Biology Module 8

Prairie dogs are highly social, burrow dwelling rodents. Families have a strict social hierarchy and their "towns" can span hundreds of acres. In one colony, 750 animals live in a 500m2 area. What is the population density?

1.5

Above is a life history table for a minnow (small fish). Based on this table, what type of survivorship curve do these animals have?

Type III

If a population of 200 squirrels has a 10 percent growth rate each year, how many individuals will there born in the next year?

20

Which of the following is true about the current state of human population growth?

After the Industrial Revolution, population grows increased

Which of the following is an example of exponential growth?

1500→1550→2010

Which of the following descriptions is NOT associated with the correct survivorship curve?

Bald eagles return to the same mates and nests each year. They typically have two to three eggs and with parental care provided by both parents, the survival rate of the chicks is high. – Type II

this photo is an example of a(n)
store

ecosystem

n which of the following areas is human population growth the lowest?

Europe

Which statement about ecology and environmental science is correct?

The field of environmental science applies the ecological principles to human based concerns.

The birthrate in a small town is 14 per 1,000 per year and the death rate is 5 per 1,000 per year. What is the annual growth rate for this town?

0.9%

Which of the following populations has the greatest biotic potential?

Population D in which individuals reach sexual maturity in 6 months and produce 5 offspring each year.

Which of the following is true about the majority of LDCs?

They support the highest populations

Exponential growth

results in accelerating growth.

Which of the following is true about populations with a negative growth rate?

The death rate exceeds the birth rate

Honey bees have been declining at dramatic rates in the last few years. Colony collapse disorder has been linked to a virus and results in hives completely emptied of bees among both wild populations and domestic hives. Recently, scientists have suggested that infected bees may contaminate flowers that they visit and thus spread the disease. This is an example of a(n)

density-dependent factor

What is the carrying capacity for the population of beetles indicated by the graph?

10,000

Different populations living in the same geographical region is a(n)

community

During a recent hurricane, 25 individuals of the same butterfly species were blown onto a barrier island in southern Florida. Prior to this event, this species did not inhabit the island, but with the ample vegetation on the island and a lack of predators, the displaced individuals were able to survive and reproduce. After several years, the population stabilized with approximately 150 individuals. The 150 individuals on the island is an example of the

Carrying capacity

All of the following are true of BOTH logistic growth and exponential growth EXCEPT

they both have a stable equilibrium phase

During a recent hurricane, 25 individuals of the same butterfly species were blown onto a barrier island in southern Florida. When the butterflies first arrived on the island they did not have to compete for access to food or space. In addition, there were few natural predators such as wasps and birds which were common on the mainland. As a result, the island population will have a __________ biotic potential compared to the mainland population.

Higher

During a summer with lots of rain, the vegetation grew lush and the white-footed mouse populations increased due to increases in food availability. However, the next two summers were record drought years and food became increasingly scarce. Over these two years, the population size of the mice decreased due to increased competition for access to food. This increased competition is an example of

a density dependent factor

Which of the following is an example of a density-dependent factor?

parasitism

All of the following impact biotic potential EXCEPT

the age at which reproduction ends

If a population of 200 squirrels has a 10 percent growth rate each year, how many individuals will there be in the population after 3 years (assume that no deaths occur during this period)?

approximately 275

If the fishing village of Hopkins Belize is experiencing a decreasing population. What should they do if they wish to reverse this trend and see the greatest amount of population growth in the next 10 years?

Increase the number of individuals in the reproductive stage

A population growth curve that exhibits both exponential growth and a stable equilibrium phase is

growing logistically

All of the following are true about equilibrium populations EXCEPT

little or no parental care

During a recent hurricane, 25 individuals of the same butterfly species were blown onto a barrier island in southern Florida. When the butterflies first arrived on the island, they remained in the southeast corner of the island where most of the flowering plants had not been destroyed or uprooted by the high winds and seas during the hurricane. What type of distribution do these butterflies exhibit?

clumped

Which of the following represents a Type III survivorship curve?

Spiders produce egg sacs with thousands of offspring but only a few survive to adulthood

Jacob is studying a population of wrens in Michigan. During one severe winter, 5% of the birds died due to starvation and cold temperatures. This is an example of

a density independent factor

Above is a life history table for a minnow (small fish). Based on this table, how many years until the population drops to less than 50% of its original population?

<1

Equilibrium populations tend to exhibit a Type III survivorship curve.

False because equilibrium populations tend to have low mortality rates early in life

The growth rate continues to rise in some Asian countries. This is because

there is a higher number of prereproductive and reproductive individuals compared to postreproductive individuals.

Jacob is studying a population of wrens in Michigan. Over several years, he notices that the population always stabilizing at around 45 individuals. What is the reason for this?

limited resources to support additional birds

During a recent hurricane, 25 individuals of the same butterfly species were blown onto a barrier island in southern Florida. Prior to this event, this species did not inhabit the island, but with the ample vegetation on the island and a lack of predators, the displaced individuals were able to survive and reproduce. When the butterflies initially arrived on the island, they did not have to compete for food or space. What type of population growth did they likely exhibit?

Exponential

Schools of parrot fish tend to remain within close proximity to coral reefs for protection from predators and for easy access to food sources. What type of distribution does this represent?

clumped

All of the following are true about human population growth EXCEPT

we will reach the Earth’s carrying capacity within the next 20 years

A butterfly species has very wide distribution across southern Florida. In addition, the adults and caterpillars can use a wide array of plant species as a food source and also tolerant a broad range of temperatures. Based on these criteria, this species is unlikely to face extinction in the immediate future.

True because they have broad habitat tolerances

During a recent hurricane, 25 individuals of the same butterfly species were blown onto a barrier island in southern Florida. During the first year, 80 caterpillars hatched from eggs laid by the butterflies and only 5 individuals in the population died. What is the growth rate for the population during this period?

3%

Which of the following statements is correct about the comparison between MDCs and LDCs?

MDCs consume 4xs as many metals and 3xs as much paper as LDCs

During a recent hurricane, 25 individuals of the same butterfly species were blown onto a barrier island in southern Florida. The hurricane which lead to the arrival of the butterflies on the island is an example of a(n) ________ factor.

density-independent

During a recent hurricane, 25 individuals of the same butterfly species were blown onto a barrier island in southern Florida. The hurricane which lead to the arrival of the butterflies on the island is an example of a(n) ________ factor.

Type III

Which of the following communities is the LEAST diverse?

4 crab spiders, 76 goldenrod, 60 echinacea

Which of the following is an example of primary succession?

regrowth and recolonization on Mt. St. Helens in areas covered with rock and lava

A keystone species is

a species on which many other species depend

Which of the following terrestrial ecosystems has the highest rate of primary productivity?

tropical rainforest

Which of the following would be considered an example of competition?

Some spiders do not build webs, but live in the web of another species. When a prey item is caught in the web, the non-web building spider will sneak in and steal the prey

Which of the following is NOT true about species diversity?

it is not impacted by species richness

In an aquatic ecosystem, the aquatic plants are eaten by small invertebrates that in turn are eaten by crayfish, the crayfish are eaten by fish, and the fish are eaten by ducks. Based on this, which of the following is incorrectly matched?

duck-4th trophic level

Which of the following is NOT an example of an animal’s niche?

a small bird living in the dense shrubs at the base of a tree

All of the following are true about both primary and secondary succession EXCEPT

both occur in regions where soil is already present

A chemoautotroph obtains its energy from all of the following EXCEPT

oxygen

What is the first step in energy flow through an ecosystem?

Producers absorb solar energy

When too many nutrients are added to of a body of water, this is known as

eutrophication

Which two terrestrial biomes are the most similar with regards to rainfall?

temperate grasslands and desert

Which of the following boxes indicates the process of nitrification?

Box B

In an aquatic ecosystem, the aquatic plants are eaten by small invertebrates that in turn are eaten by crayfish, the crayfish are eaten by fish, and the fish are eaten by ducks. In this system, the greatest amount of biomass would be found in the

aquatic plants

Water is a major limiting factor in which of the following biomes?

tundra

A community is

populations of multiple species interacting with one another in a specific area.

An organism that obtains its food from the process of photosynthesis is a(n)

autotroph

What is the main reason that the tundra does not have large plants?

The permafrost persists, even during the summer.

Ecological succession is

an orderly process of change in the community of organisms

Which of the following would be considered a parasitic relationship?

The longest tapeworm removed from a human was approximately 11 meters long. Tapeworms do not have a digestive system, but obtains all of their nutrients from the host which can cause problems for the host especially if (s)he is undernourished.

If there is 2,000 kg of caterpillars, how much of this biomass will be converted into top carnivore tissue?

20 kg

An ecosystem

includes both living and abiotic factors within a particular region

What process is occurring in Box C?

nitrogen-fixing

Biomes are defined by

temperature and rainfall

Among American warblers, several different species often live in the same spruce trees and eat caterpillars. However, each species reproduces at a slightly different time of year and each species also forage at different areas within the tree canopy. These differences in foraging behaviors and reproduction is an example of

resource partitioning

Based on the figure shown here, which organism is NOT a primary consumer?

fisher

When too many nutrients are added to of a body, this is known as

eutrophication

Based on the figure shown here, which of the following is a secondary consumer?

owl

To increase her tomato yield, an organic gardener plants legumes alongside her tomato bushes rather than using fertilizers. Why did she plant legumes?

Legumes have root nodules with nitrogen fixing bacteria

Which of the following boxes indicates the process of denitrification?

Box A

All of the following are true about both primary and secondary succession EXCEPT

both occur in regions where soil is already present

All of the following are reservoirs EXCEPT

coal

A decomposer ultimately obtains all its food from

sunlight

The physical space that an organism occupies in its environment is its

habitat

On average, 90% of biomass is transferred from one trophic level to the next

false

Which of the following is an example of the competitive exclusion principle?

one species outcompeting another species in a particular niche

All of the following is an example of a sedimentary cycle?

the phosphorus cycle

All of the following are true about ecosystems EXCEPT

energy is constantly recycled

Based on the figure shown here, which of the following is both a primary and secondary consumer?

mice

Which of the following has the slowest phosphate transfer rate?

weathering of rocks

What is the source of carbon for most aquatic organisms?

bicarbonate ions

Which of the following boxes indicates the process of nitrification?

Box B

The first pioneer species to appear in an area undergoing secondary succession is

able to produce numerous offspring

The aquatic ecosystem with the least amount of inorganic matter is

open oceans

When an animal respires, the carbon in the carbon dioxide that it breathes out comes indirectly from

photosynthesis

Which of the following is an example of species richness?

diving beetles, blue gill, lilies, water mites, crayfish

Which of the following correctly lists the progression of species present during primary or secondary succession?

fungi, nonvascular plants, gymnosperms, animals

Growing livestock is more sustainable than growing crop plants

false

More sparse urban settlement patterns may help conserve energy and preserve the environment

false

Desertification is primarily caused by which of the following activities?

overgrazing of livestock

The main goal of conservation biology is to

apply scientific principles to preserving and restoring ecosystems

Which of the following methods may help conserve water by reducing the amount used for agriculture?

contour with no-till farming

Which indirect value of biodiversity will have the greatest economical value to people?

two hundred hectares of wetlands in Canada that soak up pollutants and purify water

Before solar energy can become a competitive form of energy available for consumers, which of the following events must occur?

Energy must be collected, converted into another form, and stored until needed

Which of the following is not an example of measures that may make urban environments sustainable?

development of new sections in cities as older ones become dilapidated and unusable

Wildlife management is a subfield of biology that supports conservation biology

true

Beach erosion is often caused by structures built to prevent erosion

true

Which of the following has not contributed to declines in the world fish catch in recent years?

use of aquaculture/aquafarming

Desertification and deforestation are similar in that both involve

loss of plant and animal life in an area

Biodiversity increases the consumptive value of land, meaning that

more value can be derived from the more diverse products produced by ecosystems with high biodiversity relative to land that has been cleared for agriculture.

Human society in its current form is unsustainable because

important natural resources are being consumed more quickly than they can be

Which of the following activities does not contribute to beach erosion?

dumping of sewage from coastal cities into the ocean

Which of the following is a consequence of removing water from aquifers?

land subsidence including sinkhole formation

Forests help to regulate the global climate by

absorbing carbon dioxide

Which of the following creates the least amount of soil erosion?

use of drip irrigation systems

Mercury can enter an aquatic food chain and collect in fish as well as people who eat fish. This is an example of which of the following processes?

biological magnification

Deforestation may contribute towards climate change because

loss of trees disrupts the carbon cycle, limiting the amount that is absorbed by plants, and increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

An accumulation of salts due to evaporation of irrigation water is called

salinization

Which of the following explanations about the financial impact of biodiversity on the economy is not correct?

protecting biodiversity has decreased the amount of fresh water available to human populations because of the "sponge effect."

A company that owns an office building decides to build a "green roof." Which of the following is least likely to occur as a result?

higher water bills because of the need to irrigate vegetation

A disproportionately large percentage of resources in more developed countries (MDCs) goes to

growing livestock

How does the use of minerals such as metals differ from the use of fossil fuels?

many metals may be recycled, decreasing the necessity for finding new reserves, unlike fossil fuels, which cannot be recycled

Which of the following is/are suspected of causing climate change?

fossil fuel usage, deforestation, and agriculute

Agriculture, industrial use, and domestic use are the largest uses of fresh water supplies

true

The requirements of large amounts of fossil fuels and fertilizers in modern agriculture is one of the reasons that human society is unsustainable

true

Some rivers have been dammed under the guise of flood control. What might be an unintended consequence of using this approach?

reduced fertility of downstream land due to reduced silt deposits

Which of the following is not a way in which rural areas may be sustainable?

increasing use of extensive irrigation techniques to nurture demanding crops

Which of the following are suspected "greenhouse gases"?

methane and carbon dioxide

The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is currently listed as an endangered species. Which of the following would play the great role in removing the lynx from the endangered species list

creating a law that bans the development and use for snowmobiling and skiing in the lynx habitat

Synthetic organic compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are damaging to the world’s fresh water supply

False

Extensive irrigation may contribute to desertification because

evaporation of water used in irrigation causes salinization of the land, reducing the ability of plants to grow

In which ways does overfishing lead to decreased biodiversity?

it depletes fish that feed on some species and serve as food sources for other species, leading to the eradication of some species and the overpopulation of others

Pollution is defined as

an undesirable alteration to the environment

Knowledge of both basic biology and applied biology are needed to support conservation biology

true

Extensive irrigation may contribute to global climate change because it may cause droughts in some semi-arid regions of the world

false

Conservation biology supports all of the following ethical principles EXCEPT

all animals have the same rights or legal status as humans

Which of the following human behaviors is considered sustainable?

the use of the sun in order to produce a readily available form of energy

Multipurpose trees are useful for what purpose?

providing additional products, as well as serving as a windbreak

Biodiversity is important in that some organisms and ecosystems play a role in breaking down pollutants

true

Which of the following is a drawback to the use of hydropower?

water levels below dams are reduced, and large dams disrupt upstream ecosystems

Which of the following types of compounds have been implicated in ozone depletion?

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Forests and other natural ecosystems, such as wetlands, exhibit the "sponge effect," meaning that they

soak up water from runoff and rainfall, releasing it at a regular rate that moderates flooding of streams and rivers