Question 1

An increase in rainfall brings more plant resources to a population of lizards,but it also brings more predators.These changes result in both an increase in fecundity and a decrease in survivorship.Under these conditions,which event is most likely?

Accepted Answer

A)  The per capita birth rate of the population will increase. 
B)  The per capita rate of growth of the population will be above zero. 
C)  The per capita rate of growth will increase. 
D)  Reproduction switching to older individuals 
E)  Both a and b

Question 2

Which statement about the rockfish Sebastes melanops is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  They grow continuously throughout their lives. 
B)  The larger females can produce the most eggs at any given time. 
C)  The larger females are the most able to provision eggs with resources. 
D)  Better provisioned young grow and survive better than those that are less well provisioned. 
E)  The smaller females can produce as many eggs as the larger females,but the eggs are smaller.

Question 3

Which statement about subpopulations within metapopulations is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  Compared to larger subpopulations,smaller subpopulations have a greater risk of going extinct due to environmental disturbances. 
B)  Compared to larger subpopulations,smaller subpopulations have a greater risk of going extinct because of chance factors. 
C)  Dispersal between subpopulations can increase the length of time during which a metapopulation can persist. 
D)  If the patch habitat is favorable,extinction of a small subpopulation is highly unlikely. 
E)  A subpopulation that exchanges migrants is an open system.

Question 4

Suppose the population density of a sample of a bagworm population is 45 per square meter.Assuming that the population is uniformly distributed,what would be the population size if the bagworms encompassed an area that was 1 km × 200 m?

Accepted Answer

A)  200,000 
B)  900,000 
C)  9 million 
D)  20 million 
E)  90 million

Question 5

Which observation best supports the argument that that human population of the Earth is still below its long-term carrying capacity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Climate change is occurring. 
B)  Marine ecosystems are being degraded. 
C)  Freshwater ecosystems are being degraded. 
D)  Wind and other renewable sources of energy are replacing fossil fuels. 
E)  Maintaining current levels of agricultural production depends on fertilizers derived from natural gas.

Question 6

The doubling time of a population of annual plants is 14 years.Assuming that the initial size of the population is 500 and that the rate of increase remains constant,how large will the population be after 42 years?

Accepted Answer

A)  1,000 
B)  1,500 
C)  2,000 
D)  4,000 
E)  8,000

Question 7

Eighty-one pocket gophers were present in Maddox Field at the start of 2006.During that year,24 individuals were born and 19 died.Twelve individuals immigrated and 10 emigrated.How many pocket gophers were present in Maddox Field at the start of 2007?

Accepted Answer

A)  76 
B)  81 
C)  86 
D)  88 
E)  146

Question 8

If a certain age interval in a population contains ten individuals and has a mortality rate of 1.00,how many individuals will be in the next older age interval?

Accepted Answer

A)  0 
B)  1 
C)  5 
D)  9 
E)  10

Question 9

Which is a major assumption of the BD model of population change?

Accepted Answer

A)  Populations always grow. 
B)  Populations are limited by a fixed carrying capacity. 
C)  Once an organism has acquired a unit of some resource,this resource can be used for only one function at a time. 
D)  Individuals do not move into or out of the population. 
E)  Population growth is density dependent.

Question 10

The relationship between the rate at which kangaroo rats can harvest seeds and the seed density best illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  the principle of allocation. 
B)  that resource acquisition increases with resource availability. 
C)  the diversity of life history traits. 
D)  that life histories are quantitative descriptions of life cycles. 
E)  the BD model of population change.

Question 11

Use the following to answer questions :
Refer to the figure below. 
-Under which conditions can both the rice weevil and the lesser grain borer persist indefinitely?

Accepted Answer

A)  10°C and 10% moisture 
B)  10°C and 14% moisture 
C)  20°C and 10% moisture 
D)  30°C and 10% moisture 
E)  30°C and 14% moisture

Question 12

If the survivorship of a sample of geese is 0.75 for the month of March,what is the fecundity of this sample?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.25 
B)  0.375 
C)  0.75 
D)  1 
E)  The answer cannot be determined from the data given.

Question 13

At the beginning of May,259 butterflies are found in a certain locality.During the month,45 butterflies emigrate,10 die,and 67 immigrate into the area.There are no butterfly births.What is the population size at the end of the month?

Accepted Answer

A)  192 
B)  249 
C)  271 
D)  281 
E)  346

Question 14

If a total of 2,400 oak trees are counted in a 6 km × 2 km rectangular patch of land,the density of the oak trees is _______ per square km.

Accepted Answer

A)  24 
B)  48 
C)  96 
D)  120 
E)  200

Question 15

Which factor would be most conducive to counting all of the individuals in a population instead of taking a sample?

Accepted Answer

A)  Small body size of the individuals in the population 
B)  Relatively stationary individuals 
C)  A large population 
D)  Difficulty distinguishing the boundaries of individuals 
E)  Rapidly moving individuals

Question 16

In resource allocation,the needs of _______ generally must be taken care of before resources can be devoted to other activities.

Accepted Answer

A)  growth 
B)  reproduction 
C)  fecundity 
D)  defense 
E)  maintenance

Question 17

The number of individuals in a population divided by the area that the population takes up is known as the _______ of the population.

Accepted Answer

A)  density 
B)  demography 
C)  structure 
D)  dispersion 
E)  dynamics

Question 18

What is the fundamental distinction between resources and physical conditions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Resources can be used up,but conditions cannot. 
B)  Conditions can be used up,but resources cannot. 
C)  Favorable resources can lead to higher fecundity rates,but favorable conditions cannot. 
D)  Favorable conditions can lead to higher fecundity rates,but favorable resources cannot. 
E)  The term "resources" is used when talking about the needs of animals,while the term "conditions" is used when talking about the needs of plants.

Exam 42: Populations