Exam 27: Large-Scale Patterns of Biological Diversity

The number of species of living organisms on the planet is probably closest to

As temperatures increase during seasonal fluctuations in marine environments,

Total species diversity,or species richness,of individual communities is referred to as ________ diversity.

The 1.4 million species identified are equally distributed across the Earth's surface.

Species richness in both terrestrial and marine environments generally declines with latitude.

As latitude increases,the number of terrestrial species ________.

The dinosaurs and many other animals became extinct at the end of the

The end of the Permian period was characterized by a mass extinction of

All living species of organisms have now been described by scientists.

Patterns of species migrations,such as birds that nest in North America during the spring and in South America during the winter,do not alter seasonal patterns of regional diversity for a wide range of taxonomic groups.

As the structural diversity of plant communities increases,the species richness of animals also increases.

Patterns of species diversity for pelagic and benthic organisms appear to be influenced by the ________ of primary production rather than by the total productivity.

The diverse topography of mountainous regions generally supports more species of plants and animals than the consistent terrain of flatlands.

The species richness of terrestrial plants and animals generally increases with elevation.

Over the past 600 million years,the overall trend in the number of species has been ________.

Compare two environments at 45°N latitude: environment A's altitude is 50 meters and environment B's altitude is 3000 meters.Which environment will support the greater level of species richness for mammals and birds?

As structural diversity within plant communities increases,the number of animal species ________.

As elevation increases,the number of terrestrial species ________.

Seasonal variation in surface temperatures of the ocean functions to increase primary productivity.

The end of the Pleistocene epoch was marked by a mass extinction of