Question 1

There are 80 swamp sparrows in a 20-hectare section of Mount Meadow. The average population density of sparrows at this site is _______ per hectare.

Accepted Answer

A)  4 
B)  20 
C)  80 
D)  160 
A)  4 
B)  20 
C)  80 
D)  160

Question 2

Which principle is best illustrated by Erickson's studies of the shrub Clematis fremontii?

Accepted Answer

A)  In efforts to protect a species, one needs to consider the areas occupied by the species at all life stages. 
B)  Individual behavior can affect dispersion within populations. 
C)  Population distributions can be patchy at several levels of spatial scale. 
D)  Population distribution is usually patchy only at a single level of spatial scale. 
A)  In efforts to protect a species, one needs to consider the areas occupied by the species at all life stages. 
B)  Individual behavior can affect dispersion within populations. 
C)  Population distributions can be patchy at several levels of spatial scale. 
D)  Population distribution is usually patchy only at a single level of spatial scale.

Question 3

Adult monarch butterflies overwinter

Accepted Answer

A)  eastern North America. 
B)  in mountains west of Mexico City. 
C)  in the Everglades in Florida. 
D)  in the Dorset heathlands. 
A)  eastern North America. 
B)  in mountains west of Mexico City. 
C)  in the Everglades in Florida. 
D)  in the Dorset heathlands.

Question 4

In a metapopulation, why does the colonization rate decrease as p becomes very large?

Accepted Answer

A)  Extinction rates are higher. 
B)  There are few empty patches available for colonization. 
C)  Patches are exactly the same. 
D)  Patches are far away from each other. 
A)  Extinction rates are higher. 
B)  There are few empty patches available for colonization. 
C)  Patches are exactly the same. 
D)  Patches are far away from each other.

Question 5

King's Lomatia (Lomatia tasmanica) is a most unusual plant. In the wild, only a single genetic individual of this shrub is known to be alive, and this colony has existed for at least 40,000 years. When a branch of this shrub falls to the ground, it sometimes establishes roots, and thus can function as a physiologically independent plant that is genetically identical to all other plants in the colony.
- What is the technical term for the single genetic individual?

Accepted Answer

A)  Biotic 
B)  Gamete 
C)  Ramet 
D)  Genet 
A)  Biotic 
B)  Gamete 
C)  Ramet 
D)  Genet

Question 6

Which statement about disturbances is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  All abiotic events are disturbances. 
B)  All disturbances are abiotic events. 
C)  All biotic events are disturbances. 
D)  Disturbances are only important in hurricane zones. 
A)  All abiotic events are disturbances. 
B)  All disturbances are abiotic events. 
C)  All biotic events are disturbances. 
D)  Disturbances are only important in hurricane zones.

Question 7

Which of the following is not an abiotic feature of the environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  The salinity of the soil 
B)  The amount of sunlight the soil receives 
C)  The density of earthworms present in the soil 
D)  The salt content of sea mist 
A)  The salinity of the soil 
B)  The amount of sunlight the soil receives 
C)  The density of earthworms present in the soil 
D)  The salt content of sea mist

Question 8

Refer to the figure.
   The distribution of S. balanoides stops at about 51oN. Global warming has caused ocean temperatures to increase. As water temperatures continue to rise, what will be the effect on the distribution of S. balanoides?

Accepted Answer

S. balonoides is outcompeted i

Question 9

Suppose that a team of biologists wishes to estimate the population numbers of endangered lizards by means of line transects. Since distant lizards are difficult to see, the biologists will most likely use which method?

Accepted Answer

A)  Niche modeling 
B)  Mark-recapture 
C)  Area-based counts 
D)  A detection function 
A)  Niche modeling 
B)  Mark-recapture 
C)  Area-based counts 
D)  A detection function

Question 10

Which statement about polar bears is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The evolutionary distribution of polar bears shows they once lived in Antarctica. 
B)  Continental drift can explain how polar bears migrated from Antarctica to the Artic. 
C)  Geographic distribution of polar bears is limited to the Artic because they cannot pass through warm tropical regions. 
D)  Polar bears' geographic distribution follows their preferred food source of penguins. 
A)  The evolutionary distribution of polar bears shows they once lived in Antarctica. 
B)  Continental drift can explain how polar bears migrated from Antarctica to the Artic. 
C)  Geographic distribution of polar bears is limited to the Artic because they cannot pass through warm tropical regions. 
D)  Polar bears' geographic distribution follows their preferred food source of penguins.

Question 11

Refer to the figure.
  What was the otter abundance, reported as the percentage of maximum abundance, on Amchitka Island in 1993?

Accepted Answer

A)  30 
B)  40 
C)  60 
D)  100 
A)  30 
B)  40 
C)  60 
D)  100

Question 12

A powerful ice storm in 1998 felled a large proportion of trees across much of northern New England, New York State, and southeast Canada. Although the storm led to declines in abundance for many species of birds, it created opportunities for other bird species. With regard to its effects on the abundance of bird species, the 1998 storm would be considered a

Accepted Answer

A)  biotic feature of the environment. 
B)  facilitator. 
C)  disturbance event. 
D)  dispersal event. 
A)  biotic feature of the environment. 
B)  facilitator. 
C)  disturbance event. 
D)  dispersal event.

Question 13

Which of the following is a violation of Levins's theoretical conception of a metapopulation that is often seen in a real metapopulation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Demographic stochasticity 
B)  Genetic drift 
C)  Isolation by distance 
D)  Bottom-up control 
A)  Demographic stochasticity 
B)  Genetic drift 
C)  Isolation by distance 
D)  Bottom-up control

Question 14

Which of the following best explains why the mammal families in the Philippines are more similar to those in Africa than to those in New Guinea?

Accepted Answer

A)  Continental drift 
B)  Biotic features of the environment 
C)  Africa's closer proximity to the Philippines 
D)  High dispersal rates 
A)  Continental drift 
B)  Biotic features of the environment 
C)  Africa's closer proximity to the Philippines 
D)  High dispersal rates

Question 15

In some trees and shrubs, competition among seedlings causes individuals to be spaced relatively evenly throughout the habitat. These plants exhibit a _______ type of dispersion pattern.

Accepted Answer

A)  regular 
B)  ramet 
C)  clumped 
D)  random 
A)  regular 
B)  ramet 
C)  clumped 
D)  random

Question 16

A species limited capacity to disperse, preventing it from reaching suitable habitat, is known as

Accepted Answer

A)  migration. 
B)  habitat dispersal. 
C)  dispersal limitation. 
D)  disturbance. 
A)  migration. 
B)  habitat dispersal. 
C)  dispersal limitation. 
D)  disturbance.

Question 17

Which statement does not represent an assumption of the Levins's model of metapopulation dynamics?

Accepted Answer

A)  All patches have an equal opportunity to receive colonists. 
B)  A very large number of identical habitat patches exist. 
C)  The spatial arrangement of patches determines the rate at which patches will receive colonists. 
D)  All patches have the same probability of extinction. 
A)  All patches have an equal opportunity to receive colonists. 
B)  A very large number of identical habitat patches exist. 
C)  The spatial arrangement of patches determines the rate at which patches will receive colonists. 
D)  All patches have the same probability of extinction.

Question 18

A researcher studying apple maggot flies marks 180 flies in an orchid in Michigan. The next day, she collects 70 flies and finds that 14 are marked. If the assumptions of the mark-recapture method are met, what is the best estimate for the number of apple maggot flies in that orchid?

Accepted Answer

A)  180 
B)  900 
C)  980 
D)  1,800 
A)  180 
B)  900 
C)  980 
D)  1,800

Question 19

Some animals (e.g., whiptail lizards) and plants (e.g., strawberries) form clones of genetically identical, but physiologically independent (or potentially independent) and distinct, individuals. These independent members of a clone are called

Accepted Answer

A)  ramets. 
B)  obelia. 
C)  genets. 
D)  gametes. 
A)  ramets. 
B)  obelia. 
C)  genets. 
D)  gametes.

Question 20

Which statement about populations is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  If little is known about the distance that sexually reproducing organisms or their gametes move, the area that constitutes a single population is difficult to estimate. 
B)  Population abundances change over time and space. 
C)  A population may consist of a series of patches of individuals that are isolated in space but are connected by dispersal. 
D)  Most organisms have similar capacities for dispersal. 
A)  If little is known about the distance that sexually reproducing organisms or their gametes move, the area that constitutes a single population is difficult to estimate. 
B)  Population abundances change over time and space. 
C)  A population may consist of a series of patches of individuals that are isolated in space but are connected by dispersal. 
D)  Most organisms have similar capacities for dispersal.

Exam 9: Population Distribution and Abundance

There are 80 swamp sparrows in a 20-hectare section of Mount Meadow. The average population density of sparrows at this site is _______ per hectare.

Which principle is best illustrated by Erickson's studies of the shrub Clematis fremontii?

Adult monarch butterflies overwinter

In a metapopulation, why does the colonization rate decrease as p becomes very large?

Which statement about disturbances is true?

Which of the following is not an abiotic feature of the environment?

Refer to the figure. The distribution of S. balanoides stops at about 51oN. Global warming has caused ocean temperatures to increase. As water temperatures continue to rise, what will be the effect on the distribution of S. balanoides?

Suppose that a team of biologists wishes to estimate the population numbers of endangered lizards by means of line transects. Since distant lizards are difficult to see, the biologists will most likely use which method?

Which statement about polar bears is true?

Refer to the figure. What was the otter abundance, reported as the percentage of maximum abundance, on Amchitka Island in 1993?

Which of the following is a violation of Levins's theoretical conception of a metapopulation that is often seen in a real metapopulation?

Which of the following best explains why the mammal families in the Philippines are more similar to those in Africa than to those in New Guinea?

In some trees and shrubs, competition among seedlings causes individuals to be spaced relatively evenly throughout the habitat. These plants exhibit a _______ type of dispersion pattern.

A species limited capacity to disperse, preventing it from reaching suitable habitat, is known as

Which statement does not represent an assumption of the Levins's model of metapopulation dynamics?

A researcher studying apple maggot flies marks 180 flies in an orchid in Michigan. The next day, she collects 70 flies and finds that 14 are marked. If the assumptions of the mark-recapture method are met, what is the best estimate for the number of apple maggot flies in that orchid?

Some animals (e.g., whiptail lizards) and plants (e.g., strawberries) form clones of genetically identical, but physiologically independent (or potentially independent) and distinct, individuals. These independent members of a clone are called

Which statement about populations is false?

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Refer to the figure. The distribution of S. balanoides stops at about 51^oN. Global warming has caused ocean temperatures to increase. As water temperatures continue to rise, what will be the effect on the distribution of S. balanoides?