Question 1

Which of these is a consequence of biological magnification?

Accepted Answer

A)  Toxic chemicals in the environment pose greater risk to top-level predators than to primary consumers. 
B)  Populations of top-level predators are generally smaller than populations of primary consumers. 
C)  The biomass of producers in an ecosystem is generally higher than the biomass of primary consumers. 
D)  Only a small portion of the energy captured by producers is transferred to consumers. 
A)  Toxic chemicals in the environment pose greater risk to top-level predators than to primary consumers. 
B)  Populations of top-level predators are generally smaller than populations of primary consumers. 
C)  The biomass of producers in an ecosystem is generally higher than the biomass of primary consumers. 
D)  Only a small portion of the energy captured by producers is transferred to consumers.

Question 2

Which of the following can be caused by nitrogen and sulfur oxide air pollutants, which are released during the burning of fossil fuels?

Accepted Answer

A)  the death of fish in lakes 
B)  precipitation with a pH as high as 8.0 
C)  eutrophication of lakes 
D)  global temperature decrease 
A)  the death of fish in lakes 
B)  precipitation with a pH as high as 8.0 
C)  eutrophication of lakes 
D)  global temperature decrease

Question 3

Movement corridors can be harmful to certain species because they ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  increase inbreeding 
B)  spread disease and parasites 
C)  increase genetic diversity 
D)  allow seasonal migration 
A)  increase inbreeding 
B)  spread disease and parasites 
C)  increase genetic diversity 
D)  allow seasonal migration

Question 4

Overharvesting encourages extinction and is most likely to affect?

Accepted Answer

A)  animals that occupy a broad ecological niche 
B)  large animals with low intrinsic reproductive rates 
C)  most organisms that live in the oceans' coral reefs 
D)  edge-adapted species 
A)  animals that occupy a broad ecological niche 
B)  large animals with low intrinsic reproductive rates 
C)  most organisms that live in the oceans' coral reefs 
D)  edge-adapted species

Question 5

Use the following figure to answer the question.   In looking at the species-area plot in the figure, what can be concluded?

Accepted Answer

A)  The number of bird species increases linearly with island area. 
B)  Two island land areas do not correlate to the number of bird species. 
C)  Diversity is independent from island area. 
D)  The number of bird species increases exponentially with island area. 
A)  The number of bird species increases linearly with island area. 
B)  Two island land areas do not correlate to the number of bird species. 
C)  Diversity is independent from island area. 
D)  The number of bird species increases exponentially with island area.

Question 6

Human-generated microplastics have thus been detected in all of the following places on Earth, except for ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the atmosphere 
B)  lakes and rivers 
C)  bedrock 
D)  supermarket fish 
A)  the atmosphere 
B)  lakes and rivers 
C)  bedrock 
D)  supermarket fish

Question 7

A parasitic fungus, Geomyces destructans, has decimated millions of bats in the United States since it was first observed in upstate New York in 2006. The disease has been named white-nose syndrome because of the white fungal hyphae that cover the bat upon infection. It is believed that this fungus was introduced from Europe by tourists entering into caves with hibernating bat populations. Which prediction most likely reflects changes that will occur in natural communities as a result of massive bat mortality?

Accepted Answer

A)  increased animal populations as a result of niche availability 
B)  increased rodent populations as a result of an increase in flying insect populations 
C)  increased flying insect populations 
D)  decreased bird populations as the spread of the fungus infects other closely related species 
A)  increased animal populations as a result of niche availability 
B)  increased rodent populations as a result of an increase in flying insect populations 
C)  increased flying insect populations 
D)  decreased bird populations as the spread of the fungus infects other closely related species

Question 8

Which of the following outcomes is caused by excessive nutrient runoff into aquatic ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

A)  coral reef bleaching 
B)  acid precipitation 
C)  biological magnification 
D)  eutrophication 
A)  coral reef bleaching 
B)  acid precipitation 
C)  biological magnification 
D)  eutrophication

Question 9

Philippe Bouchet and colleagues conducted a massive survey of marine molluscs on the west coast of New Caledonia. For 20% of the total species that were located and identified, only a single specimen was found. Which of the following claims about the diversity of molluscs in this area is best supported by the evidence?

Accepted Answer

A)  The west coast of New Caledonia is not an appropriate habitat for molluscs. 
B)  Many of the species from this 20% are probably rare. 
C)  They were not sampling uniformly throughout the area. 
D)  Many of the species from this 20% are most likely just dispersing through the area. 
A)  The west coast of New Caledonia is not an appropriate habitat for molluscs. 
B)  Many of the species from this 20% are probably rare. 
C)  They were not sampling uniformly throughout the area. 
D)  Many of the species from this 20% are most likely just dispersing through the area.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about protected areas established to preserve biodiversity is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  About 25% of Earth's land area is now protected. 
B)  National parks are the only type of protected area. 
C)  Management of a protected area does not need to be coordinated with management of the surrounding area. 
D)  It is especially important to protect biodiversity hot spots. 
A)  About 25% of Earth's land area is now protected. 
B)  National parks are the only type of protected area. 
C)  Management of a protected area does not need to be coordinated with management of the surrounding area. 
D)  It is especially important to protect biodiversity hot spots.

Question 11

Which of the following is necessary in order to better comprehend the magnitude of current extinctions?

Accepted Answer

A)  differentiate between plant extinction and animal extinction numbers 
B)  focus on identifying more species of mammals and birds 
C)  identify more of the yet unknown species of organisms on Earth 
D)  use the average extinction rates of vertebrates as a baseline 
A)  differentiate between plant extinction and animal extinction numbers 
B)  focus on identifying more species of mammals and birds 
C)  identify more of the yet unknown species of organisms on Earth 
D)  use the average extinction rates of vertebrates as a baseline

Question 12

Use the following graph and information to answer the question.
Flycatcher birds that migrate from Africa to Europe feed their chicks a diet that is almost exclusively moth caterpillars. The graph shows the peak dates of flycatcher arrival in Europe, bird hatching, and peak caterpillar season for the years 1980 and 2000. The y-axis is a measure of the abundance of birds, hatching chicks, and caterpillars.  
The shift in the peak of caterpillar season is most likely due to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  earlier migration returns of flycatchers 
B)  an innate change in the biological clock of the caterpillars 
C)  global climate change 
D)  acid precipitation in Europe 
A)  earlier migration returns of flycatchers 
B)  an innate change in the biological clock of the caterpillars 
C)  global climate change 
D)  acid precipitation in Europe

Question 13

Which of the following strategies was used to rescue Illinois prairie chickens from a recent extinction vortex?

Accepted Answer

A)  determining the minimum viable population size by taking into account the effective population size 
B)  establishing a nature reserve to protect its habitat nesting grounds 
C)  introducing individuals from other populations to increase genetic variation 
D)  reducing the population size of its predators and competitors 
A)  determining the minimum viable population size by taking into account the effective population size 
B)  establishing a nature reserve to protect its habitat nesting grounds 
C)  introducing individuals from other populations to increase genetic variation 
D)  reducing the population size of its predators and competitors

Question 14

Which of the following is the most significant single contributor to the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere over the past 170 years?

Accepted Answer

A)  increased worldwide primary production 
B)  an increase in the amount of infrared radiation absorbed by the atmosphere 
C)  the burning of fossil fuels 
D)  additional respiration by the rapidly growing human population 
A)  increased worldwide primary production 
B)  an increase in the amount of infrared radiation absorbed by the atmosphere 
C)  the burning of fossil fuels 
D)  additional respiration by the rapidly growing human population

Question 15

Which of the following is an ecosystem service that includes processes that increase the quality of the abiotic environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  Keystone predators have a marked effect on species diversity. 
B)  Green plants and phytoplankton produce the oxygen we breathe. 
C)  Bees, flies, and wasps pollinate many plants. 
D)  The presence of dams improves flood control. 
A)  Keystone predators have a marked effect on species diversity. 
B)  Green plants and phytoplankton produce the oxygen we breathe. 
C)  Bees, flies, and wasps pollinate many plants. 
D)  The presence of dams improves flood control.

Exam 56: Conservation and Global Ecology

Which of these is a consequence of biological magnification?

Which of the following can be caused by nitrogen and sulfur oxide air pollutants, which are released during the burning of fossil fuels?

Movement corridors can be harmful to certain species because they ________.

Overharvesting encourages extinction and is most likely to affect?

Use the following figure to answer the question. In looking at the species-area plot in the figure, what can be concluded?

Human-generated microplastics have thus been detected in all of the following places on Earth, except for ________.

Which of the following outcomes is caused by excessive nutrient runoff into aquatic ecosystems?

Which of the following statements about protected areas established to preserve biodiversity is true?

Which of the following is necessary in order to better comprehend the magnitude of current extinctions?

Which of the following strategies was used to rescue Illinois prairie chickens from a recent extinction vortex?

Which of the following is the most significant single contributor to the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere over the past 170 years?

Which of the following is an ecosystem service that includes processes that increase the quality of the abiotic environment?

Biology and Its Themes

Atoms and Molecules

The Chemistry of Water

Carbon: the Basis of Molecular Diversity

Biological Macromolecules and Lipids

Energy and Life

Cell Structure and Function

Cell Membranes

Cellular Signaling

Cell Respiration

Photosynthetic Processes

Mitosis

Sexual Life Cycles and Meiosis

Mendelian Genetics

Linkage and Chromosomes

Nucleic Acids and Inheritance

Expression of Genes

Control of Gene Expression

Dna Technology

The Evolution of Genomes

How Evolution Works

Phylogenetic Reconstruction

Microevolution

Species and Speciation

Macroevolution

Introduction to Viruses

Prokaryotes

The Origin and Evolution of Eukaryotes

Nonvascular and Seedless Vascular Plants

Seed Plants

Introduction to Fungi

An Introduction to Animal Diversity

Invertebrates

Vertebrates

Plant Structure and Growth

Transport in Vascular Plants

Plant Nutrition

Reproduction of Flowering Plants

Plant Signals and Behavior

The Animal Body

Chemical Signals in Animals

Animal Digestive Systems

Animal Transport Systems

Animal Excretory Systems

Animal Reproductive Systems

Development in Animals

Animal Defenses Against Infection

Electrical Signals in Animals

Neural Regulation in Animals

Sensation and Movement in Animals

An Overview of Ecology

Behavioral Ecology

Populations and Life History Traits

Biodiversity and Communities

Energy Flow and Chemical Cycling in Ecosystems

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