Ecology Lecture Exam #4
Climate change is defined as A) directional change to the global climate lasting three decades or more. B) long-term prevailing weather conditions in an area. C) any recurring characteristic of the climate. D) variations in day length, solar radiation, and temperature.
A
If global warming continues at its present rate, which biomes will likely take the place of the coniferous forest (taiga)? A) temperate broadleaf forest and grassland B) desert and chaparral C) tropical forest and savanna D) chaparral and temperate broadleaf forest
A
Plants adapted for water storage and heat tolerance, many animals are nocturnal, and low levels of rainfall all characterize which type of terrestrial biome? A) desert B) tropical forest C) temperate grassland D) chaparral
A
The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is that . A) solar radiation strikes the poles at a lower angle and travels through more atmosphere B) the poles are farther from the sun than is the equator C) the polar atmosphere is thinner and contains fewer greenhouse gases D) the poles are permanently tilted away from the sun
A
Archeological, fossil, and geological data provide information on the Mayan populations and their environment in Mexico, in the Caribbean state of Yucatán. The graphs depict population size, percentage of the land that was forested, and the amount of soil erosion. Based on the figure, what can you conclude about the history of land use in the southern Yucatán? A) Massive soil erosion caused the Mayan population to crash. B) Reduction in forest cover caused the Mayan population to crash. C) As Mayan population increased, deforestation increased, probably leading to increased soil erosion. D) This Mayan population practiced sustainable development.
C
Based on the species-area plot in the figure above, if habitable area on an island were reduced from 10,000 square kilometers (km2) to 1,000 km2, roughly what percentage of the species would disappear? A) 0.3 percent B) 3 percent C) 30 percent D) 60 percent
C
Covers expansive areas of the arctic, permafrost restricts growth of plant roots, mammals include musk oxen, caribou, reindeer, bears, and wolves, all characterize which type of terrestrial biome? A) northern coniferous forest B) tundra C) savanna D) temperate broadleaf forest
B
East of the Mississippi River, in Hopkinsville Kentucky, the mean annual precipitation is 130 cm. The mean annual temperature is 14.3°C. In the winter, the mean temperature is 7.3°C, while in summer it is 20.6°C. Using the climograph shown here, how would we classify the biome found in Hopkinsville? A) temperate rainforest B) temperate broadleaf forest C) shrubland during the winter, temperate forest during the summer D) temperate forest during the winter, tropical seasonal forest during the summer E) Biomes are not defined by annual values. It really depends on what season you're in.
B
Ecosystem services include processes that increase the quality of the abiotic environment. Which of the following processes would fall under this category? A) Keystone predators have a marked effect on species diversity. B) Green plants and phytoplankton produce the oxygen we breathe. C) Bees, flies, and wasps pollinate many plants. D) The presence of dams improves flood control.
B
Examine the figure, which notes the average barrels of oil used per person per year in different countries. What can be concluded? A) Residents in warmer climates use more energy per person. B) Residents of more affluent, industrialized countries use more energy per person. C) Residents of more populated countries use more energy per person. D) English-speaking countries tend to use more energy per person.
B
Highest animal diversity, equatorial/sub equatorial, reduction due primarily to deforestation to make way for farmland, and intense plant competition for light all characterize which type of terrestrial biome? A) desert B) tropical forest C) temperate grassland D) chaparral
B
In deep water, which of the following abiotic factors would most limit primary productivity? A) temperature B) light availability C) solute concentration D) chemical composition of the sea floor
B
In the figure blow, which number would designate the biome with the highest variation in both annual precipitation and temperature? A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4
B
Overharvesting encourages extinction and is most likely to affect ________. A) animals that occupy a broad ecological niche B) large animals with low intrinsic reproductive rates C) most organisms that live in the oceans' coral reefs D) edge-adapted species
B
Size, variable, seasonal thermocline that turns over in the spring and autumn, nutrient-rich and often depleted of oxygen in deep zones, agricultural induced nutrient enrichment can lead to algae blooms, all characterize which type of aquatic biome? A) oligotrophic lake B) eutrophic lake C) estuaries D) streams and rivers E) wetlands
B
Waters constantly mixed by wind-driven oceanic currents, covers approximately 70% of Earth's surface, both characterize which type of aquatic biome? A) intertidal zones B) ocean pelagic zone C) marine benthic zone D) coral reefs
B
Which of the following causes seasonality on Earth? A) the variation in proximity of the Earth to the sun at different times of the year B) the constant tilt of the Earth, combined with its orbit around the sun C) the distance between the Earth and the sun in winter versus in the summer D) the variation or wobble of Earth's tilt during the year
B
Which of the following criteria must 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 native species C) introduced to a new area, spreads rapidly, and displaces other invasive species D) endemic to the area, spreads slowly, and displaces native species
B
Which of the following terms includes all the others? A) species diversity B) biodiversity C) genetic diversity D) ecosystem diversity
B
Five new individuals were added to a small population of bighorn sheep in 1986, and ten more were added between 1990 and 1994. According to the figure, what occurred in this population after these additions? A) The population increased exponentially. B) The population increased in overall numbers. C) The population growth rate increased. D) The population continued to decline.
C
For mountain ranges that are subjected to prevailing winds, why is the climate drier on the leeward (downwind) side? A) Deserts create dry conditions on the leeward side of mountain ranges. B) The sun illuminates the leeward side of mountain ranges at a more direct angle, converting to heat energy, which evaporates most of the water present. C) Pushed by the prevailing winds on the windward side, air is forced to rise, cool, condense, and drop its precipitation, leaving drier air to descend the leeward side. D) Air masses pushed by the prevailing winds are stopped by mountain ranges and the moisture is used up in the stagnant air masses on the leeward side.
C
The main goal of sustainable development is to ________. A) involve more countries in conservation efforts B) use only natural resources in the construction of new buildings C) responsible use of natural resources such that they are available for future generations D) reevaluate and re-implement management plans over time
C
Tropical forests are being converted to farm or pastureland at an alarming rate, and one major focus is on the biodiversity and the impact to these ecosystems. What is a direct benefit to humans that helps explain why these forests need to be preserved? A) This diversity provides areas for coffee growing. B) Natural and undisturbed areas are important wildlife habitats. C) The diversity could contain novel drugs for consumers. D) The plant diversity provides shade, which lowers global warming.
C
Which of the following biomes spans one of the largest annual mean temperature ranges, but the narrowest mean precipitation range? A) tropical forest B) temperate forest C) desert D) taiga
C
Which of the following conditions is the most likely indicator of a population in an extinction vortex? A) The species in question is found only in small, stable pockets of its former range. B) The effective population size of the species falls below 1,000. C) Genetic measurements indicate a loss of genetic variation over time. D) The population is permanently small.
C
Which of the following factors could cause the largest increase in the effective population size of a species? A) an increased number of males B) an increase in the total population size C) an increase in the number of breeding males and females D) an increased number of females
C
Based on the data in the figures above, which of the following statements are correct? I. Area 1 would be considered a desert because of its high average temperature. II. Area 1 has more average precipitation than Area 2. III. Area 2 would be considered a desert because of its low average precipitation. IV. Area 2 has a larger annual temperature variation. A) only I and III B) only II and IV C) only I, II, and IV D) only II, III, and IV
D
Current, cold turbulent headwaters, downstream waters are warmer and well oxygenated, all characterize which type of aquatic biome? A) oligotrophic lake B) eutrophic lake C) estuaries D) streams and rivers E) wetlands
D
Formed from the calcium carbonate skeletons of cnidarians that have a mutualistic relationship with unicellular algae, high fish diversity, threatened by overfishing, global warming and pollution, all characterize which type of aquatic biome? A) intertidal zones B) ocean pelagic zone C) marine benthic zone D) coral reefs
D
If all individuals in the last remaining population of a frog species were all highly related, which type of diversity would be of greatest concern when planning to prevent the species from going extinct? A) global diversity B) local diversity C) ecosystem diversity D) genetic diversity
D
In creating global climate patterns, which of the following factors is the primary cause of all the other factors that are listed? A) precipitation differences between tropical and polar regions B) global ocean currents C) global wind patterns D) variation in the heating of Earth's surface
D
In the Northern Hemisphere, many mammals hibernate, and many birds migrate in the winter, summers are hot and humid, includes North Carolina, all characterize which type of terrestrial biome? A) northern coniferous forest B) tundra C) savanna D) temperature broadleaf forest
D
Which of the following is an important feature of most terrestrial biomes? A) annual average rainfall in excess of 250 centimeters B) a distribution predicted almost entirely by rock and soil patterns C) clear boundaries between adjacent biomes D) vegetation demonstrating vertical layering
D
Which of the following threats to biodiversity is targeted at specific species rather than groups of species? A) introduced species B) habitat destruction C) increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, a cause of global warming D) overharvesting
D
Aquatic biome zone that includes bottom dwelling organism and detritus. A) photic B) aphotic C) pelagic D) abyssal E) benthic
E
Describe how TWO of the following "human actions" negatively change environmental conditions at the level of the biosphere and negatively impact plants/animals/YOU. Nutrient Enrichment Toxin Accumulation Ozone Depletion Greenhouse Gases
Nutrient Enrichment - human activity that removes nutrients from one part of the biosphere and adds them to another. e.g. excess fertilizers used in agriculture can end up in nearby aquatic ecosystems➔runoff. Runoff can lead to phytoplankton blooms, followed by a massive die off resulting in "dead zones". IMPACT: create areas in aquatic systems where microbes/plants/animals cannot live, if they cannot relocate, they die. Toxin Accumulation - human activity that releases toxic chemicals into nature. Those that persist for a long time, will accumulate in the tissues of organisms. Levels of the toxins become more concentrated as you move up the food chain; this is called biomagnification. e.g. PCB, pesticides, pharmaceutical drugs. Impact: birds ability to lay viable eggs, we are at risk if we consume organisms with high levels of toxins, shift in sex ratios of fishes. Ozone Depletion - Ozone layer refers to a protective layer surrounding the earth made up of ozone molecules in the atmosphere. Human activities (e.g. use of CFC products) result in binding of Cl to ozone reducing it to O2➔thinning to the layer and/or holes in the layer. Ozone depletion causes DNA damage in plants and phytoplankton; increases in rates of skin cancer and cataracts are expected in humans. Greenhouse Gases - human activities (e.g. burning of fossil fuels) that generate gaseous waste products, e.g. CO2, that reflect radiation back toward Earth, increasing its temperature➔ Greenhouse Effect. Impact: reduce geographic range of a population, population size decline due to reduced food availability or reproductive failure, introduction of an invasive species into a community.
Differentiate between the small population approach (e.g. Greater Prairie Chickens of Wisconsin), the effective population size/minimum viable population (MVP) approach (e.g. Grizzly Bears in Yellowstone National Park) and a declining population approach (e.g. Red Cockaded Woodpecker in mature pine forests) when it comes to helping a population recover, avoid extinction. Your response should include how each of the populations referenced in this question were helped to recover in that their chances of regional extinction were reduced.
Small Population Approach - studies processes that cause extinctions once a population size has been greatly reduced➔makes the population more susceptible to inbreeding and genetic drift which will lead to a decrease in genetic variability➔more likely to be drawn into an extinction vortex. (2 pts.) ex. Greater Prairie Chicken - habitat fragmentation caused a decline in the population size; researchers observed a reduction in genetic variation and a decrease in fertility as measured by the % of eggs hatched. Recovery➔the introduction of prairie chickens from another population into the Illinois population. Result➔increase in population size and increase in fertility. (2 pts.) MVP, minimum viable population size, is the minimum population size at which a species can survive. To determine MVP, one must calculate the effective population size which is a measure of a population's breeding potential. (2 pts.) ex. Grizzly Bears of Yellowstone Park - original population had low genetic variability, introducing bears from outside the park would help to reduce the loss of genetic variation. Effective Population Size for grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park is 125, currently there are 400 in the park. Currently the population is above its MVP suggesting it will continue to survive. (1 pts.) Declining Population Approach - focuses on threatened/endangered populations that have been observed to be declining. Researchers try to determine what environmental factors are causing the decline. (2 pts.) ex. Red Cockaded Woodpecker - logging, agriculture and fire suppression were determined to reduce habitat, mature pine forests with little undergrowth. Woodpeckers take months to excavate new nesting sites, are looking for older trees specifically.➔together this has resulted in a decline in this bird in the SE Coastal Plains. To help with recovery➔habitat maintenance + insertion of man-made nesting cavities into trees. Result➔formation of new breeding groups. (1 pts.)
