Ecology Test

A population of ground squirrels has an annual per capita birth rate of 0.06 and an annual per capita death rate of 0.02. Estimate the number of individuals added to (or lost from) a population of 1,000 individuals in one year. a. 40 individuals added b. 120 individuals added c. 400 individuals added d. 20 individuals added e. 20 individuals lost

a

Biomanipulation can best be described as a. removing many of the next higher trophic level organisms so that the struggling trophic level below can recover. b. a means of reversing the effects of pollution by applying antidote chemicals that have a neutralizing effect on the community. c. monitoring and adjusting the nutrient and energy flow through a community with new technologies. d. an example of how one would use bottom-up model for ecosystem restoration. e. adjusting the population numbers of each of the trophic levels back to the numbers that they were before man started disturbing ecosystems.

a

Coral reefs can be found on the southern east coast of the United States but not at similar latitudes on the southern west coast. Differences in which of the following most likely account for this? a. ocean currents b. sunlight intensity c. day length d. precipitation e. salinity

a

The species richness of a community refers to the a. number of different species. b. relative numbers of individuals in each species. c. complexity of the food web. d. total number of all organisms. e. the bottom-heavy shape of the energy pyramid.

a

Which biome is able to support many large animals despite receiving moderate amounts of rainfall? a. savanna b. taiga c. tropical rain forest d. temperate forest e. chaparral

a

Which of the following best describes resource partitioning? a. Slight variations in niche allow similar species to coexist. b. Two species can coevolve to share the same niche. c. A climax community is reached when no new niches are available. d. Competitive exclusion results in the success of the superior species. e. Differential resource utilization results in the decrease in species diversity

a

Which of the following describes the relationship between legumes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria? a. mutualism b. inhibition c. commensalism d. parasitism e. facilitation

a

Which of the following interactions can correctly be labeled coevolution? a. a genetic change in a virus that allows it to exploit a new host, which responds to virus-imposed selection by changing its genetically controlled habitat preferences b. the ability of rats to survive in a variety of novel environments c. the adaptation of cockroaches to human habitation d. a genetic change in foxes that allows them to tolerate human presence (and food) e. the tendency of coyotes to respond to human habitat encroachment by including pet dogs and cats in their diets

a

Which of the following is an example of aposematic coloration? a. stripes of a skunk b. colors of an insect-pollinated flower c. green color of a plant d. a katydid whose wings look like a dead leaf e. eye color in humans

a

All of the following have been used by plants to avoid being eaten except a. producing chemicals that are distasteful to herbivores, such as cinnamon, cloves, and peppermint. b. producing tissues that have unappealing colors. c. possessing spines and thorns on stems and leaves. d. synthesizing chemicals that can cause abnormal development in some insects that eat them. e. synthesis of chemical toxins, such as strychnine, nicotine, and tannins.

b

Carrying capacity is a. the term used to describe the stress a population undergoes due to limited resources. b. the maximum population size that a particular environment can support. c. fixed for most species over most of their range most of the time. d. seldom reached by marine producers and consumers because of the vast resources of the ocean. e. determined by density and dispersion data.

b

Demography is the study of a. life expectancy of individuals within a population. b. the vital statistics of populations and how they change over time. c. reproductive rates of a population during a given year. d. the survival patterns of a population. e. death and emigration rates of a population at any moment in time.

b

Evidence shows that some grasses benefit from being grazed. Which of the following terms would best describe this plant-herbivore interaction? a. parasitism b. mutualism c. competition d. commensalism e. predation

b

Generally speaking, deserts are located in places where air masses are usually a. humid. b. descending. c. rising. d. expanding. e. tropical.

b

In a particular case of secondary succession, three species of wild grass all invaded a field. By the second season, a single species dominated the field. A possible factor in this secondary succession was a. immigration. b. inhibition. c. facilitation. d. mutualism. e. equilibrium.

b

In a tide pool, 15 species of invertebrates were reduced to eight after one species was removed. The species removed was likely a(n) a. resource partitioner. b. keystone species. c. community facilitator. d. mutualistic organism. e. herbivore.

b

In temperate lakes, the surface water is replenished with nutrients during turnovers that occur in the a. summer and winter. b. autumn and spring. c. autumn and winter. d. summer and autumn. e. spring and summer.

b

Natural selection has led to the evolution of diverse natural history strategies, which have in common a. many offspring per reproductive episode. b. maximum lifetime reproductive success. c. limitation only by density-independent limiting factors. d. relatively large offspring. e. adaptation to stable environments.

b

Of the following examples of ecological effect leading to an evolutionary effect (→), which is most correct? a. A few organisms of a larger population survive a drought ® these survivors then emigrate to less arid environments. b. A few individuals with denser fur survive the coldest days of an ice age ® the reproducing survivors all have long fur. c. Fish that swim the fastest in running water ® catch the most prey and more easily escape predation. d. The insects that spend the most time exposed to sunlight ® have the most mutations. e. When seeds are not plentiful ® trees produce more seeds.

b

Pacific salmon or annual plants illustrate which of the following? a. Allee effect b. semelparous c. cohort d. iteroparous e. dispersion

b

To measure the population density of monarch butterflies occupying a particular park, 100 butterflies are captured, marked with a small dot on a wing, and then released. The next day, another 100 butterflies are captured, including the recapture of 20 marked butterflies. One would estimate the population to be a. 200. b. 500. c. 1,000. d. 10,000. e. 900,000.

b

Turnover of water in temperate lakes during the spring and fall is made possible by which of the following? a. warm, less dense water layered at the top b. the density of water changes as seasonal temperatures change. c. cold, more dense water layered at the bottom d. currents generated by nektonic animals e. a distinct thermocline between less dense warm water and cold, dense water.

b

Which of the following abiotic factors has the greatest influence on the metabolic rates of plants and animals? a. wind b. temperature c. rocks and soil d. water e. disturbances

b

Which of the following causes Earth's seasons? a. global wind patterns b. the tilt of Earth's axis c. changes in Earth's distance from the sun d. ocean currents e. global air circulation

b

Which of the following describes having more than one reproductive episode during a lifetime? a. dispersion b. iteroparous c. cohort d. semelparous e. Allee effect

b

Which of the following is considered by ecologists a measure of the ability of a community either to resist change or to recover to its original state after change? a. competitive exclusion b. stability c. partitioning d. succession e. productivity

b

Which of the following levels of organization is arranged in the correct sequence from most to least inclusive? a. community, ecosystem, individual, population b. ecosystem, community, population, individual c. population, ecosystem, individual, community d. individual, population, community, ecosystem e. individual, community, population, ecosystem

b

According to the competitive exclusion principle, two species cannot continue to occupy the same a. territory. b. habitat. c. niche. d. range. e. biome.

c

Dwarf mistletoes are flowering plants that grow on certain forest trees. They obtain nutrients and water from the vascular tissues of the trees. The trees derive no known benefits from the dwarf mistletoes. Which of the following best describes the interactions between dwarf mistletoes and trees? a. competition b. facilitation c. parasitism d. commensalism e. mutualism

c

Food chains are sometimes short because a. local extinction of a species causes extinction of the other species in its food chain. b. only a single species of herbivore feeds on each plant species. c. most of the energy in a trophic level is lost as it passes to the next higher level. d. most producers are inedible. e. predator species tend to be less diverse and less abundant than prey species.

c

Species introduced to new geographic locations a. are usually successful in colonizing the area. b. increase the diversity and therefore the stability of the ecosystem. c. can out-compete and displace native species for biotic and abiotic resources. d. are always considered pests by ecologists. e. always spread because they encounter no natural predators.

c

The Allee effect is used to describe a population that a. is in crash decline. b. exceeds carrying capacity. c. has become so small that it will have difficulty surviving and reproducing. d. has become so large it will have difficulty surviving and reproducing. e. approaches carrying capacity.

c

The dominant species in a community is a. the best predator in the community. b. the best competitor in the community. c. the species that contributes the most biomass to the community. d. characterized by very large individuals with long lives. e. the most energetically efficient species in the community.

c

The main reason polar regions are cooler than the equator is because a. the poles are farther from the sun. b. the poles have a thicker atmosphere. c. sunlight strikes the poles at an lower angle. d. the poles are permanently tilted away from the sun. e. there is more ice at the poles.

c

Two barnacles, Balanus and Chthamalus, can both survive on the lower rocks just above the low-tide line on the Scottish coast, but only Balanus actually does so, with Chthamalus adopting a higher zone. Which of the following best accounts for this niche separation? a. predation of Chthamalus by Balanus b. cooperative displacement c. competitive exclusion d. primary succession e. mutualism

c

Which of the following statements about ecology is incorrect? a. Ecologists may study populations and communities of organisms. b. Ecological studies may involve the use of models and computers. c. Ecology is a discipline that is independent from natural selection and evolutionary history. d. Ecology spans increasingly comprehensive levels of organization, from individuals to ecosystems. e. Ecology is the study of the interactions between biotic and abiotic aspects of the environment.

c

Which of the following statements about human population in industrialized countries is incorrect? a. Age distribution is relatively uniform. b. Average family size is relatively small. c. Life history is r-selected. d. The population has undergone the demographic transition. e. The survivorship curve is Type I.

c

With a few exceptions, most of the food chains studied by ecologists have a maximum of how many links? a. 2 b. 3 c. 5 d. 10 e. 15

c

Approximately how many kg of carnivore production can be supported by a field plot containing 2000 kg of plant material? a. 20,000 b. 2,000 c. 200 d. 20 e. 2

d

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 growth rate will not change. c. The population will show an Allee effect. d. The growth rate will approach zero. e. The population will increase exponentially.

d

Deserts typically occur in a band at 30 degrees north and south latitude because a. ascending air tends to be moist. b. these locations get the most intense solar radiation of any location on Earth c. water is heavier than air and is not carried far over land. d. descending air masses tend to be cool and dry. e. trade winds have a little moisture.

d

Ecology as a discipline directly deals with all of the following levels of biological organization except a. ecosystem. b. community. c. organismal. d. cellular. e. population.

d

In which of the following terrestrial biome pairs are both dependent upon periodic burning? a. desert and savanna b. grassland and tundra c. tundra and coniferous forest d. chaparral and savanna. e. tropical forest and temperate broadleaf forest

d

Landscape ecology is best described as the study of a. the interactions between the different species that inhabit and ecosystem. b. the flow of energy and materials between the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem. c. how the structure and function of species enable them to meet the challenges of their environment. d. the factors controlling the exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms among ecosystem patches. e. what factors affect the structure and size of a population over time.

d

The growing season would generally be shortest in which of the following biomes? a. temperate broadleaf forest b. temperate grassland c. tropical rain forest d. coniferous forest e. savanna

d

Where would an ecologist find the most phytoplankton in a lake? a. benthic zone b. aphotic zone c. oligotrophic zone d. photic zone e. profundal zone

d

Which of the following examples best describes an ecological community? a. The material cycling and energy transformations between the biotic and abiotic components of an open meadow. b. The interactions of the various plant and animal species of park, excepting the decomposers. c. The various species of barnacles competing for resources in an intertidal zone. d. The interactions of all the plant and animal species inhabiting a 2 hectare forest. e. The intraspecific competition of members of a brook trout population inhabiting a stream during a given year.

d

Which of the following is an example of Müllerian mimicry? a. a day-flying hawkmoth that looks like a wasp b. a chameleon that changes its color to look like a dead leaf c. two species of moths with wing spots that look like owl's eyes d. two species of unpalatable butterfly that have the same color pattern e. two species of rattlesnakes that both rattle their tails

d

Which of the following is an example of cryptic coloration? a. markings of a viceroy butterfly b. brown color of tree bark c. colors of an insect-pollinated flower d. a "walking stick" insect that resembles a twig e. bands on a coral snake

d

Which of the following sequences represents the hierarchy of biological organization from the least to the most complex level? a. organelle, tissue, biosphere, ecosystem, population, organism b. cell, community, population, organ system, molecule, organelle c. organism, community, biosphere, molecule, tissue, organ d. molecule, cell, organ system, population, ecosystem, biosphere e. ecosystem, cell, population, tissue, organism, organ system

d

Which of the following statements about light in aquatic environments is correct? a. Most photosynthetic organisms avoid the surface where the light is not too intense. b. Longer wavelengths penetrate to greater depths. c. Light penetration seldom limits the distribution of photosynthetic species. d. Water selectively reflects and absorbs certain wavelengths of light. e. Photosynthetic organisms that live in deep water probably use red light.

d

Which of the following terms best describes the interaction between termites and the protozoans that feed in their gut? a. competitive exclusion b. ectoparasitism c. commensalism d. mutualism e. endoparasitism

d

You are most likely to observe primary succession in a terrestrial community when you visit a(n) a. tropical rain forest. b. recently plowed field. c. abandoned field. d. recently created volcanic island. e. recently burned forest.

d

You are observing a population of lizards when you notice that the number of adults has increased and is higher than previously observed. One explanation for such an observation would include a. increased emigration. b. reduction in death rate. c. decreased emigration. d. increased immigration. e. increased birth rate.

d

Community ecologists would consider which of the following to be most significant in understanding the structure of an ecological community? a. determining how many species are present overall b. which particular species are present c. the kinds of interactions that occur among organisms of different species d. the relative abundance of species e. all of the above

e

The most common kind of dispersion in nature is a. dispersive. b. random. c. indeterminate. d. uniform. e. clumped.

e

Which of the following are important biotic factors that can affect the structure and organization of biological communities? a. nutrient availability, soil pH b. precipitation, wind c. temperature, water d. light intensity, seasonality e. predation, competition

e

Which of the following characterizes relatively K-selected populations? a. early parental reproduction b. small offspring c. a high intrinsic rate of increase d. many offspring per reproductive episode e. offspring with good chances of survival

e

Which of the following is responsible for the summer and winter stratification of deep temperate lakes? a. Oxygen is most abundant in deeper waters. b. Stratification always follows the fall and spring turnovers. c. Winter ice sinks in the summer. d. Stratification is caused by a thermocline. e. Water is densest at 4°C.

e