Deck 37: Population Ecology

Question 1

The study of the factors that influence changes in a population's size is

A) population dynamics.
B) population geology.
C) population dispersion.
D) population density.
E) population ethology.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The brown tree snake in Guam had a ______of about 100 snakes per hectare,which is approximately equal to two American football fields.

A) population density
B) population distribution
C) death rate
D) growth rate
E) population

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The difference between a population and a community in the same location is that

A) a population includes all the living organisms, while a community is the physical location in which they live.
B) a population includes members of one species, while a community includes multiple species populations.
C) a community includes members of one species, while a population includes multiple species.
D) a population includes members of one species, while a community includes its nonliving environmental resources.
E) a community is an isolated subpopulation of a larger population of a species.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In a survivorship curve,a type I species,like a human or elephant,is a species that has

A) a strong possibility of becoming extinct in a relatively short period of time.
B) an extremely short life span.
C) an equal probability of dying at any age.
D) the highest probability of dying as it reaches its maximum life span.
E) the highest probability of dying at a very young age.

Question 5

Wildlife biologists use methods which ______ in order to control the brown tree snake population on Guam.

A) anesthetize the snakes with acetominephin in rats
B) release sterilized males to compete with wild fertile males
C) capture and kill the snakes, increasing death rates
D) use specially trained dogs to prevent spread to other islands
E) All of the answer choices are correct.

Question 6

The physical location in which an organism lives is termed its

A) habitat.
B) home boundary.
C) community.
D) ecosystem.
E) range.

Question 7

Figuer:
Three population distribution patterns are shown in this figure.
The type of population distribution seen,in inset a,when the habitat is relatively consistent and individuals do not strongly attract or repel one another is _____ distribution.

A) nonselected
B) uniform
C) forced
D) random
E) clumped

Question 8

The number of individuals produced per individual per unit time in a population is its _____ rate.

A) immigration
B) expatriation
C) death
D) birth
E) emigration

Question 9

Figuer:
Three population distribution patterns are shown in this figure.
The type of population distribution seen,in inset c,when only portions of a habitat are the most favorable is

A) nonselected distribution.
B) random distribution.
C) uniform distribution.
D) clumped distribution.
E) forced distribution.

Question 10

The movement of individuals into another population is termed

A) expatriation.
B) emigration.
C) clumping.
D) immigration.
E) population dispersion.

Question 11

The study of the relationships among organisms and the environment is

A) habitology.
B) ecology.
C) ergonomics.
D) ethology.
E) geology.

Question 12

Figuer:
Three population distribution patterns are shown in this figure.
The type of population distribution in inset b is seen when individuals strongly repel one another,or defend distinct territories for resources,is _____ distribution.

A) clumped
B) forced
C) uniform
D) nonselected
E) random

Question 13

A group of organisms of one species occupying a geographic location at the same time is a

A) peer group.
B) flock.
C) population.
D) community.
E) herd.

Question 14

In a survivorship curve,a type II species,like a song bird,is a species that has

A) the highest probability of dying at a very young age.
B) an equal probability of dying at any age.
C) the highest probability of dying as it reaches its maximum life span.
D) a strong possibility of becoming extinct in a relatively short period of time.
E) an extremely short life span.

Question 15

The number of individuals of a species per unit area or volume of habitat is

A) a community.
B) population distribution.
C) population density.
D) carrying capacity.
E) population dynamics.

Question 16

The number of individuals that die in a population per unit time is its _____ rate.

A) birth
B) expatriation
C) emigration
D) immigration
E) death

Question 17

Emigration happens when individuals move ___ a population,while immigration happens when individuals move ___ a population.

A) by extrapolation towards; by dispersion from
B) into; out of
C) due to environmental resistance within; due to carrying capacity within
D) out of; into
E) by dispersion through; by extrapolation at the periphery of

Question 18

In a survivorship curve,a type III species,like most insects and plants,is a species that has

A) an extremely long life span.
B) an equal probability of dying at any age.
C) the highest probability of dying at a very young age.
D) a strong possibility of becoming extinct in a relatively short period of time.
E) the highest probability of dying as it reaches its maximum life span.

Question 19

In a population,the difference between the birth rate and the death rate is termed the

A) population density determining factor.
B) J-shaped population curve.
C) population dispersion factor.
D) S-shaped population curve.
E) per capita rate of increase.

Question 20

As a likely result of migrations on war vessels in World War II,a new predator was discovered,in the 1960s,on the island of _____,decimating local populations of birds and small reptiles.

A) Guam
B) Puerto Rico
C) Madagascar
D) Ceylon
E) Cuba

Question 21

Species with an opportunistic,or r-selected,life history strategy

A) provide extensive care for their offspring.
B) produce many offspring.
C) are long-lived.
D) reproduce later in life.
E) are limited primarily by carrying capacity.

Question 22

A population with a large fraction of pre-reproductive individuals is common in _____-developed countries; this population will most likely _____ in size.

A) more; decrease
B) more; increase
C) less; decrease
D) less; increase

Question 23

In 2010 India had a population of 1,170,000,000,a birth rate of 0.027,and a death rate of 0.013.What was the per capita rate of India's population?

A) 0.027
B) 0.013
C) 0.040
D) 0.014
E) 0.001

Question 24

Two countries,_____ and _____,alone account for one-third of the human population.

A) Russia; India
B) India; Brazil
C) China; Russia
D) China; India
E) Russia; Brazil

Question 25

In the population growth curve equation G = rN(K - N)/K,when N is very small relative to K,the population

A) growth rate is low.
B) crashes.
C) growth rate is high.
D) growth rate stabilizes.
E) None of the answer choices are correct.

Question 26

Predation of deer by wolves is an example of a

A) density-dependent limit.
B) death-independent factor.
C) density-codependent limit.
D) death-dependent factor.
E) density-independent limit.

Question 27

An example of a density-independent factor that affects a population's growth is

A) frost killing all of your tomato plants.
B) your tomato plants competing for water.
C) All of the answer choices are correct.
D) a fungus infecting your tomato plants.
E) insects eating your tomato plants.

Question 28

How would the population equation G = rN be expressed in the full names of each abbreviated variable?

A) logistic growth rate = per capita rate of increase x carrying capacity
B) number of individuals added per unit time = per capita rate of increase x initial population size
C) carrying capacity = environmental resistance x exponential growth rate
D) rate of emigration = birth rate x initial population size
E) None of the answer choices are correct.

Question 29

In a population growth curve that is affected by environmental resistance,the formula G = rN(K - N)/K is used to calculate the number of new individuals added after each time interval.In this equation K represents the

A) number of individuals added per unit time.
B) per capita rate of increase.
C) environmental resistance.
D) number of individuals at the start of a time interval.
E) carrying capacity for the organism being studied.

Question 30

The maximum number of individuals that a habitat can support indefinitely is the habitat's

A) dispersion capacity.
B) carrying capacity.
C) density dispersion.
D) growth capacity.
E) environmental load.

Question 31

Which of the following best describes the link between population-limiting factors and K-selected species?

A) K-selected species are limited by density-dependent factors and have many offspring.
B) K-selected species are limited by density-independent factors and have many offspring.
C) K-selected species are limited by density-dependent factors and have few offspring.
D) K-selected species are limited by density-independent factors and have few offspring.

Question 32

If a deer herd has a population of 1000,a carrying capacity of 2000,and an intrinsic rate of growth of 10% (0.1),what must be true of this deer population?

A) births > deaths
B) births < deaths
C) None of the answer choices are correct.
D) births = deaths

Question 33

If a deer herd has a population of N = 1000,and a per capita rate of increase of 10% (r = 0.1 per year),how much will the deer population grow in a year,if resources are unlimited?

A) 50
B) 500
C) 1000
D) 100
E) 10

Question 34

Figuer:
The insets below show the age structures of India, the United States, and China.
Based upon the population pyramid shown above,you would expect the Indian population to

A) grow and then begin to stabilize.
B) shrink.
C) grow exponentially.
D) stay constant.

Question 35

A population with a large fraction of post-reproductive individuals is common in _____-developed countries; this population will most likely _____ in size.

A) less; increase
B) less; decrease
C) more; increase
D) more; decrease

Question 36

In 2010 India had a population of 1,170,000,000,a birth rate of 0.027,and a death rate of 0.013.Approximately how much did the Indian population grow in 2010?

A) 17,000,000
B) 17,000
C) 170,000,000
D) 170,000
E) 1,700,000

Question 37

The combination of external factors that keep a population from reaching its maximum growth rate is

A) population aging.
B) environmental augmentation.
C) population clumping.
D) environmental resistance.
E) environmental assuagement.

Question 38

Species with an equilibrium,or K-selected,life history strategy

A) are short-lived.
B) have a large number of offspring.
C) give very little care to their offspring.
D) reproduce at an early age.
E) have only a few offspring.

Question 39

A population age structure diagram showing roughly equal numbers in each age group,such as shown above in inset b for the United States,depicts a

A) declining population.
B) stable population.
C) very small population size.
D) population facing extinction.
E) growing population.

Question 40

An ecologist catches 100 frogs from a pond,marks them,and releases them back into the pond.After a few days,another 100 frogs are captured and 10 have the marks on them.How many frogs are in the pond?

A) 100
B) 900
C) 10,000
D) 90
E) 1000

Question 41

Which of the following best describes the link between population-limiting factors and r-selected species?

A) Opportunistic species are limited by density-independent factors and have few offspring.
B) Opportunistic species are limited by density-independent factors and have many offspring.
C) Opportunistic species are limited by density-dependent factors and have many offspring.
D) Opportunistic species are limited by density-dependent factors and have few offspring.

Question 42

Why are the leading causes of death in high-income countries heart disease,stroke,and cancer,while in low-income countries infectious diseases are the leading causes of death?

A) The population density in high-income countries is clustered.
B) The population density in high-income countries is larger.
C) Access to sanitation, vaccines, and antibiotics is greater in high-income countries.
D) The ecological footprint in high-income countries is larger.
E) There are genetic differences between populations.

Question 43

In this graph of yellow-eyed penguins,the data indicate that

A) Reproductive age of the yellow-eyed penguins is three years.
B) All of the answer choices are correct.
C) Most of the yellow-eyed penguins die in their first year of life.
D) 10% of the yellow-eyed penguins live to eleven years of age.
E) Just less than 30% of the yellow-eyed penguins survive to reproductive age.

Question 44

Emigration is the migration out of a particular area.

Question 45

When exponential growth is plotted over time,an S-shaped curve emerges.

Question 46

For a lady bug population at the beginning of summer,the food supply and habitat are almost limitless.If there are 1000 lady bugs in a one-acre field,the per capita rate of increase is 25%,and no immigration or emigration occurs,how many individuals will be added in the next generation? Discern whether G = rN(K - N)/K or G = rN applies appropriately.

A) 125
B) 0
C) 1250
D) 1000
E) 250

Question 47

Atlantic mollies of the species Poecilia mexicana live in habitats that make multiple collection trips difficult,yet they live in populations of many small individuals.What variable was measured to estimate and compare their life histories among different conditions?

A) ages of the collected male and female Atlantic mollies
B) embryo number
C) embryo number and embryo biomass
D) numbers and sizes of the collected male and female Atlantic mollies
E) embryo biomass

Question 48

Atlantic mollies of the species Poecilia mexicana are found in the habitat(s)of

A) isolated desert pools left from hurricane storm surges.
B) estuaries where saltwater and freshwater mix.
C) All of the answer choices are correct.
D) coastal tidal pools and coral reefs.
E) streams and cave waters with clean water and H₂S poisonous molecules.

Question 49

A J-shaped population growth curve indicates that

A) the population size is approaching the carrying capacity for its resources.
B) resources for the population are unlimited.
C) the population is experiencing exponential growth.
D) the population is experiencing logistic growth.
E) the population has both unlimited resources and is experiencing exponential growth.

Question 50

Graphed from 10,000 BCE to 2010,as shown below,the global human population

A) has reached 0% growth rate, as shown by the data plot at 2010.
B) shows the typical curve of logistic growth.
C) is showing clearly that humans are at Earth's carrying capacity for our species.
D) None of the answer choices are correct.
E) shows the typical curve of exponential growth.

Question 51

How is the adaptation of investing more energy in producing large offspring beneficial in the Atlantic mollies?

A) Larger-sized offspring can migrate more easily among the stressful and non-stressful environments.
B) All of the answer choices are correct.
C) Larger-sized offspring can more quickly mature to reproductive age.
D) Larger-sized offspring increases swimming ability for accessing food in toxic or dark conditions.
E) Larger-sized offspring allow greater ability to avoid predation by other species.

Question 52

A country's ecological footprint can be calculated by multiplying its population size by the footprint of each individual.Why are some ecologists concerned about the ecological footprint of a country like India?

A) Its standard of living is increasing.
B) Its population and land area are increasing.
C) Its population is increasing.
D) Its standard of living and land area are increasing.
E) Both its population and standard of living are increasing.

Question 53

What key conclusion did Riesch and Schlupp draw from the life history data of the Atlantic mollies?

A) The populations are only able to survive and reproduce when in stressful environments of either darkness or H₂S.
B) More energy is invested in producing many more offspring when the populations live in environmentally stressful habitats.
C) The populations exposed to H₂S are able to use the toxic molecule for metabolic energy.
D) Genetic regulation in the species result in production of equal sizes of offspring whether exposed to stressful environments or not.
E) More energy is invested in producing larger offspring when the populations live in environmentally stressful habitats.

Question 54

Immigration is the migration out of a particular area.

Question 55

On the island of Guam,a single type of nonnative organism,the black-footed ferret,is responsible for the disappearance of at least 12 species of birds and small reptiles from the island.

Question 56

Why have growth rates increased the most in developing countries in the past 50 years?

A) Death rates have fallen slower than birth rates.
B) Death rates have gone up faster than birth rates.
C) Death rates have fallen faster than birth rates.
D) Death rates have gone up slower than birth rates.

Question 57

Conservation biologists are often trying to protect or create habitat for endangered species.How would this directly affect the equation G = rN(K - N)/K for an endangered animal?

A) It would raise r.
B) It would lower N.
C) It would lower K.
D) It would raise N.
E) It would raise K.

Question 58

For a lady bug population at the end of summer,the food supply decreases to where only 2000 lady bugs can be supported per acre.If there are 1000 lady bugs in a one-acre field,the per capita rate of increase is 25%,and no immigration or emigration occur,how many individuals will be added in the next generation? Interpret whether G = rN(K - N)/K or G = rN is appropriate.

A) 250
B) 125
C) 1000
D) 1250
E) 0

Question 59

Researchers studying guppies in Trinidad found that guppies in streams with high predation reproduced earlier and more frequently.How would the scientists describe the selective force acting on the guppy population?

A) density-dependent factors
B) K-selection
C) density-independent factors
D) r-selection
E) sexual selection

Question 60

In comparison of the white oak (left)and the cottonwood (right)age structures shown,what conclusion(s)can be drawn?

A) The next decade will likely result in many white oaks dying off.
B) In the next decade, many white oaks will survive, while many cottonwoods will die.
C) Many white oaks will likely survive the next decade.
D) The next decade will likely result in many cottonwoods dying off.
E) Many cottonwoods will likely survive the next decade.

Question 61

The United Nations issued a highest projection of the global human population in 2100 to be 15.8 billion people.

Question 62

Conditions whose growth-limiting effects increase as a population grows are density-independent factors.

Question 63

The government of China offers financial incentives to encourage citizens to have children.

Question 64

When logistic growth is plotted over time,a J-shaped curve emerges.

Question 65

The maximum number of individuals of a population that a habitat can support indefinitely is its carrying capacity.