Understanding Organisms - Introduction to Ecology

Deer run in zigzag patterns when being chased by predators. What type of adaptation is this? a. Behavioral b. Physiological c. Structural d. Ecological

a. Behavioral

Which of the following is not a part of Darwin's theory of evolution? a. Changes in organisms occur immediately. b. Organisms change over time. c. Species evolution occurs through natural selection. d. Organisms developed from common ancestors.

a. Changes in organisms occur immediately.

Which method is NOT used to protect endangered species? a. Poaching b. Captivity c. Species preservation d. Reintroduction

a. Poaching

This table shows the population sizes for 6 different species in four different areas. From the table above, which species has the highest average population size? a. Species W b. Species X c. Species Y d. Species Z

a. Species W

Consider the following food chain: Garden plants are eaten by snails, which are eaten by birds, which are eaten by the household cat. What happens to the other members of the food chain if the garden is removed? a. The number of snails and birds decrease. b. The number of snails increases, while the number of birds decreases. c. The number of snails decreases, while the number of birds increases. d. The number of snails and birds increase.

a. The number of snails and birds decrease.

What happened to the greenish warbler birds as they migrated from the southern portion of their range up around the Tibetan Plateau? a. They evolved separately as they moved north and became two separate species. b. The original species died off, but the ones that were able to adapt to a northern climate evolved into a new species. c. As a whole the species was able to adapt to a colder climate, but no significant changes occurred. d. They were unable to adapt and evolve to ensure their survival and became extinct.

a. They evolved separately as they moved north and became two separate species.

Using the graph above, extrapolate what would happen to biodiversity on a large island or continent. a. biodiversity would increase greatly b. biodiversity would decrease greatly c. biodiversity would first increase, then decrease d. biodiversity would remain constant

a. biodiversity would increase greatly

Mexico has more biodiversity than the United States because it is __________________. a. closer to the equator b. surrounded by water c. closer to the Pacific Ocean d. smaller in size

a. closer to the equator

What effect did the loss of species B have on species A and D in the figure above? a. it caused the populations of A and D to decrease b. it caused the populations of A and D to increase c. it caused the populations of A and D to become extinct d. it had no effect on the populations of A and D

a. it caused the populations of A and D to decrease

Competitive exclusion occurs when _______. a. organisms attempt to fill the same niche b. organisms mark their territory c. organisms experience intraspecific aggression d. organisms have a symbiotic relationship

a. organisms attempt to fill the same niche

Which of the following is an example of a niche? a. A squirrel living in a tree. b. A fish in a pond. c. A lion hunting for zebra in a grassland. d. Two birds flying in the air.

c. A lion hunting for zebra in a grassland.

Which of the following scenarios is representative of commensalism? a. Tapeworms living in a mammal's intestinal tract b. Bees pollinating flowers c. Birds following grazing animals who stir up insects d. Clown fish living among sea anemones

c. Birds following grazing animals who stir up insects.

The Hawaiian Islands are home to many endangered species. Why do you think the Hawaii Department of Agriculture is so strict about allowing nonnative species onto the islands? a. It is so strict because a foreign species could mate with a native species and create a new species. b. It is so strict because a foreign species could become a problem for tourism. c. It is so strict because a foreign species could compete with a native species and drive it to extinction. d. It is so strict because a foreign species may not be able to survive in a new environment.

c. It is so strict because a foreign species could compete with a native species and drive it to extinction.

The organism P. malariae lives in red blood cells, causing the host organism to experience high fevers and chills. What type of relationship is this? a. Mutualism b. Commensalism c. Parasitism d. Competition

c. Parasitism

Organisms use different types of adaptations to aid in their survival. One type of butterfly mimics a dead leaf to evade predators. What type of adaptation is this? a. Biochemical b. Ecological c. Structural d. Physiological

c. Structural

What discovery led Darwin to develop his theories on adaptation? a. The Galapagos islands contain a range of habitats. b. The Galapagos islands originate from volcanoes. c. The birds Darwin found in the Galapagos were different types of finches, not separate types of birds. d. Many of the organisms in the Galapagos lived in hostile environments.

c. The birds Darwin found in the Galapagos were different types of finches, not separate types of birds.

Consider the following food chain: Plants are eaten by grasshoppers, which are eaten by mice, which are eaten by snakes. What is likely to happen if a new organism that feeds off mice is introduced? a. The mice population will increase in response to the arrival of the new organism. b. The mice population, grasshopper population, and plant population will all increase. c. The new organism will compete with the snake population for resources. d. The populations of the existing organisms will remain unaffected.

c. The new organism will compete with the snake population for resources.

An increase in biodiversity generally causes _______. a. a decrease in ecosystem stability b. random fluctuations in ecosystem stability c. an increase in ecosystem stability d. no change to ecosystem stability

c. an increase in ecosystem stability

What are the three types of interactions between organisms in an ecosystem? a. competition, mutualism, and predation b. territoriality, predation, and symbiosis c. competition, predation, and symbiosis d. commensalism, parasitism, and mutualism

c. competition, predation, and symbiosis

Acid rain changes the pH of soil, killing some trees. This is an example of _____. a. habitat fragmentation b. global warming problems c. habitat degredation d. exotic species

c. habitat degredation

Interactions between organisms and their environment impact the organism's overall population. The jaguar Panthera onca is the largest cat found in North America. It is found in areas across the Southwest, including Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. It is a carnivore with powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Which concept is shown by the relationship between the jaguar and deer? a. adaptation b. competitive exclusion c. predator-prey d. niche

c. predator-prey

Human development often creates small isolated patches of wildlife area. This is known as ________. a. edge effect c. habitat fragmentation b. speciation d. extinction

c. speciation

A variety of different mechanisms in nature help create diversity in organism populations. The tundra found in the northernmost parts of the planet is the world's youngest biome. The tundra is home to a variety of plants and animals. Organisms that can be found in the tundra include shrubs, mosses, caribou, polar bears, and wolves. Which mechanism do the different organism populations found across the tundra exemplify? a. genetic diversity b. ecosystem diversity c. species diversity d. variation

c. species diversity

Only _____ of forests still exist from when Europeans first arrived in the continental US, creating a need for forest conservation. a. 10% b. 20% c. 15% d. 5%

d. 5%

What is the purpose of mimicry? a. It helps an animal evade predators. b. It allows an animal to fit in with a different species. c. It helps an animal to catch prey. d. All of the above

d. All of the above

Which of the following is not true about Darwin's book On the Origin of Species? a. He worked on the manuscript for three years. b. It was successful. c. It explained his theory of evolution. d. It was based on his findings in South Africa.

d. It was based on his findings in South Africa

Consider the following food chain: Plants are eaten by grasshoppers, which are eaten by mice, which are eaten by snakes. What will happen to snakes in the long term if mice become extinct? a. The number of snakes will increase temporarily, and then decrease. b. The number of snakes will decrease permanently, but they will not die out completely. c. The number of snakes will decrease temporarily and then increase. d. Snakes will die out if they do not find an alternative food source.

d. Snakes will die out if they do not find an alternative food source.

What happened to species B in the graph above? a. it increased in biodiversity b. it decreased in population slightly c. it became carnivorous d. it became extinct

d. it became extinct

These include species extinction or endangerment...

effects of biodiversity loss

A species that is brought to a place where it never lived is considered a native species. true or false

false

Macroevolution occurs within a population. true or false

false

Organisms do not adapt as a result of competition for resources. true or false

false

Organisms that have a physical trait that makes it easier for them to access food supplies are unlikely to pass on that trait to their offspring. true or false

false

Plants do not adapt to their environment because they do not compete for resources. true or false

false

The competitive exclusion principle states that two organisms cannot fill similar niches. true or false

false

The terms commensalism and mutualism have the same meaning and are interchangeable. true or false

false

A conservation biologist's main concern is protecting biodiversity. true or false

true

An increase in the biodiversity of an ecosystem leads to an increase in its productivity. true or false

true

Conservation biology is a branch of biology that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity. true or false

true

Ecosystems with greater biodiversity have an increased stability. true or false

true

The number of different species in an area is a measure of biodiversity. true or false

true

How can an increase in biodiversity lead to an increase in ecosystem stability? a. A more biodiverse ecosystem is not subject to change. b. A more biodiverse ecosystem has a higher chance of adapting to species changes. c. A more biodiverse ecosystem has fewer species types to balance. d. A more biodiverse ecosystem is subject to fewer natural disasters.

b. A more biodiverse ecosystem has a higher chance of adapting to species changes.

What is the difference between a threatened species and an endangered species ? a. A threatened species and an endangered species are the same thing. b. A threatened species means that the population is likely to become endangered. An endangered species has population numbers so low that it is likely to become extinct. c. A threatened species is already extinct. An endangered species means that the population's numbers have increased greatly over the last 5 years. d. A threatened species means that the population is likely to become endangered. An endangered species is already extinct.

b. A threatened species means that the population is likely to become endangered. An endangered species has population numbers so low that is likely to become extinct.

Which of the following is not an example of predation? a. A blue whale feeding on zooplankton b. A tree obtaining nutrients from the soil c. A caterpillar eating the leaves of a tree d. A wolf eating a deer

b. A tree obtaining nutrients from the soil.

The figure above shows an airplane view of two protected areas C and D. Which area is better for conservation? a. Neither is better. b. Area C is generally better. Larger areas mean less edge effect. c. Area D is generally better. Wildlife corridors allow movement of animals. d. Area D is generally better. Keeping animals separate prevents the spread of disease.

b. Area C is generally better. Larger areas mean less edge effect.

The Great Burdock plant's seeds have spines on them that attach to the fur of animals that brush against it. The seed then travels with the animal until it eventually falls off, which spreads the plant's seeds farther than the plant could have done. What type of symbiotic relationship is this? a. Mutualism b. Commensalism c. Parasitism d. Competition

b. Commensalism

Variation of ecological habitats within a species is characteristic of which type of diversity? a. Genetic diversity b. Ecosystem diversity c. Species diversity d. Regional diversity

b. Ecosystem diversity

Island A has an area of 30 square kilometers. Island B has an area of 400 square kilometers. The islands are near each other. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true? a. Island A has greater biodiversity and a higher percentage of edge effect than Island B. b. Island A has less biodiversity and a higher percentage of edge effect than Island B. c. Island A has greater biodiversity and a lower percentage of edge effect than Island B. d. Island A has less biodiversity and a lower percentage of edge effect than Island B.

b. Island A has less biodiversity and a higher percentage of edge effect than Island B.

This table shows the population sizes for 6 different species in four different areas. If the four areas in the table above were the only places in the world to find these organisms, which species most likely faces the greatest chance of extinction? a. Species U b. Species X c. Species Y d. Species Z

b. Species X

Organisms use different types of adaptations to aid in their survival.Some mushrooms are poisonous to organisms that eat them. What type of adaptation is this an example of? a. a physiological adaptation b. a biochemical adaptation c. a ecological adaptation d. a structural adaptation

b. a biochemical adaptation

What is a possible cause for a decrease in ecosystem productivity? a. an increase in the biodiversity of the ecosystem b. a decrease of the biodiversity of an ecosystem c. the biodiversity of an ecosystem experiencing no change d. an ecosystem becoming more stable

b. a decrease of the biodiversity of an ecosystem

Using the figure above, predict what the approximate species loss would be on an island that is 500,000 km2 in size. a. less than 25 b. between 25 and 35 c. between 35 and 50 d. more than 50

b. between 25 and 35

Salvinia molesta, a floating aquatic plant, first entered Lake Naivasha in Kenya when a person's fish ponds flooded. The plant quickly grew, changing the habitat of parts of the lake. This is an example of a problem due to _____. a. reintroduction programs b. exotic species c. habitat fragmentation d. edge effect

b. exotic species

Organisms use different types of adaptations to aid in their survival.Which of the following is an adaptation that would not help a lion to catch its prey? a. group hunting b. hyoid bone adapted for roaring c. camouflage d. keen eyesight

b. hyoid bone adapted for roaring

A mutation that causes resistance in a population of beetles is an example of _______. a. macroevolution b. microevolution c. migration d. reproduction

b. microevolution

Which of the following is an example of a behavioral adaptation? a. camouflage b. migration c. sharp teeth d. decreased oxygen use

b. migration

Allowing local people to collect fallen branches from trees in a protected forest is an example of the philosophy of ____________________. a. recycling b. sustainable use c. habitat preservation d. species reintroduction

b. sustainable use

What does the information in the graph above tell you? a. the farther from land, the more biodiversity b. the larger the islet, the more biodiversity c. islet size and biodiversity are not related d. biodiversity decreases with islet size

b. the larger the islet, the more biodiversity