Question 1

Refer to the figure.
  What type of growth does this population appear to be showing?

Accepted Answer

A)  Logistic 
B)  Negative 
C)  Exponential 
D)  Cycling 
A)  Logistic 
B)  Negative 
C)  Exponential 
D)  Cycling

Question 2

Which statement about environmental stochasticity is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Environmental stochasticity places grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park at risk for extinction despite the average positive growth rate of this population. 
B)  There is no fundamental difference between environmental stochasticity and demographic stochasticity. 
C)  In a situation of environmental stochasticity, the underlying birth and death rates of individuals are constant across years. 
D)  Extinction is much less likely to occur during periods of environmental stochasticity. 
A)  Environmental stochasticity places grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park at risk for extinction despite the average positive growth rate of this population. 
B)  There is no fundamental difference between environmental stochasticity and demographic stochasticity. 
C)  In a situation of environmental stochasticity, the underlying birth and death rates of individuals are constant across years. 
D)  Extinction is much less likely to occur during periods of environmental stochasticity.

Question 3

In the 1950s, Nicholson's experiments with blowflies showed that delayed density dependence can produce population cycles. If the experimental subjects in these studies had been blowflies with somewhat lower growth rates, he most likely would have observed which pattern of population dynamics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dampened oscillations 
B)  Exponential growth 
C)  Population outbreaks at unpredictable intervals 
D)  Demographic stochasticity 
A)  Dampened oscillations 
B)  Exponential growth 
C)  Population outbreaks at unpredictable intervals 
D)  Demographic stochasticity

Question 4

Refer to the figure.
  The figure is derived from studies of the populations and per-individual growth rates of three species of rodents in the U.S. desert southwest. According to the figure, which population(s) show(s) evidence of Allee effects?

Accepted Answer

A)  Population A only 
B)  Population B only 
C)  Population C only 
D)  Populations A and B 
A)  Population A only 
B)  Population B only 
C)  Population C only 
D)  Populations A and B

Question 5

Nicholson (1957) found that when adult sheep blowfly populations are high, egg production by blowflies

Accepted Answer

A)  increases dramatically. 
B)  increases slightly. 
C)  stays the same as when populations are low. 
D)  decreases and few or no eggs are produced. 
A)  increases dramatically. 
B)  increases slightly. 
C)  stays the same as when populations are low. 
D)  decreases and few or no eggs are produced.

Question 6

Refer to the figure.
  Based on the data in the figure, what is the carrying capacity in this environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  5 
B)  10 
C)  28 
D)  39 
A)  5 
B)  10 
C)  28 
D)  39

Question 7

Refer to the figure.
  
-Between 1988 and 1990, the Turkish anchovy population was _______ and the zooplankton population was _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  increasing; increasing 
B)  decreasing; decreasing 
C)  decreasing; increasing 
D)  increasing; decreasing 
A)  increasing; increasing 
B)  decreasing; decreasing 
C)  decreasing; increasing 
D)  increasing; decreasing

Question 8

Consider a population of birds that land on an island. Their numbers rise exponentially until they reach a population of 1,000 birds, after which they crash to 700 due to resource limitations. Over time, the population rises and falls until it stabilizes around a population of 850. What does this population size likely represent in terms of population growth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fluctuation 
B)  Outbreak 
C)  Carrying capacity 
D)  Maximum population size 
A)  Fluctuation 
B)  Outbreak 
C)  Carrying capacity 
D)  Maximum population size

Question 9

Which pattern of population dynamics best describes that exhibited by collared lemmings in Greenland?

Accepted Answer

A)  Outbreaks 
B)  Population cycles 
C)  Exponential growth 
D)  Logistic growth 
A)  Outbreaks 
B)  Population cycles 
C)  Exponential growth 
D)  Logistic growth

Question 10

Refer to the figures.
Figure 1
   Figure 2
  
- How did the genetic diversity of this population change over time? How diverse do you think the initial population was, and how diverse do you think the population was after time 11? How would you describe the overall genetic diversity of this population?

Accepted Answer

The population starts with only 2 or 3 i

Question 11

Refer to the figures.
Figure 1
   Figure 2
  
- What is the carrying capacity (K) of the population prior to the event that occurred between times 10 and 11? What is the carrying capacity after the event? Why is the carrying capacity different for these times? What could have caused this change?

Accepted Answer

The carrying capacity is about 27 indivi

Question 12

Which statement about population fluctuations is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  Population fluctuations can be caused by changes in density-dependent factors. 
B)  Population fluctuations can be caused by changes in density-independent factors. 
C)  All natural populations fluctuate in size. 
D)  With abundant resources, a population can increase indefinitely. 
A)  Population fluctuations can be caused by changes in density-dependent factors. 
B)  Population fluctuations can be caused by changes in density-independent factors. 
C)  All natural populations fluctuate in size. 
D)  With abundant resources, a population can increase indefinitely.

Question 13

Which statement about logistic growth is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  The standard logistic equation assumes that the carrying capacity is not constant. 
B)  Changes in environmental conditions can cause the carrying capacity to fluctuate. 
C)  The term "logistic growth" is used broadly to indicate any population whose numbers rise initially but then level off at a maximum population size. 
D)  Variation in the birth rate that occurs at a particular density can lead to variation in the carrying capacity. 
A)  The standard logistic equation assumes that the carrying capacity is not constant. 
B)  Changes in environmental conditions can cause the carrying capacity to fluctuate. 
C)  The term "logistic growth" is used broadly to indicate any population whose numbers rise initially but then level off at a maximum population size. 
D)  Variation in the birth rate that occurs at a particular density can lead to variation in the carrying capacity.

Question 14

Which of the following could be considered the opposite of the density dependence seen in the standard logistic equation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Genetic drift 
B)  An Allee effect 
C)  Environmental stochasticity 
D)  Delayed density dependence 
A)  Genetic drift 
B)  An Allee effect 
C)  Environmental stochasticity 
D)  Delayed density dependence

Question 15

Which of the following is an extreme case of population fluctuations?

Accepted Answer

A)  Logistic growth 
B)  Demographic stochasticity 
C)  Population outbreaks 
D)  Delayed density dependence 
A)  Logistic growth 
B)  Demographic stochasticity 
C)  Population outbreaks 
D)  Delayed density dependence

Question 16

Refer to the figures.
Figure 2
   Figure 4
   In which figure, Figure 2 or Figure 4, is the population at greater risk of extinction? Why?

Accepted Answer

Even though both populations recovered t

Question 17

Refer to the figure.
  What was the ultimate cause of the increase in mouse density according to this figure?

Accepted Answer

A)  Increased rainfall 
B)  Decreased rainfall 
C)  Increased plant growth 
D)  Decreased plant growth 
A)  Increased rainfall 
B)  Decreased rainfall 
C)  Increased plant growth 
D)  Decreased plant growth

Question 18

Lionfish (Pterois spp.) arrived in the Caribbean in the 1980s, most likely as a result of unintentional release. On the island of Bonaire, Municipality of the Netherlands, the lionfish population exploded initially, but over time, appeared to stabilize. Part of the reason for this stabilization was the popularity of spear fishing. As the population of lionfish at shallow depths (5-30 meters) were vastly reduced by spear fishing, the popularity of hunting lionfish declined. Over time, the lionfish recovered and spearfishing recommenced. Another possible reason for the lionfish population's decline is an emerging ulcerative skin disease. Use this story of Bonaire to discuss the following types of observed patterns of population growth: exponential growth, logistic growth, and regular population cycles.

Accepted Answer

When lionfish first arrived at Bonaire,

Question 19

Suppose a population of weevils that experiences logistic growth has an initial size of 1,563 and follows the standard equation for delayed density dependence with a 5-week delay and an intrinsic growth rate of 0.15 per week. If these conditions remain constant and the population is tracked for a long time, what type of population dynamics should it display? (Note: The cutoff rF1F1F1S    F1F1F10 value for dampened oscillations is 0.368, and the cutoff for a stable limit cycle is 1.57.)

Accepted Answer

A)  Exponential growth 
B)  Logistic growth 
C)  Dampened oscillations 
D)  A stable limit cycle 
A)  Exponential growth 
B)  Logistic growth 
C)  Dampened oscillations 
D)  A stable limit cycle

Question 20

Refer to the figure.
  Based on the figure, extinction was a possible outcome for _______ breeding pairs.

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  100 
C)  1,000 
D)  10,000 
A)  10 
B)  100 
C)  1,000 
D)  10,000

Exam 10: Population Dynamics

Refer to the figure. What type of growth does this population appear to be showing?

Which statement about environmental stochasticity is true?

In the 1950s, Nicholson's experiments with blowflies showed that delayed density dependence can produce population cycles. If the experimental subjects in these studies had been blowflies with somewhat lower growth rates, he most likely would have observed which pattern of population dynamics?

Refer to the figure. The figure is derived from studies of the populations and per-individual growth rates of three species of rodents in the U.S. desert southwest. According to the figure, which population(s) show(s) evidence of Allee effects?

Nicholson (1957) found that when adult sheep blowfly populations are high, egg production by blowflies

Refer to the figure. Based on the data in the figure, what is the carrying capacity in this environment?

Refer to the figure. -Between 1988 and 1990, the Turkish anchovy population was _______ and the zooplankton population was _______.

Which pattern of population dynamics best describes that exhibited by collared lemmings in Greenland?

Refer to the figures. Figure 1 Figure 2 - How did the genetic diversity of this population change over time? How diverse do you think the initial population was, and how diverse do you think the population was after time 11? How would you describe the overall genetic diversity of this population?

Refer to the figures. Figure 1 Figure 2 - What is the carrying capacity (K) of the population prior to the event that occurred between times 10 and 11? What is the carrying capacity after the event? Why is the carrying capacity different for these times? What could have caused this change?

Which statement about population fluctuations is false?

Which statement about logistic growth is false?

Which of the following could be considered the opposite of the density dependence seen in the standard logistic equation?

Which of the following is an extreme case of population fluctuations?

Refer to the figures. Figure 2 Figure 4 In which figure, Figure 2 or Figure 4, is the population at greater risk of extinction? Why?

Refer to the figure. What was the ultimate cause of the increase in mouse density according to this figure?

Refer to the figure. Based on the figure, extinction was a possible outcome for _______ breeding pairs.

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Refer to the figure. -Between 1988 and 1990, the Turkish anchovy population was _ and the zooplankton population was _.