Question 1

Many organisms that employ chemical defences also display

Accepted Answer

A)  crypsis. 
B)  aposematism. 
C)  camouflage. 
D)  Batesian colouration. 
A)  crypsis. 
B)  aposematism. 
C)  camouflage. 
D)  Batesian colouration. B

Question 2

Ladybugs (Coccinella septempunctata) produce bad-tasting alkaloids as a chemical defence against predators. Researchers wanted to determine the costs of this chemical defence. They fed ladybugs either small or large amounts of food and measured alkaloid production and concentrations of carotenoids in the ladybug bodies. Carotenoids are the chemicals responsible for the red colour of the ladybug, which advertises its unpalatability to predators. What do the results of this experiment, shown in the figure, indicate about costs of chemical defences?

Accepted Answer

Ladybugs fed large amounts of food produced more alkaloids and had more carotenoids in their bodies. These ladybugs were better able to advertise their unpalatability to predators through aposematism. These results indicated that chemical defences are energetically expensive for ladybugs to maintain.

Question 3

On Macquarie Island invasive rabbits were causing declines in palatable vegetation, and feral cats were preying on native birds. What was the primary result when a flea carrying a virus that killed the rabbits decreased rabbits' numbers on the island?

Accepted Answer

A)  Feral cats switched from eating rabbits to eating native birds. 
B)  Feral cats also died off because of the loss of the rabbit prey. 
C)  Native bird populations on the island increased. 
D)  Native plant populations on the island declined. 
A)  Feral cats switched from eating rabbits to eating native birds. 
B)  Feral cats also died off because of the loss of the rabbit prey. 
C)  Native bird populations on the island increased. 
D)  Native plant populations on the island declined. A

Question 4

The bombardier beetle (Stenaptinus insignis) deters predators by releasing boiling hot fluid from its abdomen. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  crypsis. 
B)  structural defence. 
C)  chemical defence. 
D)  behavioural defence. 
A)  crypsis. 
B)  structural defence. 
C)  chemical defence. 
D)  behavioural defence.

Question 5

In the study of brown anole lizards (Anolis sagrei) and orb-weaving spiders (Metepeira datona) on islands in the Bahamas, researchers concluded that

Accepted Answer

A)  spiders reduced lizard populations. 
B)  lizards reduced spider populations. 
C)  reintroduction of spiders caused increases in their population. 
D)  lizards did not affect spider populations. 
A)  spiders reduced lizard populations. 
B)  lizards reduced spider populations. 
C)  reintroduction of spiders caused increases in their population. 
D)  lizards did not affect spider populations.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a plant alkaloid?

Accepted Answer

A)  tannin 
B)  lignin 
C)  caffeine 
D)  latex 
A)  tannin 
B)  lignin 
C)  caffeine 
D)  latex

Question 7

Reductions in bay scallops in the Atlantic Ocean were caused by

Accepted Answer

A)  an increase in the top predator shark population. 
B)  an increase in the mesopredator cownose ray population. 
C)  a decrease in the mesopredator cownose ray population. 
D)  a decrease in the food supply of bay scallops. 
A)  an increase in the top predator shark population. 
B)  an increase in the mesopredator cownose ray population. 
C)  a decrease in the mesopredator cownose ray population. 
D)  a decrease in the food supply of bay scallops.

Question 8

Milkweeds use _____ as a chemical defence against herbivory.

Accepted Answer

A)  alkaloids 
B)  tannins 
C)  glycosides 
D)  resin 
A)  alkaloids 
B)  tannins 
C)  glycosides 
D)  resin

Question 9

How does the removal of top predators affect mesopredator populations?

Accepted Answer

A)  The mesopredator population declines because there is no control on population size. 
B)  The geographic range and abundance of mesopredators decline. 
C)  Mesopredator populations remain unchanged. 
D)  The geographic range and abundance of mesopredators increase. 
A)  The mesopredator population declines because there is no control on population size. 
B)  The geographic range and abundance of mesopredators decline. 
C)  Mesopredator populations remain unchanged. 
D)  The geographic range and abundance of mesopredators increase.

Question 10

A functional response in predator-prey cycles is the relation between the density of

Accepted Answer

A)  predators and an individual prey's rate of food consumption. 
B)  prey and an individual predator's rate of food consumption. 
C)  predators and an individual prey's rate of growth. 
D)  prey and an individual predator's rate of growth. 
A)  predators and an individual prey's rate of food consumption. 
B)  prey and an individual predator's rate of food consumption. 
C)  predators and an individual prey's rate of growth. 
D)  prey and an individual predator's rate of growth.

Question 11

Alarm signals in primates are an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  a chemical defence. 
B)  a structural defence. 
C)  a behavioural defence. 
D)  aposematism. 
A)  a chemical defence. 
B)  a structural defence. 
C)  a behavioural defence. 
D)  aposematism.

Question 12

Which of the following chemical defences makes plants difficult for herbivores to digest?

Accepted Answer

A)  alkaloids 
B)  latex 
C)  resins 
D)  tannins 
A)  alkaloids 
B)  latex 
C)  resins 
D)  tannins

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a behavioural defence against predation?

Accepted Answer

A)  alarm calling 
B)  spatial avoidance 
C)  camouflage 
D)  reduced activity 
A)  alarm calling 
B)  spatial avoidance 
C)  camouflage 
D)  reduced activity

Question 14

In Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions, the growth rate of the prey population is represented by

Accepted Answer

A)  cNP − rN. 
B)  r − cP. 
C)  crN − NP. 
D)  rN − cNP. 
A)  cNP − rN. 
B)  r − cP. 
C)  crN − NP. 
D)  rN − cNP.

Question 15

In Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions, the growth rate of the predator population is represented by

Accepted Answer

A)  NP − acmP. 
B)  acN − m. 
C)  acNP − mP. 
D)  cNP − amP. 
A)  NP − acmP. 
B)  acN − m. 
C)  acNP − mP. 
D)  cNP − amP.

Question 16

The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris), the hover fly (Helophilus pendulus), and the hornet clearwing (Sesia apiformis) all exhibit similar colour patterns, but only the wasp is harmful. What benefit, if any, do the hornet and fly gain from having colouring similar to that of the wasp?

Accepted Answer

The hornet and fly are employing Batesia

Question 17

The resemblance of poison dart frog species of the genus Ranitomeya to one another in Peru is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  Batesian mimicry. 
B)  Müllerian mimicry. 
C)  crypsis. 
D)  a chemical defence. 
A)  Batesian mimicry. 
B)  Müllerian mimicry. 
C)  crypsis. 
D)  a chemical defence.

Question 18

A numerical response is a change in the number of predators due all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  changes in prey abundances. 
B)  population growth. 
C)  immigration. 
D)  emigration. 
A)  changes in prey abundances. 
B)  population growth. 
C)  immigration. 
D)  emigration.

Question 19

Huffaker's laboratory experiment of predator and prey species of mites demonstrated that predator and prey cycles

Accepted Answer

A)  stabilize with increased food sources. 
B)  stabilize when males are added. 
C)  stabilize when prey have refuges. 
D)  are always unstable. 
A)  stabilize with increased food sources. 
B)  stabilize when males are added. 
C)  stabilize when prey have refuges. 
D)  are always unstable.

Question 20

Chameleon colour patterns are an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  structural defences. 
B)  aposematism. 
C)  behavioural defences. 
D)  crypsis. 
A)  structural defences. 
B)  aposematism. 
C)  behavioural defences. 
D)  crypsis.

Exam 14: Predation and Herbivory

Many organisms that employ chemical defences also display

On Macquarie Island invasive rabbits were causing declines in palatable vegetation, and feral cats were preying on native birds. What was the primary result when a flea carrying a virus that killed the rabbits decreased rabbits' numbers on the island?

The bombardier beetle (Stenaptinus insignis) deters predators by releasing boiling hot fluid from its abdomen. This is an example of

In the study of brown anole lizards (Anolis sagrei) and orb-weaving spiders (Metepeira datona) on islands in the Bahamas, researchers concluded that

Which of the following is an example of a plant alkaloid?

Reductions in bay scallops in the Atlantic Ocean were caused by

Milkweeds use _____ as a chemical defence against herbivory.

How does the removal of top predators affect mesopredator populations?

A functional response in predator-prey cycles is the relation between the density of

Alarm signals in primates are an example of

Which of the following chemical defences makes plants difficult for herbivores to digest?

Which of the following is NOT a behavioural defence against predation?

In Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions, the growth rate of the prey population is represented by

In Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions, the growth rate of the predator population is represented by

The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris), the hover fly (Helophilus pendulus), and the hornet clearwing (Sesia apiformis) all exhibit similar colour patterns, but only the wasp is harmful. What benefit, if any, do the hornet and fly gain from having colouring similar to that of the wasp?

The resemblance of poison dart frog species of the genus Ranitomeya to one another in Peru is an example of

A numerical response is a change in the number of predators due all of the following EXCEPT

Huffaker's laboratory experiment of predator and prey species of mites demonstrated that predator and prey cycles

Chameleon colour patterns are an example of

Introduction: Ecology, Evolution, and the Scientific Method

Adaptations to Aquatic Environments

Adaptations to Terrestrial Environments

Adaptations to Variable Environments

Climates and Soils

Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes

Evolution and Adaptation

Life Histories

Reproductive Strategies

Social Behaviours

Population Distributions

Population Growth and Regulation

Population Dynamics Over Space and Time

Parasitism and Infectious Diseases

Competition

Community Structure

Community Succession

Movement of Energy in Ecosystems

Movement of Elements in Ecosystems

Landscape Ecology, Biogeography, and Global Biodiversity

Global Conservation of Biodiversity

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