Deck 9: Sustaining Biodiversity: the Species Approach

Question 1

In terms of habitat destruction, the greatest eliminator of species is

A)pollution of streams, lakes, and oceans
B)destruction of coral reefs
C)destruction of wetlands
D)plowing of grasslands
E)deforestation in tropical areas

Answer 1

E

Question 2

How many human generations will it take for biodiversity to recover if the extinction rates for this century are correct?

A)10,000
B)50,000
C)100,000
D)150,000
E)200,000

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Because birds live in every climate and biome, and because they are easy to track and count, they serve as excellent

A)keystone species
B)scapegoats
C)indicator species
D)aesthetic indicators
E)habitat determiners

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A 2006 study estimated the total polar bear population is likely to decline by how much by 2025?

A)10-15%
B)20-25%
C)30-35%
D)40-45%
E)50+ %

Question 5

What percentage of the world's 10,000 bird species is declining in number?

A)95%
B)70%
C)50%
D)33%
E)25%

Question 6

Biodiversity experts estimate that during this century the extinction rate due to human activities will rise to _____ times the background extinction rate.

A)3
B)10
C)20
D)100
E)10,000

Question 7

When a large, contiguous area of habitat is reduced in area and divided into smaller, more scattered patches, the process is called

A)habitat elimination
B)habitat exploitation
C)resource partitioning
D)habitat fragmentation
E)resource loss

Question 8

How many populations of polar bears remain scattered around the Arctic?

A)150
B)99
C)59
D)32
E)19

Question 9

According to researchers, the greatest threat to wild species is

A)habitat destruction
B)invasive species
C)population and resource use growth
D)pollution
E)climate change

Question 10

Throughout the 3.5 billion year history of life on earth there has been a natural, low rate of species extinction know as

A)mass extinction
B)secondary extinction
C)biological extinction
D)background extinction rate
E)tertiary extinction

Question 11

Four of the following are characteristics that make some species especially vulnerable to ecological and biological extinction.One of the following is not such a characteristic.Choose the one that is not a characteristic.

A)low reproductive rates
B)small territories
C)feeds at high trophic level
D)narrow distribution
E)rare

Question 12

If estimates of an extinction rate of 1% per year are correct, what percentage of all species will be extinct by the end of this century?

A)10%
B)25%
C)33%
D)50%
E)66%

Question 13

The extinction of many species in a relatively short period of geologic time is called

A)mass extinction
B)secondary extinction
C)biological extinction
D)background extinction rate
E)tertiary extinction

Question 14

The 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, along with other studies, indicate humans have taken over and disturbed approximately how much of the land surface?

A)40%
B)50%
C)60%
D)70%
E)80%

Question 15

An endangered species

A)may soon become extinct over all or most of its range
B)is one that is evolving into another species
C)is one that may become rare in the next 100 years
D)may eventually become threatened or rare
E)may be considered economically important but rare

Question 16

What percentage of the world's known plant species have been examined for medicinal properties?

A)33%
B)25%
C)10%
D)5%
E)0.5%

Question 17

Biologists think there are four major reasons why we should work to prevent human activities from causing the extinction of other species. Which of the following is not one of these reasons?

A)species are part of earth's life support system
B)most species contribute to services that support our economies
C)it will take from 5 million to 10 million years to rebuild the biodiversity
D)we need animals, especially rare animals, for zoos
E)each species has a right to exist even if it isn't useful to us

Question 18

Global warming has resulting in all of the following changes except

A)the warming atmosphere is occurring twice as fast in the Arctic
B)the polar bear's hunting season is getting longer
C)Arctic ice is melting more rapidly
D)the amount of floating sea ice in the Arctic during the summer is decreasing
E)floating sea ice is breaking up earlier each year

Question 19

The greatest new threat to bird populations is

A)global warming
B)loss of wetlands
C)hunting and poaching
D)pollution
E)tall buildings

Question 20

HIPPCO is

A)a species of hippopotamus
B)a company specializing in solving environmental problems
C)a government program
D)an acronym summarizing causes of extinction
E)an environmental rock band

Question 21

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973

A)is the most far-reaching environmental law ever adopted
B)is controversial
C)requires the identification of endangered and threatened species
D)forbids federal agencies from jeopardizing endangered or threatened species
E)all of these

Question 22

Some toxic chemicals, such as those in DDT, can be stored in the fat tissue of animals.As these animals become food for larger and larger animals, the amount of the toxin gets larger and larger.This process is called

A)biophilia
B)biosphere
C)biotechnology
D)biomagnification
E)iophosphoresence

Question 23

The best way to limit the impact of invasive species is to do which of the following?

A)use pesticides to reduce their numbers
B)import and release their natural predators
C)prevent them from being introduced in the first place
D)hire lots of people and destroy them
E)alter their genes so they all die

Question 24

The primary causes of population declines among birds, especially long-distance migrant birds, includes all of the following, except

A)habitat loss and fragmentation
B)introduction of nonnative species
C)collisions with power lines, towers, and skyscrapers
D)intentional poisoning of food supplies
E)climate change

Question 25

Those who oppose the Endangered Species Act say it has been a failure. Biologists say it has not, because of four of the following five reasons. Choose the one that is not one of the four reasons.

A)ESA has not been in existence long enough for endangered species to recover
B)species are only listed when critically endangered, many will be lost
C)more than one-half of listed species are stable or improving, 99% still alive
D)budget for protecting endangered species amounted to 9 cents per U.S.citizen
E)federal regulators have been heavy handed in enforcing it

Question 26

Illegal hunting for profit is called

A)subsistence hunting
B)sport hunting
C)commercial hunting
D)poaching
E)pilfering

Question 27

Which of the following was intentionally introduced into the United States?

A)kudzu
B)gypsy moth
C)zebra mussel
D)brown tree snake
E)common pigeon

Question 28

Which of the following organisms pollinates nearly 100 commercially grown crops in the U.S., including one-third of U.S.fruit, nut, and vegetable crops?

A)honeybees
B)bats
C)birds
D)bumblebees
E)hummingbirds

Question 29

The biggest problem with invasive species is that in the new location they

A)are always bigger than native species
B)have no population controls such as predators
C)are always stronger than native species
D)have higher reproductive rates than native species
E)evolve more quickly than native species

Question 30

Four of the following are causes of an increase in hunting bushmeat; one is not.Choose the one that is not.

A)rapidly growing human population
B)trying to make a living supplying restaurants with exotic meat
C)spread of AIDS
D)overfishing of ocean fish
E)accessibility to remote areas

Question 31

The Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by 191 countries, seeks to reverse the global decline of biodiversity and share the benefits from the use of genetic resources, but has been slowed by

A)lack of severe penalties for violators
B)lack of enforcement mechanisms
C)the U.S.not ratifying it
D)implementation delays
E)all of these

Question 32

CITES is a(n)

A)regulations controlling the introduction of exotic species
B)treaty controlling the international trade in endangered species
C)pact that supports critical ecosystems that support wildlife
D)international organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered species
E)policing agency for the protection of threatened species

Question 33

Captive breeding programs in zoos

A)eliminate the need to preserve critical habitats
B)can be used for most species except mammals
C)require the captive population to number between 100 and 500
D)increase the genetic variability of species
E)are very unsuccessful

Question 34

The use of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in cattle caused the die-off of vultures and increased the incidence of which of the following diseases?

A)AIDS
B)tuberculosis
C)rabies
D)cholera
E)malaria

Question 35

The group of animals receiving the most protection by the use of wildlife refuges are

A)small mammals
B)migratory waterfowl
C)large mammals
D)songbirds
E)reptiles

Question 36

Four of the following are ways that the pressure can be taken off of some endangered species; one is not.Choose the one that is not.

A)Seed banks to allow retention of plant properties.
B)Botanical gardens grow living endangered plants.
C)Gene banks to preserve genetic information.
D)Harvesting endangered species to preserve their skins and bones.
E)Raising endangered and threatened species on farms for commercial sale.

Question 37

Four of the following are true about the plant "kudzu"; one is not.Choose the one that is not.

A)Provides a starch used in beverages and gourmet confections.
B)Provides herbal remedies for several diseases.
C)Can be controlled by normal weed control measures.
D)Almost every part of the plant is edible.
E)It is a source of fiber for paper that could replace use of trees.

Question 38

Which of the following would be allowed under a habitat conservation plan?

A)Landowners would be permanently exempt from the ESA.
B)The federal government would be exempt from the ESA.
C)A landowner, logger, or developer could destroy some critical habitat.
D)Landowners could get approval to let some species go extinct.
E)Protection of endangered species could be made voluntary on private land.

Question 39

When the Endangered Species Act was established in 1973, the list included 92 U.S.species.In 2010, that number had risen to

A)1,370
B)507
C)770
D)1,000
E)350

Question 40

DDT use in the 1950s and 1960s was nearly responsible for the extinction of what familiar bird species?

A)red-tailed hawk
B)common pigeon
C)chicken
D)bald eagle
E)cardinal

Question 41

There are many actions an individual can do take to help protect endangered and threatened species. Which of the following is not one of these actions?

A)do not purchase products made from endangered or threatened species
B)do not purchase animals taken from the wild
C)do not purchase plants taken from the wild
D)spread the word about the importance of this issue
E)all of these are important actions to take

Question 42

Approximately 24% of the world's known plant species have been examined for their medicinal properties.

Question 43

The Alaska state government is trying to have the polar bear removed from the threatened species list because they thinking it may hurt economic growth.

Question 44

The active ingredients in nine of the ten leading prescription drugs originally came from wild organisms.

Question 45

With the projected extinction rates, and without greatly expanded conservation efforts, it will likely take 200,000 human generations for biodiversity to return to current levels.

Question 46

Island species - often found nowhere else - are especially vulnerable to extinctions when their habitat is destroyed.

Question 47

Egg pulling refers to

A)techniques used to extend the breeding span of captured birds
B)collecting eggs from the wild and hatching them
C)using fertility drugs to increase the number of eggs
D)production of hybrids in captive breeding programs
E)collecting unfertilized eggs from ovaries of wild animals

Question 48

Worldwide, approximately 2,500 species are listed as endangered or threatened.

Question 49

According to biological and fossil evidence, all species eventually become extinct.

Question 50

All mass extinctions thus far have been caused by natural phenomena that drastically changed environmental conditions.

Question 51

By the end of this century polar bears may only be found in zoos.

Question 52

In protecting species from premature extinction, and in protecting their vital habitats, we are helping sustain our own health and well-being.

Question 53

Bioprospectors are miners that are involved in causing the extinction of plants and animals.

Question 54

Some critics of the ESA suggest it has been a failure.Four of the following are reasons they give for that conclusion; one is not.Choose the one that is not.

A)The success rate of saving endangered species is not good.
B)It takes too long to bring a species back from the edge of extinction.
C)The number of species that are stable or improving is only about one-half.
D)Only about 500 species have been saved.
E)It is too costly.

Question 55

The "extinction capital" of the United States is Alaska.

Question 56

The passenger pigeon, perhaps the must abundant bird on earth in 1813, was extinct less than one hundred years later because of human activities.

Question 57

Many biologists consider the rapid loss of the earth's biodiversity to be the most serious and long-lasting environmental problem the world faces.

Question 58

According to which of the following should we take measures to prevent harm to the environment and human health even if the science has not been fully established?

A)precautionary principle
B)cautionary concept
C)Occam's razor
D)partitioning participle
E)natural order concept

Question 59

The introduction of nonnative species often results in unforeseen consequences.This experience indicates that when introducing nonnative species we would be well advised to apply the

A)first law of thermodynamics
B)Occam's razor
C)precautionary principle
D)cautionary concept
E)natural order concept

Question 60

The greatest eliminator of species is over-hunting and over-fishing.

Question 61

It will take ____________________ generations for natural speciation to rebuild the biodiversity we are likely to destroy in this century.

Question 62

Organized crime has moved into illegal wildlife smuggling because of the huge profits involved.

Question 63

According to E.O.Wilson and Stuart Pimm, at an extinction rate of 1% per year ____________________ of all animal and plant species could be gone by 2050 and ____________________ by the end of the century.

Question 64

A(n) ____________________ species has so few individual survivors that the species could soon become extinct over all or most of its natural range.

Question 65

The amount of money spent on the Endangered Species Act for a year is less than the cost of 2 thirty-second TV commercials on the Super Bowl.

Question 66

In the state of Hawaii, 95% of endangered species are endangered because of invasive species.

Question 67

A 2005 report estimates the current annual rate of species extinction is at least ____________________ to ____________________ times the background rate that existed before modern humans appeared.

Question 68

Economic considerations can not be taken into account in any decision concerning endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Question 69

It is easier to remove an invasive species than it is to control their introduction.

Question 70

The only major group of species that have escaped increasing extinction threat are the primates, where less than 10% are currently threatened with extinction.

Question 71

The rate of species loss and the extent of biodiversity loss are likely to ____________________ during the next 50─100 years as a result of the growth of the world's ____________________ and resource use per person.

Question 72

The species-area relationship suggests that, on average, a 90% loss of habitat causes the extinction of ____________________% of the species living in that habitat.

Question 73

The kudzu vine can grow as much as 2 inches per hour.

Question 74

Continuing decline of pollinator populations, such as honeybees, could cause a serious disruption of food production for humans.

Question 75

Increasing populations of the American bald eagle, because of conservation efforts, have led to dangerously low populations of the rare Great Cormorant off the coast of Maine.

Question 76

Efforts to control the Argentinean fire ant in the U.S.during the 1960s by spraying pesticides resulted in genetic resistance to pesticides in the fire ants.

Question 77

During this century, with global climate change and other human activities, the current extinction rate could reach ____________________ times the background rate of extinction.

Question 78

Human activities, especially those leading to habitat loss and climate change, are likely to lead to the extinction of between _______________ and _______________ of the world's plant and animal species.

Question 79

Approximately 70% of bird species are declining in numbers as a result of human activities.

Question 80

Only about 30% of the world's rare and threatened plant species are being grown in the world's botanical gardens and arboreta.