Question 1

Explain why in Figure 7.11,vole abundances in experimental enclosures would drop to the same abundance as the control.

Accepted Answer

A)  This is likely due to voles being preyed upon in the exclosures by predators. 
B)  Competition for food resources likely led to the vole population decline. 
C)  There is no change in vole populations through time. 
D)  The vole population in the exclosures likely included cannibals that reduced the population to that of controls. 
A)  This is likely due to voles being preyed upon in the exclosures by predators. 
B)  Competition for food resources likely led to the vole population decline. 
C)  There is no change in vole populations through time. 
D)  The vole population in the exclosures likely included cannibals that reduced the population to that of controls.

Question 2

The defenses of turtles and armadillos are likely designed to _______:

Accepted Answer

A)  Lower energy available to potential predators 
B)  Lower handling times of potential predators 
C)  Increase handling times of potential predators 
D)  None of these 
A)  Lower energy available to potential predators 
B)  Lower handling times of potential predators 
C)  Increase handling times of potential predators 
D)  None of these

Question 3

What is one reason that predators may no have a significant impact on prey populations as a whole?

Accepted Answer

A)  Predator populations are usually less abundant than prey populations 
B)  Prey populations are usually less abundant than predator populations 
C)  Predators typically feed on individuals that currently make little to no reproductive contribution to the prey population 
D)  Predators typically feed on reproductively active females 
A)  Predator populations are usually less abundant than prey populations 
B)  Prey populations are usually less abundant than predator populations 
C)  Predators typically feed on individuals that currently make little to no reproductive contribution to the prey population 
D)  Predators typically feed on reproductively active females

Question 4

If prey are experimentally protected from predators then:

Accepted Answer

A)  Prey numbers typically decrease quickly 
B)  Prey numbers may increase but then decrease when resources become limiting 
C)  Prey numbers usually do not change 
D)  Prey numbers are not dependent on predators 
A)  Prey numbers typically decrease quickly 
B)  Prey numbers may increase but then decrease when resources become limiting 
C)  Prey numbers usually do not change 
D)  Prey numbers are not dependent on predators

Question 5

Optimal foraging theory is based on the following:

Accepted Answer

A)  Handling times of prey items 
B)  Search time for prey items 
C)  Energy available in prey items 
D)  All of the above 
A)  Handling times of prey items 
B)  Search time for prey items 
C)  Energy available in prey items 
D)  All of the above

Question 6

In Figure 7.1,the effects of mollusk grazing are shown for a number of plant traits in natural and experimental populations.As measured by relative difference,how much greater was seed production in the natural population compared to the experimental population?

Accepted Answer

A)  It was not greater 
B)  It was approximately equal 
C)  It was 1.5 units greater 
D)  It was greater than 0.475 units 
A)  It was not greater 
B)  It was approximately equal 
C)  It was 1.5 units greater 
D)  It was greater than 0.475 units

Question 7

One must keep in mind when using ecological mathematical models:

Accepted Answer

A)  Ecological interactions in nature are typically more complex than the model provides for 
B)  That models typically incorporate most relevant ecological factors 
C)  That models typically do not have assumptions built into them 
D)  None of the above 
A)  Ecological interactions in nature are typically more complex than the model provides for 
B)  That models typically incorporate most relevant ecological factors 
C)  That models typically do not have assumptions built into them 
D)  None of the above

Question 8

When high energy prey are common you might predict predators _____________.

Accepted Answer

A)  Become more choosy about which parts of the prey they consume 
B)  Become less choosy by consuming the entire prey 
C)  Become generalists 
D)  Move from patch to patch quickly 
A)  Become more choosy about which parts of the prey they consume 
B)  Become less choosy by consuming the entire prey 
C)  Become generalists 
D)  Move from patch to patch quickly

Question 9

Data to test the impacts of mites on lizards might include

Accepted Answer

A)  Correlating number of eggs laid by females with the number of mites each female hosts 
B)  Experimentally manipulating mite numbers on lizards and subsequently follow lizard growth 
C)  Measuring lizard weight gain before and after mite removal 
D)  Adding food supplements to the diets of all lizards 
A)  Correlating number of eggs laid by females with the number of mites each female hosts 
B)  Experimentally manipulating mite numbers on lizards and subsequently follow lizard growth 
C)  Measuring lizard weight gain before and after mite removal 
D)  Adding food supplements to the diets of all lizards

Question 10

The type of predator can negatively impact prey populations if the predator?

Accepted Answer

A)  Selectively removes breeding individuals 
B)  Selectively removes sick individuals 
C)  Selectively removes equal numbers of males and females 
D)  Selectively alternates between prey types 
A)  Selectively removes breeding individuals 
B)  Selectively removes sick individuals 
C)  Selectively removes equal numbers of males and females 
D)  Selectively alternates between prey types

Question 11

In Figure 7.10a,which age group experiences the greatest risk of death by cheetah predation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Adults 
B)  Subadults 
C)  Fawns 
D)  Adolescents 
A)  Adults 
B)  Subadults 
C)  Fawns 
D)  Adolescents

Question 12

Predation and competition

Accepted Answer

A)  Are mutually exclusive ecological processes and do not simultaneously help us understand most population fluctuations 
B)  Are often overlapping processes that are both needed to explain population changes 
C)  Overlap more in plant interactions than in animal interactions 
D)  None of the above 
A)  Are mutually exclusive ecological processes and do not simultaneously help us understand most population fluctuations 
B)  Are often overlapping processes that are both needed to explain population changes 
C)  Overlap more in plant interactions than in animal interactions 
D)  None of the above

Question 13

The following is a behavior that might be observed in a predator exhibiting optimal foraging: ________

Accepted Answer

A)  Dropping high energy food from its diet 
B)  Dropping common food items from its diet 
C)  Leaving a patch of prey when encounter rates get low 
D)  Leaving a patch when prey densities remain constant 
A)  Dropping high energy food from its diet 
B)  Dropping common food items from its diet 
C)  Leaving a patch of prey when encounter rates get low 
D)  Leaving a patch when prey densities remain constant

Question 14

Select which of the following choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

A)  Predator populations can be impacted by other predators 
B)  When predator numbers increase there is often a density dependent negative impact on the predator species 
C)  The lynx and hare population cycles are easily explained by Lotka Volterra models 
D)  Parasites rarely interfere with one another 
A)  Predator populations can be impacted by other predators 
B)  When predator numbers increase there is often a density dependent negative impact on the predator species 
C)  The lynx and hare population cycles are easily explained by Lotka Volterra models 
D)  Parasites rarely interfere with one another

Question 15

A species that is found on several small islands is less likely to go extinct than if it were just found on one island.This is best explained by the __________ concept

Accepted Answer

A)  Competitive exclusion 
B)  Predator dominated 
C)  Metapopulation 
D)  Crowding 
A)  Competitive exclusion 
B)  Predator dominated 
C)  Metapopulation 
D)  Crowding

Question 16

Which terms relate to a process whereby the outcome of ecological interactions between conspecifics shows the consumption rate per individual predator declines with increasing predator density?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mutual interference 
B)  Transmission 
C)  Crowding 
D)  Predator-mediated coexistence 
A)  Mutual interference 
B)  Transmission 
C)  Crowding 
D)  Predator-mediated coexistence

Question 17

If a plant produces chemical defenses in response to grazers this could be called

Accepted Answer

A)  A communication response 
B)  An induced response 
C)  An energy deficiency response 
D)  An anticipated response 
A)  A communication response 
B)  An induced response 
C)  An energy deficiency response 
D)  An anticipated response

Question 18

Which type of organism typically does not kill their prey,but consumes part of each prey item,and does not need a host?

Accepted Answer

A)  True predator 
B)  Grazer 
C)  Parasite 
D)  Parasitoid 
A)  True predator 
B)  Grazer 
C)  Parasite 
D)  Parasitoid

Question 19

If a plant were grazed upon by individuals of a snail population,and the plant produced compounds to deter further feeding,then what might occur?

Accepted Answer

A)  The plant will do nothing different since it is now chemically defended. 
B)  The plant may experiences a trade-off of some sort, because there is likely a cost to producing the compounds that deter grazers. 
C)  The plant will not experience any trade-offs since it has evolved with this grazing snail. 
D)  The snail will likely continue to graze because it is immune to the chemicals this plant produces. 
A)  The plant will do nothing different since it is now chemically defended. 
B)  The plant may experiences a trade-off of some sort, because there is likely a cost to producing the compounds that deter grazers. 
C)  The plant will not experience any trade-offs since it has evolved with this grazing snail. 
D)  The snail will likely continue to graze because it is immune to the chemicals this plant produces.

Question 20

Which of the following might be considered an optimal foraging situation?

Accepted Answer

A)  How students arrange themselves in a classroom. 
B)  How real estate developers design and distribute strip malls. 
C)  Where advertisers place ads on web pages. 
D)  None of the above. 
A)  How students arrange themselves in a classroom. 
B)  How real estate developers design and distribute strip malls. 
C)  Where advertisers place ads on web pages. 
D)  None of the above.

Explain why in Figure 7.11,vole abundances in experimental enclosures would drop to the same abundance as the control.

The defenses of turtles and armadillos are likely designed to _______:

What is one reason that predators may no have a significant impact on prey populations as a whole?

If prey are experimentally protected from predators then:

Optimal foraging theory is based on the following:

In Figure 7.1,the effects of mollusk grazing are shown for a number of plant traits in natural and experimental populations.As measured by relative difference,how much greater was seed production in the natural population compared to the experimental population?

One must keep in mind when using ecological mathematical models:

When high energy prey are common you might predict predators _____________.

Data to test the impacts of mites on lizards might include

The type of predator can negatively impact prey populations if the predator?

In Figure 7.10a,which age group experiences the greatest risk of death by cheetah predation?

Predation and competition

The following is a behavior that might be observed in a predator exhibiting optimal foraging: ________

Select which of the following choices are correct.

A species that is found on several small islands is less likely to go extinct than if it were just found on one island.This is best explained by the __________ concept

Which terms relate to a process whereby the outcome of ecological interactions between conspecifics shows the consumption rate per individual predator declines with increasing predator density?

If a plant produces chemical defenses in response to grazers this could be called

Which type of organism typically does not kill their prey,but consumes part of each prey item,and does not need a host?

If a plant were grazed upon by individuals of a snail population,and the plant produced compounds to deter further feeding,then what might occur?

Which of the following might be considered an optimal foraging situation?

Ecology and How to Do It

Ecology’s Evolutionary Backdrop

Physical Conditions and the Availability of Resources

Climate and the World’s Biomes

Birth, Death and Movement

Interspecific Competition

Molecular and Evolutionary Ecology

From Populations to Communities

Patterns in Species Richness

The Flux of Energy and Matter Through Ecosystems

Global Biogeochemical Cycles and Their Alteration by Humans

Conservation Ecology

The Ecology of Human Population Growth, Disease, and Food Supply

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Exam 7: Predation, Grazing and Disease

Explain why in Figure 7.11,vole abundances in experimental enclosures would drop to the same abundance as the control.

The defenses of turtles and armadillos are likely designed to _______:

What is one reason that predators may no have a significant impact on prey populations as a whole?

If prey are experimentally protected from predators then:

Optimal foraging theory is based on the following:

In Figure 7.1,the effects of mollusk grazing are shown for a number of plant traits in natural and experimental populations.As measured by relative difference,how much greater was seed production in the natural population compared to the experimental population?

One must keep in mind when using ecological mathematical models:

When high energy prey are common you might predict predators _____________.

Data to test the impacts of mites on lizards might include

The type of predator can negatively impact prey populations if the predator?

In Figure 7.10a,which age group experiences the greatest risk of death by cheetah predation?

Predation and competition

The following is a behavior that might be observed in a predator exhibiting optimal foraging: ________

Select which of the following choices are correct.

A species that is found on several small islands is less likely to go extinct than if it were just found on one island.This is best explained by the __________ concept

Which terms relate to a process whereby the outcome of ecological interactions between conspecifics shows the consumption rate per individual predator declines with increasing predator density?

If a plant produces chemical defenses in response to grazers this could be called

Which type of organism typically does not kill their prey,but consumes part of each prey item,and does not need a host?

If a plant were grazed upon by individuals of a snail population,and the plant produced compounds to deter further feeding,then what might occur?

Which of the following might be considered an optimal foraging situation?

Ecology and How to Do It

Ecology’s Evolutionary Backdrop

Physical Conditions and the Availability of Resources

Climate and the World’s Biomes

Birth, Death and Movement

Interspecific Competition

Molecular and Evolutionary Ecology

From Populations to Communities

Patterns in Species Richness

The Flux of Energy and Matter Through Ecosystems

Global Biogeochemical Cycles and Their Alteration by Humans

Conservation Ecology

The Ecology of Human Population Growth, Disease, and Food Supply

Filters