Question 1

The success with which plants extend their range northward following glacial retreat is best determined by

Accepted Answer

A) their tolerance to shade. 
B) their seed dispersal rate. 
C) their physical size. 
D) their growth rate. 
A) their tolerance to shade. 
B) their seed dispersal rate. 
C) their physical size. 
D) their growth rate.

Question 2

Which of the following terms includes all of the others?

Accepted Answer

A) species diversity 
B) biological diversity 
C) genetic diversity 
D) ecosystem diversity 
A) species diversity 
B) biological diversity 
C) genetic diversity 
D) ecosystem diversity

Question 3

Which of the following best illustrates the sustainable use of a resource?

Accepted Answer

A) Coal mines in West Virginia remove the tops of mountains to extract large amounts of coal. 
B) Improved fishing methods now result in removal of more than 90% of the fish in a region. 
C) Huge windmills in Texas are able to capture 50% of the wind energy in a specific region. 
D) Corporations are converting their company automobiles from gasoline to natural gas. 
A) Coal mines in West Virginia remove the tops of mountains to extract large amounts of coal. 
B) Improved fishing methods now result in removal of more than 90% of the fish in a region. 
C) Huge windmills in Texas are able to capture 50% of the wind energy in a specific region. 
D) Corporations are converting their company automobiles from gasoline to natural gas.

Question 4

As the climate changes because of global warming,species' ranges of plants in the Northern Hemisphere may move northward,using effective reproductive adaptations to disperse their seeds.The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are those that

Accepted Answer

A) have seeds that are easily dispersed by wind or animals. 
B) produce seeds that contain large nutrient stores for growth. 
C) have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire. 
D) disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree. 
A) have seeds that are easily dispersed by wind or animals. 
B) produce seeds that contain large nutrient stores for growth. 
C) have seeds that become viable only after a forest fire. 
D) disperse many seeds in close proximity to the parent tree.

Question 5

Considering the most important ecological issue of the future,what is the biggest challenge that Costa Rica will likely face in its dedication to conservation and restoration in the future?

Accepted Answer

A) the pressures of its growing population 
B) the country's size and limited resources 
C) spread of disease and parasites via corridors 
D) the number of species in an extinction vortex 
A) the pressures of its growing population 
B) the country's size and limited resources 
C) spread of disease and parasites via corridors 
D) the number of species in an extinction vortex

Question 6

Which of the following is the most sustainable source of energy?

Accepted Answer

A) natural gas used to heat homes 
B) gasoline used to run cars 
C) solar panels on rooftops 
D) a coal fueled power plant 
A) natural gas used to heat homes 
B) gasoline used to run cars 
C) solar panels on rooftops 
D) a coal fueled power plant

Question 7

The concept of sustainable development emphasizes

Accepted Answer

A) the resource needs of future generations. 
B) trade between all nations of the world. 
C) the importance of developing the arts. 
D) the fastest ways to economic prosperity. 
A) the resource needs of future generations. 
B) trade between all nations of the world. 
C) the importance of developing the arts. 
D) the fastest ways to economic prosperity.

Question 8

Please use the following information to answer the questions below.
Three forest areas are being considered for a conservation reserve.Each area contains the same number of trees and is the same cumulative size.The area surrounding the forest patches is a mix of agricultural land and residential homes.
  
-The American lady butterfly (Vanessa virginiensis)inhabits only forest edges and does not disperse well across unsuitable habitat.Which of the following area(s)would support the highest numbers of this butterfly?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 and 2 
B) 2 and 3 
C) 1 only 
D) 2 only 
E) 3 only 
A) 1 and 2 
B) 2 and 3 
C) 1 only 
D) 2 only 
E) 3 only

Question 9

Why were ecologists concerned about the shift in the peak caterpillar season from June 3,1980,to May 15,2000?

Accepted Answer

A) The caterpillars would have eaten much of the foliage of the trees where flycatchers would have nested,rendering their nests more open to predation. 
B) The earlier hatching of caterpillars would compete with other insect larval forms that the flycatchers would also use to feed their young. 
C) The flycatcher nestlings in 2000 would miss the peak caterpillar season and might not be as well fed,leading to population reductions. 
D) The flycatchers would have to migrate sooner to match their brood-rearing to the time of peak caterpillar season. 
A) The caterpillars would have eaten much of the foliage of the trees where flycatchers would have nested,rendering their nests more open to predation. 
B) The earlier hatching of caterpillars would compete with other insect larval forms that the flycatchers would also use to feed their young. 
C) The flycatcher nestlings in 2000 would miss the peak caterpillar season and might not be as well fed,leading to population reductions. 
D) The flycatchers would have to migrate sooner to match their brood-rearing to the time of peak caterpillar season.

Question 10

How should the scientist draw a graph of the data to best address the hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A) Plot the heavy metal concentration on the y-axis and the relative amount of edge habitat on the x-axis. 
B) Plot the total amount of edge habitat on the y-axis and the total amount of interior habitat on the x-axis. 
C) Plot the number of birds on the y-axis and the size of the fragment on the x-axis. 
D) Plot the density of insects on the y-axis and the total amount of edge habitat on the x-axis. 
A) Plot the heavy metal concentration on the y-axis and the relative amount of edge habitat on the x-axis. 
B) Plot the total amount of edge habitat on the y-axis and the total amount of interior habitat on the x-axis. 
C) Plot the number of birds on the y-axis and the size of the fragment on the x-axis. 
D) Plot the density of insects on the y-axis and the total amount of edge habitat on the x-axis.

Question 11

Which of the following ecological locations,if destroyed,would result in the greatest loss of species diversity?

Accepted Answer

A) Antarctic tundra 
B) deciduous forests 
C) tropical rain forest 
D) temperate grasslands 
E) Pacific Ocean islands 
A) Antarctic tundra 
B) deciduous forests 
C) tropical rain forest 
D) temperate grasslands 
E) Pacific Ocean islands

Question 12

Which of the following is consistent with forest fragmentation research?

Accepted Answer

A) The number of species is the same in both fragmented forests and forest interiors. 
B) Edge communities consistently have lower species diversity than interior ones. 
C) Forest-interior species show declines in population in small patch communities. 
D) Fragmented forests with small patches support more species than continuous forest. 
A) The number of species is the same in both fragmented forests and forest interiors. 
B) Edge communities consistently have lower species diversity than interior ones. 
C) Forest-interior species show declines in population in small patch communities. 
D) Fragmented forests with small patches support more species than continuous forest.

Question 13

Please use the following information to answer the questions below.
Three forest areas are being considered for a conservation reserve.Each area contains the same number of trees and is the same cumulative size.The area surrounding the forest patches is a mix of agricultural land and residential homes.
  
-Which area(s)would be able to support the most scarlet tanagers,a bird species that is restricted to forest interior habitat?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 and 2 
B) 2 and 3 
C) 1 only 
D) 2 only 
E) 3 only 
A) 1 and 2 
B) 2 and 3 
C) 1 only 
D) 2 only 
E) 3 only

Question 14

Burning fossil fuels releases oxides of sulfur and nitrogen.These air pollutants can be responsible for

Accepted Answer

A) the increase of fish populations in lakes. 
B) precipitation with a pH as low as 3.0. 
C) biological magnification of toxins. 
D) preventing the eutrophic process. 
A) the increase of fish populations in lakes. 
B) precipitation with a pH as low as 3.0. 
C) biological magnification of toxins. 
D) preventing the eutrophic process.

Question 15

Although extinction is a natural process,current extinctions are of concern to environmentalists because

Accepted Answer

A) more animals than ever before are going extinct globally. 
B) most current extinctions are caused by introduced species. 
C) the rate of extinction is higher than former extinction rates. 
D) current extinction is primarily affecting plant diversity. 
A) more animals than ever before are going extinct globally. 
B) most current extinctions are caused by introduced species. 
C) the rate of extinction is higher than former extinction rates. 
D) current extinction is primarily affecting plant diversity.

Question 16

Please use the following information to answer the questions below.
A scientist hypothesizes that biological magnification of heavy metals in fragment-dwelling,insect-eating birds should be greater in forest fragments with relatively more edge habitat.This is because edge-dwelling bird species may forage for insects in areas contaminated by heavy metals outside of the forest.Forest fragments with more interior habitat would not have as much biological magnification because insect-eating interior bird species would have less exposure to insects that contain heavy metals.
-To test this hypothesis,the scientist conducts an experiment.Which of the following designs would be most informative?

Accepted Answer

A) Locate a single forest fragment with equal amounts of edge and interior habitat,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances across the widest point of the fragment. 
B) Locate several forest fragments of similar sizes but different shapes,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances along a 100-m path in each fragment. 
C) Locate several forest fragments of different sizes but similar shapes,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances along a path across the widest point of each fragment. 
D) Locate several forest fragments of similar sizes and shapes,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances along a 100-m path in each fragment. 
A) Locate a single forest fragment with equal amounts of edge and interior habitat,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances across the widest point of the fragment. 
B) Locate several forest fragments of similar sizes but different shapes,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances along a 100-m path in each fragment. 
C) Locate several forest fragments of different sizes but similar shapes,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances along a path across the widest point of each fragment. 
D) Locate several forest fragments of similar sizes and shapes,then sample the blood of insect-eating birds at regular distances along a 100-m path in each fragment.

Question 17

The typical ecological footprint for a person in the United States is 8 global hectares (gha).How would you estimate the number of Earths required to support the entire population of the United States?

Accepted Answer

A) Multiply the typical U.S.ecological footprint by the number of people who live there,and divide by the total global hectares of biologically productive land. 
B) Multiply the typical U.S.ecological footprint by the effective population size of the United States,and divide by the total global hectares of biologically productive land. 
C) Take the difference between the typical U.S.ecological footprint and the 1.7 gha sustainable ecological footprint,and multiply this difference by the number of people who live in the United States. 
D) Take the difference between the typical U.S.ecological footprint and the 1.7 gha sustainable ecological footprint,and multiply this difference by the total global hectares of productive land. 
A) Multiply the typical U.S.ecological footprint by the number of people who live there,and divide by the total global hectares of biologically productive land. 
B) Multiply the typical U.S.ecological footprint by the effective population size of the United States,and divide by the total global hectares of biologically productive land. 
C) Take the difference between the typical U.S.ecological footprint and the 1.7 gha sustainable ecological footprint,and multiply this difference by the number of people who live in the United States. 
D) Take the difference between the typical U.S.ecological footprint and the 1.7 gha sustainable ecological footprint,and multiply this difference by the total global hectares of productive land.

Question 18

The word triage originated during World War I and was first used by French doctors in prioritizing patients based on the severity of their wounds because there were more wounded soldiers in need of urgent care than there were resources to treat them.Conservation biologists have to make similar determinations with degraded ecosystems.Which of the following is the most important consideration when it comes to managing for maintenance of biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

A) creating public awareness of endangered vertebrate species and plans to save them 
B) determining which species is most important for conserving biodiversity as a whole 
C) altering a non-native habitat to be more suitable for an invasive rare bird species 
D) sustaining optimum population size of all plant and animal species in the ecosystem 
A) creating public awareness of endangered vertebrate species and plans to save them 
B) determining which species is most important for conserving biodiversity as a whole 
C) altering a non-native habitat to be more suitable for an invasive rare bird species 
D) sustaining optimum population size of all plant and animal species in the ecosystem

Question 19

What is a critical load?

Accepted Answer

A) the nutrient supplementation necessary to bring a depleted habitat back to its former level 
B) the level of a given toxin in an ecosystem that is lethal to 50% of the species present 
C) the population of a particular species beyond which additional numbers will degrade a habitat 
D) the amount of added nutrient that can be absorbed by plants without damaging the ecosystem 
A) the nutrient supplementation necessary to bring a depleted habitat back to its former level 
B) the level of a given toxin in an ecosystem that is lethal to 50% of the species present 
C) the population of a particular species beyond which additional numbers will degrade a habitat 
D) the amount of added nutrient that can be absorbed by plants without damaging the ecosystem

Question 20

Which of the following is the most direct threat to global biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

A) increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide 
B) the depletion of the protective ozone layer 
C) overexploitation of selected plant species 
D) habitat destruction due to human activity 
A) increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide 
B) the depletion of the protective ozone layer 
C) overexploitation of selected plant species 
D) habitat destruction due to human activity

Exam 43: Conservation Biology and Global Change

The success with which plants extend their range northward following glacial retreat is best determined by

Which of the following terms includes all of the others?

Which of the following best illustrates the sustainable use of a resource?

As the climate changes because of global warming,species' ranges of plants in the Northern Hemisphere may move northward,using effective reproductive adaptations to disperse their seeds.The trees that are most likely to avoid extinction in such an environment are those that

Considering the most important ecological issue of the future,what is the biggest challenge that Costa Rica will likely face in its dedication to conservation and restoration in the future?

Which of the following is the most sustainable source of energy?

The concept of sustainable development emphasizes

Why were ecologists concerned about the shift in the peak caterpillar season from June 3,1980,to May 15,2000?

How should the scientist draw a graph of the data to best address the hypothesis?

Which of the following ecological locations,if destroyed,would result in the greatest loss of species diversity?

Which of the following is consistent with forest fragmentation research?

Burning fossil fuels releases oxides of sulfur and nitrogen.These air pollutants can be responsible for

Although extinction is a natural process,current extinctions are of concern to environmentalists because

The typical ecological footprint for a person in the United States is 8 global hectares (gha).How would you estimate the number of Earths required to support the entire population of the United States?

What is a critical load?

Which of the following is the most direct threat to global biodiversity?

Introduction: Evolution and the Foundations of Biology

The Chemical Context of Life

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

A Tour of the Cell

Membrane Transport and Cell Signaling

An Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Mendel and the Gene Idea

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Gene Expression: From Gene to Protein

Regulation of Gene Expression

Development,stem Cells,and Cancer

Viruses

Genomes and Their Evolution

Descent With Modification

Phylogeny

The Evolution of Populations

The Origin of Species

Broad Patterns of Evolution

Early Life and the Diversification of Prokaryotes

The Origin and Diversification of Eukaryotes

The Colonization of Land by Plants and Fungi

The Rise of Animal Diversity

Plant Structure and Growth

Resource Acquisition,nutrition,and Transport in Vascular Plants

Reproduction and Domestication of Flowering Plants

Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Homeostasis and Endocrine Signaling

Animal Nutrition

Circulation and Gas Exchange

The Immune System

Reproduction and Development

Neurons,synapses,and Signaling

Nervous and Sensory Systems

Motor Mechanisms and Behavior

Population Ecology and the Distribution of Organisms

Ecological Communities

Ecosystems and Energy

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