Deck 14: Is the Human Population Too Large Population Ecology

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Question
Students studying a population of salamanders in a vernal pool mark each salamander caught as it's entering the pool. During the first spring migration to the pool, the students mark 200 salamanders. The following year, they again capture 200 salamanders. Of these, 20 were from the previous year. Students use this information to calculate that they captured ________ of the total population and that the total salamander population in their pool is about ________.

A) 20%; 200
B) 10%; 2000
C) 20%; 2000
D) 10%; 200
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Question
In a particular county, there are 30 births and 20 deaths for every 1000 residents. What is the annual growth rate of this population?

A) 3.0%
B) 10%
C) 1.0%
D) 30%
Question
Walking along a mile-long path in the woods, you notice a stand of your favorite wildflower, the cardinal flower, three different times. You find each stand of cardinal flower, including many flowers in each stand, on a stream bank. What type of distribution applies to this example?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) normal
Question
True or false: Most developed countries have passed through a demographic transition and currently have low population growth rates.
Question
Driving along a rural two-lane highway, you notice a kestrel perched on a telephone line approximately every mile or so. This pattern continues for quite a few miles. What type of distribution applies to this example?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) normal
Question
Over the past two centuries, how has the growth of human population changed?

A) It has leveled off slowly.
B) It has increased steadily.
C) It has exhibited "boom and bust" growth.
D) It has increased exponentially.
Question
What type of distribution would include the evenly spaced distribution of stalks of corn planted in an agricultural field?

A) a clumped distribution
B) a uniform distribution
C) a random distribution
D) no distribution
Question
As the Industrial Revolution took place, there was a decrease in infant mortality. What situation resulted from the decrease in infant mortality?

A) a decrease in the population growth rate
B) an increase in the population growth rate
C) a stabilization of the population growth rate
D) boom and bust cycles of the population growth rate
Question
Red maple tree seeds are dispersed by the wind. This species of tree can be found in fields, woods, and even wetlands. What type of distribution applies to this example?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) normal
Question
What is another word for population density?

A) distribution
B) demographics
C) abundance
D) carrying capacity
Question
True or false: Nearly all developed countries in the world are beginning a demographic transition in the twenty-first century.
Question
In some situations, the death rate of a population declines before the birth rate begins to decline. What can be concluded about the population?

A) The carrying capacity is being reached.
B) The population is in a demographic transition.
C) A density-dependent factor is in action.
D) The population occurs in an industrialized nation.
Question
Which activity would be an example of an ecological study?

A) measuring monthly ocean temperature changes
B) developing a medication to treat kidney failure in cats
C) comparing the effects of varying water temperature on fish egg development
D) calculating the age of a giant redwood tree by counting its annual rings
Question
Which project would be conducted by an ecologist?

A) a research project testing new pollution filters for cars
B) a study of squirrels and their interactions with other animals
C) observations of toad embryos' development in a Petri dish
D) a project to genetically modify a wheat plant in order to increase production
Question
Which description applies to a population that's exhibiting exponential growth?

A) It will have growth proportional to the current total.
B) It shows a decreased growth rate over time.
C) It doubles every year.
D) It has as many individuals being born as are dying.
Question
True or false: Human population growth has always been exponential.
Question
Which experiment would not be considered an ecological study?

A) the effect of a housing development on a spotted salamander population in a vernal pool
B) the effect of changing availability of acorns on a population of squirrels
C) the effect of a red tide outbreak on sea birds in the area
D) the effect of a hormone on the rate of blood vessel formation
Question
Which group would be an ecological population of organisms?

A) all chipmunks in a wood lot
B) all plants in a garden
C) all animals in a zoo
D) all plants and animals in a rainforest
Question
True or false: In general, developed countries have lower population growth rates than less developed countries.
Question
When considering the growth of the human population, how is the annual growth rate determined?

A) The average number of births for the whole population is subtracted from the average number of deaths for the whole population.
B) The average number of deaths for the whole population is subtracted from the average number of births for the whole population.
C) The number of births for the whole population over an entire year is averaged together.
D) The number of births for the whole population is averaged and added to the number of immigrants for the year.
Question
Approximately how many people are on Earth today?

A) 7 million
B) 70 million
C) 700 million
D) 7 billion
Question
True or false: The carrying capacity of a given geographic region for a single population can change over time.
Question
<strong>  According to this plot, how are growth rate and doubling time related?</strong> A) directly proportional B) inversely proportional C) not related to one another D) equally proportional to one another <div style=padding-top: 35px>
According to this plot, how are growth rate and doubling time related?

A) directly proportional
B) inversely proportional
C) not related to one another
D) equally proportional to one another
Question
Based on estimates that consider the NPP of Earth and human use of these resources, what is the carrying capacity of people calculated by scientists?

A) 6.6 billion
B) 10.6 billion
C) 21 billion
D) 40 billion
Question
What is the birth rate in a population in which 35 babies are born per every 1000 people in the population each year?

A) 0.35
B) 35%
C) 3.5%
D) 0.35%
Question
What characteristics apply to developed countries?

A) industrial economies and low individual incomes
B) agricultural economies and high individual incomes
C) agricultural economies and low individual incomes
D) industrial economies and high individual incomes
Question
How does exponential growth appear on a graph?

A) as a straight line
B) as an "S" curve
C) as a "J" curve
D) as a wavy line that goes up and down regularly
Question
By how many people does the global human population increase each day?

A) 1000
B) 12,500
C) 250,000
D) 2,500,000
Question
Which population was unaffected by density-dependent factors?

A) elk in Yellowstone National Park in the 1970s
B) Norway lemmings
C) yeast that ferment grape juice into wine
D) bacteria kept in a culture that has its nutrients constantly replenished
Question
Which factor has dramatically decreased infant mortality in human populations?

A) a shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy
B) the use of pesticides to reduce mosquito populations
C) the choice made by educated women to have fewer children
D) an increase in poverty in developed countries
Question
True or false: A population can be clumped at one scale and uniform at another.
Question
When you look at the spacing of humans on a global level, what type of distribution does the population follow?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) indescribable
Question
Which mathematical symbol represents the carrying capacity of a population?

A) K
B) r
C) J
D) S
Question
What situation results when a population of spotted salamanders in an area of vernal pools remains stable for many years and was stabilized because of resource limits?

A) Density dependence is not involved.
B) Predation has decreased.
C) Carrying capacity has been reached.
D) Density independence occurs.
Question
What group is represented by all of the bacteria species E. coli living inside a cow's intestine?

A) community
B) population
C) ecosystem
D) demographic transition
Question
Which factor explains a uniform distribution of individuals in a population?

A) soil nutrients available to a species of plant
B) territoriality in a species of bird
C) oxygen levels in a pond, where an oxygen-dependent bacterial species lives
D) food availability for humans living in a certain geographic area
Question
What pattern of population growth corresponds to the principle of a carrying capacity?

A) J-shaped
B) logistic
C) a straight line
D) bell-shaped
Question
Which assumption applies to the mark-recapture method?

A) Marked individuals become "trap-happy" relative to unmarked individuals.
B) Marked individuals avoid recapture, relative to unmarked individuals.
C) Few individuals enter or leave the study area during the period between mark and recapture.
D) The population size changes dramatically between the time of mark and recapture.
Question
A death rate of 2.1% would represent 21 deaths per ________ individuals in a population per year.

A) 100
B) 1,000
C) 10,000
D) 1,000,000
Question
What factor would result in an increased mortality in a population due to increased competition for water?

A) demographic transition
B) density-dependent factor
C) density-independent factor
D) increase in carrying capacity
Question
Which factor is density-dependent?

A) decrease in temperature
B) increase in waste production
C) decrease in frequency of hurricanes
D) increase in rainfall
Question
New England salt marshes experience a greater amount of plant growth in a given area in one year than any other temperate ecosystem. What characteristic do these salt marshes have?

A) low net primary productivity (NPP)
B) high biodiversity
C) high NPP
D) an unlimited carrying capacity
Question
Which factor may result in the actual carrying capacity of our planet being lower than initially calculated?

A) The average American uses more resources than someone from another country.
B) Modern food production relies on nonrenewable resources.
C) NPP has been decreasing.
D) The human population is growing much faster than was previously thought.
Question
Which energy source is a nonrenewable resource?

A) solar energy
B) hydrogen fuel cell
C) wind power
D) natural gas
Question
True or false: Net primary productivity is a measure of plant growth in a region during a single year.
Question
Which factor is a population-limiting, density-dependent factor?

A) a heavy flood that destroys a large area around a river
B) a heat wave in which some organisms can't survive
C) a drought that limits food availability
D) the rapid spread of tuberculosis in heavily populated areas
Question
True or false: Global human population growth rates have declined since the 1960s by about 1%.
Question
What problem is associated with using NPP to calculate the carrying capacity for humans?

A) It fails to take into account our need for other resources, such as water, clean air, and fuel.
B) NPP isn't important when considering the human population.
C) Humans grow their own food, which isn't a part of the NPP.
D) It overestimates the effects of humans on the ecosystem.
Question
What would happen if everyone on the planet used resources and lived the average lifestyle of an American?

A) The Earth would have the carrying capacity to sustain the human population.
B) The population growth rate would immediately decrease.
C) We would need multiple Earths for this to be possible.
D) There would be same number of people in less-developed countries as there are Americans.
Question
True or false: Scientists agree on the size of the carrying capacity of Earth for the human population.
Question
True or false: The average American uses as many resources in one day as 370 Ethiopians.
Question
What results as the size of a population approaches the carrying capacity of its environment?

A) The growth rate increases.
B) A graph of population growth resembles a "J."
C) The population stabilizes at its maximum size.
D) Birth rates become proportionally much greater than the death rates.
Question
Although the carrying capacity of a population is determined by food availability, what other factor affects the carrying capacity?

A) the energy fluctuations of the sun
B) clean air and water
C) the prevalence of war
D) a woman's choice to not have children
Question
True or false: The human population growth rate is higher now than ever before.
Question
Why may human populations surpass the carrying capacity of their environment?

A) temporary reliance on stored or nonrenewable resources
B) sudden population crashes
C) increases in death rates as the population growth approaches carrying capacity
D) decreases in birth rates as resources are depleted
Question
When does a population reach the carrying capacity of the environment?

A) The environment can't support a further increase in the population.
B) The environment can't support the current population.
C) It has entered an extended period of exponential growth.
D) The food supply in that particular environment begins to decrease.
Question
True or false: Net primary productivity refers to all the energy in the plants and animals in a food chain at any particular time.
Question
Which factor is directly involved in calculating NPP?

A) the change in growth of the human population
B) the amount of solar energy converted to chemical energy by plants
C) the amount of chemical energy required by plants to support themselves
D) the number of births and deaths in a population over one year
Question
Why do growth rates appear to be declining in many human populations?

A) Families are choosing to have fewer children.
B) Death rates are increasing due to disease epidemics and famines.
C) Birth rates are decreasing due to famine.
D) The carrying capacity has been reached.
Question
True or false: The human population may continue to increase even though it surpasses carrying capacity.
Question
True or false: Human populations don't generally follow the "boom and bust" cycle of some animal populations.
Question
What results when a population grows larger than the carrying capacity?

A) Food becomes abundant.
B) Birth rates remain stable.
C) Death rates rise.
D) The carrying capacity increases.
Question
Which situation would result in a population represented by an inverted triangular population pyramid, which is heaviest at the top?

A) rapid population growth
B) population stabilization
C) a "boom and bust" cycle
D) a population decline
Question
Although Americans make up less than 5% of the total human population, what percentage of the world's resources do Americans generally use?

A) 51%
B) 24%
C) 73%
D) 82%
Question
True or false: A woman with a college education is more likely to have a large family than a woman with an eighth-grade education.
Question
<strong>  Based on the population pyramid of the United States in 2010, as seen in this figure, what predictions can be made about the population?</strong> A) It will be in a demographic transition. B) It will experience a decrease. C) It will experience a decrease after a period of high demographic momentum. D) It will remain relatively stable due to low demographic momentum. <div style=padding-top: 35px>
Based on the population pyramid of the United States in 2010, as seen in this figure, what predictions can be made about the population?

A) It will be in a demographic transition.
B) It will experience a decrease.
C) It will experience a decrease after a period of high demographic momentum.
D) It will remain relatively stable due to low demographic momentum.
Question
What is the steep and sudden decline in a population size as birth rates plummet and death rates soar?

A) carrying capacity
B) a "boom and bust" cycle
C) demographic momentum
D) a population crash
Question
Species of oak trees periodically have years of large acorn production, followed by years of lower acorn amounts. In years of plenty, squirrel populations will experience an increase due to increased availability of acorns. Then squirrel populations will decrease after lower acorn abundance. This is an example of

A) a population cycle.
B) NPP.
C) a renewable resource.
D) a density-independent factor.
Question
What does a completely columnar population pyramid represent?

A) proportionally more young than middle-aged or elderly people
B) equal proportions of young, middle-aged, and elderly people
C) proportionally more middle-aged and elderly than young people
D) proportionally more middle-aged than elderly and/or young people
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Deck 14: Is the Human Population Too Large Population Ecology
1
Students studying a population of salamanders in a vernal pool mark each salamander caught as it's entering the pool. During the first spring migration to the pool, the students mark 200 salamanders. The following year, they again capture 200 salamanders. Of these, 20 were from the previous year. Students use this information to calculate that they captured ________ of the total population and that the total salamander population in their pool is about ________.

A) 20%; 200
B) 10%; 2000
C) 20%; 2000
D) 10%; 200
B
2
In a particular county, there are 30 births and 20 deaths for every 1000 residents. What is the annual growth rate of this population?

A) 3.0%
B) 10%
C) 1.0%
D) 30%
C
3
Walking along a mile-long path in the woods, you notice a stand of your favorite wildflower, the cardinal flower, three different times. You find each stand of cardinal flower, including many flowers in each stand, on a stream bank. What type of distribution applies to this example?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) normal
A
4
True or false: Most developed countries have passed through a demographic transition and currently have low population growth rates.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
5
Driving along a rural two-lane highway, you notice a kestrel perched on a telephone line approximately every mile or so. This pattern continues for quite a few miles. What type of distribution applies to this example?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) normal
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
6
Over the past two centuries, how has the growth of human population changed?

A) It has leveled off slowly.
B) It has increased steadily.
C) It has exhibited "boom and bust" growth.
D) It has increased exponentially.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
7
What type of distribution would include the evenly spaced distribution of stalks of corn planted in an agricultural field?

A) a clumped distribution
B) a uniform distribution
C) a random distribution
D) no distribution
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
8
As the Industrial Revolution took place, there was a decrease in infant mortality. What situation resulted from the decrease in infant mortality?

A) a decrease in the population growth rate
B) an increase in the population growth rate
C) a stabilization of the population growth rate
D) boom and bust cycles of the population growth rate
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
9
Red maple tree seeds are dispersed by the wind. This species of tree can be found in fields, woods, and even wetlands. What type of distribution applies to this example?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) normal
Unlock Deck
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k this deck
10
What is another word for population density?

A) distribution
B) demographics
C) abundance
D) carrying capacity
Unlock Deck
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k this deck
11
True or false: Nearly all developed countries in the world are beginning a demographic transition in the twenty-first century.
Unlock Deck
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k this deck
12
In some situations, the death rate of a population declines before the birth rate begins to decline. What can be concluded about the population?

A) The carrying capacity is being reached.
B) The population is in a demographic transition.
C) A density-dependent factor is in action.
D) The population occurs in an industrialized nation.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
13
Which activity would be an example of an ecological study?

A) measuring monthly ocean temperature changes
B) developing a medication to treat kidney failure in cats
C) comparing the effects of varying water temperature on fish egg development
D) calculating the age of a giant redwood tree by counting its annual rings
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
14
Which project would be conducted by an ecologist?

A) a research project testing new pollution filters for cars
B) a study of squirrels and their interactions with other animals
C) observations of toad embryos' development in a Petri dish
D) a project to genetically modify a wheat plant in order to increase production
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
15
Which description applies to a population that's exhibiting exponential growth?

A) It will have growth proportional to the current total.
B) It shows a decreased growth rate over time.
C) It doubles every year.
D) It has as many individuals being born as are dying.
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k this deck
16
True or false: Human population growth has always been exponential.
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k this deck
17
Which experiment would not be considered an ecological study?

A) the effect of a housing development on a spotted salamander population in a vernal pool
B) the effect of changing availability of acorns on a population of squirrels
C) the effect of a red tide outbreak on sea birds in the area
D) the effect of a hormone on the rate of blood vessel formation
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
18
Which group would be an ecological population of organisms?

A) all chipmunks in a wood lot
B) all plants in a garden
C) all animals in a zoo
D) all plants and animals in a rainforest
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
19
True or false: In general, developed countries have lower population growth rates than less developed countries.
Unlock Deck
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
20
When considering the growth of the human population, how is the annual growth rate determined?

A) The average number of births for the whole population is subtracted from the average number of deaths for the whole population.
B) The average number of deaths for the whole population is subtracted from the average number of births for the whole population.
C) The number of births for the whole population over an entire year is averaged together.
D) The number of births for the whole population is averaged and added to the number of immigrants for the year.
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21
Approximately how many people are on Earth today?

A) 7 million
B) 70 million
C) 700 million
D) 7 billion
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
22
True or false: The carrying capacity of a given geographic region for a single population can change over time.
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k this deck
23
<strong>  According to this plot, how are growth rate and doubling time related?</strong> A) directly proportional B) inversely proportional C) not related to one another D) equally proportional to one another
According to this plot, how are growth rate and doubling time related?

A) directly proportional
B) inversely proportional
C) not related to one another
D) equally proportional to one another
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k this deck
24
Based on estimates that consider the NPP of Earth and human use of these resources, what is the carrying capacity of people calculated by scientists?

A) 6.6 billion
B) 10.6 billion
C) 21 billion
D) 40 billion
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Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
25
What is the birth rate in a population in which 35 babies are born per every 1000 people in the population each year?

A) 0.35
B) 35%
C) 3.5%
D) 0.35%
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26
What characteristics apply to developed countries?

A) industrial economies and low individual incomes
B) agricultural economies and high individual incomes
C) agricultural economies and low individual incomes
D) industrial economies and high individual incomes
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Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
27
How does exponential growth appear on a graph?

A) as a straight line
B) as an "S" curve
C) as a "J" curve
D) as a wavy line that goes up and down regularly
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28
By how many people does the global human population increase each day?

A) 1000
B) 12,500
C) 250,000
D) 2,500,000
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
29
Which population was unaffected by density-dependent factors?

A) elk in Yellowstone National Park in the 1970s
B) Norway lemmings
C) yeast that ferment grape juice into wine
D) bacteria kept in a culture that has its nutrients constantly replenished
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
30
Which factor has dramatically decreased infant mortality in human populations?

A) a shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy
B) the use of pesticides to reduce mosquito populations
C) the choice made by educated women to have fewer children
D) an increase in poverty in developed countries
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
31
True or false: A population can be clumped at one scale and uniform at another.
Unlock Deck
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
32
When you look at the spacing of humans on a global level, what type of distribution does the population follow?

A) clumped
B) uniform
C) random
D) indescribable
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
33
Which mathematical symbol represents the carrying capacity of a population?

A) K
B) r
C) J
D) S
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Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
34
What situation results when a population of spotted salamanders in an area of vernal pools remains stable for many years and was stabilized because of resource limits?

A) Density dependence is not involved.
B) Predation has decreased.
C) Carrying capacity has been reached.
D) Density independence occurs.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
35
What group is represented by all of the bacteria species E. coli living inside a cow's intestine?

A) community
B) population
C) ecosystem
D) demographic transition
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
36
Which factor explains a uniform distribution of individuals in a population?

A) soil nutrients available to a species of plant
B) territoriality in a species of bird
C) oxygen levels in a pond, where an oxygen-dependent bacterial species lives
D) food availability for humans living in a certain geographic area
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
37
What pattern of population growth corresponds to the principle of a carrying capacity?

A) J-shaped
B) logistic
C) a straight line
D) bell-shaped
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
38
Which assumption applies to the mark-recapture method?

A) Marked individuals become "trap-happy" relative to unmarked individuals.
B) Marked individuals avoid recapture, relative to unmarked individuals.
C) Few individuals enter or leave the study area during the period between mark and recapture.
D) The population size changes dramatically between the time of mark and recapture.
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Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
39
A death rate of 2.1% would represent 21 deaths per ________ individuals in a population per year.

A) 100
B) 1,000
C) 10,000
D) 1,000,000
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
40
What factor would result in an increased mortality in a population due to increased competition for water?

A) demographic transition
B) density-dependent factor
C) density-independent factor
D) increase in carrying capacity
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
41
Which factor is density-dependent?

A) decrease in temperature
B) increase in waste production
C) decrease in frequency of hurricanes
D) increase in rainfall
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Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
42
New England salt marshes experience a greater amount of plant growth in a given area in one year than any other temperate ecosystem. What characteristic do these salt marshes have?

A) low net primary productivity (NPP)
B) high biodiversity
C) high NPP
D) an unlimited carrying capacity
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
43
Which factor may result in the actual carrying capacity of our planet being lower than initially calculated?

A) The average American uses more resources than someone from another country.
B) Modern food production relies on nonrenewable resources.
C) NPP has been decreasing.
D) The human population is growing much faster than was previously thought.
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
44
Which energy source is a nonrenewable resource?

A) solar energy
B) hydrogen fuel cell
C) wind power
D) natural gas
Unlock Deck
Unlock for access to all 69 flashcards in this deck.
Unlock Deck
k this deck
45
True or false: Net primary productivity is a measure of plant growth in a region during a single year.
Unlock Deck
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Unlock Deck
k this deck
46
Which factor is a population-limiting, density-dependent factor?

A) a heavy flood that destroys a large area around a river
B) a heat wave in which some organisms can't survive
C) a drought that limits food availability
D) the rapid spread of tuberculosis in heavily populated areas
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47
True or false: Global human population growth rates have declined since the 1960s by about 1%.
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48
What problem is associated with using NPP to calculate the carrying capacity for humans?

A) It fails to take into account our need for other resources, such as water, clean air, and fuel.
B) NPP isn't important when considering the human population.
C) Humans grow their own food, which isn't a part of the NPP.
D) It overestimates the effects of humans on the ecosystem.
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49
What would happen if everyone on the planet used resources and lived the average lifestyle of an American?

A) The Earth would have the carrying capacity to sustain the human population.
B) The population growth rate would immediately decrease.
C) We would need multiple Earths for this to be possible.
D) There would be same number of people in less-developed countries as there are Americans.
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50
True or false: Scientists agree on the size of the carrying capacity of Earth for the human population.
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51
True or false: The average American uses as many resources in one day as 370 Ethiopians.
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52
What results as the size of a population approaches the carrying capacity of its environment?

A) The growth rate increases.
B) A graph of population growth resembles a "J."
C) The population stabilizes at its maximum size.
D) Birth rates become proportionally much greater than the death rates.
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53
Although the carrying capacity of a population is determined by food availability, what other factor affects the carrying capacity?

A) the energy fluctuations of the sun
B) clean air and water
C) the prevalence of war
D) a woman's choice to not have children
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54
True or false: The human population growth rate is higher now than ever before.
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55
Why may human populations surpass the carrying capacity of their environment?

A) temporary reliance on stored or nonrenewable resources
B) sudden population crashes
C) increases in death rates as the population growth approaches carrying capacity
D) decreases in birth rates as resources are depleted
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56
When does a population reach the carrying capacity of the environment?

A) The environment can't support a further increase in the population.
B) The environment can't support the current population.
C) It has entered an extended period of exponential growth.
D) The food supply in that particular environment begins to decrease.
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57
True or false: Net primary productivity refers to all the energy in the plants and animals in a food chain at any particular time.
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58
Which factor is directly involved in calculating NPP?

A) the change in growth of the human population
B) the amount of solar energy converted to chemical energy by plants
C) the amount of chemical energy required by plants to support themselves
D) the number of births and deaths in a population over one year
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59
Why do growth rates appear to be declining in many human populations?

A) Families are choosing to have fewer children.
B) Death rates are increasing due to disease epidemics and famines.
C) Birth rates are decreasing due to famine.
D) The carrying capacity has been reached.
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60
True or false: The human population may continue to increase even though it surpasses carrying capacity.
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61
True or false: Human populations don't generally follow the "boom and bust" cycle of some animal populations.
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62
What results when a population grows larger than the carrying capacity?

A) Food becomes abundant.
B) Birth rates remain stable.
C) Death rates rise.
D) The carrying capacity increases.
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63
Which situation would result in a population represented by an inverted triangular population pyramid, which is heaviest at the top?

A) rapid population growth
B) population stabilization
C) a "boom and bust" cycle
D) a population decline
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64
Although Americans make up less than 5% of the total human population, what percentage of the world's resources do Americans generally use?

A) 51%
B) 24%
C) 73%
D) 82%
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65
True or false: A woman with a college education is more likely to have a large family than a woman with an eighth-grade education.
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66
<strong>  Based on the population pyramid of the United States in 2010, as seen in this figure, what predictions can be made about the population?</strong> A) It will be in a demographic transition. B) It will experience a decrease. C) It will experience a decrease after a period of high demographic momentum. D) It will remain relatively stable due to low demographic momentum.
Based on the population pyramid of the United States in 2010, as seen in this figure, what predictions can be made about the population?

A) It will be in a demographic transition.
B) It will experience a decrease.
C) It will experience a decrease after a period of high demographic momentum.
D) It will remain relatively stable due to low demographic momentum.
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67
What is the steep and sudden decline in a population size as birth rates plummet and death rates soar?

A) carrying capacity
B) a "boom and bust" cycle
C) demographic momentum
D) a population crash
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68
Species of oak trees periodically have years of large acorn production, followed by years of lower acorn amounts. In years of plenty, squirrel populations will experience an increase due to increased availability of acorns. Then squirrel populations will decrease after lower acorn abundance. This is an example of

A) a population cycle.
B) NPP.
C) a renewable resource.
D) a density-independent factor.
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69
What does a completely columnar population pyramid represent?

A) proportionally more young than middle-aged or elderly people
B) equal proportions of young, middle-aged, and elderly people
C) proportionally more middle-aged and elderly than young people
D) proportionally more middle-aged than elderly and/or young people
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