Question 1

Invasive (exotic) species tend to __________ the balance of ecosystems and ______ biodiversity.

Accepted Answer

A) Increase; decrease 
B) Increase; enhance 
C) Maintain; enhance 
D) Upset; decrease 
E) Upset; increase 
A) Increase; decrease 
B) Increase; enhance 
C) Maintain; enhance 
D) Upset; decrease 
E) Upset; increase

Question 2

A species in imminent danger of extinction is classified by the U.S.Endangered Species Act as

Accepted Answer

A) Vulnerable 
B) Threatened 
C) Valuable 
D) Endangered 
E) At risk 
A) Vulnerable 
B) Threatened 
C) Valuable 
D) Endangered 
E) At risk

Question 3

It is clear that a heavy dose of pesticides or other toxic pollutants can kill species.However, chronic exposure to pollutants seems to cause recent high mortality in marine mammals by

Accepted Answer

A) Decreasing the plants that are normally in their environment, such as kelp, that they use for shelter 
B) Killing off the prey species that they depend on for food 
C) Direct bioaccumulation of the chemicals, such as lead, in their tissues 
D) Causing weakened immune systems and increased vulnerability to infection 
E) Eventually killing them 
A) Decreasing the plants that are normally in their environment, such as kelp, that they use for shelter 
B) Killing off the prey species that they depend on for food 
C) Direct bioaccumulation of the chemicals, such as lead, in their tissues 
D) Causing weakened immune systems and increased vulnerability to infection 
E) Eventually killing them

Question 4

One of the reasons humans rely heavily on only a few food crops is because

Accepted Answer

A) We have not explored the cultivation of thousands of edible wild species. 
B) There are few edible wild species. 
C) We have already focused on the best tasting species for domestication and cultivation. 
D) It would be difficult for small farmers to cultivate the fragile wild species. 
E) All of these factors contribute to a heavy reliance on only a few species. 
A) We have not explored the cultivation of thousands of edible wild species. 
B) There are few edible wild species. 
C) We have already focused on the best tasting species for domestication and cultivation. 
D) It would be difficult for small farmers to cultivate the fragile wild species. 
E) All of these factors contribute to a heavy reliance on only a few species.

Question 5

What percentage of known species are invertebrates?

Accepted Answer

A) 75% 
B) 50% 
C) 35% 
D) 65% 
A) 75% 
B) 50% 
C) 35% 
D) 65%

Question 6

Extinction is the term used when all members of a species

Accepted Answer

A) Disappear in a locality 
B) Die 
C) Live in zoos 
D) Are threatened with imminent habitat loss 
E) Are in danger of disappearing in a locality 
A) Disappear in a locality 
B) Die 
C) Live in zoos 
D) Are threatened with imminent habitat loss 
E) Are in danger of disappearing in a locality

Question 7

Which of the following would be a characteristic of an exotic plant species?

Accepted Answer

A) Produces a few seeds after many years to reach maturity 
B) Is a specialist, for example, has a low range of tolerance for soil acidity 
C) Is an opportunist that is desired by humans for food or ornamental value 
D) Has many predators and diseases 
E) Is a secondary consumer (trophic levels) 
A) Produces a few seeds after many years to reach maturity 
B) Is a specialist, for example, has a low range of tolerance for soil acidity 
C) Is an opportunist that is desired by humans for food or ornamental value 
D) Has many predators and diseases 
E) Is a secondary consumer (trophic levels)

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a natural cause of extinction?

Accepted Answer

A) Freshwater Great Lakes mussels that compete with the Zebra Mussel 
B) Genetic assimilation as in the case of the hybridization of gray wolves or black ducks with mallards 
C) The passenger pigeon that went extinct at the beginning of this century 
D) An insect species in the tropical forest that cannot escape predation by native bird species in the forest 
E) All of these are examples of a natural cause of extinction 
A) Freshwater Great Lakes mussels that compete with the Zebra Mussel 
B) Genetic assimilation as in the case of the hybridization of gray wolves or black ducks with mallards 
C) The passenger pigeon that went extinct at the beginning of this century 
D) An insect species in the tropical forest that cannot escape predation by native bird species in the forest 
E) All of these are examples of a natural cause of extinction

Question 9

The pharmaceutical industry has an interest in preventing species extinction because

Accepted Answer

A) People are healthier in a healthy environment. 
B) Undiscovered species may provide lucrative new drugs. 
C) Most taxonomists are drug makers. 
D) It wants to increase diversity in North America. 
E) They see the benefits of eco-design. 
A) People are healthier in a healthy environment. 
B) Undiscovered species may provide lucrative new drugs. 
C) Most taxonomists are drug makers. 
D) It wants to increase diversity in North America. 
E) They see the benefits of eco-design.

Question 10

Use the following scenario:
There are three ecological communities, each with differing species, but all of them have 100 individual plants and animals.
Community A has 21 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 50 individuals of one species and 3 each of the other 20 species.
Community B has 11 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 90 individuals of one species and 2 each of the other 10 species.
Community C has 11 species. Of the 110 individuals, there are 10 individuals of each species.

-In this scenario, which communities have the same species evenness?

Accepted Answer

A) Community A and C 
B) Community B and A 
C) Community C and B 
D) All three communities have the same species evenness 
E) None of the communities has the same species evenness 
A) Community A and C 
B) Community B and A 
C) Community C and B 
D) All three communities have the same species evenness 
E) None of the communities has the same species evenness

Question 11

The high rate of poaching of rhinoceros is due mostly to

Accepted Answer

A) The belief in medicinal value of their horns for 'traditional' medicines 
B) Overharvesting for their meat and hide 
C) Introduction of exotic species that compete for their food 
D) Habitat destruction 
E) All of these have contributed equally to the decrease in the rhinoceros population 
A) The belief in medicinal value of their horns for 'traditional' medicines 
B) Overharvesting for their meat and hide 
C) Introduction of exotic species that compete for their food 
D) Habitat destruction 
E) All of these have contributed equally to the decrease in the rhinoceros population

Question 12

Which of the following drugs is NOT derived from a naturally occurring organism?

Accepted Answer

A) Penicillin 
B) Aspirin 
C) Cortisone 
D) Morphine 
E) Tetracycline 
A) Penicillin 
B) Aspirin 
C) Cortisone 
D) Morphine 
E) Tetracycline

Question 13

If you have an aquarium with saltwater fish, 75 percent of your fish probably came from

Accepted Answer

A) Captive breeding programs in the United States 
B) Captive breeding programs in Indonesia or the Philippines 
C) Wild fish populations caught with cyanide or nets 
D) Aquaculture programs in South Pacific countries 
E) Hybrid crosses of native U.S.fish 
A) Captive breeding programs in the United States 
B) Captive breeding programs in Indonesia or the Philippines 
C) Wild fish populations caught with cyanide or nets 
D) Aquaculture programs in South Pacific countries 
E) Hybrid crosses of native U.S.fish

Question 14

Ecological diversity is a measure of the number of

Accepted Answer

A) Different kinds of organisms within a community or ecosystem 
B) Different versions of the same gene in an ecological community 
C) Sizes, colors, and shapes of organisms within an ecological community 
D) Niches, trophic levels, and ecological processes of a biological community 
E) Different species in an ecosystem 
A) Different kinds of organisms within a community or ecosystem 
B) Different versions of the same gene in an ecological community 
C) Sizes, colors, and shapes of organisms within an ecological community 
D) Niches, trophic levels, and ecological processes of a biological community 
E) Different species in an ecosystem

Question 15

The largest contributing factor for the current high rate of animal extinctions is

Accepted Answer

A) Uncontrolled sport hunting in the developed world 
B) Commercial harvesting of wildlife in Africa 
C) Drought conditions caused by the greenhouse effect 
D) Habitat destruction worldwide 
E) None of these by themselves cause high rates of animal extinctions, but together they combine to cause high rates 
A) Uncontrolled sport hunting in the developed world 
B) Commercial harvesting of wildlife in Africa 
C) Drought conditions caused by the greenhouse effect 
D) Habitat destruction worldwide 
E) None of these by themselves cause high rates of animal extinctions, but together they combine to cause high rates

Question 16

Habitat fragmentation usually leads to a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) Decrease in biodiversity 
B) Reduction in the number of introduced species 
C) Increase in biodiversity due to the isolated populations 
D) More stable environment 
A) Decrease in biodiversity 
B) Reduction in the number of introduced species 
C) Increase in biodiversity due to the isolated populations 
D) More stable environment

Question 17

What makes an exotic species become and invasive species?

Accepted Answer

A) When individuals stop being only ornamental but are used for other purposes also. 
B) When they become annoying to people. 
C) All exotic species are also invasive. 
D) When individuals begins to colonize new areas and out-compete native species. 
A) When individuals stop being only ornamental but are used for other purposes also. 
B) When they become annoying to people. 
C) All exotic species are also invasive. 
D) When individuals begins to colonize new areas and out-compete native species.

Question 18

The U.S.Endangered Species Act officially expired in

Accepted Answer

A) 1973 
B) 1950 
C) 1988 
D) 1905 
E) 1992 
A) 1973 
B) 1950 
C) 1988 
D) 1905 
E) 1992

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Humans may have been causing extinctions for thousands of years, but our impact has recently increased. 
B) Humans have never had significant impact on species extinctions until the past four decades. 
C) Humans only began causing extinctions in the past 150 years. 
D) Humans are responsible for many of the mass extinctions in the geologic record. 
A) Humans may have been causing extinctions for thousands of years, but our impact has recently increased. 
B) Humans have never had significant impact on species extinctions until the past four decades. 
C) Humans only began causing extinctions in the past 150 years. 
D) Humans are responsible for many of the mass extinctions in the geologic record.

Question 20

Zoo animals in the U.S.today come mainly from the wild.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 11: Biodiversity

Invasive (exotic) species tend to __________ the balance of ecosystems and ______ biodiversity.

A species in imminent danger of extinction is classified by the U.S.Endangered Species Act as

It is clear that a heavy dose of pesticides or other toxic pollutants can kill species.However, chronic exposure to pollutants seems to cause recent high mortality in marine mammals by

One of the reasons humans rely heavily on only a few food crops is because

What percentage of known species are invertebrates?

Extinction is the term used when all members of a species

Which of the following would be a characteristic of an exotic plant species?

Which of the following is an example of a natural cause of extinction?

The pharmaceutical industry has an interest in preventing species extinction because

The high rate of poaching of rhinoceros is due mostly to

Which of the following drugs is NOT derived from a naturally occurring organism?

If you have an aquarium with saltwater fish, 75 percent of your fish probably came from

Ecological diversity is a measure of the number of

The largest contributing factor for the current high rate of animal extinctions is

Habitat fragmentation usually leads to a(n)

What makes an exotic species become and invasive species?

The U.S.Endangered Species Act officially expired in

Which of the following statements is true?

Zoo animals in the U.S.today come mainly from the wild.

Understanding Our Environment

Principles of Science and Systems

Matter, Energy, and Life

Evolution, Biological Communities, and Species Interactions

Biomes

Population Biology

Human Populations

Environmental Health and Toxicology

Food and Hunger

Farming: Conventional and Sustainable Practices

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

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Invasive (exotic) species tend to ____ the balance of ecosystems and biodiversity.