Assignment
Choose
five (5) of the fo
llowing ques
tion
s to answer.
Please answer each
question in one or two complete sentences.
Each question/answer is worth 1
point.
You may answer one (1) additional question for extra credit.
(A) Explain the concept of resource partitioning.
(B) Some spe
cies are generalists while others are specialists.
What do these
terms mean?
(C) What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific
competition?
Include examples in your explanation.
(D) What is
coevolution
and why does it happen?
(E) Sometimes predator and prey populations oscillate/cycle in synchrony with
each other.
Explain why this happens.
(F) Explain the concept of ecological resilience.
(G) Explain the concept of climax community.
Individual species will continually evolve as a result of _______, with certain genetic
combinations becoming more predominant.
Multiple Choice
·
coevolution
·
convergent evolution
·
punctuated equilibrium
·
natural selection
·
gradualism
Sled dogs have a thick coat of hair that helps them withstand the cold temperatures of the Arctic.
Compare that adaption to a single, unrelated dog that grows a thicker coat in the fall in response
to colder temperatures. The adaptation of the sled dog bes
t describes adaptation at the
____________ level while the dog exposed to seasonal colder temperatures has _____________.
Multiple Choice
·
regional; natural selection at the individual level
·
individual; physiological modifications at the population level
·
population; physiological modifications at the individual level
·
species; natural selection at the population level
·
ecosystem; physiological modifications at the individual level
_________ is the development of a new species.
Multiple Choice
·
Adaption
·
Specia
tion
·
Ecotone
·
Evolution
·
Mutation
Evolution occurs as a result of
Multiple Choice
· the discovery of a desirable characteristic in a population.
· an individual’s physiological modification.
· environmental change that forces modification in a resident species.
· better survival or reproduction rates by individuals with a particular characteristic.
· a population’s physiological modification.
Natural selection will ultimately make a species
Multiple Choice
· more intelligent.
· physically bigger.
· better adapted to its environment.
· more aggressive.
· less vulnerable to its predators.
___________ is the place or set of environmental conditions in which a particular organism lives.
Multiple Choice
· Adaptation
· Habitat
· Tolerance range
· Resource partition
· Niche
What would you label the range of temperature from 95°F to 96°F for this particular species?
Multiple Choice
· zone of intolerance
· tolerance
limit range
· zone of physiological stress
· optimal range
· range of tolerance
All of the environmental factors which contribute to where a species lives and its role within the community is its
Multiple Choice
· distribution
· niche
· specialty
· resilience
· tolerance
New species can arise when
Multiple Choice
· a barrier separates a population into subpopulations.
· resource partitioning occurs for a long period of time.
· there is great competition within a species.
· two species compete with each other.
A titmouse and a chickadee are living in the same territory and are using some of the same resources. The best way to classify this interaction is as
Multiple Choice
· mutualism
.
· intraspecific competition.
· interspecific competition.
· symbiosis
.
· commensalism
.
An especially effective strategy for reducing competition between members of the same species is
Multiple Choice
· different ecological niches for juveniles and adults.
· rapid reproduction.
· eating prey before they are “ready” (ripe) for other species.
· resource partitioning.
· None of these since the examples given are for reducing competition between species.
Symbiosis means
Multiple Choice
· a relationship in which both species benefit.
· a parasitic relationship.
· commensalism.
· living together, i.e. two species have a close relationship.
· a relationship in which one species benefits and the other does not benefit.
In the partnership of a lichen, the fungus provides _________ and the relationship is best described as _______.
Multiple Choice
· most of the photosynthesis; symbiosis
· poisons that deter predation; commensalism
· structure and moisture-holding ability; mutualism
· very little to the algal partner; parasitism
· some of the photosynthesis; commensalism
Two unpalatable or dangerous species which have warning patterns or colors and appear similar are an example of _________________.
Multiple Choice
· symbiosis
· competitive exclusion
· mutualism
· commensalism
· Mullerian mimicry
Beavers live in wetland communities they make through damming streams. A small number of beavers contribute to the entire community. The ponds they create support many types of birds and aquatic life. Beavers are an example of a ________________ species.
Multiple Choice
· commensalistic
· dominant
· keystone
· mutualistic
· predator
A tapeworm lives in the gut of an animal taking nutrients from the food the animal eats preventing the animal from receiving most of the nutrients. What type of symbiosis is this?
Multiple Choice
· parasitism
· commensalism
· mutualism
· keystone
· mimicry
Which of the following does NOT contribute to limits on population growth?
Multiple Choice
· amount of available food
· number of offspring produced at one time
· a disease-causing organism entering a population
· average annual temperature
Choose five (5) of the fo
llowing questions to answer.
Please answer each
question in one or two complete sentences.
Each question/answer is worth 1
point.
You may answer one (1) additional question for extra credit.
(A) Explain the concept of resource partitioning.
(B) Some spe
cies are generalists while others are specialists.
What do these
terms mean?
(C) What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific
competition?
Include examples in your explanation.
(D) What is coevolution and why does it happen?
(E) Sometimes predator and prey populations oscillate/cycle in synchrony with
each other.
Explain why this happens.
(F) Explain the concept of ecological resilience.
(G) Explain the concept of climax community.
Individual species will continually evolve as a result of _______, with certain genetic
combinations becoming more predominant.
Multiple Choice
·
coevolution
·
convergent evolution
·
punctuated equilibrium
·
natural selection
·
gradualism
Sled dogs have a thick coat of hair that helps them withstand the cold temperatures of the Arctic.
Compare that adaption to a single, unrelated dog that grows a thicker coat in the fall in response
to colder temperatures. The adaptation of the sled dog bes
t describes adaptation at the
____________ level while the dog exposed to seasonal colder temperatures has _____________.
Multiple Choice
·
regional; natural selection at the individual level
·
individual; physiological modifications at the population level
·
population; physiological modifications at the individual level
·
species; natural selection at the population level
·
ecosystem; physiological modifications at the individual level
_________ is the development of a new species.
Multiple Choice
·
Adaption
·
Specia
tion
·
Ecotone
·
Evolution
·
Mutation
Choose five (5) of the following questions to answer. Please answer each
question in one or two complete sentences. Each question/answer is worth 1
point. You may answer one (1) additional question for extra credit.
(A) Explain the concept of resource partitioning.
(B) Some species are generalists while others are specialists. What do these
terms mean?
(C) What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific
competition? Include examples in your explanation.
(D) What is coevolution and why does it happen?
(E) Sometimes predator and prey populations oscillate/cycle in synchrony with
each other. Explain why this happens.
(F) Explain the concept of ecological resilience.
(G) Explain the concept of climax community.
Individual species will continually evolve as a result of _______, with certain genetic
combinations becoming more predominant.
Multiple Choice
coevolution
convergent evolution
punctuated equilibrium
natural selection
gradualism
Sled dogs have a thick coat of hair that helps them withstand the cold temperatures of the Arctic.
Compare that adaption to a single, unrelated dog that grows a thicker coat in the fall in response
to colder temperatures. The adaptation of the sled dog best describes adaptation at the
____________ level while the dog exposed to seasonal colder temperatures has _____________.
Multiple Choice
regional; natural selection at the individual level
individual; physiological modifications at the population level
population; physiological modifications at the individual level
species; natural selection at the population level
ecosystem; physiological modifications at the individual level
_________ is the development of a new species.
Multiple Choice
Adaption
Speciation
Ecotone
Evolution
Mutation
An
organism’s biotic potential is the max
imum number of offspring
Multiple Choice
·
that it can produce.
·
that survive to adulthood.
·
its habitat can support.
·
it produces at one time.
·
it actually produces over its lifetime.
A dieback, or population crash, often occurs after a species ________ its env
ironmental
carrying capacity.
Multiple Choice
·
meets
·
overshoots
·
undershoots
·
oscillates around
·
decreases
Which of the following is NOT generally true of k
–
selected
species compared to r
-selected
species?
Multiple Choice
·
they have shorter generation times
·
they reach sexual maturity later
·
they have fewer young
·
they have longer life spans
·
they have slower popu
lation growth rates
In the real world, many factors determine the numbers of organisms in any one population.
Yet, a SUPERFLY with unlimited food and no mortality would show what type of growth?
Multiple Choice
·
carrying capacity geometric increase
·
disr
uptive growth
·
exponential growth
·
logistic growth
·
Malthusian growth
Most populations don’t grow in size indefinitely.
Instead population size hovers around its
_______________ because the environment can only support so many individuals.
Multiple Choice
· biotic potential
· carrying capacity
· limit
· optimal size
· r-density
Ultimately, population size is controlled by
Multiple Choice
· average annual rainfall.
· climate
· light availability
· limited resources.
A biological community’s primary productivity is a measure of
Multiple Choice
· its number of species.
· the number of individuals in the community.
· available solar energy that can be converted to biomass.
· the amount of biomass produced in the community.
· number of species and biomass.
In a biological community where diversity is great, such as a tropical rainforest, the abundance of any one species is likely to be
Multiple Choice
· great.
· small.
· widely variable from year to year.
· unrelated to diversity.
Complexity in an ecological community has to do with the number of
Multiple Choice
· species in the population.
· species at each trophic level.
· genetic variations within a species.
· primary producers available.
· species that recover from a disturbance.
A community with hundreds of different types of primary producers, a few herbivores, and only one carnivore, has
Multiple Choice
· little complexity.
· little diversity.
· a great deal of complexity.
· low productivity.
· a great deal of productivity.
Which of these does NOT increase diversity?
Multiple Choice
· few niches
· habitat edges
· plenty of sunlight
· warm climate
· year-round moisture
If a community can support the same species even after a disturbance, we describe the community as
Multiple Choice
· being diverse.
· being stable.
· having a core habitat.
· successional.
Primary succession occurs when a community develops ____________ while secondary succession occurs when one ________.
Multiple Choice
· into a climax community; species replaces another
· and replaces another; ecosystem becomes stable
· on unoccupied ground; biological community replaces another
· and then fails; niche changes
· intraspecific competition; experiences interspecific competition
As ecological development proceeds, a biological community
Multiple Choice
· gradually stagnates.
· becomes more diverse.
· goes through repeated secondary succession stages.
· goes through repeated primary succession stages.
· becomes less complex.
A climax community is one that
Multiple Choice
· is relatively stable and long lasting.
· lasts forever.
· contains oaks or white spruce.
· is impervious to disruption.
· is adapted to periodic disruption.
Which of these is a characteristic of a pioneer species?
Multiple Choice
· cannot tolerate high light conditions
· grow slowly
· need little water
· require many nutrients
In which situation would primary succession occur?
Multiple Choice
· A volcanic eruption covers an area with a thick layer of lava that cools to hardened rock.
· A forest fire burns all of the trees and shrubs in a large area of forest.
· An area of farmland is left alone and no longer farmed.
· A forest is clear cut, removing all of the vegetation.
· A grassland is burned leaving nothing but ash on the soil.
Clear cutting and removing all of the vegetation is an example of
Multiple Choice
· a disturbance.
· climax.
· instability
· succession.
Which of these would NOT be a benefit of a forest fire?
Multiple Choice
· cones open and seed coats split
· competition from the dominant species is diminished
· light is brought into the understory of the forest
· nutrients are removed from the soil
An organism’s biotic potential is the maximum number of offspring
Multiple Choice
· that it can produce.
· that survive to adulthood.
· its habitat can support.
· it produces at one time.
· it actually produces over its lifetime.
A dieback, or population crash, often occurs after a species ________ its environmental
carrying capacity.
Multiple Choice
· meets
· overshoots
· undershoots
· oscillates around
· decreases
Which of the following is NOT generally true of k-selected species compared to r-selected
species?
Multiple Choice
· they have shorter generation times
· they reach sexual maturity later
· they have fewer young
· they have longer life spans
· they have slower population growth rates
In the real world, many factors determine the numbers of organisms in any one population. Yet, a SUPERFLY with unlimited food and no mortality would show what type of growth?
Multiple Choice
· carrying capacity geometric increase
· disruptive growth
· exponential growth
· logistic growth
· Malthusian growth
Most populations don’t grow in size indefinitely. Instead population size hovers around its _______________ because the environment can only support so many individuals.
Multiple Choice
· biotic potential
· carrying capacity
· limit
· optimal size
· r-density
Ultimately, population size is controlled by
Multiple Choice
· average annual rainfall.
· climate
· light availability
· limited resources.
A biological community’s primary productivity is a measure of
Multiple Choice
· its number of species.
· the number of individuals in the community.
· available solar energy that can be converted to biomass.
· the amount of biomass produced in the community.
· number of species and biomass.
In a biological community where diversity is great, such as a tropical rainforest, the abundance of any one species is likely to be
Multiple Choice
· great.
· small.
· widely variable from year to year.
· unrelated to diversity.
Complexity in an ecological community has to do with the number of
Multiple Choice
· species in the population.
· species at each trophic level.
· genetic variations within a species.
· primary producers available.
· species that recover from a disturbance.
A community with hundreds of different types of primary producers, a few herbivores, and only one carnivore, has
Multiple Choice
· little complexity.
· little diversity.
· a great deal of complexity.
· low productivity.
· a great deal of productivity.
Which of these does NOT increase diversity?
Multiple Choice
· few niches
· habitat edges
· plenty of sunlight
· warm climate
· year-round moisture
If a community can support the same species even after a disturbance, we describe the community as
Multiple Choice
· being diverse.
· being stable.
· having a core habitat.
· successional.
Primary succession occurs when a community develops ____________ while secondary succession occurs when one ________.
Multiple Choice
· into a climax community; species replaces another
· and replaces another; ecosystem becomes stable
· on unoccupied ground; biological community replaces another
· and then fails; niche changes
· intraspecific competition; experiences interspecific competition
As ecological development proceeds, a biological community
Multiple Choice
· gradually stagnates.
· becomes more diverse.
· goes through repeated secondary succession stages.
· goes through repeated primary succession stages.
· becomes less complex.
A climax community is one that
Multiple Choice
· is relatively stable and long lasting.
· lasts forever.
· contains oaks or white spruce.
· is impervious to disruption.
· is adapted to periodic disruption.
Which of these is a characteristic of a pioneer species?
Multiple Choice
· cannot tolerate high light conditions
· grow slowly
· need little water
· require many nutrients
In which situation would primary succession occur?
Multiple Choice
· A volcanic eruption covers an area with a thick layer of lava that cools to hardened rock.
· A forest fire burns all of the trees and shrubs in a large area of forest.
· An area of farmland is left alone and no longer farmed.
· A forest is clear cut, removing all of the vegetation.
· A grassland is burned leaving nothing but ash on the soil.
Clear cutting and removing all of the vegetation is an example of
Multiple Choice
· a disturbance.
· climax.
· instability
· succession.
Which of these would NOT be a benefit of a forest fire?
Multiple Choice
· cones open and seed coats split
· competition from the dominant species is diminished
· light is brought into the understory of the forest
· nutrients are removed from the soil
An organism’s biotic potential is the max
imum number of offspring
Multiple Choice
·
that it can produce.
·
that survive to adulthood.
·
its habitat can support.
·
it produces at one time.
·
it actually produces over its lifetime.
A dieback, or population crash, often occurs after a species ________ its env
ironmental
carrying capacity.
Multiple Choice
·
meets
·
overshoots
·
undershoots
·
oscillates around
·
decreases
Which of the following is NOT generally true of k
–
selected species compared to r
–
selected
species?
Multiple Choice
·
they have shorter generation times
·
they reach sexual maturity later
·
they have fewer young
·
they have longer life spans
·
they have slower popu
lation growth rates
In the real world, many factors determine the numbers of organisms in any one population.
Yet, a SUPERFLY with unlimited food and no mortality would show what type of growth?
Multiple Choice
·
carrying capacity geometric increase
·
disr
uptive growth
·
exponential growth
·
logistic growth
·
Malthusian growth
Most populations don’t grow in size indefinitely.
Instead population size hovers around its
_______________ because the environment can only support so many individuals.
An organism’s biotic potential is the maximum number of offspring
Multiple Choice
that it can produce.
that survive to adulthood.
its habitat can support.
it produces at one time.
it actually produces over its lifetime.
A dieback, or population crash, often occurs after a species ________ its environmental
carrying capacity.
Multiple Choice
meets
overshoots
undershoots
oscillates around
decreases
Which of the following is NOT generally true of k-selected species compared to r-selected
species?
Multiple Choice
they have shorter generation times
they reach sexual maturity later
they have fewer young
they have longer life spans
they have slower population growth rates
In the real world, many factors determine the numbers of organisms in any one population.
Yet, a SUPERFLY with unlimited food and no mortality would show what type of growth?
Multiple Choice
carrying capacity geometric increase
disruptive growth
exponential growth
logistic growth
Malthusian growth
Most populations don’t grow in size indefinitely. Instead population size hovers around its
_______________ because the environment can only support so many individuals.