Deck 11: Biodiversity: Preserving Species

Question 1

DNA sequencing technology has improved biologists ability to understand ancestral relationships among different kinds of life.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A wide diversity of living things provide a range of intrinsic benefits to humans.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Because prairie dogs have a major effect on the ecological functioning of their habitat and the health of other members of their community, they are considered to be

A) an indicator species.
B) an umbrella species.
C) a keystone species.
D) a flagship species.

Answer 3

a keystone species.

Question 4

What do bacteria, fox glove, Mexican yam, and the rauwolfia plant have in common?

A) They all grow in the same tropical ecosystem
B) They all have been discovered by biologists in the last 25 years
C) They all are wild species providing us with important medicines
D) They all have exciting possibilities for use as human food

Question 5

Biodiversity Hot Spots

A) are not impacted by habitat loss because they are so important.
B) account for less than 2 percent of the world's land mass, yet comprise 75 percent of the world's threatened animals.
C) are found only in tropical ecosystems.

Question 6

The goal of the Endangered Species Act is to protect

A) broad categories of ecosystems.
B) key species which are particularly important for normal ecosystem function.
C) all species, regardless of their direct usefulness to humans.
D) species providing commodities important to humans.

Question 7

What do Eurasian milfoil, kudzu vine and the emerald ash borer have in common?

A) They are all in danger of extinction in their native habitats
B) They offer exciting prospects as potential sources of new drugs
C) They are exotic species wreaking havoc in the ecosystems into which they have been introduced
D) They offer promise as agents of biological control for pest species

Question 8

Species at imminent risk of extinction are classified as __________ species.

A) vulnerable
B) endangered
C) threatened

Question 9

The most important extinction threats for most species are anthropogenic environmental pollutants and over-harvesting via hunting and fishing.

Question 10

Species extinction

A) is a relatively recent phenomenon.
B) is linked exclusively to expanding human activities.
C) has been the fate of the vast majority of species that have inhabited the earth.
D) only happens with large animals.

Question 11

The phylogenetic species concept holds that the definition of a species should be

A) based on reproductive compatibility.
B) based on branching relationships among species.
C) based on evolutionary relationships.
D) variable depending on the type of organism.

Question 12

Flagship species

A) are especially interesting and attractive and are used by conservation organizations to motivate people.
B) is a term that refers to the largest species of a community.
C) are species whose presence is tied to specific environmental conditions.

Question 13

Invasive species

A) flourish in a new environment due to a lack of predators, diseases, or resource limitations.
B) are easily controlled.
C) rarely invade islands because of their comparative isolation.
D) are only plants and animals.

Question 14

Exotic species introductions have had a significant impact on biodiversity.

Question 15

Ecological diversity is a measure of the number of

A) Different kinds of organisms within a community or ecosystem
B) Different versions of the same gene in an ecological community
C) Sizes, colors, and shapes of organisms within an ecological community
D) Niches, trophic levels, and ecological processes of a biological community
E) Different species in an ecosystem

Question 16

The greatest number of known living species are

A) insects.
B) bacteria.
C) algae.
D) mites, ticks, and spiders.

Question 17

We are usually referring to species diversity when we talk about biodiversity. However, genetic diversity is also important to ecological systems because diverse genes

A) Increase the efficiency and productivity of a system because all niches are filled.
B) Allow an individual organism to adapt to its changing environment.
C) Are necessary for a population to evolve in a changing environment.
D) Lead to diverse ecological processes in a biological community.
E) Are important for a balanced ecosystem.

Question 18

Ecological diversity

A) refers to the richness and complexity of a biological community.
B) is more important to conservation than genetic diversity.
C) refers to the various types of ecosystems on earth.
D) refers to the different kinds of species present in an ecosystem.

Question 19

When Aldo Leopold said, "The first rule to intelligent tinkering is to save all the pieces." In terms of biodiversity he meant that we should

A) Save records of all species that have disappeared
B) Not interfere with the disappearance of species
C) Not cause species to disappear
D) Not interfere with nature
E) Aldo Leopold did not intend to have this statement applied to biodiversity

Question 20

Humans have domesticated nearly all the plant species that could contribute to human food production.

Question 21

The acronym that stands for habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, human population, and overharvesting is

A) HIPHO
B) HDIAPHPO
C) HIPPO
D) DIPPS
E) None of these

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Humans are responsible for many of the mass extinctions in the geologic record.
B) Humans have never had significant impact on species extinctions until the past four decades.
C) Humans only began causing extinctions in the past 150 years.
D) Humans may have been causing extinctions for thousands of years, but our impact has recently increased.

Question 23

The total number of living species is probably

A) About 450,000
B) Between 500,000 and 1 million
C) Between 3 million and 50 million
D) Between 75 and 95 million
E) At least 300 million

Question 24

The largest contributing factor for the current high rate of animal extinctions is

A) Uncontrolled sport hunting in the developed world
B) Commercial harvesting of wildlife in Africa
C) Drought conditions caused by the greenhouse effect
D) Habitat destruction worldwide
E) None of these by themselves cause high rates of animal extinctions, but together they combine to cause high rates

Question 25

An important drug for treating Hodgkin's disease was discovered in a periwinkle native to ______ and is valued at approximately _________ per year.

A) New Guinea; $1-15 million
B) Madagascar; $150-300 million
C) Costa Rica; $15 million
D) Greenland; $200 million
E) Sri Lanka; $150 million

Question 26

Where will you find the greatest concentration of different species?

A) the tropics
B) Siberia
C) Europe
D) the poles

Question 27

One of the reasons humans rely heavily on only a few food crops is because

A) We have not explored the cultivation of thousands of edible wild species.
B) There are few edible wild species.
C) We have already focused on the best tasting species for domestication and cultivation.
D) It would be difficult for small farmers to cultivate the fragile wild species.
E) All of these factors contribute to a heavy reliance on only a few species.

Question 28

In this scenario, which communities have the same species evenness?

A) Community A and C
B) Community B and A
C) Community C and B
D) All three communities have the same species evenness
E) None of the communities has the same species evenness

Question 29

Approximately how many species have been identified on Earth?

A) About 500,000
B) A little less than 1 million
C) A little more than 1.7 million
D) A little more than 3 million
E) About 30 million

Question 30

The pharmaceutical industry has an interest in preventing species extinction because

A) People are healthier in a healthy environment.
B) Undiscovered species may provide lucrative new drugs.
C) Most taxonomists are drug makers.
D) It wants to increase diversity in North America.
E) They see the benefits of eco-design.

Question 31

Extinction is the term used when all members of a species

A) Disappear in a locality
B) Die
C) Live in zoos
D) Are threatened with imminent habitat loss
E) Are in danger of disappearing in a locality

Question 32

Most of the species that are yet undiscovered are probably

A) Mammals and reptiles
B) Birds and fish
C) Vertebrates
D) Invertebrates
E) Multicellular plants

Question 33

What percentage of known species are invertebrates?

A) 65%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 35%

Question 34

You also mentioned to your friend that a new tool, DNA sequencing technology, is radically changing the way species are identified. In fact, some groups that were originally thought to be far apart now seem to be closely related. Which of the following statements does not reflect the implications of using this new tool?

A) This tool will end the debate of what is or is not a species
B) This tool allows us to see how closely related species are in terms of their genetics
C) This tool helps us better understand molecular evolution
D) This tool helps us better understand how species actually originate
E) This tool helps us judge genetic diversity

Question 35

In this scenario, which community has the highest species richness?

A) Community A
B) Community B
C) Community C
D) Community A and C are the same
E) Community A and B are the same

Question 36

Soil formation and water purification are examples of _________ based on the biodiversity that benefit humans.

A) Aesthetic benefits
B) Geological cycles
C) Availability of food
D) Health benefits
E) Ecological services

Question 37

The common way that a species is defined in biology (the way it is defined in Chapter 3) is in terms of reproductive isolation. This means that all organisms that are similar enough to

A) Produce fertile offspring in nature
B) Look alike
C) Fill the same niche
D) Occupy the same community
E) Live together

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of biodiversity for humans?

A) Reducing air pollution
B) Food
C) Ecological services
D) Aesthetics
E) Drugs and medicines

Question 39

In this scenario, which communities have the same species richness?

A) Community A and B
B) Community A and C
C) Community B and C
D) All three communities have the same species richness
E) None of the communities has the same species richness

Question 40

Which of the following drugs is NOT derived from a naturally occurring organism?

A) Penicillin
B) Aspirin
C) Cortisone
D) Morphine
E) Tetracycline

Question 41

Which of the following is an example of a natural cause of extinction?

A) Freshwater Great Lakes mussels that compete with the Zebra Mussel
B) Genetic assimilation as in the case of the hybridization of gray wolves or black ducks with mallards
C) The passenger pigeon that went extinct at the beginning of this century
D) An insect species in the tropical forest that cannot escape predation by native bird species in the forest
E) All of these are examples of a natural cause of extinction

Question 42

It is clear that a heavy dose of pesticides or other toxic pollutants can kill species. However, chronic exposure to pollutants seems to cause recent high mortality in marine mammals by

A) Decreasing the plants that are normally in their environment, such as kelp, that they use for shelter
B) Killing off the prey species that they depend on for food
C) Direct bioaccumulation of the chemicals, such as lead, in their tissues
D) Causing weakened immune systems and increased vulnerability to infection
E) Eventually killing them

Question 43

Habitat fragmentation usually leads to a(n)

A) Decrease in biodiversity
B) Reduction in the number of introduced species
C) Increase in biodiversity due to the isolated populations
D) More stable environment

Question 44

Which of the following would be a characteristic of an exotic plant species?

A) Produces a few seeds after many years to reach maturity
B) Is a specialist, for example, has a low range of tolerance for soil acidity
C) Is an opportunist that is desired by humans for food or ornamental value
D) Has many predators and diseases
E) Is a secondary consumer (trophic levels)

Question 45

A species in imminent danger of extinction is classified by the U.S. Endangered Species Act as

A) Vulnerable
B) Threatened
C) Valuable
D) Endangered
E) At risk

Question 46

Barred owls have become a threat to spotted owls because they

A) Are smaller
B) Have fewer predators
C) Are more versatile in terms of habitat and diet
D) Eat spotted owls
E) Feed during the day

Question 47

A species that is naturally rare or that has been depleted to dangerous levels is known, according to the Endangered Species Act, as a(n) ________ species.

A) Endangered
B) Threatened
C) Unusual
D) Vulnerable
E) At risk

Question 48

A threatened species may be extinct or near extinction

A) Already
B) In the near future
C) In certain localities
D) Only in the distant future
E) In most of their natural range

Question 49

The high rate of poaching of rhinoceros is due mostly to

A) The belief in medicinal value of their horns for 'traditional' medicines
B) Overharvesting for their meat and hide
C) Introduction of exotic species that compete for their food
D) Habitat destruction
E) All of these have contributed equally to the decrease in the rhinoceros population

Question 50

"Exotic" is another word for

A) Tropical
B) Foreign
C) Rare
D) Beautiful
E) Desirable

Question 51

Which of the following statements about trade in endangered species is FALSE?

A) The principal importers of endangered species are developed countries
B) Coral reefs are not affected by the endangered species trade
C) People who say they are animal lovers are the main contributors to the trade
D) The principal exporters of endangered species are developing countries
E) Up to 60 percent of birds die before reaching market

Question 52

The main reason that there are relatively few invertebrates categorized as endangered species is because

A) We consider other groups, such as mammals, to be more interesting and desirable
B) Worldwide, there are relatively few invertebrates when compared to plants
C) It is extremely difficult to identify and count invertebrates
D) Since there are 532 invertebrates considered endangered, none of these is true
E) Invertebrates are more numerous and the relative percentages are similar

Question 53

What makes an exotic species become and invasive species?

A) When they become annoying to people.
B) All exotic species are also invasive.
C) When individuals stop being only ornamental but are used for other purposes also.
D) When individuals begins to colonize new areas and out-compete native species.

Question 54

Introduced disease causing organisms are especially dangerous to new environments because they can destroy the non-native host. This happens because the disease causing organisms

A) Have not evolved with this host to achieve the normal balance for long-term survival
B) Are opportunists and in order to survive must out compete all other species
C) Are specialists and destroy the individual organisms that have not developed resistance
D) Do not have natural predators
E) Are generalists and highly competitive

Question 55

Which of the following fish is safe and environmentally friendly to eat?

A) Swordfish
B) Wild salmon
C) Albacore tuna
D) Yellowfin tuna
E) Haddock

Question 56

Carp species were introduced to the United States

A) As a food source
B) To control aquatic vegetation and algae
C) To increase angling opportunities
D) From Africa
E) For increased food production

Question 57

The main reason for continued trade in endangered species is

A) A surplus of these species in their home countries
B) Ruthless traders and collectors in tropical countries
C) The need for international capital exchange in developing countries
D) Pet lovers and collectors who like exotic species
E) The presence of poachers in tropical countries

Question 58

If you have an aquarium with saltwater fish, 75 percent of your fish probably came from

A) Captive breeding programs in the United States
B) Captive breeding programs in Indonesia or the Philippines
C) Wild fish populations caught with cyanide or nets
D) Aquaculture programs in South Pacific countries
E) Hybrid crosses of native U.S. fish

Question 59

The U.S. Army participated in extermination of the American bison during the mid-1800s because

A) The Army desperately needed meat
B) The United States wanted the Great Plains free for agriculture
C) The Army needed leather for shoes
D) Native people depended on the bison for food and shelter
E) None of these, the U.S. Army did not participate in extermination of the American bison

Question 60

Invasive (exotic) species tend to __________ the balance of ecosystems and ______ biodiversity.

A) Increase; decrease
B) Increase; enhance
C) Maintain; enhance
D) Upset; decrease
E) Upset; increase

Question 61

In general, funding for recovery programs is given to species that are

A) In most danger
B) Most important
C) Most well known
D) Most numerous
E) Keystone species

Question 62

Kudzu vine was originally brought to the U.S. to control soil erosion.

Question 63

Zoo animals in the U.S. today come mainly from the wild.

Question 64

The objective of a species recovery plan is to

A) Interbreed threatened species with common species
B) Increase an endangered species population until it is no longer endangered
C) Invest corporate capital in species maintenance
D) Study the species for a better understanding of its role in the biological community
E) Protect the species to aid other organisms and resources in the ecosystem

Question 65

Most of the tallgrass prairies in the U.S. remain untouched.

Question 66

Species diversity in a community is an important factor in ecological resilience after a drought.

Question 67

Conservationists and wildlife managers use gap analysis to

A) Predict the next evolutionary change an organism will undergo
B) Find unprotected landscapes that are rich in species
C) Bring different managing agencies into closer accord
D) Isolate and contain populations
E) Establish connecting corridors

Question 68

The U.S. Endangered Species Act officially expired in

A) 1973
B) 1950
C) 1988
D) 1905
E) 1992

Question 69

Name at least three invasive species that live in your area. What are some of the problems they are causing? Is anything being done to control these species?

Question 70

Which of the following is FALSE regarding CITES?

A) When implemented properly it has provided foolproof protections of endangered species.
B) It is an international organization.
C) It lists more than 700 species as threatened with extinction.
D) It was formed in 1975.
E) All of these are true.

Question 71

Island ecosystems are extremely susceptible to invasive species.

Question 72

Using specific examples, discuss four ways that humans benefit from biodiversity.