Question 1

If two species are close competitors, and one species is experimentally removed from the community, the remaining species would be expected to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  change its fundamental niche 
B)  decline in abundance 
C)  become the target of specialized parasites 
D)  expand its realized niche 
A)  change its fundamental niche 
B)  decline in abundance 
C)  become the target of specialized parasites 
D)  expand its realized niche

Question 2

Use the figures to answer the following question.   This experiment by Connell was best designed to investigate which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  character displacement in the color of barnacles 
B)  habitat preference in two different species of barnacles 
C)  how sea-level changes affect barnacle distribution 
D)  competitive exclusion and distribution of barnacle species 
A)  character displacement in the color of barnacles 
B)  habitat preference in two different species of barnacles 
C)  how sea-level changes affect barnacle distribution 
D)  competitive exclusion and distribution of barnacle species

Question 3

Use the following diagram of a hypothetical food web to answer the question. In this particular scenario, the arrows represent the transfer of energy between the various organisms and decomposers are included in the diagram.   Which letter best represents a producer in the community?

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  D 
D)  E 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  D 
D)  E

Question 4

Which description below is most consistent with the nonequilibrium model of community diversity?

Accepted Answer

A)  community structure remains stable in the absence of interspecific competition 
B)  communities are assemblages of closely linked species that are permanently changed by disturbance 
C)  interspecific interactions induce changes in community composition over time 
D)  communities are constantly changing after being influenced by disturbances 
A)  community structure remains stable in the absence of interspecific competition 
B)  communities are assemblages of closely linked species that are permanently changed by disturbance 
C)  interspecific interactions induce changes in community composition over time 
D)  communities are constantly changing after being influenced by disturbances

Question 5

Based on the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, a community's species diversity is increased by ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  frequent massive disturbance 
B)  stable conditions with no disturbance 
C)  moderate levels of disturbance 
D)  human intervention to eliminate disturbance 
A)  frequent massive disturbance 
B)  stable conditions with no disturbance 
C)  moderate levels of disturbance 
D)  human intervention to eliminate disturbance

Question 6

Use the figures to answer the following question.   In this experiment, Balanus balanoids was removed from the habitat shown on the left, obtaining the results shown on the right.
Which of the following statements is supported by the results of this experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)  B. balanoids can survive only in the lower intertidal zone because it is unable to resist desiccation. 
B)  B. balanoids is inferior to C. stellatus in competing for space on rocks lower in the intertidal zone. 
C)  When the two species of barnacles compete with each other, both species still occupy low and high tide areas. 
D)  Competition with B. balanoids prevented C. stellatus from occupying the lower tide region of its fundamental niche. 
A)  B. balanoids can survive only in the lower intertidal zone because it is unable to resist desiccation. 
B)  B. balanoids is inferior to C. stellatus in competing for space on rocks lower in the intertidal zone. 
C)  When the two species of barnacles compete with each other, both species still occupy low and high tide areas. 
D)  Competition with B. balanoids prevented C. stellatus from occupying the lower tide region of its fundamental niche.

Question 7

Using the symbols +, −, and 0 to indicate interspecific species interactions, where the first symbol refers to the first organism mentioned, what interactions exist between mycorrhizae and evergreen tree roots?

Accepted Answer

A)  +/+ 
B)  +/0 
C)  +/− 
D)  0/0 
A)  +/+ 
B)  +/0 
C)  +/− 
D)  0/0

Question 8

Use the figure to answer the following question.   In the figure, species A through F are found among four communities, with the number of circles representing their abundance. Which community has the highest diversity?

Accepted Answer

A)  community 1 
B)  community 2 
C)  community 3 
D)  community 4 
A)  community 1 
B)  community 2 
C)  community 3 
D)  community 4

Question 9

Which of the following could qualify as a top-down control on a grassland community?

Accepted Answer

A)  limitation of plant biomass by rainfall amount 
B)  influence of solar radiation on competition among plants 
C)  influence of soil nutrients on the abundance of grasses versus wildflowers 
D)  effect of grazing intensity by bison on plant species diversity 
A)  limitation of plant biomass by rainfall amount 
B)  influence of solar radiation on competition among plants 
C)  influence of soil nutrients on the abundance of grasses versus wildflowers 
D)  effect of grazing intensity by bison on plant species diversity

Question 10

Use the following diagram of five tropical islands formed at around the same time near a particular mainland, as well as the principles of MacArthur and Wilson's island equilibrium model, to answer the question.   Which island would likely encounter the highest rate of species extinction if these islands were subject to unregulated, commercial logging in the rainforest?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 
B)  2 
C)  3 
D)  5 
A)  1 
B)  2 
C)  3 
D)  5

Question 11

The most plausible hypothesis to explain why species richness is higher in tropical than in temperate regions is that ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  tropical communities are younger 
B)  tropical regions generally have more available water and higher levels of solar radiation 
C)  higher temperatures cause more rapid speciation 
D)  diversity increases as evapotranspiration decreases 
A)  tropical communities are younger 
B)  tropical regions generally have more available water and higher levels of solar radiation 
C)  higher temperatures cause more rapid speciation 
D)  diversity increases as evapotranspiration decreases

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of aposematic coloration?

Accepted Answer

A)  a non-poisonous snake mimics the color of a poisonous one 
B)  the brightly colored patterns of monarch butterfly caterpillars 
C)  green color of a plant 
D)  a katydid whose wings look like a dead leaf 
A)  a non-poisonous snake mimics the color of a poisonous one 
B)  the brightly colored patterns of monarch butterfly caterpillars 
C)  green color of a plant 
D)  a katydid whose wings look like a dead leaf

Question 13

According to the island equilibrium model, species richness would be greatest on an island that is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  large and remote 
B)  small and remote 
C)  large and close to a mainland 
D)  small and close to a mainland 
A)  large and remote 
B)  small and remote 
C)  large and close to a mainland 
D)  small and close to a mainland

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of Batesian mimicry?

Accepted Answer

A)  a butterfly that resembles a leaf 
B)  a nonvenomous larva of a moth that moves like a venomous snake 
C)  a fawn with fur coloring that camouflages it in the forest environment 
D)  a snapping turtle that uses its tongue to mimic a worm, thus attracting fish 
A)  a butterfly that resembles a leaf 
B)  a nonvenomous larva of a moth that moves like a venomous snake 
C)  a fawn with fur coloring that camouflages it in the forest environment 
D)  a snapping turtle that uses its tongue to mimic a worm, thus attracting fish

Question 15

Which of the following statements is a well-supported hypothesis for why some introduced species become highly abundant and may take over communities into which they have been introduced, but meanwhile do not exhibit this outcome in their original ranges?

Accepted Answer

A)  Invasive species are less efficient than native species in competing for the limited resources of the introduced environment. 
B)  Invasive species populations in the introduced range are not controlled by the predators and agents of disease, or may experience less competition. 
C)  Invasive species always have a higher reproductive potential than other species. 
D)  Invasive species come from geographically isolated regions, so when they are introduced to regions where there is more competition, they thrive. 
A)  Invasive species are less efficient than native species in competing for the limited resources of the introduced environment. 
B)  Invasive species populations in the introduced range are not controlled by the predators and agents of disease, or may experience less competition. 
C)  Invasive species always have a higher reproductive potential than other species. 
D)  Invasive species come from geographically isolated regions, so when they are introduced to regions where there is more competition, they thrive.

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of Müllerian mimicry?

Accepted Answer

A)  two species of unpalatable butterfly that have the same color pattern 
B)  a day-flying hawkmoth that looks like a wasp 
C)  a chameleon that changes its color to look like a dead leaf 
D)  one species of a nonvenomous snake which rattles its tail to mimic a venomous rattlesnake 
A)  two species of unpalatable butterfly that have the same color pattern 
B)  a day-flying hawkmoth that looks like a wasp 
C)  a chameleon that changes its color to look like a dead leaf 
D)  one species of a nonvenomous snake which rattles its tail to mimic a venomous rattlesnake

Question 17

The feeding relationships among the species in a community determine the community's ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  secondary succession 
B)  ecological niche 
C)  species richness 
D)  trophic structure 
A)  secondary succession 
B)  ecological niche 
C)  species richness 
D)  trophic structure

Question 18

Which of the following increases community diversity, based on the intermediate disturbance hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  frequent immigrations of new species 
B)  stable conditions with no disturbance 
C)  moderate levels of disturbance 
D)  intensive disturbance by humans 
A)  frequent immigrations of new species 
B)  stable conditions with no disturbance 
C)  moderate levels of disturbance 
D)  intensive disturbance by humans

Question 19

If there are 25 African elephants (primary consumer) living together in a given area, with an average weight of 4,000 kg each, approximately how much biomass of plant material would hypothetically be necessary as a harvestable food supply to support all of them on an ongoing basis? (Assume a 10% efficiency in energy transfer.)

Accepted Answer

A)  1,000,000 kg 
B)  100,000 kg 
C)  50,000 kg 
D)  25,000 kg 
A)  1,000,000 kg 
B)  100,000 kg 
C)  50,000 kg 
D)  25,000 kg

Question 20

Using the symbols +, −, and 0 to indicate interspecific species interactions, where the first symbol refers to the first organism mentioned, which interactions of the following would exist between a lion pride and African wild dogs, if the dogs are the lions' prey and are found to typically avoid areas with lions?

Accepted Answer

A)  +/+ 
B)  +/− 
C)  0/0 
D)  −/− 
A)  +/+ 
B)  +/− 
C)  0/0 
D)  −/−

Exam 54: Biodiversity and Communities

If two species are close competitors, and one species is experimentally removed from the community, the remaining species would be expected to ________.

Use the figures to answer the following question. This experiment by Connell was best designed to investigate which of the following?

Use the following diagram of a hypothetical food web to answer the question. In this particular scenario, the arrows represent the transfer of energy between the various organisms and decomposers are included in the diagram. Which letter best represents a producer in the community?

Which description below is most consistent with the nonequilibrium model of community diversity?

Based on the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, a community's species diversity is increased by ________.

Use the figures to answer the following question. In this experiment, Balanus balanoids was removed from the habitat shown on the left, obtaining the results shown on the right. Which of the following statements is supported by the results of this experiment?

Using the symbols +, −, and 0 to indicate interspecific species interactions, where the first symbol refers to the first organism mentioned, what interactions exist between mycorrhizae and evergreen tree roots?

Use the figure to answer the following question. In the figure, species A through F are found among four communities, with the number of circles representing their abundance. Which community has the highest diversity?

Which of the following could qualify as a top-down control on a grassland community?

The most plausible hypothesis to explain why species richness is higher in tropical than in temperate regions is that ________.

Which of the following is an example of aposematic coloration?

According to the island equilibrium model, species richness would be greatest on an island that is ________.

Which of the following is an example of Batesian mimicry?

Which of the following statements is a well-supported hypothesis for why some introduced species become highly abundant and may take over communities into which they have been introduced, but meanwhile do not exhibit this outcome in their original ranges?

Which of the following is an example of Müllerian mimicry?

The feeding relationships among the species in a community determine the community's ________.

Which of the following increases community diversity, based on the intermediate disturbance hypothesis?

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

Energy Flow and Chemical Cycling in Ecosystems

Conservation and Global Ecology

Filters