Deck 14: Predation and Herbivory

Question 1

Australian authorities removed dingoes and feral dogs because they killed sheep. As a result

A) sheep populations increased.
B) populations of the mesopredator, the red fox, decreased.
C) populations of the mesopredator, the red fox, increased.
D) rabbit populations increased dramatically.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions show that

A) predator populations lag behind prey populations.
B) prey populations lag behind predatory populations.
C) predator and prey populations cycle together.
D) predator-prey cycles are inherently unstable.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A species has been transplanted to a region of the world where historically it did not exist. It spreads rapidly and harms native species. This is known as a(n)

A) introduced species.
B) exotic species.
C) invasive species.
D) non-native species.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions, the growth rate of the prey population is represented by

A) cNP - rN.
B) r - cP.
C) crN - NP.
D) rN - cNP.

Question 5

In Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions, c represents the

A) probability of an encounter leading to prey's capture.
B) efficiency of converting consumed prey into predator offspring.
C) per capita mortality rate of predators.
D) intrinsic growth rate.

Question 6

The graphs show the result of experiments involving the crop pest the California red scale insect Aonidiella aurantii and the parasitoid wasp Aphytis melinus. What did the results show about the populations of wasps and scale insects on control and outbreak trees? Is the parasitoid wasp a good biocontrol candidate for reducing scale insects?

Question 7

The introduction of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) to Guam decimated the native fauna because

A) the brown tree snake was a superior predator.
B) animals on Guam had no defenses against snakes.
C) the brown tree snake carried a virulent pathogen.
D) animals on Guam were very susceptible to a parasite carried by the brown tree snake.

Question 8

Predators that live in the Canadian tundra and feed on larger herbivores tend to have _____ population cycles, and predators that feed on smaller herbivores tend to have _____ population cycles.

A) short; long
B) long; short
C) short; short
D) long; long

Question 9

The biocontrol species cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) has not been able to eradicate the invasive prickly pear cactus from Australia because

A) cactus moths prefer to consume other cactus species rather than prickly pear.
B) prickly pear cactus is able to disperse to moth-free areas.
C) cactus moth populations are declining because of parasitic infection.
D) prickly pear cactus has evolved defenses against the cactus moth.

Question 10

How was the invasive plant the Klamath weed (Hypericum perforatum) controlled in California?

A) A leaf-feeding beetle was introduced to control the weed.
B) The weed was killed off with herbicide.
C) The weed was killed off by a plant pathogen.
D) More cows were released to eat the weed.

Question 11

Huffaker's laboratory experiment of predator and prey species of mites demonstrated that predator and prey cycles

A) stabilize with increased food sources.
B) stabilize when males are added.
C) stabilize when prey have refuges.
D) are always unstable.

Question 12

Top predators are predators that eat

A) plants and herbivores.
B) herbivores and top predators.
C) mesopredators and plants.
D) herbivores and mesopredators.

Question 13

Which would be considered a mesopredator?

A) wolves
B) mountain lions
C) coyotes
D) bears

Question 14

How does the removal of top predators affect mesopredator populations?

A) The mesopredator population declines because there is no control on population size.
B) The geographic range and abundance of mesopredators decline.
C) Mesopredator populations remain unchanged.
D) The geographic range and abundance of mesopredators increase.

Question 15

In rocky shore communities in which sea urchins lived among populations of brown algae and other species of algae, sea urchins were experimentally removed. What happened in response to sea urchin removal?

Question 16

What is the driving force in the 10-year cycle of lynx and hare abundance?

A) competition
B) low resources
C) climate change
D) predation

Question 17

Experiments with fences that exclude deer and other plant herbivores from grazing showed greater plant biomass in fenced areas than in unfenced control areas. The few plant species that remain in unfenced areas are those that

A) are tolerant to herbivory.
B) herbivores prefer not to eat.
C) herbivores cannot locate.
D) have high growth rates to compensate for herbivory.

Question 18

In Lotka-Volterra models of predator-prey interactions, the growth rate of the predator population is represented by

A) NP - acmP.
B) acN - m.
C) acNP - mP.
D) cNP - amP.

Question 19

In the study of brown anole lizards (Anolis sagrei) and orb-weaving spiders (Metepeira datona) on islands in the Bahamas, researchers concluded that

A) spiders reduced lizard populations.
B) lizards reduced spider populations.
C) reintroduction of spiders caused increases in their population.
D) lizards did not affect spider populations.

Question 20

Reductions in bay scallops in the Atlantic Ocean were caused by a(n)

A) increase in the top predator shark population.
B) increase in the mesopredator cownose ray population.
C) decrease in the mesopredator cownose ray population.
D) decrease in the food supply of bay scallops.

Question 21

Draw the shape of the curves for type I, II, and III functional responses for predator and prey population.

Question 22

At the joint equilibrium point,

A) both predator and prey populations are increasing.
B) both predator and prey populations are decreasing.
C) both predator and prey populations have zero growth.
D) one population is increasing and the other population is decreasing.

Question 23

Describe what is occurring with predator and prey populations in each of the four sections of the figure.

Question 24

In Lotka-Volterra predator-prey models, the equilibrium isocline for prey is represented as

A) P = c ÷ r.
B) P ÷ r = c.
C) P ÷ c = r.
D) P = r ÷ c.

Question 25

A numerical response is a change in the number of predators due to all of the following EXCEPT

A) changes in prey abundances.
B) population growth.
C) immigration.
D) emigration.

Question 26

In experiments with the backswimmer (Notonecta glauca), a predatory insect, and two types of prey species, isopods (Asellus aquaticus) and mayflies (Coeon dipterum), predator preference seemed to be affected by the percentage of mayflies. What explains the results presented in the figure? What type of functional response is being demonstrated?

Question 27

In Lotka-Volterra predator-prey models, prey populations decrease when

A) P < r ÷ c.
B) P > r ÷ c.
C) P ÷ c > r.
D) P ÷ c < r.

Question 28

Simultaneous examination of predator and prey population trends is called a

A) dual population trajectory.
B) joint population trajectory.
C) dual population isocline.
D) joint population isocline.

Question 29

Many organisms that employ chemical defenses also display

A) crypsis.
B) aposematism.
C) camouflage.
D) Batesian coloration.

Question 30

At the equilibrium isocline for prey, the population of predators

A) causes the prey population to be stable.
B) causes the prey population to increase.
C) causes the prey population to decrease.
D) and prey both stabilize.

Question 31

The color pattern and texture of the body of a horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) allows it to blend into the ground of the desert in which it lives. This is an example of

A) a structural defense.
B) a behavioral defense.
C) spatial avoidance.
D) crypsis.

Question 32

A type _____ functional response occurs when a predator's rate of prey consumption increases linearly with increasing prey and then satiates.

A) I
B) II
C) III
D) IV

Question 33

In a functional response, the

A) prey can regulate the fitness of the predator population.
B) predator can regulate the fitness of the prey population.
C) prey can regulate the growth of the predator population.
D) predator can regulate the growth of the prey population.

Question 34

In Lotka-Volterra predator-prey models, predator populations decrease when

A) N ÷ ac < m.
B) N ÷ ac > m.
C) N < m ÷ ac.
D) N > m ÷ ac.

Question 35

Wolves hunt in packs that chase down their prey. This is an example of

A) sit-and-wait hunting.
B) ambush hunting.
C) active hunting.
D) trap hunting.

Question 36

In Lotka-Volterra models, a population is stable when its rate of change is

A) greater than zero.
B) less than zero.
C) equal to zero.
D) None of the above

Question 37

For some predators, as prey density increases, the rate of consumption slows and eventually levels off with satiation. This is a type _____ functional response.

A) I
B) II
C) III
D) IV

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT a behavioral defense against predation?

A) alarm calling
B) spatial avoidance
C) camouflage
D) reduced activity

Question 39

The crucian carp (Carassius carassius) develops a muscular hump on its back that increases its acceleration in response to predators. This is an example of

A) a chemical defense.
B) crypsis.
C) a structural defense.
D) a behavioral defense.

Question 40

A functional response in predatory-prey cycles is the relation between the density of

A) predators and an individual prey's rate of food consumption.
B) prey and an individual predator's rate of food consumption.
C) predators and an individual prey's rate of growth.
D) prey and an individual predator's rate of growth.

Question 41

The figure shows results of a study in which scientists observed the responses of tadpoles to a caged predator and an empty control cage in tubs of water. The caged predator emitted a chemical that alerted the tadpoles to its presence but was not able to kill tadpoles. Based on the figure, how did tadpoles respond to the experiment, and what type of defense did they exhibit?

Question 42

Plant alkaloids act as chemical defense against herbivory because they

A) are toxic to herbivores.
B) are difficult for herbivores to digest.
C) make the plant unpalatable.
D) are difficult to consume.

Question 43

The viceroy (Limenitis archippus) is an unpalatable North American butterfly that has coloration similar to that of another species of unpalatable butterfly, the monarch (Danaus plexippus). This is an example of

A) crypsis.
B) Müllerian mimicry.
C) Batesian mimicry.
D) camouflage.

Question 44

The bombardier beetle (Stenaptinus insignis) deters predators by releasing boiling hot fluid from its abdomen. This is an example of

A) crypsis.
B) structural defense.
C) chemical defense.
D) behavioral defense.

Question 45

Chameleon color patterns are an example of

A) structural defenses.
B) aposematism.
C) behavioral defenses.
D) crypsis.

Question 46

Which of the following chemical defenses makes plants difficult for herbivores to digest?

A) alkaloids
B) latex
C) resins
D) tannins

Question 47

Which is a warning coloration?

A) Batesian coloration
B) Müllerian coloration
C) crypsis
D) aposematism

Question 48

What does it mean when scientists set the alpha at .05 for a statistical test?

Question 49

The Indian gray mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii) is a small mammal that is known for its ability to kill venomous king cobras (Ophiophagus hannah). Mongooses have evolved acetylcholine receptors that make them resistant or immune to the cobra's venom. What is likely responsible for this?

A) coevolution
B) natural selection
C) structural defenses
D) chemical defenses

Question 50

Which of the following is an example of a plant alkaloid?

A) tannin
B) lignin
C) caffeine
D) latex

Question 51

Ladybugs (Coccinella septempunctata) produce bad-tasting alkaloids as a chemical defense against predators. Researchers wanted to determine the costs of this chemical defense. They fed ladybugs either small or large amounts of food and measured alkaloid production and concentrations of carotenoids in the ladybug bodies. Carotenoids are the chemicals responsible for the red color of the ladybug, which advertises its unpalatability to predators. What do the results of this experiment, shown in the figure, indicate about costs of chemical defenses?

Question 52

The nonpoisonous scarlet king snake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) found in the eastern United States has similar coloration to that of the poisonous eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius). This is an example of

A) aposematism.
B) crypsis.
C) Müllerian mimicry.
D) Batesian mimicry.

Question 53

Describe the difference between Batesian Mimicry and Müllerian Mimicry.

Question 54

Alarm signals in primates are an example of

A) a chemical defense.
B) a structural defense.
C) a behavioral defense.
D) aposematism.

Question 55

The resemblance of poison dart frog species of the genus Ranitomeya to one another in Peru is an example of

A) Batesian mimicry.
B) Müllerian mimicry.
C) crypsis.
D) a chemical defense.

Question 56

The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris), the hover fly (Helophilus pendulus), and the hornet clearwing (Sesia apiformis) all exhibit similar color patterns, but only the wasp is harmful. What benefit, if any, do the hornet and fly gain from having coloring similar to that of the wasp?

Question 57

Reduced growth and development due to reduced feeding and foraging activity is a cost of

A) chemical defenses.
B) structural defenses.
C) behavioral defenses.
D) crypsis.

Question 58

Milkweeds use _____ as a chemical defense against herbivory.

A) alkaloids
B) tannins
C) glycosides
D) resin

Question 59

On Macquarie Island invasive rabbits were causing declines in palatable vegetation, and feral cats were preying on native birds. What was the primary result when a flea carrying a virus that killed the rabbits decreased rabbits' numbers on the island?

A) Feral cats switched from eating rabbits to eating native birds.
B) Feral cats also died off because of the loss of the rabbit prey.
C) Native bird populations on the island increased.
D) Native plant populations on the island declined.

Question 60

Researchers studying production of nicotine in tobacco plants (Nicotiana sylvestris) treated some of the plants with a hormone that prevents the chemical defenses from responding to herbivory. What did they find to be the cost of nicotine production?

A) reduced growth rate
B) increased herbivory
C) plant death
D) reduced seed production

Question 61

Discuss the costs associated with defending against predation.

Question 62

The two basic hunting strategies [active hunting vs. ambush (sit-and-wait hunting)] are both successful strategies under differing conditions. What characteristics of the prey might be associated with these two hunting strategies?

Question 63

Humans have had the largest impact on natural systems as a result of

A) eliminating mesopredators.
B) introducing mesopredators.
C) eliminating top predators.
D) introducing top predators.

Question 64

According to Lotka and Voltera what information was required to calculate the change in population size of the predator over time (dP/dt)?

A) the efficiency rate of converting prey consumed into predator offspring
B) the efficiency rate of converting vegetation consumed by the prey into prey offspring
C) the overall death rate of the prey by all causes
D) the death rate of prey by all causes other than predation

Question 65

What is true about the Lotka-Volterra model for predator and prey?

A) The model includes recognition of the carrying capacity for prey.
B) The model includes recognition of the carrying capacity for predators.
C) The model results in oscillating populations of predator and prey with the prey population lagging behind the predator population.
D) The model results in oscillating populations of predator and prey with the predator population lagging behind the prey population.

Question 66

Which functional response curve shows a slower rate of consumption of prey at low prey density levels due to the predator learning a search image for the prey?

A) type I functional response
B) type II functional response
C) type III functional response
D) type IV functional response

Question 67

According to Lotka and Volterra, what information was required to calculate the change in population size of the prey over time (dN/dt)?

A) the intrinsic rate of growth of the predator
B) the population size of the prey's closest competitor
C) the number of parasite species impacting the prey
D) how efficient the predator was in capturing the prey

Question 68

Which term best describes the brown tree snake based on its impact on the island of Guam?

A) invasive species
B) introduced species
C) non-native species
D) exotic species

Question 69

Which functional response curve shows a satiation of the predator at high prey densities?

A) type I functional response curve only
B) type II functional response curve only
C) type III functional response curve only
D) type I, II, and III all show satiation