Question 1

Carrying capacity is

Accepted Answer

A) seldom reached by marine producers and consumers because of the vast resources of the ocean. 
B) the maximum population size that a particular environment can support. 
C) fixed for most species over most of their range most of the time. 
D) determined by density and dispersion data. 
E) the term used to describe the stress a population undergoes due to limited resources. 
A) seldom reached by marine producers and consumers because of the vast resources of the ocean. 
B) the maximum population size that a particular environment can support. 
C) fixed for most species over most of their range most of the time. 
D) determined by density and dispersion data. 
E) the term used to describe the stress a population undergoes due to limited resources.

Question 2

Which of the following is the pattern of spacing for individuals within the boundaries of the population?

Accepted Answer

A) cohort 
B) dispersion 
C) Allee effect 
D) iteroparous 
E) semelparous 
A) cohort 
B) dispersion 
C) Allee effect 
D) iteroparous 
E) semelparous

Question 3

Natural selection has led to the evolution of diverse natural history strategies, which have in common

Accepted Answer

A) many offspring per reproductive episode. 
B) limitation only by density-independent limiting factors. 
C) adaptation to stable environments. 
D) maximum lifetime reproductive success. 
E) relatively large offspring. 
A) many offspring per reproductive episode. 
B) limitation only by density-independent limiting factors. 
C) adaptation to stable environments. 
D) maximum lifetime reproductive success. 
E) relatively large offspring.

Question 4

Which of the following describes having more than one reproductive episode during a lifetime?

Accepted Answer

A) cohort 
B) dispersion 
C) Allee effect 
D) iteroparous 
E) semelparous 
A) cohort 
B) dispersion 
C) Allee effect 
D) iteroparous 
E) semelparous

Question 5

During the spring, you are studying the mice that live in a field near your home. There are lots of mice in this field, but you realize that you rarely observe any reproductive females. This most likely indicates

Accepted Answer

A) that there is selective predation on female mice. 
B) that female mice die before reproducing. 
C) that this habitat is a good place for mice to reproduce. 
D) that you are observing immigrant mice. 
E) that the breeding season is over 
A) that there is selective predation on female mice. 
B) that female mice die before reproducing. 
C) that this habitat is a good place for mice to reproduce. 
D) that you are observing immigrant mice. 
E) that the breeding season is over

Question 6

Based on current growth rates, Earth's human population in 2010 will be closest to

Accepted Answer

A) 2 million. 
B) 3 billion. 
C) 4 billion. 
D) 7 billion. 
E) 10 billion. 
A) 2 million. 
B) 3 billion. 
C) 4 billion. 
D) 7 billion. 
E) 10 billion.

Question 7

Use the survivorship curves in Figure 53.1 to answer the following questions.
   
Figure 53.1
-Which curve best describes survivorship in elephants?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Use the survivorship curves in Figure 53.1...

Question 8

According to the logistic growth equation dN/dt = rmaxN(K - N)/K,

Accepted Answer

A) the number of individuals added per unit time is greatest when N is close to zero. 
B) the per capita growth rate (r)increases as N approaches K. 
C) population growth is zero when N equals K. 
D) the population grows exponentially when K is small. 
E) the birth rate (b)approaches zero as N approaches K. 
A) the number of individuals added per unit time is greatest when N is close to zero. 
B) the per capita growth rate (r)increases as N approaches K. 
C) population growth is zero when N equals K. 
D) the population grows exponentially when K is small. 
E) the birth rate (b)approaches zero as N approaches K.

Question 9

To measure the population density of monarch butterflies occupying a particular park, 100 butterflies are captured, marked with a small dot on a wing, and then released. The next day, another 100 butterflies are captured, including the recapture of 20 marked butterflies. One would estimate the population to be

Accepted Answer

A) 200. 
B) 500. 
C) 1,000. 
D) 10,000. 
E) 900,000. 
A) 200. 
B) 500. 
C) 1,000. 
D) 10,000. 
E) 900,000.

Question 10

Logistic growth of a population is represented by dN/dt =

Accepted Answer

A)  $\frac { \gamma N } { K }$ 
B) rN 
C) rN (K + N) 
D) rN $\frac { ( K - N ) } { K }$ 
E) rN $\frac { ( N - K ) } { K }$ 
A)  $\frac { \gamma N } { K }$ 
B) rN 
C) rN (K + N) 
D) rN $\frac { ( K - N ) } { K }$ 
E) rN $\frac { ( N - K ) } { K }$

Question 11

The following questions refer to Figure 53.3, which depicts the age structure of three populations.
   
Figure 53.3
-Which population appears to be stable?

Accepted Answer

A) I 
B) II 
C) III 
D) I and II 
E) II and III 
A) I 
B) II 
C) III 
D) I and II 
E) II and III

Question 12

Use the survivorship curves in Figure 53.1 to answer the following questions.
   
Figure 53.1
-Which curve best describes survivorship in marine mollusks?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Use the survivorship curves in Figure 53.1...

Question 13

Which of the following assumptions have to be made regarding the capture-recapture estimate of population size?
I. Marked and unmarked individuals have the same probability of being trapped.
II. The marked individuals have thoroughly mixed with population after being marked.
III. No individuals have entered or left the population by immigration or emigration, and no individuals have been added by birth or eliminated by death during the course of the estimate.

Accepted Answer

A) I only 
B) II only 
C) I and II only 
D) II and III only 
E) I, II, and III 
A) I only 
B) II only 
C) I and II only 
D) II and III only 
E) I, II, and III

Question 14

In models of sigmoidal (logistic)population growth,

Accepted Answer

A) population growth rate slows dramatically as N approaches K. 
B) new individuals are added to the population most rapidly at the beginning of the population's growth. 
C) only density-dependent factors affect the rate of population growth. 
D) only density-independent factors affect the rate of population growth. 
E) carrying capacity is never reached. 
A) population growth rate slows dramatically as N approaches K. 
B) new individuals are added to the population most rapidly at the beginning of the population's growth. 
C) only density-dependent factors affect the rate of population growth. 
D) only density-independent factors affect the rate of population growth. 
E) carrying capacity is never reached.

Question 15

Which of the following is a density-independent factor limiting human population growth?

Accepted Answer

A) social pressure for birth control 
B) earthquakes 
C) plagues 
D) famines 
E) pollution 
A) social pressure for birth control 
B) earthquakes 
C) plagues 
D) famines 
E) pollution

Question 16

Why is territoriality an adaptive behavior for songbirds maintaining populations at or near their carrying capacity?

Accepted Answer

A) Songbirds expend a tremendous amount of energy defending territories so that they spend less time feeding their young and fledgling mortality increases. 
B) Only the fittest males defend territories and they attract the fittest females so the best genes are conveyed to the next generation. 
C) Songbird males defend territories commensurate with the size from which they can derive adequate resources for themselves, their mate, and their chicks. 
D) Many individuals are killed in the ritualistic conflicts that go along with territorial defense. 
E) Songbirds make improvements to the territories they inhabit so that they can all enjoy larger clutches and successfully fledged chicks. 
A) Songbirds expend a tremendous amount of energy defending territories so that they spend less time feeding their young and fledgling mortality increases. 
B) Only the fittest males defend territories and they attract the fittest females so the best genes are conveyed to the next generation. 
C) Songbird males defend territories commensurate with the size from which they can derive adequate resources for themselves, their mate, and their chicks. 
D) Many individuals are killed in the ritualistic conflicts that go along with territorial defense. 
E) Songbirds make improvements to the territories they inhabit so that they can all enjoy larger clutches and successfully fledged chicks.

Question 17

Natural selection involves energetic trade-offs between

Accepted Answer

A) choosing how many offspring to produce over the course of a lifetime and how long to live. 
B) producing large numbers of gametes when employing internal fertilization versus fewer numbers of gametes when employing external fertilization. 
C) the emigration of individuals when they are no longer reproductively capable or committing suicide. 
D) increasing the number of individuals produced during each reproductive episode with a corresponding decrease in parental care. 
E) high survival rates of offspring and the cost of parental care. 
A) choosing how many offspring to produce over the course of a lifetime and how long to live. 
B) producing large numbers of gametes when employing internal fertilization versus fewer numbers of gametes when employing external fertilization. 
C) the emigration of individuals when they are no longer reproductively capable or committing suicide. 
D) increasing the number of individuals produced during each reproductive episode with a corresponding decrease in parental care. 
E) high survival rates of offspring and the cost of parental care.

Question 18

The Allee effect is used to describe a population that

Accepted Answer

A) has become so small that it will have difficulty surviving and reproducing. 
B) has become so large it will have difficulty surviving and reproducing. 
C) approaches carrying capacity. 
D) exceeds carrying capacity. 
E) is in crash decline. 
A) has become so small that it will have difficulty surviving and reproducing. 
B) has become so large it will have difficulty surviving and reproducing. 
C) approaches carrying capacity. 
D) exceeds carrying capacity. 
E) is in crash decline.

Question 19

Infant mortality and life expectancy at birth in developed and developing countries. (Data as of 2005.) Figure 53.4
-What is a logical conclusion that can be drawn from the graphs above?

Accepted Answer

A) Developed countries have lower infant mortality rates and lower life expectancy than developing countries. 
B) Developed countries have higher infant mortality rates and lower life expectancy than developing countries. 
C) Developed countries have lower infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy than developing countries. 
D) Developed countries have higher infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy than developing countries. 
A) Developed countries have lower infant mortality rates and lower life expectancy than developing countries. 
B) Developed countries have higher infant mortality rates and lower life expectancy than developing countries. 
C) Developed countries have lower infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy than developing countries. 
D) Developed countries have higher infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy than developing countries.

Question 20

The following questions refer to Figure 53.3, which depicts the age structure of three populations.
   
Figure 53.3
-Assuming these age-structure diagrams describe human populations, in which population is unemployment likely to be a societal issue in the future?

Accepted Answer

A) I 
B) II 
C) III 
D) No differences in the magnitude of future unemployment would be expected among these populations. 
E) It is not possible to infer anything about future social conditions from age-structure diagrams. 
A) I 
B) II 
C) III 
D) No differences in the magnitude of future unemployment would be expected among these populations. 
E) It is not possible to infer anything about future social conditions from age-structure diagrams.

Exam 53: Population Ecology

Carrying capacity is

Which of the following is the pattern of spacing for individuals within the boundaries of the population?

Natural selection has led to the evolution of diverse natural history strategies, which have in common

Which of the following describes having more than one reproductive episode during a lifetime?

During the spring, you are studying the mice that live in a field near your home. There are lots of mice in this field, but you realize that you rarely observe any reproductive females. This most likely indicates

Based on current growth rates, Earth's human population in 2010 will be closest to

Use the survivorship curves in Figure 53.1 to answer the following questions. Figure 53.1 -Which curve best describes survivorship in elephants?

According to the logistic growth equation dN/dt = rmaxN(K - N)/K,

Logistic growth of a population is represented by dN/dt =

The following questions refer to Figure 53.3, which depicts the age structure of three populations. Figure 53.3 -Which population appears to be stable?

Use the survivorship curves in Figure 53.1 to answer the following questions. Figure 53.1 -Which curve best describes survivorship in marine mollusks?

In models of sigmoidal (logistic)population growth,

Which of the following is a density-independent factor limiting human population growth?

Why is territoriality an adaptive behavior for songbirds maintaining populations at or near their carrying capacity?

Natural selection involves energetic trade-offs between

The Allee effect is used to describe a population that

Infant mortality and life expectancy at birth in developed and developing countries. (Data as of 2005.) Figure 53.4 -What is a logical conclusion that can be drawn from the graphs above?

The following questions refer to Figure 53.3, which depicts the age structure of three populations. Figure 53.3 -Assuming these age-structure diagrams describe human populations, in which population is unemployment likely to be a societal issue in the future?

Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life

The Chemical Context of Life

Water and the Fitness of the Environment

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

A Tour of the Cell

Membrane Structure and Function

An Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration: Harvesting Chemical Energy

Photosynthesis

Cell Communication

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Mendel and the Gene Idea

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

From Gene to Protein

Control of Gene Expression

Viruses

Biotechnology

Genomes and Their Evolution

Descent With Modification: a Darwinian View of Life

The Evolution of Populations

The Origin of Species

The History of Life on Earth

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

Plant Diversity Ii: the Evolution of Seed Plants

Fungi

An Introduction to Animal Diversity

Invertebrates

Vertebrates

Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

Transport in Vascular Plants

Soil and Plant Nutrition

Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology

Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

Animal Nutrition

Circulation and Gas Exchange

The Immune System

Osmoregulation and Excretion

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Synapses, and Signaling

Nervous Systems

Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

Animal Behavior

An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

Community Ecology

Ecosystems

Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology

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