Question 1

What is the main purpose of the wildlife corridor?

Accepted Answer

A) to slow down the introduction of new individuals of a species 
B) to slowly introduce a species to a new preserve 
C) to facilitate the transfer of individuals back and forth between populations 
D) to connect two otherwise isolated populations 
A) to slow down the introduction of new individuals of a species 
B) to slowly introduce a species to a new preserve 
C) to facilitate the transfer of individuals back and forth between populations 
D) to connect two otherwise isolated populations D

Question 2

Figure 55.5  
-According to the figure above,what is occurring after 1985?

Accepted Answer

A) The population is increasing exponentially. 
B) The population is increasing. 
C) The population growth rate is increasing. 
D) The sheep are climbing a hill. 
A) The population is increasing exponentially. 
B) The population is increasing. 
C) The population growth rate is increasing. 
D) The sheep are climbing a hill. C

Question 3

Figure 55.9  
-Based on Figure 55.9,what can you conclude about land-use legacy in New England?

Accepted Answer

A) Population growth has increasingly devastated the forests. 
B) A spike in lake sediments caused massive deforestation due to loss of soil nutrients. 
C) Sediment spikes correlate with massive population growth. 
D) Lake sediments reflect deforestation and despite reforestation,do not recover. 
E) All of the above answers apply. 
A) Population growth has increasingly devastated the forests. 
B) A spike in lake sediments caused massive deforestation due to loss of soil nutrients. 
C) Sediment spikes correlate with massive population growth. 
D) Lake sediments reflect deforestation and despite reforestation,do not recover. 
E) All of the above answers apply. D

Question 4

Researchers have been studying a rare population of 87 voles in an isolated area.Ten voles from a larger population were added to this isolated population.Besides having 10 additional animals,what benefits are there to importing individuals?

Accepted Answer

A) Additional animals from a distant population will likely bring genetic diversity and reduce inbreeding depression. 
B) Additional animals will bring additional competition and could hurt the population. 
C) Additional animals would increase beneficial genetic drift. 
D) There is no benefit other than increasing the overall population size. 
A) Additional animals from a distant population will likely bring genetic diversity and reduce inbreeding depression. 
B) Additional animals will bring additional competition and could hurt the population. 
C) Additional animals would increase beneficial genetic drift. 
D) There is no benefit other than increasing the overall population size.

Question 5

Which of the following statements regarding extinction is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) Only certain species are immune from extinction. 
B) Species are vanishing today faster than at any other time in Earth's history. 
C) Extinction occurs whether humans interfere or not. 
D) Extinctions can even be caused indirectly by humans. 
A) Only certain species are immune from extinction. 
B) Species are vanishing today faster than at any other time in Earth's history. 
C) Extinction occurs whether humans interfere or not. 
D) Extinctions can even be caused indirectly by humans.

Question 6

Ecosystems function better when biodiversity is high?

Accepted Answer

A) yes 
B) no 
C) mostly yes 
D) mostly no 
E) There are no data to indicate either way. 
A) yes 
B) no 
C) mostly yes 
D) mostly no 
E) There are no data to indicate either way.

Question 7

In a debate about the destruction of tropical wet forests,the arguments keep focussing on biodiversity and how this affects the animals themselves,as well as the ecosystem.What is one direct benefit of biodiversity to humans that you can argue to help people understand why these forests need to be preserved?

Accepted Answer

A) This diversity could contain undocumented insect species. 
B) The areas could be visited by tourists for profit. 
C) The diversity could contain novel drugs for consumers. 
D) The diversity could contain a new crop plant for agriculture. 
A) This diversity could contain undocumented insect species. 
B) The areas could be visited by tourists for profit. 
C) The diversity could contain novel drugs for consumers. 
D) The diversity could contain a new crop plant for agriculture.

Question 8

Philippe Bouchet and colleagues conducted a massive survey of marine molluscs on the west coast of New Caledonia.Twenty percent of the species found were represented by a single specimen.What does that suggest about the diversity of molluscs in this area?

Accepted Answer

A) There are only a few species of molluscs in the area. 
B) They did not look very hard for those 20 percent. 
C) Many of the species from this 20 percent are probably rare. 
D) Most of the species from this 20 percent are quite common. 
A) There are only a few species of molluscs in the area. 
B) They did not look very hard for those 20 percent. 
C) Many of the species from this 20 percent are probably rare. 
D) Most of the species from this 20 percent are quite common.

Question 9

You discover,in your massive 2000-hectare forest,a species of bat that is not found anywhere else.The habitat of your bat population is designated as a protected area.What,if any,would be an advantage of removing a small number of bats and placing them in a zoo?

Accepted Answer

A) Removing bats would do too much harm to the original population. 
B) Some animals in the zoo could breed more readily and maybe repopulate another area. 
C) It is better to isolate bats into breeding groups in the wild than to put them in a zoo. 
D) Zoos offer no advantage at all to the population. 
A) Removing bats would do too much harm to the original population. 
B) Some animals in the zoo could breed more readily and maybe repopulate another area. 
C) It is better to isolate bats into breeding groups in the wild than to put them in a zoo. 
D) Zoos offer no advantage at all to the population.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT likely a mechanism for biodiversity increasing productivity?

Accepted Answer

A) Resource use is more efficient. 
B) Certain species facilitate the growth of other species. 
C) More species means greater biomass. 
D) Undersampling may miss big producers in the area. 
A) Resource use is more efficient. 
B) Certain species facilitate the growth of other species. 
C) More species means greater biomass. 
D) Undersampling may miss big producers in the area.

Question 11

Figure 55.3  
-Upon looking at Figure 55.3 regarding Tilman's experiments,what can you conclude about the data?

Accepted Answer

A) As species richness changes,plant biomass remains consistent. 
B) As species richness increases,plant biomass increases. 
C) As species richness increases,plant biomass increases and then levels off. 
D) As species richness decreases,plant biomass increases. 
A) As species richness changes,plant biomass remains consistent. 
B) As species richness increases,plant biomass increases. 
C) As species richness increases,plant biomass increases and then levels off. 
D) As species richness decreases,plant biomass increases.

Question 12

Figure 55.1
Dogs ~43
Bears ~19
Seals ~36
Red Panda ~1
Skunks ~13
Raccoons ~15
Badgers ~10
Weasels ~38
Otters ~8
-Approximately how many species have we described out of the species alive today?

Accepted Answer

A) We have described about half of the species on Earth. 
B) We have described almost all of the species on Earth. 
C) Apart from the tropics,we have described almost all the species on Earth. 
D) We have described only a small fraction of the species on Earth. 
A) We have described about half of the species on Earth. 
B) We have described almost all of the species on Earth. 
C) Apart from the tropics,we have described almost all the species on Earth. 
D) We have described only a small fraction of the species on Earth.

Question 13

Which of the following criteria have to be met in order for a species to qualify as invasive?

Accepted Answer

A) endemic to the area,spreads rapidly,and eliminates foreign species 
B) introduced to a new area,spreads rapidly,and eliminates native species 
C) introduced to a new area,spreads rapidly,and eliminates other invasive species 
D) endemic to the area,spreads slowly,and eliminates native species 
E) none of the above 
A) endemic to the area,spreads rapidly,and eliminates foreign species 
B) introduced to a new area,spreads rapidly,and eliminates native species 
C) introduced to a new area,spreads rapidly,and eliminates other invasive species 
D) endemic to the area,spreads slowly,and eliminates native species 
E) none of the above

Question 14

Figure 55.1
Dogs ~43
Bears ~19
Seals ~36
Red Panda ~1
Skunks ~13
Raccoons ~15
Badgers ~10
Weasels ~38
Otters ~8
-According to the figure above,which of the following groups is particularly important to preserve?

Accepted Answer

A) Dogs 
B) Red Panda 
C) Raccoons 
D) Weasels 
A) Dogs 
B) Red Panda 
C) Raccoons 
D) Weasels

Question 15

Which of the following statements regarding species diversity is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) More than 99% of the species known to science are now extinct. 
B) As much as 20% of the world's biodiversity will be lost during the next 50 years. 
C) Through agriculture,humans have actually increased the number of plant species. 
D) About 85 mammal species and 113 species of birds have become extinct in the last 400 years. 
A) More than 99% of the species known to science are now extinct. 
B) As much as 20% of the world's biodiversity will be lost during the next 50 years. 
C) Through agriculture,humans have actually increased the number of plant species. 
D) About 85 mammal species and 113 species of birds have become extinct in the last 400 years.

Question 16

Which one of the following is likely not a hotspot for birds?

Accepted Answer

A) Amazon River basin 
B) East Africa 
C) Southwest China 
D) Southwest United States 
A) Amazon River basin 
B) East Africa 
C) Southwest China 
D) Southwest United States

Question 17

Figure 55.8 Use the following information when answering the corresponding question(s).
Abstract:
Recognition of the importance of land-use legacies in most ecological systems has been a major factor driving the recent focus on human activity as a legitimate and essential subject of environmental science. Ecologists, conservationists, and natural resource policy makers now recognize that the legacies of land-use activities continue to influence ecosystem structure and function for decades or centuries-or even longer-after those activities have ceased. Copyright © 2003 American Institute of Biological Sciences. (Foster, D.R., F. Swanson, J. Aber, D. Tilman, N. Brockaw, I. Burke and A Knapp. 2003. The importance of land-use and its legacies to ecology and environmental management. BioScience 53:77-88.)
  
-Based on the figure above,what can you conclude about land-use legacy in the southern Yucatán?

Accepted Answer

A) Massive soil erosion caused the Mayan population to crash. 
B) Reduction in forest cover caused the Mayan population to crash. 
C) As Mayan population increased,deforestation increased,leading to increased soil erosion. 
D) All of the above answers are correct. 
A) Massive soil erosion caused the Mayan population to crash. 
B) Reduction in forest cover caused the Mayan population to crash. 
C) As Mayan population increased,deforestation increased,leading to increased soil erosion. 
D) All of the above answers are correct.

Question 18

Figure 55.4  
-Hypothesis: Productivity increases with species richness because certain species or functional groups facilitate the growth of other species by providing them with nutrients,partial shade,or other benefits.In looking at the data in Figure 55.4,how would you relate it to this hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A) The hypothesis is supported. 
B) The hypothesis is partially supported. 
C) The hypothesis is rejected. 
D) The hypothesis is proven. 
E) The data do not relate to the hypothesis given. 
A) The hypothesis is supported. 
B) The hypothesis is partially supported. 
C) The hypothesis is rejected. 
D) The hypothesis is proven. 
E) The data do not relate to the hypothesis given.

Question 19

Figure 55.5  
-According to the figure above,what is the least likely explanation for the data after 1985?

Accepted Answer

A) emigration 
B) immigration 
C) introduction of new individuals to the population 
D) increased resources in the area 
A) emigration 
B) immigration 
C) introduction of new individuals to the population 
D) increased resources in the area

Question 20

Figure 55.2  
-By knowing the interrelatedness of various snake species,the type of antivenom can be chosen depending on the species involved in the bite.Based on Figure 55.2,which snake antivenom would you administer to a person bitten by an Australian copperhead?

Accepted Answer

A) taipan 
B) common brown snake 
C) red-bellied black snake 
D) death adder 
E) tiger snake 
A) taipan 
B) common brown snake 
C) red-bellied black snake 
D) death adder 
E) tiger snake

Exam 55: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

What is the main purpose of the wildlife corridor?

Figure 55.5 -According to the figure above,what is occurring after 1985?

Figure 55.9 -Based on Figure 55.9,what can you conclude about land-use legacy in New England?

Researchers have been studying a rare population of 87 voles in an isolated area.Ten voles from a larger population were added to this isolated population.Besides having 10 additional animals,what benefits are there to importing individuals?

Which of the following statements regarding extinction is FALSE?

Ecosystems function better when biodiversity is high?

Philippe Bouchet and colleagues conducted a massive survey of marine molluscs on the west coast of New Caledonia.Twenty percent of the species found were represented by a single specimen.What does that suggest about the diversity of molluscs in this area?

You discover,in your massive 2000-hectare forest,a species of bat that is not found anywhere else.The habitat of your bat population is designated as a protected area.What,if any,would be an advantage of removing a small number of bats and placing them in a zoo?

Which of the following is NOT likely a mechanism for biodiversity increasing productivity?

Figure 55.3 -Upon looking at Figure 55.3 regarding Tilman's experiments,what can you conclude about the data?

Figure 55.1 Dogs ~43 Bears ~19 Seals ~36 Red Panda ~1 Skunks ~13 Raccoons ~15 Badgers ~10 Weasels ~38 Otters ~8 -Approximately how many species have we described out of the species alive today?

Which of the following criteria have to be met in order for a species to qualify as invasive?

Figure 55.1 Dogs ~43 Bears ~19 Seals ~36 Red Panda ~1 Skunks ~13 Raccoons ~15 Badgers ~10 Weasels ~38 Otters ~8 -According to the figure above,which of the following groups is particularly important to preserve?

Which of the following statements regarding species diversity is FALSE?

Which one of the following is likely not a hotspot for birds?

Figure 55.5 -According to the figure above,what is the least likely explanation for the data after 1985?

Figure 55.2 -By knowing the interrelatedness of various snake species,the type of antivenom can be chosen depending on the species involved in the bite.Based on Figure 55.2,which snake antivenom would you administer to a person bitten by an Australian copperhead?

Biology and the Tree of Life

Water and Carbon: the Chemical Basis of Life

Protein Structure and Function

Nucleic Acids and the Rna World

An Introduction to Carbohydrates

Lipids, membranes, and the First Cells

Inside the Cell

Cell-Cell Interactions

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis

Mendel and the Gene

Dna and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair

How Genes Work

Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation

Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria

Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes

Analyzing and Engineering Genes

Genomics

Principles of Development

An Introduction to Animal Development

An Introduction to Plant Development

Evolution by Natural Selection

Evolutionary Processes

Speciation

Phylogenies and the History of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Green Algae and Land Plants

Fungi

An Introduction to Animals

Protostome Animals

Deuterostome Animals

Viruses

Plant Form and Function

Water and Sugar Transport in Plants

Plant Nutrition

Plant Sensory Systems, signals, and Responses

Plant Reproduction

Animal Form and Function

Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals

Animal Nutrition

Gas Exchange and Circulation

Electrical Signals in Animals

Animal Sensory Systems and Movement

Chemical Signals in Animals

Animal Reproduction

The Immune System in Animals

An Introduction to Ecology

Behavioural Ecology

Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Ecosystems

Filters