly that very little energy is absorbed. C) Energy is lost because most of the total energy consumed is used for cellular respiration rather than growth and reproduction. D) Primary producers cannot produce once eaten.
C) Energy is lost because most of the total energy consumed is used for cellular respiration rather than growth and reproduction.
Which of the following criteria have to be met for a species to qualify as invasive? A) Endemic to the area, spreads rapidly, and displaces foreign species B) Introduced to a new area, spreads rapidly, and displaces other invasive species C) Introduced to a new area, spreads rapidly, and displaces native species D) Endemic to the area, spreads slowly, and displaces native species
C) Introduced to a new area, spreads rapidly, and displaces native species
The specific abiotic factors defining a biome are ________. I. annual variation in temperature and precipitation II. average annual temperature and moisture levels III. maximum annual temperature and moisture levels IV. maximum annual temperatures, moisture levels, and average annual temperature A) Only II, III, and IV B) Only I, II, and III C) Only I and II D) Only III and IV E) Only I, II, and IV
C) Only I and II
Which of the following are TRUE about the greenhouse effect? I. High-energy solar radiation enters the atmosphere. II. Some of the energy is reflected, and some is absorbed by the Earth's surface. III. Heat is emitted as infrared radiation, and some of it is retained in the atmosphere, decreasing the temperature on Earth. A) Only I B) I, II, and III C) Only I and II D) Only II
C) Only I and II
Which of the following is a correct statement about the MacArthur/Wilson Island Biogeography Model? A) The more species that inhabit an island, the lower the extinction rate. B) Islands closer to the mainland have higher extinction rates. C) Small islands receive few new immigrant species. D) As the number of species on an island increases, the emigration rate decreases. E) Competitive exclusion is less likely on an island that has large numbers of species.
C) Small islands receive few new immigrant species.
Which of the following statements is an example of a negative feedback loop regarding changes in global climate? A) Warmer temperatures increase decomposition rates in tundra ecosystems, which in turn release CH4 and N2O to the atmosphere. B) Warmer temperatures cause the polar ice caps to melt more rapidly, which increase the surface of darker water that absorbs solar radiation causing an increase in temperature. C) Some plant species grow faster, sequestering more CO2 as the concentrations of this gas increases in the atmosphere. D) Warmer temperatures increase the frequency of forest fires, which in turn release CO2 into the atmosphere.
C) Some plant species grow faster, sequestering more CO2 as the concentrations of this gas increases in the atmosphere.
In the hypothesis that Chthamalus (a species of barnacle) is competitively excluded from the lower intertidal zone by Semibalanus (another species of barnacle), what could be concluded about the two species? A) The fundamental and realized niches of Semibalanus and Chthamalus are identical. B) The fundamental and realized niches of Semibalanus are different, but the fundamental and realized niches of Chthamalus are identical. C) The fundamental and realized niches of Semibalanus are identical, but the fundamental and realized niches of Chthamalus are different. D) The fundamental and realized niches of Semibalanus and Chthamalus are different.
C) The fundamental and realized niches of Semibalanus are identical, but the fundamental and realized niches of Chthamalus are different.
A land developer and several ecologists are discussing how a parcel of private land should be developed while saving 20 hectares as natural habitat. The land developer suggests that the 20 hectares be divided into 20 separate 1-hectare areas. The ecologists suggest that it would be better to have one intact parcel of 20 hectares. What is the significance of these different arrangements of the 20 hectares? A) The large plot will create more inbreeding in many species. B) The isolated plots are more vulnerable to edge effects. C) There really is no difference; they should both work equally well. D) The isolated hectare plots increase the ability of individuals to disperse from one habitat to another.
C) The isolated plots are more vulnerable to edge effects.
Using the life table, how would you describe the population dynamics of L. vivipara? A) The figure does not provide this information. B) The population is stable. C) The population is increasing. D) The population is decreasing.
C) The population is increasing.
Which of the following is a consequence of biomagnification? A) The biomass of producers in an ecosystem is generally higher than the biomass of primary consumers. B) The amount of biomass in the producer level of an ecosystem decreases if the producer turnover time increases. C) Toxic chemicals in the environment pose greater risk to top-level predators than to primary consumers. D) Only a small portion of the energy captured by producers is transferred to consumers. E) Populations of top-level predators are generally smaller than populations of primary consumers.
C) Toxic chemicals in the environment pose greater risk to top-level predators than to primary consumers.
Which of the following ecological locations has the greatest species diversity? A) Grasslands B) Deciduous forests C) Tropical rain forest D) Tundra E) Islands
C) Tropical rain forest
Which of the following can be said about light in aquatic environments? A) Photosynthetic organisms that live in deep water probably use red light. B) Most photosynthetic organisms avoid the surface where the light is too intense. C) Water selectively reflects and absorbs certain wavelengths of light. D) Longer wavelengths penetrate to greater depths. E) Light penetration seldom limits the distribution of photosynthetic species.
C) Water selectively reflects and absorbs certain wavelengths of light.
Natural selection involves energetic trade-offs between ________. A) the emigration of individuals when they are no longer reproductively capable or committing suicide B) producing large numbers of gametes when employing internal fertilization versus fewer numbers of gametes when employing external fertilization C) high survival rates of offspring and the cost of parental care D) increasing the number of individuals produced during each reproductive episode and a corresponding decrease in parental care E) choosing how many offspring to produce over the course of a lifetime and how long to live
C) high survival rates of offspring and the cost of parental care
Community resistance refers to ________. A) how many species are in the community B) the ability of a community to maintain productivity and other aspects of ecosystem function as conditions change over time and to recover to former levels of productivity or species richness after a disturbance C) the extent to which a community remains unchanged during a disturbance D) how quickly a community recovers following a disturbance
C) the extent to which a community remains unchanged during a disturbance
Carrying capacity is ________. A) fixed for most species over most of their range most of the time B) the term used to describe the stress a population undergoes due to limited resources C) the maximum population size that a particular environment can support D) seldom reached by marine producers and consumers because of the vast resources of the ocean E) determined by density and dispersion data
C) the maximum population size that a particular environment can support
In biology, an arms race occurs when ________. A) a prey species adapts and is able to coexist with its predators B) a new niche is created because of interactions between species C) there is a repeating cycle of coevolution D) a new species evolves into two separate species E) predators become dominant over their prey species leading to the local extinction of the prey
C) there is a repeating cycle of coevolution
In the accompanying figure, which number would designate the arctic tundra biome? A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 5 E) The arctic tundra is not represented by a number in the figure.
D) 5
After looking at the accompanying figure, what can be said about productivity in this ecosystem? A) Nothing can be said based on this information. B) About 10% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels. C) About 90% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels. D) Productivity increases with each trophic level.
D) About 90% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels.
Which marine zone would have the lowest rates of primary productivity (photosynthesis)? A) Pelagic B) Continental shelf C) Neritic D) Aphotic E) Intertidal
D) Aphotic
Consider the global water cycle depicted in the accompanying figure. Which one of the reserves contains the smallest percentage of global water? A) Oceans B) Rivers and lakes C) Glaciers D) Atmosphere E) Polar ice caps
D) Atmosphere
While traveling in Texas, you stumble across a snake with red, yellow, and black bands. You somehow remember that this could be a poisonous coral snake or a harmless milk snake, but you forget how to differentiate them because they both have similar colors and banding patterns. You wisely decide not to pick up the snake. What defense of the snake was successful in preventing you from grabbing the snake? A) Constitutive defense B) Müllerian mimicry C) Inducible defenses D) Batesian mimicry
D) Batesian mimicry
An ecologist decides to study the effect of pathogens of the pollinator of a particular plant species on its reproductive success. Which level of ecological study does this variable represents? A) Population ecology B) Global ecology C) Ecosystem ecology D) Community ecology E) Organismal ecology
D) Community ecology
Regarding soil and organic matter in humus, which of the following statements is TRUE? A) Soil organic matter is completely decayed. B) Humus is composed of inorganic nutrients, and organic matter is composed only of organic matter. C) Eventually, the nutrients in soil organic matter are converted to inorganic form. D) Completely decayed soil organic matter is called humus.
D) Completely decayed soil organic matter is called humus.
Which of the following human activities LEAST impacts the water cycle? A) Increases in irrigated agriculture B) Increase in asphalt and concrete surfaces C) Conversion of grasslands and forests into agricultural fields D) Increased processing of salt water to freshwater
D) Increased processing of salt water to freshwater
How does solar radiation (per unit area) vary with increasing latitude? A) It increases. B) It does not change. C) It oscillates between higher and lower. D) It decreases.
D) It decreases.
During the inventory of bacterial genes present in the Sargasso Sea in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a research team concluded that at least 1800 bacterial species were discovered. Based on what you know about this area, what would you expect to see in coral reef waters? A) Slightly smaller genetic diversity B) Equal genetic diversity C) Markedly smaller genetic diversity D) Markedly greater genetic diversity E) Slightly greater genetic diversity
D) Markedly greater genetic diversity
A population ecologist studies sockeye salmon. Which of the following variables of study are relevant at this level? A) Decomposition rate of salmon in different streams B) Prey species in gut contents of salmon C) Migration pathways of individuals D) Number of eggs produced by females E) Northward shift of salmon due to climate change
D) Number of eggs produced by females
Which statements about K are correct? I. K varies among populations. II. K varies in space. III. K varies in time. IV. K is constant for any given species. A) Only II, III, and IV B) Only I and III C) Only II and IV D) Only I, II, and III E) Only I, II, and IV
D) Only I, II, and III
Which one of the following animals would most likely be defined as a keystone species? A) Nauplii (a species of zooplankton) B) Housefly C) Fathead minnow D) Sea otter
D) Sea otter
Turnover of water in temperate lakes during the spring and fall is made possible by which of the following? A) Cold, more-dense water layered at the bottom B) A distinct thermocline between less-dense, warm water and cold, dense water C) Currents generated by nektonic animals D) The changes in the density of water as seasonal temperatures change E) Warm, less-dense water layered at the top
D) The changes in the density of water as seasonal temperatures change
As N approaches K for a certain population, which of the following is predicted by the logistic equation? A) The carrying capacity of the environment will increase. B) The population will show an Allee effect. C) The population will increase exponentially. D) The growth rate will approach zero. E) The growth rate will not change.
D) The growth rate will approach zero.
Why can't a female lizard have both high fecundity and high survival? A) Competition for resources prevents this. B) Female lizards are able to produce only one set of offspring. C) The female is already maximizing the number of eggs she lays, and if she attempts to nest later in the season, there will not be enough food for her young. D) The more energy the female devotes to offspring, the less that can be devoted to her survival. E) In only rare cases, do lizards have both high fecundity and high survival
D) The more energy the female devotes to offspring, the less that can be devoted to her survival.
What is the primary limiting factor that determines why no female animal can produce a very large number of very large eggs? A) There will be an increase in predation pressure if the females carry too many large eggs. B) Temperature constraints will prevent females from carrying too many eggs. C) Male availability is limited. D) There are energy constraints. E) Time is limited.
D) There are energy constraints.
What would happen to the seasons if the Earth was tilted 35 degrees off its orbital plane instead of the usual 23.5 degrees? A) The seasons would disappear. B) The seasons would be shorter. C) Winters and summers would be less severe. D) Winters and summers would be more severe.
D) Winters and summers would be more severe.
According to most conservation biologists, the single greatest threat to global biodiversity is ________. A) overexploitation of certain species B) stratospheric ozone depletion C) chemical pollution of water and air D) alteration or destruction of the physical habitat
D) alteration or destruction of the physical habitat
In temperate lakes, the surface water is replenished with nutrients during turnovers that occur in the ________. A) summer and winter B) summer and autumn C) autumn and winter D) autumn and spring E) spring and summer
D) autumn and spring
Relatively small geographic areas with high concentrations of endemic species and a large number of endangered and threatened species are known as ________. A) bottlenecks B) critical communities C) endemic metapopulations D) biodiversity hot spots E) endemic sinks
D) biodiversity hot spots
The main factor that leads to the loss of biodiversity is ________. A) industrialization B) habitat fragmentation C) transportation D) habitat destruction
D) habitat destruction
The competitive exclusion principle states that ________. A) it is not possible for two species to compete for the same resources B) two species with the same niche will constantly be competing for resources C) two species with different niches will not compete for the same resources D) it is not possible for two species with the same niche to coexist in the same region
D) it is not possible for two species with the same niche to coexist in the same region
What is the main advantage of controlled burnings of forested areas? Controlled burnings ________. A) clear forested areas for farmland B) allow new species to form C) eliminate the possibility of forest fires D) prevent the overgrowth of the underbrush
D) prevent the overgrowth of the underbrush
Logistic growth of a population is represented by ΔN/Δt = ________. A) rNrN(N - K/K) B) rmax N C) rN (K + N) D) rN[(K - N)/K] E) (rN/K)
D) rN[(K - N)/K]
Approximately what percentage of the energy from sunlight is converted into gross primary production? A) 100 B) 10 C) 25 D) 5 E) 0.8
E) 0.8
Which of the following biomes has the highest variation in annual temperature? A) Temperate forests B) Temperate grasslands C) Arctic tundra D) Subtropical deserts E) Boreal forests/taiga
E) Boreal forests/taiga
If a meteor impact or volcanic eruption injected a lot of dust into the atmosphere and reduced the sunlight reaching Earth's surface by 70 percent for 1 year, which of the following marine communities most likely would be LEAST affected? A) Coral reef B) Estuary C) Pelagic D) Intertidal E) Deep-sea vent
E) Deep-sea vent
Which of the following are negative biological consequences of climate change? I. Changes in geographic ranges II. Changes in phenology III. Extinctions A) Only I B) Only I and III C) Only III D) Only II and III E) I, II, and III
E) I,II, and III
Consider the global nitrogen cycle depicted in the figure. How are humans altering this cycle? A) Nitrogen lost to the atmosphere B) Reduction of nitrogen available to terrestrial ecosystems C) Reduction of nitrogen fixation by bacteria D) Permanent burial of nitrogen in coastal environments through runoff E) Industrial nitrogen fixation
E) Industrial nitrogen fixation
Which statement best describes the evolutionary significance of mutualism? A) Individuals partaking in a mutualistic relationship are more resistant to parasites. B) Mutualistic interaction lessens competition in communities where it is present. C) Mutualism offers more biodiversity to a community. D) Mutualistic relationships allow organisms to synthesize and use energy more efficiently. E) Interaction increases the survival and/or population growth rate(s) of mutualistic species.
E) Interaction increases the survival and/or population growth rate(s) of mutualistic species.
Imagine that a deep temperate-zone lake did not turn over during the spring and fall seasons. Based on the physical and biological properties of limnetic ecosystems, what would be the difference from normal seasonal turnover? A) The lake would be uniformly cold during the winter and summer. B) An algal bloom of algae would result every spring. C) The pH of the lake would become increasingly alkaline. D) The lake would fail to freeze over in winter. E) Lakes would suffer a nutrient depletion in surface layers.
E) Lakes would suffer a nutrient depletion in surface layers.
Which of the following is the most important assumption for the mark-recapture method to estimate the size of wildlife populations? A) There is a 50:50 ratio of males to females in the population before and after trapping and recapture. B) More individuals emigrate from, as opposed to immigrate into, a population. C) All females in the population have the same litter size. D) Over 50 percent of the marked individuals need to be trapped during the recapture phase. E) Marked individuals have the same probability of being recaptured as unmarked individuals during the recapture phase.
E) Marked individuals have the same probability of being recaptured as unmarked individuals during the recapture phase.
Malaria is caused by the pathogen Plasmodium spp. People with at least one copy of the HLA-B53 gene are better able to beat back malarial infections before the infection progresses. If this is a coevolutionary arms race between Plasmodium and humans, what would the next step in this race be? A) To see Plasmodium populations that have the HLA-B53 gene B) To see humans with more than one copy of the HLA-B53 gene C) To see a mutation in the HLA-B53 gene that makes it more effective against malarial infections D) To see humans without the HLA-B53 gene E) To see Plasmodium populations that counter the HLA-B53 gene
E) To see Plasmodium populations that counter the HLA-B53 gene
During exponential growth, a population always ________. A) grows by thousands of individuals B) cycles through time C) quickly reaches its carrying capacity D) loses some individuals to emigration E) grows at its maximum per capita rate
E) grows at its maximum per capita rate
The most serious consequence to humans of a decrease in global biodiversity would be the ________. A) increase in the abundance and diversity of edge-adapted species B) loss of species for use as crops C) increase in global warming and thinning of the ozone layer D) loss of sources of genetic diversity to preserve endangered species E) potential loss of ecosystem services on which people depend
E) potential loss of ecosystem services on which people depend
