Deck 21: A: Population Ecology on the Tracks of Wolves and Moose

Question 1

What defines an ecosystem?

Answer 1

An ecosystem is defined by both the abiotic factors found within the ecosystem and the interactions of the species found there.

Question 2

In predator-prey relationships,scientists are interested in which level of organization?

A) niches
B) an individual
C) a population
D) a community
E) an ecosystem

Answer 2

a community

Question 3

A researcher who investigates how flooding affects the different populations on an island is most interested in which level of organization?

A) ecosystem
B) community
C) biome
D) individual
E) biosphere

Answer 3

ecosystem

Question 4

The term _______ describes all interacting species,such as moose,ticks,and wolves,as well as their surrounding environment of trees,vegetation,and climate.

A) habitat
B) community
C) biosphere
D) ecosystem
E) biome

Question 5

The total number of wolves inhabiting Isle Royale is defined as a _____.

A) species
B) community
C) population
D) group
E) pack

Question 6

The geographic distribution of a population is influenced by all of the following,EXCEPT

A) resources.
B) behavior.
C) number of young born.
D) predator avoidance.
E) environment.

Question 7

Define community.

Question 8

A report based on the interactions of wolves,moose,ticks,and trees on Isle Royale describes a(n)______.

A) population
B) community
C) habitat
D) biome
E) ecosystem

Question 9

With the current ability of people to travel widely and even relocate across the globe,what does the term population mean in the human context? How many human populations exist on the planet? Explain your answer.

Question 10

Define population.

Question 11

A community is composed of _____ .

A) many individuals
B) many populations
C) one or more ecosystems
D) two or more species of plants
E) all of the individuals in two or more species

Question 12

All of the polar bears,seals,fish species,whales,seabirds and the Aleut people in the Aleutian Islands make up a(n)______.

A) island ecosystem
B) island system population
C) island biogeographic unit
D) population
E) community

Question 13

A report that documents all the species (plants and animals)in an area but does not include the environment describes

A) the ecological niche of each species.
B) a habitat.
C) a community.
D) a population.
E) a biome.

Question 14

What is the difference between a community and an ecosystem?

Question 15

Put the following in order from simplest to most complex.

A) individual→ecosystem→community→population
B) individual→population→ecosystem→community
C) individual→population→community→ecosystem
D) individual→community→population→ecosystem
E) individual→community→ecosystem→population

Question 16

The term _______ describes the interacting populations (e.g.,moose and ticks)within an ecosystem.

A) competition
B) community
C) niche
D) habitat
E) predator-prey relationships

Question 17

Butterflies eat flower nectar and birds eat butterflies.The butterflies,flowers,and birds constitute a(n)

A) individual.
B) population.
C) community.
D) ecosystem.
E) biosphere.

Question 18

The ocean,sand,rocks,plants,seagulls,and invertebrates represent a(n)

A) individual.
B) population.
C) community.
D) ecosystem.
E) biosphere.

Question 19

All of the gray wolves found in Yellowstone Park constitute a _____.

A) community
B) pack
C) family
D) population
E) species

Question 20

Which would NOT be examined in the study of a community?

A) prey population
B) predator population
C) trees and vegetation
D) rainfall and drought
E) All of the above.

Question 21

Which population would most likely resemble a random distribution pattern?

A) humans in North America
B) penguins nesting in Antarctica
C) wolves in Isle Royale
D) termites in a rainforest
E) understory plants in a tropical rainforest

Question 22

List and define the three common patterns of population distribution.

Question 23

List at least four factors that may influence where you might find a particular species of animal.

Question 24

Discuss the three modes of species distribution,giving examples of each type.

Question 25

Place the population distribution pattern in order from most to least frequently encountered by ecologists.

A) random, asymmetric, and uniform
B) clumped, random, and uniform
C) clumped, uniform, and random
D) uniform, asymmetric, and clumped
E) asymmetric, clumped, and random

Question 26

Schools of fish in a reef are an example of a ____ distribution.

A) random
B) linear
C) spherical
D) clumped
E) uniform

Question 27

Why do ecologists count representative samples of a population and not the total population under study?

A) to get a precise number
B) because it is impractical to count all the members of the population
C) because it is the way that ecologists study ecosystems
D) to get an estimate before counting the whole population
E) because a representative sample more accurately reflects the carrying capacity

Question 28

Ocean fish demonstrate which distribution pattern?

A) random
B) uniform
C) clumped
D) irregular
E) asymmetric

Question 29

Most species on the planet have a _____ distribution.

A) random
B) linear
C) spherical
D) clumped
E) uniform

Question 30

Which of these would NOT be useful in assessing a population's health?

A) urine
B) bone remains
C) fecal remains
D) radio transmitters
E) blood spatter

Question 31

A flock of birds represents a _________ distribution pattern,while birds on a power line with six inches of space between each bird represents a _________ distribution pattern.

A) uniform; random
B) clumped; random
C) random; uniform
D) clumped; uniform
E) random; clumped

Question 32

You are tasked with estimating the population size of three species of animals occurring in a national park.One occurs in a random distribution pattern,the second in a clumped pattern,and the third in a uniform pattern.Below,list the three,and for each one describe any problems you might encounter and how you would estimate population size given those problems and that pattern.Finally,comment on how accurate that estimate might be.

Question 33

Which population distribution pattern is encountered most often by ecologists?

A) random
B) clumped
C) uniform
D) irregular
E) asymmetric

Question 34

Describe the method used to assess moose population size on Isle Royale.

Question 35

A species of highly territorial individuals with limited territory and a large population is most likely to have a ____ distribution.

A) random
B) linear
C) spherical
D) clumped
E) uniform

Question 36

You are interested in the population size of two species of caterpillars.One caterpillar has a very specific diet,feeding exclusively on only three species of tree,while the other has a very broad diet,feeding on 15 species of tree.Which caterpillar species will be easiest to count? Explain your answer.

Question 37

A plant with wind-dispersed seeds is most likely to grow in a ____ distribution.

A) random
B) linear
C) spherical
D) clumped
E) uniform

Question 38

You work on a large nature preserve full of a variety of habitats,including dry uplands,wooded lowlands,meadows,and many creeks and ponds in the low-lying areas.You are given the task of estimating the population size of a rare species of fern.Knowing that ferns can only grow in soils with high moisture,how might you go about estimating population size?

Question 39

Which behavior would most likely result in a uniform distribution pattern?

A) migration
B) defensive strategies
C) predator avoidance
D) territorial and nesting behaviors in birds
E) social network of bees

Question 40

In the Isle Royale study,why were wolf populations easier to accurately count than moose populations?

Question 41

The rate of natural increase approximates zero when carrying capacity is reached and

A) birth rate < death rate.
B) birth rate ≈ death rate.
C) birth rate > death rate.
D) the death rate falls to zero.
E) the birth rate falls to zero.

Question 42

What is the difference between exponential growth and logistic growth? Which type do most populations exhibit?

Question 43

The growth rate of a population is calculated from the ___ for that population.

A) carrying capacity
B) difference between births and deaths
C) birth rate
D) death rate
E) birth rate and the carrying capacity

Question 44

Scat is _____.

A) a parasite found on wolves
B) a species of mite
C) feces
D) urine
E) blood

Question 45

List three sources of data scientists might use to monitor the health of a population and what each of those sources can tell you.

Question 46

What can an examination of moose scat tell you about that moose?

Question 47

The best example of exponential population growth would be an increase of _____ per generation.

A) 10 individuals
B) 10%
C) 10X (tenfold)
D) a variable rate, from 1.5X to 10X
E) Any of the above.

Question 48

Which of the following can be used to monitor the health of a wild animal?

A) scat
B) bones
C) urine
D) DNA
E) All of the above.

Question 49

You have a population of 1000 individuals that is increasing at a growth rate of 10% per year.What will the population be in 5 years?

A) 1500
B) 1610
C) 1250
D) 1110
E) 2000

Question 50

You are discussing population growth with a friend who says that once you know how many deer can live in 100 square miles in your state,then you know that is the same number of deer that can live in 100 square miles anywhere in the country.Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

Question 51

Which of the following conditions would lead to the fastest population growth?

A) birth rate = death rate; immigration = emigration
B) birth rate = death rate; immigration > emigration
C) birth rate > death rate; immigration > emigration
D) birth rate > death rate; emigration > immigration
E) birth rate > death rate; immigration = emigration

Question 52

Explain how the environment limits population growth.

Question 53

A population limited by environmental factors would be an example of

A) logistic growth.
B) exponential growth.
C) logarithmic growth.
D) arithmetic growth.
E) linear growth.

Question 54

Which of the following represents exponential population growth?

A) 100→110→120→130→140
B) 100→110→130→160→200
C) 100→110→121→133→146
D) 100→150→200→250→300
E) 100→150→250→450→850

Question 55

Scientists studying mammals frequently analyze scat.Why?

Question 56

Which of the following conditions indicates that a population is living at its carrying capacity?

A) birth rate = death rate; immigration = emigration
B) birth rate = death rate; immigration > emigration
C) birth rate > death rate; immigration > emigration
D) birth rate > death rate; emigration > immigration
E) birth rate > death rate; immigration = emigration

Question 57

In a geographically isolated habitat,DNA analysis of a population can document

A) DNA inbreeding.
B) loss of genetic diversity.
C) identification of individuals by DNA profiling.
D) changes in allele frequency of a gene.
E) All of the above.

Question 58

What information could be obtained from wolf scat?

A) DNA profiles
B) vegetation preference
C) presence of arthritis
D) amount of urea
E) time since last meal

Question 59

A population's growth rate depends on four factors.Name and define each.

Question 60

When a population reaches its carrying capacity,its growth rate will

A) increase exponentially.
B) increase arithmetically.
C) slow and remain near zero.
D) decrease slowly.
E) decrease rapidly.

Question 61

Some scientists claim that the human population has exceeded or will rapidly exceed the planet's carrying capacity.Other scientists believe that the ingenuity and inventive nature of the human species will always allow us to develop new technologies and new resources,thereby always pushing the planet's carrying capacity higher.Discuss both of these points of view (POV),supporting your reasoning.

Question 62

A decrease in natural resources will ____.

A) increase the carrying capacity
B) stimulate an increase in reproductive rate
C) cause a reduction in habitat area
D) decrease the carrying capacity
E) eliminate the population

Question 63

Proponents of hunting explain that hunting laws keep populations in check,thereby preventing massive population loss due instead to starvation.Explain this statement,incorporating the concept of carrying capacity.

Question 64

Carrying capacity is the _____.

A) number of individuals in a given area
B) total biomass of a given area
C) total plant biomass of a given area
D) total plant biomass minus the animal biomass in a given area
E) maximum number of individuals of a population that an area can support

Question 65

Does carrying capacity ever change? Explain,using examples.

Question 66

Define carrying capacity.

Question 67

Which of the following BEST describes the growth curves of predator and prey?

A) zero growth rate for each population
B) exponential growth for both until carrying capacity is reached
C) interdependent cycles of boom and bust or hills and valleys
D) logistic growth until carrying capacity is reached
E) a leveling off of growth when the natural increase is zero

Question 68

An increase in predator numbers is usually followed by a subsequent

A) decrease in predator numbers.
B) decrease in prey numbers.
C) increase in prey numbers.
D) extinction of prey.
E) extinction of predators.

Question 69

The difference between birth rate and death rate is known as

A) the survival rate.
B) the logistic rate.
C) the growth rate.
D) the differential factor
E) the survivorship curve.

Question 70

The predator species on Isle Royale is the

A) moose.
B) wolf.
C) plants.
D) ravens.
E) caribou.

Question 71

Why do populations rise and fall around carrying capacity instead of just remaining stable at carrying capacity?

Question 72

The prey species on Isle Royale is the

A) moose.
B) wolf.
C) fox.
D) ravens.
E) caribou.

Question 73

A few years after a prey species population increases,the ____.

A) predator population will increase
B) prey population must decrease
C) predator population will decrease
D) predator population will exceed carrying capacity
E) prey population will exceed carrying capacity

Question 74

When discussing human population trends,birth rate is often expressed as a number called the total fertility rate (TFR).The TFR is the number of children an average woman in the country has in her lifetime.The number of children a couple must have to replace themselves in the population is called the total replacement rate (TRR).TRR can be used a lot like death rate when calculating population trends.As a worldwide average,each couple must have 2.1 children to replace themselves (the extra 0.1 is the result of infant mortality). TFR and TRR are given below for several countries.Which country has a decreasing population size?

A) TFR = 2.1, TRR = 2.1
B) TFR = 5, TRR = 4
C) TFR = 3, TRR = 3
D) TFR = 7, TRR = 9
E) TFR = 2.2, TRR = 2.1

Question 75

How do the population curves of predator and prey relate to each other?

A) A decrease in prey is followed by an increase in predators.
B) An increase in the prey population is followed by an increase in predators.
C) An increase in the predator population is followed by an increase in prey.
D) Both populations level off once carrying capacity is reached.
E) An increase in the prey population is followed by a decrease in predators.

Question 76

Can a population exceed its carrying capacity?

Question 77

Which of the following most accurately describes the population cycles of moose and wolves on Isle Royale?

A) Moose and wolf populations stay at carrying capacity.
B) Moose populations stay at carrying capacity, while wolf populations rise and fall.
C) Moose populations rise and fall, while wolf populations stay at carrying capacity.
D) Moose and wolf populations rise and fall at the same time.
E) Moose and wolf populations rise and fall, but wolf populations peak a few years after the moose population peaks.

Question 78

A population's growth rate depends on

A) birth rate.
B) death rate.
C) immigration.
D) emigration.
E) All of the above.

Question 79

From studies of predator prey relationships,it could be predicted that an increase of zebra on a savannah would be followed by a subsequent

A) decrease in herbivores.
B) decrease in gazelles.
C) increase in herbivores.
D) increase in lions.
E) decrease in lions.

Question 80

Predator cycles usually peak shortly after prey cycles peak.Why do you think this is?