Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

A)  behaviour, morphology, physiology 
B)  physiology, morphology, behaviour 
C)  behaviour, physiology, morphology 
D)  morphology, behaviour, physiology 
E)  morphology, physiology, behaviour.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

Phenotypic plasticity

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of Use the concept of phenotypic trade-offs to...

Question 7

Under which of the following situations would the plastic genotype be favoured over other genotypes?
I. if all environments have predators
II. if no environments have predators
III. if environments with predators are as common as environments without predators

Accepted Answer

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

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 9

Which lists the correct order from events that affect the smallest spatial scale to events that affect the largest spatial scale?

Accepted Answer

A)  thunderstorms, monsoons, hurricanes 
B)  thunderstorms, hurricanes, monsoons 
C)  monsoons, thunderstorms, hurricanes 
D)  hurricanes, thunderstorms, monsoons

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

Topic: Many organisms have evolved adaptations to variable abiotic conditions.
Level: medium

Accepted Answer

The answer of Topic: Many organisms have evolved adaptations to...

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain why many prey species reduce activity...

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some individuals exhibit adaptive phenotypic plasticity in...

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

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

Exam 4: Adaptations to Variable Environments

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