Question 1

How can species interactions increase the rate at which species evolve?

Accepted Answer

A)  Interactions reduce the effects of natural selection. 
B)  Interactions increase the fitness of all individuals. 
C)  Interactions make specialized traits more useful. 
D)  Interactions reduce the genetic variety in individuals. 
A)  Interactions reduce the effects of natural selection. 
B)  Interactions increase the fitness of all individuals. 
C)  Interactions make specialized traits more useful. 
D)  Interactions reduce the genetic variety in individuals.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a property used in the study of populations?

Accepted Answer

A)  density 
B)  change in size 
C)  composition 
D)  relative abundance 
A)  density 
B)  change in size 
C)  composition 
D)  relative abundance

Question 3

A mixotroph is an organism that

Accepted Answer

A)  consumes dead organic matter. 
B)  can be both a parasite and a predator. 
C)  survives only because of a symbiotic relationship. 
D)  can use multiple methods to obtain energy. 
A)  consumes dead organic matter. 
B)  can be both a parasite and a predator. 
C)  survives only because of a symbiotic relationship. 
D)  can use multiple methods to obtain energy.

Question 4

What method is used to increase experimental reliability?

Accepted Answer

A)  replication 
B)  proximate hypotheses 
C)  natural experiment 
D)  mathematical models 
A)  replication 
B)  proximate hypotheses 
C)  natural experiment 
D)  mathematical models

Question 5

Which consumes decomposing organic matter?

Accepted Answer

A)  detritovore 
B)  herbivore 
C)  parasite 
D)  predator 
E)  parasitoid 
A)  detritovore 
B)  herbivore 
C)  parasite 
D)  predator 
E)  parasitoid

Question 6

How might one hierarchical level that is not in steady state affect the hierarchical level above?

Accepted Answer

At the individual level not being in ste

Question 7

Which is the best action if an experiment does not support a hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  Create a mathematical model. 
B)  Revise the hypothesis. 
C)  Test the hypothesis again. 
D)  Publish your results. 
A)  Create a mathematical model. 
B)  Revise the hypothesis. 
C)  Test the hypothesis again. 
D)  Publish your results.

Question 8

A group of organisms that interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring is called

Accepted Answer

A)  a population. 
B)  a species. 
C)  a community. 
D)  a prokaryote. 
A)  a population. 
B)  a species. 
C)  a community. 
D)  a prokaryote.

Question 9

The formulation of hypotheses is a critical step in the scientific process. In the simplest terms, what is an hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  an explanation 
B)  an experiment 
C)  an observation 
D)  a proven fact 
A)  an explanation 
B)  an experiment 
C)  an observation 
D)  a proven fact

Question 10

Plants and animals exchange energy and materials with their physical environments. These exchanges occur across surfaces. In animals, surfaces tend to be internal, while in plants, surfaces tend to be external. Discuss the principal reason for this important difference.

Accepted Answer

Animals obtain energy from foods they co

Question 11

Explain the role of ecology in efforts to reduce the damage humans do to the environment.

Accepted Answer

Our ability to manage human im

Question 12

Which of the following has NOT caused increased habitat destruction?

Accepted Answer

A)  biofuel use 
B)  the pet trade 
C)  growing populations 
D)  cactus harvesting 
A)  biofuel use 
B)  the pet trade 
C)  growing populations 
D)  cactus harvesting

Question 13

Organisms that use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis are

Accepted Answer

A)  autotrophs. 
B)  consumers. 
C)  heterotrophs. 
D)  herbivores. 
A)  autotrophs. 
B)  consumers. 
C)  heterotrophs. 
D)  herbivores.

Question 14

Fishermen living along the North Pacific Rim felt threatened by increased populations of sea otters because sea otters consume commercially valuable abalone, sea urchins, and spiny lobster. What beneficial aspect of sea otter ecology did these fishermen ignore?

Accepted Answer

A)  Sea otters are consumed by killer whales, which would otherwise eat commercially valuable fish. 
B)  Sea otters catch and eat trash fish, allowing stocks of commercially valuable fish to increase. 
C)  Sea otters catch and eat sea urchins, thereby protecting kelps, which in turn shelter populations of larval fish. 
D)  Sea otters have been used in medical research to develop vaccines that protect domestic cats from a variety of diseases. 
A)  Sea otters are consumed by killer whales, which would otherwise eat commercially valuable fish. 
B)  Sea otters catch and eat trash fish, allowing stocks of commercially valuable fish to increase. 
C)  Sea otters catch and eat sea urchins, thereby protecting kelps, which in turn shelter populations of larval fish. 
D)  Sea otters have been used in medical research to develop vaccines that protect domestic cats from a variety of diseases.

Question 15

In a dynamic steady state

Accepted Answer

A)  there are no inputs or outputs to the system. 
B)  the second law of thermodynamics does not apply. 
C)  there is no net change in the system. 
D)  the system will continue to grow. 
A)  there are no inputs or outputs to the system. 
B)  the second law of thermodynamics does not apply. 
C)  there is no net change in the system. 
D)  the system will continue to grow.

Question 16

Explain why the sample variance is larger than the variance of the mean, especially for small samples.

Accepted Answer

The sample variance is larger than the v

Question 17

A phenotype is

Accepted Answer

A)  the traits an individual can pass on to its offspring. 
B)  the expression of an individual's traits. 
C)  an adaptation that increases fitness. 
D)  a trait caused by interaction with another species. 
A)  the traits an individual can pass on to its offspring. 
B)  the expression of an individual's traits. 
C)  an adaptation that increases fitness. 
D)  a trait caused by interaction with another species.

Question 18

Which would be the most informative about the reliability of data gathered in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)  low mean 
B)  high mean 
C)  low variance 
D)  high variance 
A)  low mean 
B)  high mean 
C)  low variance 
D)  high variance

Question 19

Eukaryotic organisms are distinguished by their

Accepted Answer

A)  inability to photosynthesize. 
B)  chloroplasts. 
C)  mitochondria. 
D)  single-cell structure. 
A)  inability to photosynthesize. 
B)  chloroplasts. 
C)  mitochondria. 
D)  single-cell structure.

Question 20

What pair of species would you expect to be commensalistic?

Accepted Answer

A)  owls and oak trees 
B)  fruit bats and herons 
C)  rats and foxes 
D)  algae and kelp 
A)  owls and oak trees 
B)  fruit bats and herons 
C)  rats and foxes 
D)  algae and kelp

Exam 1: Introduction: Ecology, Evolution, and the Scientific Method

How can species interactions increase the rate at which species evolve?

Which of the following is NOT a property used in the study of populations?

A mixotroph is an organism that

What method is used to increase experimental reliability?

Which consumes decomposing organic matter?

How might one hierarchical level that is not in steady state affect the hierarchical level above?

Which is the best action if an experiment does not support a hypothesis?

A group of organisms that interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring is called

The formulation of hypotheses is a critical step in the scientific process. In the simplest terms, what is an hypothesis?

Plants and animals exchange energy and materials with their physical environments. These exchanges occur across surfaces. In animals, surfaces tend to be internal, while in plants, surfaces tend to be external. Discuss the principal reason for this important difference.

Explain the role of ecology in efforts to reduce the damage humans do to the environment.

Which of the following has NOT caused increased habitat destruction?

Organisms that use photosynthesis or chemosynthesis are

Fishermen living along the North Pacific Rim felt threatened by increased populations of sea otters because sea otters consume commercially valuable abalone, sea urchins, and spiny lobster. What beneficial aspect of sea otter ecology did these fishermen ignore?

In a dynamic steady state

Explain why the sample variance is larger than the variance of the mean, especially for small samples.

A phenotype is

Which would be the most informative about the reliability of data gathered in an experiment?

Eukaryotic organisms are distinguished by their

What pair of species would you expect to be commensalistic?

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

Predation and Herbivory

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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