Question 1

What is the meaning of the statement: "The tropics are a museum of species diversity"?

Accepted Answer

A)  The tropics have high diversification rates. 
B)  The tropics have high extinction rates. 
C)  The tropics have low extinction rates. 
D)  The tropics have low carrying capacities. 
A)  The tropics have high diversification rates. 
B)  The tropics have high extinction rates. 
C)  The tropics have low extinction rates. 
D)  The tropics have low carrying capacities.

Question 2

Which biogeographic region lies directly north of the Ethiopian biogeographic region?

Accepted Answer

A)  Oriental 
B)  Nearctic 
C)  Neotropical 
D)  Palearctic 
A)  Oriental 
B)  Nearctic 
C)  Neotropical 
D)  Palearctic

Question 3

Which statement about global biogeographic patterns is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  All groups of organisms show more diversity at the tropics than at higher latitudes. 
B)  Most groups of organisms show more diversity at the tropics than at higher latitudes. 
C)  For any given latitude, the diversity of species is roughly constant for all longitudes. 
D)  Broad species diversity patterns are better explained by differences in longitude than differences in latitude. 
A)  All groups of organisms show more diversity at the tropics than at higher latitudes. 
B)  Most groups of organisms show more diversity at the tropics than at higher latitudes. 
C)  For any given latitude, the diversity of species is roughly constant for all longitudes. 
D)  Broad species diversity patterns are better explained by differences in longitude than differences in latitude.

Question 4

In some regions where two tectonic plates meet, one plate forces the other plate downward. Such areas are called

Accepted Answer

A)  ridges. 
B)  faults. 
C)  drift zones. 
D)  subduction zones. 
A)  ridges. 
B)  faults. 
C)  drift zones. 
D)  subduction zones.

Question 5

Which process or event is most responsible for current species losses in the Amazon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Global climate change 
B)  Fragmentation 
C)  Overexploitation 
D)  Invasive species 
A)  Global climate change 
B)  Fragmentation 
C)  Overexploitation 
D)  Invasive species

Question 6

Fire-tolerant plant species in the Amazon are _______ abundant at the edges of forest fragments than inside the forest. The result is a _______ feedback loop and a(n) _______ in the effective size of the forest fragment.

Accepted Answer

A)  more; positive; decrease 
B)  more; positive; increase 
C)  more; negative; decrease 
D)  less; positive; increase 
A)  more; positive; decrease 
B)  more; positive; increase 
C)  more; negative; decrease 
D)  less; positive; increase

Question 7

Which of the following groups exhibits an atypical latitudinal species gradient?

Accepted Answer

A)  Seabirds 
B)  Mammals 
C)  Terrestrial plants 
D)  Landbirds 
A)  Seabirds 
B)  Mammals 
C)  Terrestrial plants 
D)  Landbirds

Question 8

Which statement about the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  It has shown that edge effects do not have a large impact on species diversity within fragments. 
B)  It is a controlled experiment that probably provides a conservative estimate of species losses. 
C)  It has shown that most of the forest fragments created by human activities are large enough to maintain most of their original species diversity. 
D)  It demonstrated that although conserving large areas of forest might be desirable from an ecological perspective, this approach is too expensive, so protecting a large number of small fragments is a more practical way to avoid large-scale extinctions. 
A)  It has shown that edge effects do not have a large impact on species diversity within fragments. 
B)  It is a controlled experiment that probably provides a conservative estimate of species losses. 
C)  It has shown that most of the forest fragments created by human activities are large enough to maintain most of their original species diversity. 
D)  It demonstrated that although conserving large areas of forest might be desirable from an ecological perspective, this approach is too expensive, so protecting a large number of small fragments is a more practical way to avoid large-scale extinctions.

Question 9

Which statement is closest to Alfred Russel Wallace's early hypothesis for the higher diversity of life in the tropics?

Accepted Answer

A)  The tropics have a larger land area than other parts of the globe, and thus can support species with larger population sizes. Such species are less prone to extinction. 
B)  The tropics have a larger land area than other parts of the globe, and thus can support species with larger population sizes. Such species are more apt to produce new species. 
C)  The tropics are more climatically stable than other parts of the globe, and thus can support species with larger population sizes. Such species are less prone to extinction. 
D)  The tropics are more climatically stable than other parts of the globe, so tropical species have had more time to diversify than those in areas with severe climatic conditions. 
A)  The tropics have a larger land area than other parts of the globe, and thus can support species with larger population sizes. Such species are less prone to extinction. 
B)  The tropics have a larger land area than other parts of the globe, and thus can support species with larger population sizes. Such species are more apt to produce new species. 
C)  The tropics are more climatically stable than other parts of the globe, and thus can support species with larger population sizes. Such species are less prone to extinction. 
D)  The tropics are more climatically stable than other parts of the globe, so tropical species have had more time to diversify than those in areas with severe climatic conditions.

Question 10

Kenya is located in the _______ biogeographic region.

Accepted Answer

A)  Nearctic 
B)  Palearctic 
C)  Oriental 
D)  Ethiopian 
A)  Nearctic 
B)  Palearctic 
C)  Oriental 
D)  Ethiopian

Question 11

In accordance with Wilson and MacArthur's theory of island biogeography, the following equations represent the immigration and extinction rates of species of beetles on a small island. (I = immigration rate of species per month; E = extinction rate of species per month; S = number of species currently on the island.)
I = 9 ? 0.2S
E = 0.3S
-
If there are 25 species on the island, the expected immigration rate is _______ species per month and the expected extinction rate is _______ species per month.

Accepted Answer

A)  1; 7.5 
B)  4; 7.5 
C)  7.5; 1 
D)  7.5; 4 
A)  1; 7.5 
B)  4; 7.5 
C)  7.5; 1 
D)  7.5; 4

Question 12

Which statement about the mammal fauna native to North and South America is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  There are some differences because the two continents were originally part of different "super continents." 
B)  They show some similarities because the Americas, distinct from Europe, Asia, and Africa, were once part of the same "super continent." 
C)  They show some similarities because the two continents split apart about 6 million years ago. 
D)  They show strong differences because the two continents were never connected. 
A)  There are some differences because the two continents were originally part of different "super continents." 
B)  They show some similarities because the Americas, distinct from Europe, Asia, and Africa, were once part of the same "super continent." 
C)  They show some similarities because the two continents split apart about 6 million years ago. 
D)  They show strong differences because the two continents were never connected.

Question 13

Refer to the figure.
Figure 2
   You are investigating patterns of species richness on two different continents (Continent 1 and Continent 2) to determine how species richness patterns differ between them. For multiple study sites on each of the two continents, you sample the local species richness and compare it to the species richness of the broader region to which each site belongs. Examine the data in Figure 2 closely. Would you ever expect to observe this relationship between regional and local species richness in nature? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

No, this pattern would never be observed

Question 14

Which scientist conceptualized Earth as divided into six biogeographic regions and is considered the father of biogeography?

Accepted Answer

A)  Alfred Russel Wallace 
B)  Robert MacArthur 
C)  Edward O. Wilson 
D)  Charles Darwin 
A)  Alfred Russel Wallace 
B)  Robert MacArthur 
C)  Edward O. Wilson 
D)  Charles Darwin

Question 15

Refer to the figure.
  
-The figure shows bird species richness for islands of different sizes that are close to New Guinea, far from New Guinea, or intermediate in distance from New Guinea. Based on the figure, an island of around 2,600 km2 in area that is far from New Guinea has approximately how many bird species?

Accepted Answer

A)  40 
B)  60 
C)  80 
D)  100 
A)  40 
B)  60 
C)  80 
D)  100

Question 16

Refer to the table.
  The table shows the number of species of lizards present in the tropics, the subtropics, and the temperate zone over the last fifty million years. Of the three broad categories of hypotheses that have been proposed to explain latitudinal gradients (diversification rate, diversification time, and carrying capacity), these data best fit which hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  Diversification rate 
B)  Diversification time 
C)  Carrying capacity 
D)  Combination of diversification rate and diversification time 
A)  Diversification rate 
B)  Diversification time 
C)  Carrying capacity 
D)  Combination of diversification rate and diversification time

Question 17

Which of the following is not a common barrier to dispersal for organisms that live in the oceans?

Accepted Answer

A)  Currents 
B)  Thermal gradients and differences in water depth 
C)  Continents 
D)  Undersea mountain ranges 
A)  Currents 
B)  Thermal gradients and differences in water depth 
C)  Continents 
D)  Undersea mountain ranges

Question 18

Suppose that multiple sites in a large geographic region have been found to have very similar species compositions of herbivorous insects, even though each site has a large number of species. These herbivorous insects are therefore said to have low _______ diversity.

Accepted Answer

A)  alpha 
B)  beta 
C)  gamma 
D)  turnover 
A)  alpha 
B)  beta 
C)  gamma 
D)  turnover

Question 19

Refer to the figure.
Figure 3
   Figure 3 shows long-term patterns of continental movement for five large land masses, illustrating the location of the land masses during an active period of land mass movement, at about 40 mya. The arrows indicate the direction of land mass movement and the numbers indicate the approximate timing (mya) of these events. Based on the movements of these land masses, answer the following questions about how the movements might have affected the evolutionary history of the resident species:
a) What evolutionary phenomenon likely occurred when land mass 2 split from land mass 4? Give the name of this concept and explain it as it applies to the splitting of land masses 2 and 4.
b) What additional information would you need to more confidently predict how the split of land mass 2 from land mass 4 would have affected the populations on each of these land masses?

Accepted Answer

a) The splitting of land masses 2 and 4

Question 20

Across various sites within the rainforest of Panama, different species of trees are found with little overlap among sites. Based on this pattern of species turnover, Panama's rainforest is best described as having _______ diversity.

Accepted Answer

A)  high alpha 
B)  low alpha 
C)  high beta 
D)  low beta 
A)  high alpha 
B)  low alpha 
C)  high beta 
D)  low beta

What is the meaning of the statement: "The tropics are a museum of species diversity"?

Which biogeographic region lies directly north of the Ethiopian biogeographic region?

Which statement about global biogeographic patterns is true?

In some regions where two tectonic plates meet, one plate forces the other plate downward. Such areas are called

Which process or event is most responsible for current species losses in the Amazon?

Fire-tolerant plant species in the Amazon are ___ abundant at the edges of forest fragments than inside the forest. The result is a _ feedback loop and a(n) _____ in the effective size of the forest fragment.

Which of the following groups exhibits an atypical latitudinal species gradient?

Which statement about the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) is true?

Which statement is closest to Alfred Russel Wallace's early hypothesis for the higher diversity of life in the tropics?

Kenya is located in the _______ biogeographic region.

Which statement about the mammal fauna native to North and South America is true?

Which scientist conceptualized Earth as divided into six biogeographic regions and is considered the father of biogeography?

Which of the following is not a common barrier to dispersal for organisms that live in the oceans?

Suppose that multiple sites in a large geographic region have been found to have very similar species compositions of herbivorous insects, even though each site has a large number of species. These herbivorous insects are therefore said to have low _______ diversity.

Across various sites within the rainforest of Panama, different species of trees are found with little overlap among sites. Based on this pattern of species turnover, Panama's rainforest is best described as having _______ diversity.

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Population Dynamics

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Exam 18: Biogeography

What is the meaning of the statement: "The tropics are a museum of species diversity"?

Which biogeographic region lies directly north of the Ethiopian biogeographic region?

Which statement about global biogeographic patterns is true?

In some regions where two tectonic plates meet, one plate forces the other plate downward. Such areas are called

Which process or event is most responsible for current species losses in the Amazon?

Fire-tolerant plant species in the Amazon are _______ abundant at the edges of forest fragments than inside the forest. The result is a _______ feedback loop and a(n) _______ in the effective size of the forest fragment.

Which of the following groups exhibits an atypical latitudinal species gradient?

Which statement about the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) is true?

Which statement is closest to Alfred Russel Wallace's early hypothesis for the higher diversity of life in the tropics?

Kenya is located in the _______ biogeographic region.

Which statement about the mammal fauna native to North and South America is true?

Which scientist conceptualized Earth as divided into six biogeographic regions and is considered the father of biogeography?

Which of the following is not a common barrier to dispersal for organisms that live in the oceans?

Suppose that multiple sites in a large geographic region have been found to have very similar species compositions of herbivorous insects, even though each site has a large number of species. These herbivorous insects are therefore said to have low _______ diversity.

Across various sites within the rainforest of Panama, different species of trees are found with little overlap among sites. Based on this pattern of species turnover, Panama's rainforest is best described as having _______ diversity.

The Web of Life

The Physical Environment

The Biosphere

Coping With Environmental Variation:

Coping With Environmental Variation: Energy

Evolution and Ecology

Life History

Behavioral Ecology

Population Distribution and Abundance

Population Dynamics

Population Growth and Regulation

Predation

Parasitism

Competition

Mutualism and Commensalism

The Nature of Communities

Change in Communities

Species Diversity in Communities

Production

Energy Flow and Food Webs

Nutrient Supply and Cycling

Conservation Biology

Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Management

Global Ecology

Filters

Fire-tolerant plant species in the Amazon are ___ abundant at the edges of forest fragments than inside the forest. The result is a _ feedback loop and a(n) _____ in the effective size of the forest fragment.