Question 1

Higher species evenness in a community can be measured by a shallower slope on a rank-abundance curve.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

In most ecological communities, we find

Accepted Answer

A)  more rare species than moderately common or very common ones. 
B)  more very common species than moderately common or rare ones. 
C)  no rare species-apparently "rare" species are artifacts of incomplete sampling. 
D)  roughly equal proportions of rare, moderately common, and very common species. 
E)  more moderately common species than rare or very common ones. 
A)  more rare species than moderately common or very common ones. 
B)  more very common species than moderately common or rare ones. 
C)  no rare species-apparently "rare" species are artifacts of incomplete sampling. 
D)  roughly equal proportions of rare, moderately common, and very common species. 
E)  more moderately common species than rare or very common ones. E

Question 3

In Michael Huston's studies of Costa Rican forest diversity, the highest tree diversity was found on soils with

Accepted Answer

A)  very high fertility. 
B)  moderate fertility. 
C)  very low fertility. 
D)  either high or low, but not moderate, fertility. 
E)  There was no relationship between diversity and soil fertility. 
A)  very high fertility. 
B)  moderate fertility. 
C)  very low fertility. 
D)  either high or low, but not moderate, fertility. 
E)  There was no relationship between diversity and soil fertility. C

Question 4

The most serious human-caused threat to endangered species worldwide is

Accepted Answer

A)  pollution. 
B)  the introduction of invasive species. 
C)  habitat destruction. 
D)  the pet trade. 
E)  None of the choices are correct. 
A)  pollution. 
B)  the introduction of invasive species. 
C)  habitat destruction. 
D)  the pet trade. 
E)  None of the choices are correct.

Question 5

A set of species that have similar ways of making their living make up a __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A set of species that have similar...

Question 6

Winter storms can affect diversity on intertidal boulders because

Accepted Answer

A)  cold water temperatures kill algae and invertebrates. 
B)  some invertebrates are more vulnerable than others to being dislodged by currents. 
C)  dessication of exposed invertebrates by unusually high winds is an important source of mortality. 
D)  strong storm waves overturn boulders and thereby accelerate competitive exclusion. 
E)  strong storm waves overturn boulders and thereby remove competitive dominants. 
A)  cold water temperatures kill algae and invertebrates. 
B)  some invertebrates are more vulnerable than others to being dislodged by currents. 
C)  dessication of exposed invertebrates by unusually high winds is an important source of mortality. 
D)  strong storm waves overturn boulders and thereby accelerate competitive exclusion. 
E)  strong storm waves overturn boulders and thereby remove competitive dominants.

Question 7

In the Amazon forest, slight changes in soil properties tend to be correlated with

Accepted Answer

A)  similarly slight differences in plant communities. 
B)  no detectable differences in plant communities. 
C)  dramatic differences in plant communities. 
D)  dramatic differences in plant communities only if the soil property in question is moisture. 
E)  dramatic differences in plant communities only if the soil property in question is bedrock type. 
A)  similarly slight differences in plant communities. 
B)  no detectable differences in plant communities. 
C)  dramatic differences in plant communities. 
D)  dramatic differences in plant communities only if the soil property in question is moisture. 
E)  dramatic differences in plant communities only if the soil property in question is bedrock type.

Question 8

Joseph Connell's "intermediate disturbance hypothesis" proposes that

Accepted Answer

A)  species diversity is highest at intermediate frequencies of disturbance. 
B)  species diversity is lowest at intermediate frequencies of disturbance. 
C)  population growth rates are highest at intermediate frequencies of disturbance. 
D)  competitive exclusion is fastest at intermediate levels of disturbance. 
E)  None of the choices are correct. 
A)  species diversity is highest at intermediate frequencies of disturbance. 
B)  species diversity is lowest at intermediate frequencies of disturbance. 
C)  population growth rates are highest at intermediate frequencies of disturbance. 
D)  competitive exclusion is fastest at intermediate levels of disturbance. 
E)  None of the choices are correct.

Question 9

In Leon Creek there are 5 species of fish. The species and the number of individuals in each species are as follows: 20 catfish, 15 gar, 12 large-mouth bass, 10 perch, and 2 striped bass. Calculate the Shannon-Wiener index value (H') for this fish community.

Accepted Answer

A)  -0.63 
B)  0.63 
C)  4.20 
D)  67.2 
E)  None of the choices are correct. 
A)  -0.63 
B)  0.63 
C)  4.20 
D)  67.2 
E)  None of the choices are correct.

Question 10

Odegaard's study estimating the number of tropical forest beetles illustrates that sampling from multiple sites

Accepted Answer

A)  is not affected by the sampling effort devoted to estimation. 
B)  usually requires only limited effort by ecologists. 
C)  can usually be made more easily by sampling only a single indicator taxon. 
D)  is intensively all that is necessary to calculate species diversity. 
E)  must, to be useful, be based on standardized sampling techniques. 
A)  is not affected by the sampling effort devoted to estimation. 
B)  usually requires only limited effort by ecologists. 
C)  can usually be made more easily by sampling only a single indicator taxon. 
D)  is intensively all that is necessary to calculate species diversity. 
E)  must, to be useful, be based on standardized sampling techniques.

Question 11

Robert MacArthur's study of forest warblers suggested that

Accepted Answer

A)  fewer warbler species can survive in more complex habitats. 
B)  warbler species diversity increases with habitat complexity. 
C)  warbler species diversity decreases with habitat complexity. 
D)  most warblers have rather similar foraging niches. 
E)  None of the choices are correct. 
A)  fewer warbler species can survive in more complex habitats. 
B)  warbler species diversity increases with habitat complexity. 
C)  warbler species diversity decreases with habitat complexity. 
D)  most warblers have rather similar foraging niches. 
E)  None of the choices are correct.

Question 12

A simple tree community consists of 4 maples, 3 oaks, and 1 alder. The Shannon-Wiener diversity of this community is

Accepted Answer

A)  0.42. 
B)  0.97. 
C)  1.5. 
D)  3. 
E)  not possible to calculate from the data given. 
A)  0.42. 
B)  0.97. 
C)  1.5. 
D)  3. 
E)  not possible to calculate from the data given.

Question 13

A simple tree community consists of 4 maples, 3 oaks, and 1 alder. The species richness of this community is

Accepted Answer

A)  0.42. 
B)  0.97. 
C)  1.5. 
D)  3. 
E)  not possible to calculate from the data given. 
A)  0.42. 
B)  0.97. 
C)  1.5. 
D)  3. 
E)  not possible to calculate from the data given.

Question 14

Prairie dog disturbances maximize plant diversity

Accepted Answer

A)  by burrowing and grazing. 
B)  by creating patches open for dispersal. 
C)  by allowing good competitors and good colonizers to coexist in the grassland. 
D)  at intermediate levels. 
E)  All of the choices are correct. 
A)  by burrowing and grazing. 
B)  by creating patches open for dispersal. 
C)  by allowing good competitors and good colonizers to coexist in the grassland. 
D)  at intermediate levels. 
E)  All of the choices are correct.

Question 15

Concentrations of inorganic nutrients typically don't vary much across the surface of a single lake.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

In the Grass Park Experiment, researchers have fertilized a grassland at the Rothamsted Experimental Station in Great Britain since 1856. Sampling for species diversity through time shows that rank-abundance curves have gotten __________ over time, indicating _________ species evenness.

Accepted Answer

A)  steeper; increasing 
B)  steeper; decreasing 
C)  more shallow; increasing 
D)  more shallow; decreasing 
E)  Rank-abundance curves have not changed through time. 
A)  steeper; increasing 
B)  steeper; decreasing 
C)  more shallow; increasing 
D)  more shallow; decreasing 
E)  Rank-abundance curves have not changed through time.

Question 17

A community is defined as

Accepted Answer

A)  a group of organisms that all make their living in a similar way. 
B)  a group of individuals of a single species inhabiting a defined area. 
C)  the portion of a defined area that supports life. 
D)  a group of subpopulations living in separate locations with active exchange of individuals among subpopulations. 
E)  an association of interacting species inhabiting a defined area. 
A)  a group of organisms that all make their living in a similar way. 
B)  a group of individuals of a single species inhabiting a defined area. 
C)  the portion of a defined area that supports life. 
D)  a group of subpopulations living in separate locations with active exchange of individuals among subpopulations. 
E)  an association of interacting species inhabiting a defined area.

Question 18

A relatively discrete ecological event that kills or damages organisms or alters the physical or biological environment is called a __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A relatively discrete ecological event that kills...

Question 19

In terrestrial soils, local patches with high water availability and local patches with high nitrate availability often show rather little overlap.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

In both northern California and southwestern Ohio, the greatest number of bird species was found

Accepted Answer

A)  in urban centers. 
B)  in golf courses. 
C)  in rural areas. 
D)  in urban centers and rural areas but not in areas of intermediate land use intensity. 
E)  Bird species richness did not vary along gradients of land use intensity. 
A)  in urban centers. 
B)  in golf courses. 
C)  in rural areas. 
D)  in urban centers and rural areas but not in areas of intermediate land use intensity. 
E)  Bird species richness did not vary along gradients of land use intensity.

Exam 16: Species Abundance and Diversity

Higher species evenness in a community can be measured by a shallower slope on a rank-abundance curve.

In most ecological communities, we find

In Michael Huston's studies of Costa Rican forest diversity, the highest tree diversity was found on soils with

The most serious human-caused threat to endangered species worldwide is

A set of species that have similar ways of making their living make up a __________.

Winter storms can affect diversity on intertidal boulders because

In the Amazon forest, slight changes in soil properties tend to be correlated with

Joseph Connell's "intermediate disturbance hypothesis" proposes that

In Leon Creek there are 5 species of fish. The species and the number of individuals in each species are as follows: 20 catfish, 15 gar, 12 large-mouth bass, 10 perch, and 2 striped bass. Calculate the Shannon-Wiener index value (H') for this fish community.

Odegaard's study estimating the number of tropical forest beetles illustrates that sampling from multiple sites

Robert MacArthur's study of forest warblers suggested that

A simple tree community consists of 4 maples, 3 oaks, and 1 alder. The Shannon-Wiener diversity of this community is

A simple tree community consists of 4 maples, 3 oaks, and 1 alder. The species richness of this community is

Prairie dog disturbances maximize plant diversity

Concentrations of inorganic nutrients typically don't vary much across the surface of a single lake.

In the Grass Park Experiment, researchers have fertilized a grassland at the Rothamsted Experimental Station in Great Britain since 1856. Sampling for species diversity through time shows that rank-abundance curves have gotten __________ over time, indicating _________ species evenness.

A community is defined as

A relatively discrete ecological event that kills or damages organisms or alters the physical or biological environment is called a __________.

In terrestrial soils, local patches with high water availability and local patches with high nitrate availability often show rather little overlap.

In both northern California and southwestern Ohio, the greatest number of bird species was found

Introduction to Ecology Historical Foundations and Developing Frontiers

Life on Land

Life in Water

Population Genetics and Natural Selection

Temperature Relations

Water Relations

Energy and Nutrient Relations

Socail Relations

Population Distribution and Abundance

Population Dynamics

Population Growth

Life Histories

Competition

Exploitative Interactions Predation, Herbivory, Parasitism, and Disease

Mutualism

Species Interactions and Community Structure

Primary Production and Energy Flow

Nutrient Cycling and Retention

Succession and Stability

Landscape Ecology

Geographic Ecology

Global Ecology

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In the Grass Park Experiment, researchers have fertilized a grassland at the Rothamsted Experimental Station in Great Britain since 1856. Sampling for species diversity through time shows that rank-abundance curves have gotten __ over time, indicating _ species evenness.