Question 1

The first plants in a successional sequence are called the ______________.

Accepted Answer

pioneer community

Question 2

A tendency for a community to maintain its structure even when subject to potential disturbance is called ____________.

Accepted Answer

resistance

Question 3

High nitrogen retention early in stream succession is probably due to

Accepted Answer

A) nitrogen fixation by aquatic fungi. 
B) increasing biomass of algal and animal populations. 
C) increasing nitrogen inputs from surrounding terrestrial soils. 
D) increasing binding of nitrogen to developing organic sediments. 
E) reduced denitrification following disturbance. 
A) nitrogen fixation by aquatic fungi. 
B) increasing biomass of algal and animal populations. 
C) increasing nitrogen inputs from surrounding terrestrial soils. 
D) increasing binding of nitrogen to developing organic sediments. 
E) reduced denitrification following disturbance. B

Question 4

"Primary" succession is succession that

Accepted Answer

A) involves establishment of primary producers where there were none. 
B) leads to establishment of a climax community dominated by primary producers. 
C) occurs on newly exposed geologic substrates,not organic soil. 
D) occurs where organic soils have been exposed but not destroyed by disturbance. 
E) occurs after fire or agricultural abandonment. 
A) involves establishment of primary producers where there were none. 
B) leads to establishment of a climax community dominated by primary producers. 
C) occurs on newly exposed geologic substrates,not organic soil. 
D) occurs where organic soils have been exposed but not destroyed by disturbance. 
E) occurs after fire or agricultural abandonment.

Question 5

_________ is the ability of a community or ecosystem to maintain structure in the face of potential disturbance.

Accepted Answer

A) Resilience 
B) Elasticity 
C) Resistance 
D) Plasticity 
E) Flexibility 
A) Resilience 
B) Elasticity 
C) Resistance 
D) Plasticity 
E) Flexibility

Question 6

According to the "inhibition" hypothesis,pioneer species modify the environment in ways that

Accepted Answer

A) make it less suitable for other species. 
B) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of other pioneer species. 
C) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of late-successional species. 
D) make it more suitable for survival of all species. 
E) in this model,pioneer species do not modify the environment. 
A) make it less suitable for other species. 
B) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of other pioneer species. 
C) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of late-successional species. 
D) make it more suitable for survival of all species. 
E) in this model,pioneer species do not modify the environment.

Question 7

The pioneer species at Glacier Bay,Alaska include

Accepted Answer

A) mosses. 
B) Dryas. 
C) alders. 
D) horsetails. 
E) hemlocks. 
A) mosses. 
B) Dryas. 
C) alders. 
D) horsetails. 
E) hemlocks.

Question 8

In secondary succession on abandoned fields in the Piedmont of North Carolina,important pioneer species include

Accepted Answer

A) horsetails. 
B) Dryas. 
C) broomsedge (Andropogon). 
D) pine seedlings. 
E) crabgrass and horseweed. 
A) horsetails. 
B) Dryas. 
C) broomsedge (Andropogon). 
D) pine seedlings. 
E) crabgrass and horseweed.

Question 9

During primary succession at Glacier Bay,overall plant species diversity

Accepted Answer

A) first increases rapidly,then levels off. 
B) increases steadily throughout succession. 
C) increases slowly at first,then more rapidly after a few hundred years. 
D) peaks at intermediate successional stages. 
E) decreases steadily throughout succession. 
A) first increases rapidly,then levels off. 
B) increases steadily throughout succession. 
C) increases slowly at first,then more rapidly after a few hundred years. 
D) peaks at intermediate successional stages. 
E) decreases steadily throughout succession.

Question 10

Which statement about changing ecosystem properties during succession is false?

Accepted Answer

A) biomass increases 
B) community respiration increases 
C) primary production increases 
D) soil depths decrease 
E) stream spiraling lengths decrease 
A) biomass increases 
B) community respiration increases 
C) primary production increases 
D) soil depths decrease 
E) stream spiraling lengths decrease

Question 11

During primary succession at Glacier Bay,species diversity continues to increase throughout succession for which group(s)of plants?

Accepted Answer

A) tall shrubs and trees 
B) low shrubs and herbs 
C) mosses 
D) lichens 
E) all groups of plants 
A) tall shrubs and trees 
B) low shrubs and herbs 
C) mosses 
D) lichens 
E) all groups of plants

Question 12

In the "transition phase" of forest succession,

Accepted Answer

A) biomass increases rapidly as the community reorganizes. 
B) biomass declines from an earlier peak. 
C) biomass stays constant,but species composition turns over rapidly. 
D) nutrient export increases dramatically and soils become depleted. 
E) one climax community gives way to another. 
A) biomass increases rapidly as the community reorganizes. 
B) biomass declines from an earlier peak. 
C) biomass stays constant,but species composition turns over rapidly. 
D) nutrient export increases dramatically and soils become depleted. 
E) one climax community gives way to another.

Question 13

Given the following data,determine the interquartile range:

Accepted Answer

A) 2 to 126 
B) 5 to 79 
C) 45 to 67 
D) 18 to 71 
E) 56$\pm$40 
A) 2 to 126 
B) 5 to 79 
C) 45 to 67 
D) 18 to 71 
E) 56$\pm$40

Question 14

Succession in old fields in the Piedmont of North Carolina involves succession driven

Accepted Answer

A) largely by facilitation. 
B) largely by inhibition. 
C) largely by tolerance. 
D) both by inhibition and by tolerance. 
E) both by facilitation and by inhibition. 
A) largely by facilitation. 
B) largely by inhibition. 
C) largely by tolerance. 
D) both by inhibition and by tolerance. 
E) both by facilitation and by inhibition.

Question 15

On intertidal boulders in California,the climax community is dominated by perennial red algae.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

In the Piedmont of North Carolina,as plant diversity increases through secondary succession,bird diversity

Accepted Answer

A) increases at first,but then declines late in succession. 
B) increases steadily through succession. 
C) increases slowly at first,but then rapidly late in succession. 
D) increases rapidly at first,then plateaus late in succession. 
E) first decreases,but later increases. 
A) increases at first,but then declines late in succession. 
B) increases steadily through succession. 
C) increases slowly at first,but then rapidly late in succession. 
D) increases rapidly at first,then plateaus late in succession. 
E) first decreases,but later increases.

Question 17

___________ occurs in areas where disturbance destroyed the previous community without destroying the soil.

Accepted Answer

A) Pioneer succession 
B) Climax succession 
C) Secondary succession 
D) Primary succession 
E) Disturbance succession 
A) Pioneer succession 
B) Climax succession 
C) Secondary succession 
D) Primary succession 
E) Disturbance succession

Question 18

According to the "facilitation" hypothesis,pioneer species modify the environment in ways that

Accepted Answer

A) make it more suitable for their own survival,and less suitable for other species. 
B) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of other pioneer species. 
C) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of late-successional species. 
D) make it less suitable for survival of all species. 
E) make it more suitable for survival of all species. 
A) make it more suitable for their own survival,and less suitable for other species. 
B) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of other pioneer species. 
C) make it less suitable for their own survival,but more suitable for survival of late-successional species. 
D) make it less suitable for survival of all species. 
E) make it more suitable for survival of all species.

Question 19

As Hawaiian lava flows age over 4 million years,

Accepted Answer

A) total soil phosphorous levels decrease. 
B) total soil phosphorous levels increase. 
C) total soil phosphorous stays about the same,but more phosphorous becomes refractory. 
D) total soil phosphorous stays about the same,but more phosphorous becomes weatherable. 
E) phosphorous limitation of primary production becomes less important. 
A) total soil phosphorous levels decrease. 
B) total soil phosphorous levels increase. 
C) total soil phosphorous stays about the same,but more phosphorous becomes refractory. 
D) total soil phosphorous stays about the same,but more phosphorous becomes weatherable. 
E) phosphorous limitation of primary production becomes less important.

Question 20

Pine communities are eventually replaced by oak-hickory communities after about 150 years of old field succession on the Piedmont Plateau of North Carolina because

Accepted Answer

A) mature pines are susceptible to a fungal disease called pine blight. 
B) juvenile pines are susceptible to a fungal disease called pine blight. 
C) juvenile pines cannot grow in the low pH soil that results as pine litter decomposes. 
D) juvenile pines cannot grow in the shade of mature pines. 
E) mature pines require an association with mycorrhizal fungi which are excluded from this area by low pH soils. 
A) mature pines are susceptible to a fungal disease called pine blight. 
B) juvenile pines are susceptible to a fungal disease called pine blight. 
C) juvenile pines cannot grow in the low pH soil that results as pine litter decomposes. 
D) juvenile pines cannot grow in the shade of mature pines. 
E) mature pines require an association with mycorrhizal fungi which are excluded from this area by low pH soils.

Exam 20: Succession and Stability

The first plants in a successional sequence are called the ______________.

A tendency for a community to maintain its structure even when subject to potential disturbance is called ____________.

High nitrogen retention early in stream succession is probably due to

"Primary" succession is succession that

_________ is the ability of a community or ecosystem to maintain structure in the face of potential disturbance.

According to the "inhibition" hypothesis,pioneer species modify the environment in ways that

The pioneer species at Glacier Bay,Alaska include

In secondary succession on abandoned fields in the Piedmont of North Carolina,important pioneer species include

During primary succession at Glacier Bay,overall plant species diversity

Which statement about changing ecosystem properties during succession is false?

During primary succession at Glacier Bay,species diversity continues to increase throughout succession for which group(s)of plants?

In the "transition phase" of forest succession,

Given the following data,determine the interquartile range:

Succession in old fields in the Piedmont of North Carolina involves succession driven

On intertidal boulders in California,the climax community is dominated by perennial red algae.

In the Piedmont of North Carolina,as plant diversity increases through secondary succession,bird diversity

___________ occurs in areas where disturbance destroyed the previous community without destroying the soil.

According to the "facilitation" hypothesis,pioneer species modify the environment in ways that

As Hawaiian lava flows age over 4 million years,

Pine communities are eventually replaced by oak-hickory communities after about 150 years of old field succession on the Piedmont Plateau of North Carolina because

Introduction to Ecology: Historical Foundations and Developing Frontiers

Life on Land

Life in Water

Population Genetics and Natural Selection

Temperature Relations

Water Relations

Energy and Nutrient Relations

Social Relations

Population Distribution and Abundance

Population Dynamics

Population Growth

Life Histories

Competition

Exploitative Interactions: Predation, herbivory, parasitism, and Disease

Mutualism

Species Abundance and Diversity

Species Interactions and Community Structure

Primary Production and Energy Flow

Nutrient Cycling and Retention

Landscape Ecology

Geographic Ecology

Global Ecology

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