Deck 4: Adaptations to Variable Environments　

Question 1

This figure shows the tail shape developed by three tadpole genotypes (M, N, and O) when raised in an environment with predators and an environment without predators. In the presence of predators, tadpoles with large tails have high fitness and tadpoles with small tails have low fitness. When predators are not present, tadpoles with large tails have low fitness and tadpoles with small tails have high fitness. Under which of the following situations would the plastic genotype be favored over other genotypes?
I) if all environments have predators
II) if no environments have predators
III) if environments with predators are as common as environments without predators

A) situation I
B) situation II
C) situation III
D) situations I and II
E) situations I and III

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Why are phenotypic trade-offs necessary for adaptive phenotypic plasticity to evolve?

Answer 2

not answered

Question 3

The average annual rainfall measured in a desert over 10 years is which type of variation?

A) weather
B) climate
C) spatial
D) phenotypic

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What is an example of how jewelweed plants exhibit adaptive phenotypic plasticity in response to competition from other plants?

A) develop trichomes and glucosinolates
B) grow shorter stems
C) grow longer stems
D) close stomata in leaves

Question 5

When the protist Euplotes detects predators, it grows "wings" and other projections to discourage predators. However, developing the projections and wings slows down growth. This is an example of
I) phenotypic trade-offs.
II) phenotypic plasticity.
III) inbreeding depression.

A) I only
B) II only
C) III only
D) I and II only
E) I, II, and III

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of weather?

A) The average annual rainfall in a North American desert is 33 cm per year.
B) The average summer temperature at a specific location has increased from 30°C in the 1950s to 32°C in the 1990s.
C) A single location received 10 cm of snow on January 1, 2011, but no snow on January 2, 2011.
D) The composition of the soil differs between the coastal beaches and the eastern forests of North America.

Question 7

Which type of variation refers to the typical atmospheric conditions that occur throughout the year and are measured over multiple years?

A) weather
B) climate
C) phenotype
D) spatial variation

Question 8

Environmentally induced changes in an individual's physiology are called

A) acclimation.
B) environmental cues.
C) phenotypic trade-offs.
D) nonplastic genotypes.

Question 9

Consider an area in which plants change from one group of species to another group of species over a distance of 20 cm. How might this scale of variation affect two herbivores-aphids (very small insects) and moose (large mammals)?

A) Aphids would be more strongly affected by this gradient.
B) Moose would be more strongly affected by this gradient.
C) Neither would be affected by this gradient.
D) They would be equally affected by this gradient.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about environmental cues is/are TRUE?
I) Environmental cues are necessary for an organism to evolve adaptive phenotypic plasticity.
II) Environmental cues can include smell, sight, and sound.
III) Environmental cues are used by animals but not by plants.

A) I only
B) II only
C) III only
D) I and II
E) I, II, and III

Question 11

This figure shows the tail shape developed by three tadpole genotypes (M, N, and O) when raised in an environment with predators and an environment without predators. In the presence of predators, tadpoles with large tails have high fitness and tadpoles with small tails have low fitness. When predators are not present, tadpoles with large tails have low fitness and tadpoles with small tails have high fitness. Which genotype(s) exhibit(s) phenotypic plasticity in response to predators?

A) M only
B) N only
C) O only
D) both M and N
E) both N and O

Question 12

Phenotypic plasticity

A) refers to an environment that varies.
B) occurs when a single phenotype has different fitness in different environments.
C) is a type of environmental cue.
D) is the ability of a single genotype to produce multiple phenotypes.

Question 13

When a given phenotype has higher fitness in one environment and different phenotypes have higher fitness in other environments, this is considered to be

A) phenotypic plasticity.
B) an environmental cue.
C) a phenotypic trade-off.
D) acclimation.

Question 14

Some individuals exhibit adaptive phenotypic plasticity in response to competition from members of their own species. Why would food availability probably be a more reliable cue than the number of conspecifics about the amount of competition for food?

Question 15

Plants develop trichomes and produce glucosinolates as adaptive phenotypic plasticity to

A) reduce competition for resources.
B) attract pollinators for reproduction.
C) protect against herbivores.
D) survive harsh drought conditions.

Question 16

Long-duration environmental events usually take place over _____ spatial scale(s).

A) a small
B) an intermediate
C) a large
D) both large and small

Question 17

This figure shows the tail shape developed by three tadpole genotypes (M, N, and O) when raised in an environment with predators and an environment without predators. In the presence of predators, tadpoles with large tails have high fitness and tadpoles with small tails have low fitness. When predators are not present, tadpoles with large tails have low fitness and tadpoles with small tails have high fitness. Which genotype(s) would have the highest average fitness across both environments?

A) M only
B) N only
C) O only
D) both M and N
E) both N and O

Question 18

Which shows the order of phenotypically plastic traits from those that typically respond most rapidly to those that typically respond least rapidly?

A) behavior, morphology, physiology
B) physiology, morphology, behavior
C) behavior, physiology, morphology
D) morphology, behavior, physiology
E) morphology, physiology, behavior

Question 19

In response to a specific type of environmental variation, the Burmese python can drastically increase the size of its heart and length of its intestines in fewer than 2 days. What environmental variation causes this drastic change?

A) variation in predators
B) variation in availability of food
C) variation in availability of mates
D) variation in temperature

Question 20

Which statement about predator and prey phenotypic plasticity is accurate?
I) Prey can change morphology to avoid predators.
II) Predators can change morphology to capture prey.
III) Both predators and prey exhibit phenotypic trade-offs.

A) I only
B) II only
C) III only
D) I and II only
E) I, II, and III

Question 21

Explain why many prey species reduce activity when they detect predators but have high activity when they do not detect predators.

Question 22

Consider the figure, which shows how Virginia pepperweed responds to herbivores. Which of the following conclusions can we make solely using the data shown? I. Plants increased glucosinolate production when aphids were present.
II) Plants with more glucosinolate and trichomes had fewer aphids.
III) Producing glucosinolate and trichomes reduced plant fitness when aphids were absent.

A) I only
B) II only
C) III only
D) I and II only
E) I, II, and III

Question 23

One cost of self-fertilization in the absence of mates is

A) inbreeding depression.
B) physiological acclimation.
C) migration.
D) handling time.

Question 24

Refer to the figure to answer this question. Describe the phenotypic plasticity of common pond snails in the absence of mates, and explain the costs and benefits of that phenotypic plasticity.

Question 25

Torpor is beneficial to animals because it

A) allows them to move away from dangerous conditions.
B) allows them to acquire additional food.
C) allows them to conserve energy.
D) prevents them from freezing.

Question 26

Describe how a desert iguana can survive high summer temperatures.

Question 27

When humans move from low elevations to high elevations, it typically takes one or more weeks for their bodies to improve their ability to carry oxygen. This is an example of

A) microhabitat use.
B) acclimation.
C) aestivation.
D) migration.

Question 28

Tigriopus copepods living in ocean tide pools are subject to frequent changes in salt concentrations. In response to these drastic changes in salinity, Tigriopus copepods change the amount of amino acids in their bodies, which allows the osmotic potential of their body fluids to match that of the tide pool. This is an example of

A) microhabitat use.
B) acclimation.
C) aestivation.
D) torpor.

Question 29

If a goldfish is acclimated at 25°C, at which temperature would we expect the fish to swim fastest?

A) 5°C
B) 25°C
C) 40°C
D) equally fast at all temperatures

Question 30

Based on the figure, describe the phenotypic trade-offs of a fish being acclimated to 25°C compared to a fish acclimated to 5°C.

Question 31

The phenotypic plasticity that allows a copepod to survive being moved from salt water to fresh water is similar to the phenotypic plasticity of a human moved from low elevation to high elevation because both are

A) examples of behavioral phenotypic plasticity.
B) examples of morphological phenotypic plasticity.
C) examples of physiological phenotypic plasticity.
D) changes that cannot be reversed.

Question 32

Over the course of a day, a snake will move from place to place to reach its preferred body temperature. This is an example of

A) microhabitat use.
B) acclimation.
C) aestivation.
D) migration.

Question 33

Which of the following are phenotypically plastic responses of plants to reduced water availability?
I) develop trichomes and produce more glucosinolate
II) close stomata in leaves
III) increase the root/shoot ratio

A) I only
B) II only
C) III only
D) I and II only
E) II and III only

Question 34

What form of dormancy do mammals use to conserve energy and survive seasons during which they are unable to obtain food?

A) diapause
B) hibernation
C) torpor
D) aestivation

Question 35

What types of plants and animals are able to reproduce even if they cannot find a mate?

A) predators
B) competitors
C) hermaphrodites
D) inbred organisms

Question 36

The figure shows plant growth responses to variation in availability of water. If this is an example of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, how would we expect the root-to-shoot ratio to be related to fitness?

A) When water is scarce, plants with high root-to-shoot ratios have higher fitness.
B) When water is scarce, plants with low root-to-shoot ratios have higher fitness.
C) In all environments, plants with high root-to-shoot ratios have higher fitness.
D) In all environments, plants with low root-to-shoot ratios have higher fitness.

Question 37

Why is it beneficial for birds and mammals with high surface-area-to-volume ratios to reduce their body temperature for short periods?

A) Reducing body temperature makes them less vulnerable to predators.
B) Reducing body temperature saves energy that would be consumed producing body heat.
C) Reducing body temperature allows them to gather more food.
D) Reducing body temperature prevents water loss.

Question 38

A specific location within the area where an animal lives and typically contains more favorable abiotic conditions than other locations in the area is a(n)

A) microhabitat.
B) torpor.
C) acclimation.
D) climate.

Question 39

During the course of two generations, monarch butterflies move from southern Canada to Mexico, spend the winter in Mexico, and then return to southern Canada. This is an example of

A) climate.
B) migration.
C) storage.
D) foraging.

Question 40

Many Arctic animals accumulate fat as an energy reserve that allows them to survive winter when food is difficult to obtain. This strategy is an example of

A) migration.
B) storage.
C) dormancy.
D) diapause.

Question 41

A forager that selects food type based on a balance of the energy provided, handling time, and abundance displays

A) optimal diet composition.
B) diet mixing.
C) risk-sensitive foraging.
D) central-place foraging.

Question 42

Examples of phenotypic plasticity in nature are found in all of the following areas except

A) physiology.
B) behavior.
C) sex ratios.
D) growth.

Question 43

An active hummingbird maintains its resting body temperature at approximately 40°C, while a torpid hummingbird maintains its resting body temperature at approximately 20°C. Explain how torpor allows hummingbirds to survive cold periods with little available food.

Question 44

An ecologist is studying the relationship between a beetle species and a flower species. She examines six plants and counts the number of beetles and the number of flowers on each plant. $$\begin{array} { | l | l | } \hline \text { Number of flowers } & \text { Number of beetles } \\\hline 1 & 1 \\\hline 2 & 4 \\\hline 3 & 9 \\\hline 4 & 16 \\\hline 5 & 25 \\\hline 6 & 36 \\\hline\end{array}$$
What can we conclude from the data?

A) Flowers cause beetles to be more abundant.
B) Beetles cause plants to grow more flowers.
C) A third unmeasured variable causes both beetles and flowers to increase.
D) There is no way to determine causation in the relationship between flowers and beetles based solely on this data set.

Question 45

Desert tortoises shut down metabolic processes for long periods during very hot and dry summer conditions. What form of dormancy is this?

A) diapause
B) hibernation
C) torpor
D) aestivation

Question 46

A fox that catches prey in several fields but brings the prey back to a single den to feed its young is an example of

A) optimal diet composition.
B) diet mixing.
C) risk-sensitive foraging.
D) central-place foraging.

Question 47

Red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) occur simultaneously in several different color morphs in nature. Individuals may be red backed (having a red stripe down the back), lead backed (a blackish stripe) and erocrystic (a yellow stripe). If these color morphs conferred differing fitness levels in differing environments, this would be considered an example of

A) phenotypic plasticity.
B) phenotypic trade-off.
C) spatial variation.
D) temporal variation.

Question 48

Use the concept of phenotypic trade-offs to explain how foraging behavior is a type of adaptive phenotypic plasticity.

Question 49

Experimental studies found that increased CO2 caused some types of plants to increase their overall growth rates. What aspect of phenotypic plasticity contributed to the increase in growth rate?

A) increased production of trichomes
B) increased production of glucosinolate
C) decreased time that stomata are open
D) decrease in the size of the roots

Question 50

An ecologist is studying the relationship between a beetle species and a flower species. She examines six plants and counts the number of beetles and the number of flowers on each plant. $$\begin{array} { | l | l | } \hline \text { Number of flowers } & \text { Number of beetles } \\\hline 1 & 1 \\\hline 2 & 4 \\\hline 3 & 9 \\\hline 4 & 16 \\\hline 5 & 25 \\\hline 6 & 36 \\\hline\end{array}$$
Which of the following terms best describes the data?

A) positive linear correlation
B) negative linear correlation
C) positive curvilinear correlation
D) negative curvilinear correlation

Question 51

A heron, a large wading bird, is hunting in a pond that contains three types of prey: fish, frogs, and snakes. All three types of prey are abundant and provide the same amount of energy to the heron. The heron has the highest handling time capturing fish, an intermediate handling time capturing snakes, and the lowest handling time capturing frogs. What prey item would foraging theory predict that the heron should catch most frequently?

A) fish
B) snakes
C) frogs
D) fish and frogs equally frequently

Question 52

A scientist is studying a bird that forages for worms and takes them back to its nest. If the relation between search time and the number of prey caught remains constant but the scientist moves the food closer, what change in the bird's behavior would central place foraging predict?

A) More worms would be brought back per trip.
B) The number of worms brought back would not change.
C) Fewer worms would be brought back per trip.
D) The bird would enter torpor.

Question 53

An animal that consumes a varied diet because a single food does not contain all necessary nutrients is an example of

A) optimal diet composition.
B) diet mixing.
C) risk-sensitive foraging.
D) central-place foraging.

Question 54

A risk to a migratory species like the monarch butterfly may include all of the following except

A) increased predation at their overwintering sites.
B) lack of suitable refueling (feeding) habitat along the migration route.
C) loss of overwintering sites due to habitat fragmentation.
D) increased probability for inbreeding depression as the monarch population overwinters in the same small area in Mexico.

Question 55

Different species of birds found feeding in different parts of the same forest canopy at the same time may be an example of

A) microhabitat differences.
B) climate-induced variation.
C) environmental cue response.
D) temporal variability.

Question 56

Based on the central-place foraging theory and the figure, identify the optimal number of prey for a forager to catch. In the figure the straight orange line indicates the optimal rate of prey capture.

A) 5 prey
B) 8 prey
C) 10 prey
D) 5, 8, and 10 prey are equally optimal

Question 57

What is the risk to a species of inbreeding depression?

A) seed production at a seasonally inappropriate time
B) decreased seed production
C) an increased likelihood of deleterious genes being inherited from both egg and sperm
D) increased offspring production unable to be maintained by the environmental resources available

Question 58

Consider a mouse that can forage in one of two fields. The south field has three times more seeds than the north field. However, an owl (a predator that eats mice) lives at the south field. The mouse forages in the north field despite the fact that it contains less food. This is an example of

A) optimal diet composition.
B) diet mixing.
C) risk-sensitive foraging.
D) central-place foraging.

Question 59

Explain the differences and similarities between storage and dormancy as adaptive strategies, and provide an example.

Question 60

Consider a species of squirrel that eats acorns and maple seeds. Define the diet-mixing hypothesis and describe an experiment that would test whether squirrels eat both acorns and seeds because of the diet-mixing hypothesis. As part of your answer, describe the experimental treatments, the response variable that would be measured, and results that would both support and reject the diet-mixing hypothesis.

Question 61

Describe the difference between a plastic and nonplastic genotype.

Question 62

Explain a difference between hibernation and aestivation.

Question 63

What would the characteristics of an optimal foraging species be?

Question 64

A type of dormancy found in insects in response to unfavorable environmental conditions is called

A) diapause.
B) hibernation.
C) torpor.
D) aestivation.

Question 65

The time required to subdue and consume a prey item is called

A) traveling time.
B) searching time.
C) handling time.
D) foraging time.