Deck 44: Population Ecology

Question 1

Populations ____.  

A) are only limited by one factor at a time
B) increase arithmetically
C) may increase indefinitely
D) are limited by the carrying capacity
E) overcome limiting factors by increasing their biotic potential

Answer 1

D

Question 2

There will be approximately ____ mice in four months in a population of 1,000 mice where 500 mice are born and 400 mice die monthly.  

A) 1,000
B) 1,100
C) 1,200
D) 1,300
E) 1,400

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Scientists use ____ sampling to estimate the population size of mobile animals.  

A) mark-recapture
B) random
C) plot
D) base
E) homogeneous

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The number of individuals occupying a unit of habitat (volume or area)is the ___________.  

A) distribution
B) carrying capacity
C) population density
D) population size
E) birth rate

Question 5

The per capita growth rate (r)is ____ per mouse per month in a population of 1,000 mice where 500 mice are born and 400 mice die monthly.  

A) 0.1
B) 0.2
C) 0.3
D) 0.4
E) 0.5

Question 6

Which of these is NOT a direct factor that controls biotic potential?  

A) The age at which reproduction generally begins
B) The resources available for each individual
C) Reproductive rate
D) Predators and pathogens
E) Genetic mutations

Question 7

Figure 44.5

The wood duck shown in the above photograph was adversely affected by ____ and is making a comeback thanks to ____.  

A) global cooling; heat producing chemical added to their diet
B) sexually transmitted viruses; a new vaccine
C) limited numbers of natural cavities; artificial nesting boxes
D) high incidence of males being born; transplantation of females from other areas
E) invasive species; removal of introduced predators

Question 8

What distribution pattern is the most common in the natural world?  

A) Random
B) Uniform
C) Clumped
D) Stratified or layered
E) Homogeneous

Question 9

The clumped distribution of coral colonies is due to ____.  

A) asexual reproduction
B) patchy distribution of resources
C) availability of sunlight
D) competition for limited resources
E) uniformly available resources

Question 10

Which factor is NOT responsible for the increase in the size of human population?  

A) Clothing
B) Medicine
C) Sanitation
D) Innovations in agriculture
E) Increased total fertility rate

Question 11

Which of the following factors can affect carrying capacity?  

A) Population size
B) Human activity
C) Growth rate
D) Natural selection
E) Generation time

Question 12

A population of dandelions in a field exemplifies a ____ population distribution.  

A) clumped
B) random
C) uniform
D) constant
E) homogeneous

Question 13

Density-independent factors that limit population growth include ____.  

A) parasites
B) temperature
C) disease
D) competition
E) predation

Question 14

The effect of resource availability on population size ultimately determines ____.  

A) the carrying capacity of the environment
B) exponential growth
C) the doubling time of a population
D) the population's biotic potential
E) the loss of species in an ecosystem

Question 15

Random distribution of individuals in a population occurs when resource availability is ____ and individuals ____ one another.  

A) scarce; attract
B) clumped; neither attract nor avoid
C) random; avoid
D) uniform; neither attract nor avoid
E) scarce; avoid

Question 16

Individuals in the population grouped according to levels of maturity define the population's ____.

A) carrying capacity
B) age structure
C) density
D) size
E) birth rate

Question 17

The distribution of animals and plants in competition for scarce resources tends to be ____.  

A) clumped
B) random
C) near uniform
D) constant
E) homogeneous

Question 18

Zero population growth is achieved when ____.  

A) a population starts to decline
B) emigration and immigration are balanced, and the number of births equals the number of deaths
C) births exceed deaths
D) deaths exceed births
E) emigration and immigration are prevented

Question 19

The carrying capacity for a plant species can decrease when ______.  

A) natural selection occurs
B) germination starts too early
C) plants evolve a quick-growing trait
D) the population of pollinators increase
E) soil nutrients are become depleted

Question 20

The distribution of hippopotamuses in muddy shallows is an example of ____ distribution.  

A) clumped
B) random
C) uniform
D) constant
E) homogeneous

Question 21

The replacement fertility rate is ____.  

A) the average number of children a man must sire to replace himself with a son who reaches reproductive age
B) the average number of children woman must bear to replace herself with one daughter who reaches reproductive age
C) the average number of children born per year in a population
D) the birth rate minus the death rate of a population
E) the number of boy-girl pairs born each year in a population

Question 22

Which of the following refers to the area of Earth's surface that is required to sustainably support a particular level of development and consumption?  

A) Demographic transition model
B) Carrying capacity
C) Ecological footprint
D) Biosphere
E) Ecological cohort

Question 23

The average person in the United States has an ecological footprint nearly _____ times that of an average world citizen.  

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five
E) six

Question 24

Choose the most appropriate response for each.
a.Growth pattern which appears as a J-shaped curve when population increases are plotted against time
b.For some interval, the added number of individuals divided by the initial population size
c.Population with greater proportion of young people; indicates greater expected population growth
d.For example, the amount of glucose in a culture flask containing bacteria
Exponential growth

Question 25

Figure 44.6
The following question refers to the figure above illustrating logistic growth.
The population is entering exponential growth at letter ____.  

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E

Question 26

Figure 44.6
The following question refers to the figure above illustrating logistic growth.
The initial carrying capacity of an environment is indicated by ____.  

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E

Question 27

A cohort is ____.  

A) a group of individuals of the same species born during the same time interval
B) any member of the same species
C) a group of individuals with the same parents
D) a group of individuals of the same sex
E) any group of closely related individuals

Question 28

Reznick and Endler's research with guppies suggested four of the following.Which one is the exception?  

A) Life history traits can be inherited.
B) Life history traits evolve.
C) Life history traits can be altered over a short period of time.
D) Life history traits are not influenced by predation patterns.
E) Life history traits are coded for in DNA.

Question 29

The Reznick and Endler guppy study showed that life history traits in guppies ____.  

A) evolve primarily due to migration patterns
B) are unpredictable and random from a human standpoint
C) change very slowly, and only in response to individual guppy needs
D) are unchanged in response to the preferences of predators
E) can evolve rapidly in response to the preferences of predators

Question 30

Type II survivorship curves ____.  

A) are characteristic of humans and elephants
B) indicate a fairly constant rate of death at all ages
C) indicate a high mortality rate in the very young
D) are characteristic of species in which most individuals live a relatively long life and die of old age
E) are typical of species with high biotic potentials

Question 31

Which of the following is correct regarding r-selection?  

A) It favors quickly producing as many offspring as possible at low population density.
B) At a higher population density, r-selection favors fewer, high-quality offspring.
C) R-selection is exhibited by most equilibrial species.
D) Species not described by K-selection are entirely explained by r-selection alone.
E) None of these are correct.

Question 32

Which factor is ultimately responsible for the rapid population explosion of humans?  

A) More prevalence of microorganisms to fight diseases naturally
B) Increasing availability of natural resources
C) Decreasing migration of human and animal populations
D) Decline in death rates without an equivalent decline in birth rates
E) Advances in reproductive technology

Question 33

Figure 44.6
The following question refers to the figure above illustrating logistic growth.
The effect of population growth limiting factors begins to become evident at about the letter ____.  

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E

Question 34

Equilibrial species are shaped by ____,and tend to have a ____.  

A) K-selection; small body and short generation time
B) r-selection; large body and long generation time
C) K-selection; large body and long generation time
D) r-selection; small body and long generation time
E) r-selection; large body and short generation time

Question 35

Choose the most appropriate response for each.
a.Growth pattern which appears as a J-shaped curve when population increases are plotted against time
b.For some interval, the added number of individuals divided by the initial population size
c.Population with greater proportion of young people; indicates greater expected population growth
d.For example, the amount of glucose in a culture flask containing bacteria
Broad-based age structure

Question 36

Figure 44.14
The following question refers to the age structure diagrams above.
Which statement reflects the age structure of these three countries?  

A) India has the greatest proportion of older adults.
B) The United States has the greatest proportion of young people.
C) India has the greatest proportion of young people.
D) China has the greatest proportion of young people.
E) China has the greatest proportion of older adults.

Question 37

The ____ of a human population is the average number of children born to a woman during her reproductive years.  

A) global reproductive rate
B) mean reproductive rate
C) average fertility rate
D) total fertility rate
E) replacement fertility rate

Question 38

Which of the following changes in life history of the North Atlantic cod could have alerted scientists to the impending population crash?  

A) A type I growth curve
B) A shift to K-selection characterized by larger fish
C) A shift to r-selection characterized by smaller fish
D) Type I growth curve the first year and type II in years two and three
E) Type I the first year, type II the second year, and type III the third year

Question 39

A developing country's replacement fertility rate is most directly affected by which factor?  

A) Poverty
B) Endemic diseases
C) Death of children before the age of reproduction
D) Environmental factors that disrupt fetal development
E) Government-directed population control

Question 40

Choose the most appropriate response for each.
a.Growth pattern which appears as a J-shaped curve when population increases are plotted against time
b.For some interval, the added number of individuals divided by the initial population size
c.Population with greater proportion of young people; indicates greater expected population growth
d.For example, the amount of glucose in a culture flask containing bacteria
Per capita growth rate

Question 41

A Type I survivorship curve is ___________  

A) convex, such as that of humans
B) diagonal, such as that of lizards, small mammals, and large birds
C) concave, such as marine animals that release eggs
D) S-shaped, such as that of small birds
E) logarithmic, such as that of weeds

Question 42

Classification. Respond to the following statements used by ecologists with reference to the five terms listed below:
a.Carrying capacity
b.Emigration
c.Immigration
d.Density-dependent limiting factor
e.Density-independent limiting factor
Movement of individuals out of a population

Question 43

With __________ growth,a small population starts growing slowly,then grows rapidly,and then levels off once __________ is reached.

Question 44

Classification. Respond to the following statements used by ecologists with reference to the five terms listed below:
a.Carrying capacity
b.Emigration
c.Immigration
d.Density-dependent limiting factor
e.Density-independent limiting factor
This limits population growth to the same degree regardless of population density.

Question 45

The size of a population depends on its rates of births,deaths,__________,and __________.

Question 46

At low population density,__________ is favored,quickly producing as many offspring as possible.

Question 47

The maximum possible rate of increase is a species' __________ potential.

Question 48

Predation can change the life history of a prey species when predators choose prey based on their _________.  

A) speed of movement
B) body size
C) coloration
D) population size
E) habitat

Question 49

At high population density,__________ is favored,with organisms investing more time and energy in fewer,higher quality offspring.

Question 50

Classification. Respond to the following statements used by ecologists with reference to the five terms listed below:
a.Carrying capacity
b.Emigration
c.Immigration
d.Density-dependent limiting factor
e.Density-independent limiting factor
The maximum number of individuals that a given habitat can support

Question 51

Choose the most appropriate response for each.
a.Growth pattern which appears as a J-shaped curve when population increases are plotted against time
b.For some interval, the added number of individuals divided by the initial population size
c.Population with greater proportion of young people; indicates greater expected population growth
d.For example, the amount of glucose in a culture flask containing bacteria
Density-dependent limiting factor

Question 52

A(n)__________ is a group of individuals born during the same time interval.

Question 53

Classification. Respond to the following statements used by ecologists with reference to the five terms listed below:
a.Carrying capacity
b.Emigration
c.Immigration
d.Density-dependent limiting factor
e.Density-independent limiting factor
This is a factor that causes a logistic growth pattern

Question 54

Based on the demographic transition model,which of the following countries is in the industrialization stage,marked by birth rate declines and less rapid population growth compared to the previous period?  

A) Germany
B) Canada
C) Japan
D) Mexico
E) India

Question 55

Which of the following is an example of r-selected organism?  

A) Coconut palm
B) Flies
C) Elephants
D) Humans
E) Horses

Question 56

Classification. Respond to the following statements used by ecologists with reference to the five terms listed below:
a.Carrying capacity
b.Emigration
c.Immigration
d.Density-dependent limiting factor
e.Density-independent limiting factor
Movement of individuals into a population

Question 57

In cases of __________ growth,a population's growth rate remains constant and greater than zero.

Question 58

Competition among members of the same species is known as ___________.

Question 59

__________ sampling can be used to estimate the population of an area based on direct counts in a small part of the area.