Question 1

Which is the best example of a coupled human-natural system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Wilderness area open to selected visitors 
B)  National park with hiking trails 
C)  Zoo that is open daily to visitors 
D)  Protected area in an ocean 
E)  Backyard maintained as a wildlife habitat 
A)  Wilderness area open to selected visitors 
B)  National park with hiking trails 
C)  Zoo that is open daily to visitors 
D)  Protected area in an ocean 
E)  Backyard maintained as a wildlife habitat

Question 2

A program in which the National Wildlife Federation certifies individuals' backyards as wildlife-friendly habitats can be considered a _______ system.

Accepted Answer

coupled hu

Question 3

Scientists consider amphibians, which die or show signs of stress in degraded environmental conditions, to be biological indicators for all of the following reasons except that they

Accepted Answer

A)  have permeable skin that is easily infected or damaged. 
B)  live both in water and on land during their life cycles. 
C)  stay in approximately the same place all their lives. 
D)  are currently declining at greater rates than are other species. 
E)  are more adaptable to habitat loss than are other species. 
A)  have permeable skin that is easily infected or damaged. 
B)  live both in water and on land during their life cycles. 
C)  stay in approximately the same place all their lives. 
D)  are currently declining at greater rates than are other species. 
E)  are more adaptable to habitat loss than are other species.

Question 4

Refer to the graphs.   According to the graphs, the fledging success of a nesting forest bird will be less than 50 percent unless the bird is at least _______ meters from the forest edge.

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  14 
C)  26 
D)  46 
E)  65 
A)  10 
B)  14 
C)  26 
D)  46 
E)  65

Question 5

All of these factors have been specifically implicated in the worldwide decline of amphibians except

Accepted Answer

A)  loss of habitat. 
B)  degradation of habitat. 
C)  climate change. 
D)  overexploitation. 
E)  a lethal skin fungus. 
A)  loss of habitat. 
B)  degradation of habitat. 
C)  climate change. 
D)  overexploitation. 
E)  a lethal skin fungus.

Question 6

An area that restricts or prohibits habitat loss and degradation and that is designed to conserve and manage biodiversity and to replenish populations that might otherwise become extinct is known as a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  natural ecosystem. 
B)  biodiversity area. 
C)  coupled human-natural system. 
D)  suburb. 
E)  protected area. 
A)  natural ecosystem. 
B)  biodiversity area. 
C)  coupled human-natural system. 
D)  suburb. 
E)  protected area.

Question 7

When ocean fisheries began, the most sought-after species were top predators such as bluefin tuna, orange roughy, and Chilean sea bass.These fisheries have now collapsed, and fishermen have responded by "fishing down the food chain," that is, taking smaller species from lower levels.If the trend of overharvesting continues at these lower trophic levels, what will the likely effect on ocean food webs be?

Accepted Answer

A)  There will be little effect, because lower levels of the food web are less important. 
B)  As lower levels are depleted, the top predators will be able to recover. 
C)  As lower levels are depleted, species from elsewhere in the ocean will replace them. 
D)  Fishermen will look for other species to exploit before the food web is affected. 
E)  The lower levels will also collapse, drastically changing food webs. 
A)  There will be little effect, because lower levels of the food web are less important. 
B)  As lower levels are depleted, the top predators will be able to recover. 
C)  As lower levels are depleted, species from elsewhere in the ocean will replace them. 
D)  Fishermen will look for other species to exploit before the food web is affected. 
E)  The lower levels will also collapse, drastically changing food webs.

Question 8

Can captive breeding of the California condor be considered a success?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes, because captive-bred birds now use the same roosting sites as their predecessors. 
B)  Yes, because the wild population increased from 22 in 1983 to 228 in 2014. 
C)  No, because most captive-bred condors imprint on their human caretakers. 
D)  No, because the reestablished population is now beginning to decline again. 
E)  It's unknown, because the condors cannot be reliably tracked after they are released. 
A)  Yes, because captive-bred birds now use the same roosting sites as their predecessors. 
B)  Yes, because the wild population increased from 22 in 1983 to 228 in 2014. 
C)  No, because most captive-bred condors imprint on their human caretakers. 
D)  No, because the reestablished population is now beginning to decline again. 
E)  It's unknown, because the condors cannot be reliably tracked after they are released.

Question 9

The Amur leopard now lives only in remote northern forests of Russia; the last census showed only 14-20 adults and 5-6 cubs surviving.The leopard no longer occurs in Korea or northern China.The Amur tiger had approximately the same range; in the 1940s, only 40 tigers remained in the Russian Far East.Russia gave government protection to the tiger, and the population has now increased to about 540 individuals.The IUCN classifies these two animals into different categories.Based on their current populations, one would expect the leopard to be classified as

Accepted Answer

A)  endangered and the tiger as critically endangered. 
B)  critically endangered and the tiger as endangered. 
C)  near threatened and the tiger as endangered. 
D)  endangered and the tiger as extinct in the wild. 
E)  extinct in the wild and the tiger as critically endangered. 
A)  endangered and the tiger as critically endangered. 
B)  critically endangered and the tiger as endangered. 
C)  near threatened and the tiger as endangered. 
D)  endangered and the tiger as extinct in the wild. 
E)  extinct in the wild and the tiger as critically endangered.

Question 10

Which action is the best example of restoration ecology?

Accepted Answer

A)  Converting an agricultural area into an industrial area 
B)  Returning an agricultural area back to its natural wetland state 
C)  Leaving an abandoned industrial site to return to nature on its own 
D)  Planting several new imported trees and shrubs on a suburban lawn 
E)  Adding windmills to an area of pastureland to provide wind energy 
A)  Converting an agricultural area into an industrial area 
B)  Returning an agricultural area back to its natural wetland state 
C)  Leaving an abandoned industrial site to return to nature on its own 
D)  Planting several new imported trees and shrubs on a suburban lawn 
E)  Adding windmills to an area of pastureland to provide wind energy

Question 11

The flightless dodo bird lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.It was the largest animal on the island and had no predators.When Portuguese ships landed in 1505, the dodo was easy prey for sailors wanting a new food source.It was trapped on the island and unable to fly, so it could not get away.Sailors also introduced rats, pigs, and monkeys, which ate the dodos' eggs.The dodo was extinct by 1681.Which factors were important in its extinction?

Accepted Answer

A)  Habitat loss and species invasions 
B)  Habitat loss and emerging diseases 
C)  Overharvesting and habitat loss 
D)  Overharvesting and species invasions 
E)  Overharvesting and emerging diseases 
A)  Habitat loss and species invasions 
B)  Habitat loss and emerging diseases 
C)  Overharvesting and habitat loss 
D)  Overharvesting and species invasions 
E)  Overharvesting and emerging diseases

Question 12

Conservation biologists in the past have concentrated on preserving ecosystems high in biodiversity.However, there has been a continued loss of biodiversity due to habitat loss, climate change, and other factors.The emphasis on preserving ecosystems is thus evolving to place a greater emphasis on rebuilding degraded ecosystems, a process known as _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Conservation biologists in the past have concentrated...

Question 13

The Miami blue butterfly was thought extinct since the 1980s, due to habitat loss and fragmentation, but two small isolated populations were recently found in the Florida Keys.There is no migration between the two populations, and effective population size is described as "critically low." Population fluctuations have been seen in recent generations, but there has been no drastic decline in population size.In the near future, the persistence of Miami blue butterfly populations will likely be threatened by all of the following factors except

Accepted Answer

A)  demographic stochasticity. 
B)  low genetic diversity. 
C)  external events such as storms. 
D)  effective population size. 
E)  captive breeding programs. 
A)  demographic stochasticity. 
B)  low genetic diversity. 
C)  external events such as storms. 
D)  effective population size. 
E)  captive breeding programs.

Question 14

Refer to the graphs.   Based on the graphs, which conclusion can reasonably be drawn about future extinctions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Extinctions are a minor concern; only 1 percent of species have gone extinct, and more than half of all organisms are classified as of "least concern." 
B)  Future extinctions are highly likely because 20 percent of assessed species are threatened-perhaps more, as data are deficient for another 20 percent. 
C)  No conclusions can be made, because the graph only covers a small percentage of existing species and data are deficient for many. 
D)  Only vertebrates are in danger of extinction; very few invertebrates or plants are threatened. 
E)  Only amphibians have enough threatened species to warrant concern about future extinctions. 
A)  Extinctions are a minor concern; only 1 percent of species have gone extinct, and more than half of all organisms are classified as of "least concern." 
B)  Future extinctions are highly likely because 20 percent of assessed species are threatened-perhaps more, as data are deficient for another 20 percent. 
C)  No conclusions can be made, because the graph only covers a small percentage of existing species and data are deficient for many. 
D)  Only vertebrates are in danger of extinction; very few invertebrates or plants are threatened. 
E)  Only amphibians have enough threatened species to warrant concern about future extinctions.

Question 15

An imported plant escapes from a greenhouse and begins to grow outdoors.Unnoticed at first, it proliferates and its seeds begin to spread.After several years, it occurs in the wild in several states.The plant grows faster than many native species and is difficult to eradicate.Which is the most likely result of this plant's introduction into the ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A)  It will coexist with no negative effects on native plant species. 
B)  It will become invasive and outcompete some native plant species. 
C)  Native plant species will outcompete it because they are adapted to the region. 
D)  It will eventually die out because it is non-native and not adapted to the region. 
E)  It will develop toxins and soon kill off all other plant species. 
A)  It will coexist with no negative effects on native plant species. 
B)  It will become invasive and outcompete some native plant species. 
C)  Native plant species will outcompete it because they are adapted to the region. 
D)  It will eventually die out because it is non-native and not adapted to the region. 
E)  It will develop toxins and soon kill off all other plant species.

Question 16

Tropical evergreen forests might be especially vulnerable to extinction because the trees

Accepted Answer

A)  occur in the tropics, where climate is unstable. 
B)  are abundant and may overgrow their available habitat. 
C)  are being lost at a rapid rate because of timber harvesting. 
D)  grow and reproduce relatively rapidly. 
E)  require sunlight to grow successfully. 
A)  occur in the tropics, where climate is unstable. 
B)  are abundant and may overgrow their available habitat. 
C)  are being lost at a rapid rate because of timber harvesting. 
D)  grow and reproduce relatively rapidly. 
E)  require sunlight to grow successfully.

Question 17

Up to the present, the factor responsible for most of Earth's loss of biodiversity has been

Accepted Answer

A)  overharvesting of biological resources. 
B)  climate change. 
C)  habitat loss and degradation. 
D)  species invasions and emerging diseases. 
E)  biological research. 
A)  overharvesting of biological resources. 
B)  climate change. 
C)  habitat loss and degradation. 
D)  species invasions and emerging diseases. 
E)  biological research.

Question 18

In the Hawaiian Islands, non-native mosquitoes introduced the blood disease malaria, which has wiped out nearly all low-elevation native birds.This species of mosquito was introduced, and because of its effect on native populations, it can now be considered _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the Hawaiian Islands, non-native mosquitoes introduced...

Question 19

Conservationists undertaking a restoration ecology project would most likely be seeking which outcome?

Accepted Answer

A)  Establishing a new ecosystem that had never before existed in that location 
B)  Producing an ecosystem that functions better than the original system 
C)  Speeding up the natural process of ecosystem restoration 
D)  Introducing rapidly reproducing exotic species to repopulate the ecosystem 
E)  Producing a very stable, unchanging ecosystem 
A)  Establishing a new ecosystem that had never before existed in that location 
B)  Producing an ecosystem that functions better than the original system 
C)  Speeding up the natural process of ecosystem restoration 
D)  Introducing rapidly reproducing exotic species to repopulate the ecosystem 
E)  Producing a very stable, unchanging ecosystem

Question 20

One way to determine whether a population is being overharvested is to determine when it is no longer sustainable-that is, when the population is being harvested faster than it can be replaced by its natural rate of reproduction.In the case of an exploited ocean fishery, an observer would first become aware that the fishery is being overharvested when fish biomass

Accepted Answer

A)  increases but the fish caught are smaller. 
B)  drops to near zero and the fishery collapses. 
C)  remains the same every year, even though fish are being harvested. 
D)  declines every year, even though the harvest rate remains the same. 
E)  declines every year, but only if the harvest rate increases. 
A)  increases but the fish caught are smaller. 
B)  drops to near zero and the fishery collapses. 
C)  remains the same every year, even though fish are being harvested. 
D)  declines every year, even though the harvest rate remains the same. 
E)  declines every year, but only if the harvest rate increases.

Exam 58: A Changing Biosphere

Which is the best example of a coupled human-natural system?

A program in which the National Wildlife Federation certifies individuals' backyards as wildlife-friendly habitats can be considered a _______ system.

Scientists consider amphibians, which die or show signs of stress in degraded environmental conditions, to be biological indicators for all of the following reasons except that they

Refer to the graphs. According to the graphs, the fledging success of a nesting forest bird will be less than 50 percent unless the bird is at least _______ meters from the forest edge.

All of these factors have been specifically implicated in the worldwide decline of amphibians except

An area that restricts or prohibits habitat loss and degradation and that is designed to conserve and manage biodiversity and to replenish populations that might otherwise become extinct is known as a(n)

Can captive breeding of the California condor be considered a success?

Which action is the best example of restoration ecology?

Refer to the graphs. Based on the graphs, which conclusion can reasonably be drawn about future extinctions?

Tropical evergreen forests might be especially vulnerable to extinction because the trees

Up to the present, the factor responsible for most of Earth's loss of biodiversity has been

In the Hawaiian Islands, non-native mosquitoes introduced the blood disease malaria, which has wiped out nearly all low-elevation native birds.This species of mosquito was introduced, and because of its effect on native populations, it can now be considered _______.

Conservationists undertaking a restoration ecology project would most likely be seeking which outcome?

Studying Life

Small Molecules and the Chemistry of Life

Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Lipids

Nucleic Acids and the Origin of Life

Cells: the Working Units of Life

Cell Membranes

Cell Communication and Multicellularity

Energy, Enzymes, and Metabolism

Pathways That Harvest Chemical Energy

Photosynthesis: Energy From Sunlight

The Cell Cycle and Cell Division

Inheritance, Genes, and Chromosomes

Dna and Its Role in Heredity

From Dna to Protein: Gene Expression

Gene Mutation and Molecular Medicine

Regulation of Gene Expression

Genomes

Recombinant Dna and Biotechnology

Mechanisms of Evolution

Reconstructing and Using Phylogenies

Speciation

Evolution of Genes and Genomes

The History of Life on Earth

Bacteria, Archaea, and Viruses

The Origin and Diversification of Eukaryotes

Plants Without Seeds: From Water to Land

The Evolution of Seed Plants

The Evolution and Diversity of Fungi

Animal Origins and the Evolution of Body Plans

Protostome Animals

Deuterostome Animals

The Plant Body

Transport in Plants

Plant Nutrition

Regulation of Plant Growth

Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Plant Responses to Environmental Challenges

Physiology, Homeostasis, and Temperature Regulation

Animal Hormones

Immunology: Animal Defense Systems

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Glia, and Nervous Systems

Sensory Systems

The Mammalian Nervous System: Structure and Higher Functions

Musculoskeletal Systems

Gas Exchange

Circulatory Systems

Nutrition, Digestion, and Absorption

Salt and Water Balance and Nitrogen Excretion

Animal Behavior

The Physical Environment and Biogeography of Life

Populations

Species Interactions

Communities

Ecosystems

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