Question 1

Primary productivity is the direct result of

Accepted Answer

A)  photosynthesis. 
B)  respiration. 
C)  grazers feeding on plants. 
D)  net primary productivity. 
A)  photosynthesis. 
B)  respiration. 
C)  grazers feeding on plants. 
D)  net primary productivity.

Question 2

Humans can best be described as

Accepted Answer

A)  Occupying a narrow niche 
B)  An example of convergent evolution 
C)  Outside the rules of natural selection 
D)  Specialists 
E)  Generalists 
A)  Occupying a narrow niche 
B)  An example of convergent evolution 
C)  Outside the rules of natural selection 
D)  Specialists 
E)  Generalists

Question 3

Regular lawn mowing selects for short-headed rather than tall-headed dandelions because

Accepted Answer

A)  Tall flowers spread their seeds farther 
B)  Tall flowers are cut before they can produce seeds 
C)  Short flowers can reproduce 
D)  Short flowers spread their seeds farther 
E)  Short flowers have less competition when the lawn is mowed often 
A)  Tall flowers spread their seeds farther 
B)  Tall flowers are cut before they can produce seeds 
C)  Short flowers can reproduce 
D)  Short flowers spread their seeds farther 
E)  Short flowers have less competition when the lawn is mowed often

Question 4

The most common reason that introduced species negatively impact an environment is because they

Accepted Answer

A)  Are larger than native species 
B)  Disrupt preexisting niches 
C)  Are unusually efficient predators 
D)  None of these is correct 
A)  Are larger than native species 
B)  Disrupt preexisting niches 
C)  Are unusually efficient predators 
D)  None of these is correct

Question 5

Indicator species are important because

Accepted Answer

A)  they suggest that a barren ecosystem will soon recover. 
B)  they suggest the level of resilience an ecosystem will have. 
C)  their presence indicates something about the ecosystem as a whole. 
D)  they suggest the health of the population. 
A)  they suggest that a barren ecosystem will soon recover. 
B)  they suggest the level of resilience an ecosystem will have. 
C)  their presence indicates something about the ecosystem as a whole. 
D)  they suggest the health of the population.

Question 6

Populations can be critically limited by

Accepted Answer

A)  Available food 
B)  Suitable shelter from the elements 
C)  Available water 
D)  Suitable shelter from predators 
E)  Any of these, depending on the system 
A)  Available food 
B)  Suitable shelter from the elements 
C)  Available water 
D)  Suitable shelter from predators 
E)  Any of these, depending on the system

Question 7

Certain night-active moths and day-active birds are specialized nectar feeders. How do these species coexist if they are using the same resource for food?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because they both use the nectar, eventually one of the two species will need to move to a new area 
B)  They do not compete for the nectar because they feed at different times of the day 
C)  There is enough nectar to supply both the birds and the moths with their feeding needs 
D)  Eventually the niche breadth will increase and there will be less competition 
E)  None of the choices is correct 
A)  Because they both use the nectar, eventually one of the two species will need to move to a new area 
B)  They do not compete for the nectar because they feed at different times of the day 
C)  There is enough nectar to supply both the birds and the moths with their feeding needs 
D)  Eventually the niche breadth will increase and there will be less competition 
E)  None of the choices is correct

Question 8

Resource partitioning tends to lead to a high degree of _______ in species.

Accepted Answer

A)  Specialization 
B)  Evolution 
C)  Convergent evolution 
D)  Generalization 
E)  Divergent evolution 
A)  Specialization 
B)  Evolution 
C)  Convergent evolution 
D)  Generalization 
E)  Divergent evolution

Question 9

A generalist is a species that

Accepted Answer

A)  Occupies a large habitat range 
B)  Occupies a wide range of ecological niches 
C)  Can reproduce under highly variable conditions 
D)  Can reproduce only under specific conditions 
E)  None of these are characteristics of a generalist species 
A)  Occupies a large habitat range 
B)  Occupies a wide range of ecological niches 
C)  Can reproduce under highly variable conditions 
D)  Can reproduce only under specific conditions 
E)  None of these are characteristics of a generalist species

Question 10

The finches of the Galapagos Islands were particularly interesting to Darwin because

Accepted Answer

A)  the birds lived together on the same islands. 
B)  the birds were related but had been modified to survive under different conditions. 
C)  they were all the same species but their beaks were different. 
D)  they were more colorful than the mainland birds. 
A)  the birds lived together on the same islands. 
B)  the birds were related but had been modified to survive under different conditions. 
C)  they were all the same species but their beaks were different. 
D)  they were more colorful than the mainland birds.

Question 11

A tone species is a species whose presence

Accepted Answer

A)  Is the main reason a community exists 
B)  Provides food for all other species in a community 
C)  Is an indicator of environmental health 
D)  Influences the population size of many other species in its community 
E)  Is always at the top of the trophic levels as a top predator 
A)  Is the main reason a community exists 
B)  Provides food for all other species in a community 
C)  Is an indicator of environmental health 
D)  Influences the population size of many other species in its community 
E)  Is always at the top of the trophic levels as a top predator

Question 12

A community that changes very little over time is said to have great

Accepted Answer

A)  Renewal ability 
B)  Complexity 
C)  Diversity 
D)  Constancy 
E)  Connectedness 
A)  Renewal ability 
B)  Complexity 
C)  Diversity 
D)  Constancy 
E)  Connectedness

Question 13

Epiphytes growing on tropical trees exemplify

Accepted Answer

A)  Mutualism 
B)  Predation 
C)  Parasitism 
D)  Commensalism 
E)  Intraspecific competition 
A)  Mutualism 
B)  Predation 
C)  Parasitism 
D)  Commensalism 
E)  Intraspecific competition

Question 14

Taxonomy is a branch of science which

Accepted Answer

A)  describes relationships among species. 
B)  allocates public funds for conservation efforts. 
C)  attempts to create new species in laboratories. 
D)  labels the types of ecosystems. 
A)  describes relationships among species. 
B)  allocates public funds for conservation efforts. 
C)  attempts to create new species in laboratories. 
D)  labels the types of ecosystems.

Question 15

Indicator species, such as lichens, generally have a(n) ___________ tolerance range for a ____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Narrow; critical factor 
B)  Narrow; number of physical factors 
C)  Average; number of physical factors 
D)  Broad; number of critical factors 
E)  Broad; critical factor 
A)  Narrow; critical factor 
B)  Narrow; number of physical factors 
C)  Average; number of physical factors 
D)  Broad; number of critical factors 
E)  Broad; critical factor

Question 16

Red winged blackbirds chase away other red wings from the area around their nests. This behavior is called _______ and is an example of ___________ competition.

Accepted Answer

A)  commensalism, intraspecific 
B)  territoriality, intraspecific 
C)  commensalism, interspecific 
D)  territoriality, interspecific 
A)  commensalism, intraspecific 
B)  territoriality, intraspecific 
C)  commensalism, interspecific 
D)  territoriality, interspecific

Question 17

Territoriality is an important form of _________ for many animal species.

Accepted Answer

A)  Symbiotic behavior 
B)  Interspecific competition 
C)  Intraspecific competition 
D)  Commensalism 
E)  Resource partitioning 
A)  Symbiotic behavior 
B)  Interspecific competition 
C)  Intraspecific competition 
D)  Commensalism 
E)  Resource partitioning

Question 18

Diversity refers to

Accepted Answer

A)  the number of populations. 
B)  the spatial distribution of organisms. 
C)  the amount of genetic diversity. 
D)  the number of individuals in a given area. 
A)  the number of populations. 
B)  the spatial distribution of organisms. 
C)  the amount of genetic diversity. 
D)  the number of individuals in a given area.

Question 19

In some species, young individuals float freely as plankton while mature members are fixed on the seafloor. This is an effective strategy because

Accepted Answer

A)  The different life phases of these species do not compete for food 
B)  Fixed adults are more likely to survive 
C)  Predators cannot catch plankton 
D)  The adults can find mates more readily 
A)  The different life phases of these species do not compete for food 
B)  Fixed adults are more likely to survive 
C)  Predators cannot catch plankton 
D)  The adults can find mates more readily

Question 20

A community with hundreds of different types of primary producers, a few herbivores and only one carnivore, has

Accepted Answer

A)  Little complexity 
B)  Little diversity 
C)  A great deal of complexity 
D)  Low productivity 
E)  A great deal of productivity 
A)  Little complexity 
B)  Little diversity 
C)  A great deal of complexity 
D)  Low productivity 
E)  A great deal of productivity

Exam 4: Evolution, Biological Communities, and Species Interactions

Primary productivity is the direct result of

Humans can best be described as

Regular lawn mowing selects for short-headed rather than tall-headed dandelions because

The most common reason that introduced species negatively impact an environment is because they

Indicator species are important because

Populations can be critically limited by

Certain night-active moths and day-active birds are specialized nectar feeders. How do these species coexist if they are using the same resource for food?

Resource partitioning tends to lead to a high degree of _______ in species.

A generalist is a species that

The finches of the Galapagos Islands were particularly interesting to Darwin because

A tone species is a species whose presence

A community that changes very little over time is said to have great

Epiphytes growing on tropical trees exemplify

Taxonomy is a branch of science which

Indicator species, such as lichens, generally have a(n) ___________ tolerance range for a ____________.

Red winged blackbirds chase away other red wings from the area around their nests. This behavior is called _______ and is an example of ___________ competition.

Territoriality is an important form of _________ for many animal species.

Diversity refers to

In some species, young individuals float freely as plankton while mature members are fixed on the seafloor. This is an effective strategy because

A community with hundreds of different types of primary producers, a few herbivores and only one carnivore, has

Understanding Our Environment

Principles of Science and Systems

Matter, Energy, and Life

Biomes: Global Patterns of Life

Population Biology

Human Populations

Environmental Health and Toxicology

Food and Hunger

Farming: Conventional and Sustainable Practices

Biodiversity: Preserving Species

Biodiversity: Preserving Landscapes

Restoration Ecology

Geology and Earth Resources

Climate Change

Air Pollution

Water Use and Management

Water Pollution

Conventional Energy

Sustainable Energy

Solid, Toxic, and Hazardous Waste

Urbanization and Sustainable Cities

Ecological Economics

Environmental Policy, Law, and Planning

What Then Shall We Do

Filters

Indicator species, such as lichens, generally have a(n) _ tolerance range for a __.

Red winged blackbirds chase away other red wings from the area around their nests. This behavior is called _ and is an example of _____ competition.