Question 1

The main factor that leads to the loss of biodiversity is _____.

Accepted Answer

Habitat destruction is the primary factor that leads to the loss of biodiversity. This includes deforestation, mining, urbanization, and pollution, among others. Habitat fragmentation also contributes to the loss of biodiversity by separating wildlife populations and reducing gene flow, but it is not the main factor. Industrialization and transportation may indirectly affect biodiversity by increasing habitat destruction and fragmentation, but they are not the direct causes of biodiversity loss.

Question 2

Figure 55.7 
-In looking at the species-area plot in Figure 55.7,what can be concluded?

Accepted Answer

Number of bird species increases linearly with island area.

Question 3

Figure 55.5 
-According to Figure 55.5,what is occurring after 1985?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Figure 55.5 
-According to Figure 55.5,what is...

Question 4

Figure 55.9 
-Based on Figure 55.9,what can you conclude about land-use legacy in New England?

Accepted Answer

The sediment spikes are indicative of deforestation, and despite reforestation efforts, the lake sediments have not fully recovered. This suggests a significant land-use legacy in New England. Options A, B, and C are not supported by the information provided in Figure 55.9.

Question 5

You discover,in your massive 2000-hectare forest,a species of bat that is not found anywhere else.Which of the following agencies would not be involved in helping you formulate a plan to conserve this species?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Commerce is primarily focused on promoting economic growth and trade, and is not directly involved in conservation efforts. The other agencies and organizations listed all have a focus on conservation and would likely be involved in helping to formulate a plan to conserve the bat species.

Question 6

What is the main purpose of the wildlife corridor?

Accepted Answer

The main purpose of a wildlife corridor is to connect two otherwise isolated populations, allowing for the transfer of individuals back and forth between them. This helps to increase genetic diversity and overall population size, which can improve the long-term survival prospects of the species. The other choices are not accurate descriptions of the purpose of a wildlife corridor.

Question 7

Which of the following statements regarding extinction is false?

Accepted Answer

There is no species that is completely immune from extinction, as all species are vulnerable to environmental changes and natural selection pressures.

Question 8

Which of the following is a likely mechanism for biodiversity increasing productivity?

Accepted Answer

Resource use becoming more efficient, certain species facilitating the growth of others, and greater niches for species are all potential mechanisms for biodiversity increasing productivity. Therefore, choice D is the best option.

Question 9

A land developer is arguing with a group of ecologists.Of course the land developer wants the most land possible for building houses,but has to compromise by saving some land for animal habitat.The land developer offers 20 hectares in evenly distributed but isolated 1-hectare portions.The ecologists keep arguing for one 20 hectare area to remain intact.Why are the ecologists making this proposal?

Accepted Answer

Ecologists are concerned about edge effects, which occur when a habitat becomes fragmented or isolated. These effects include increased exposure to predators, reduced genetic diversity, and loss of biodiversity. By keeping one large plot intact, the ecologists hope to minimize the negative impacts of edge effects and preserve the habitat as much as possible.

Question 10

On Easter Island,data show that it was once covered by massive palm trees.How can an ecosystem collapse from removal of just one species of large tree?

Accepted Answer

Removal of the large palm trees would have led to soil erosion, reduction in productivity, loss of shade, and loss of habitat for many other species. Additionally, humans on the island likely used the trees as a resource, further contributing to their decline and the subsequent collapse of the ecosystem.

Question 11

Figure 55.7 
-Based on the species-area plot in Figure 55.7,if habitable area on an island were reduced from 10,000 km² to 1000 km²,roughly what percentage of the species would disappear?

Accepted Answer

According to the graph, when the habitable area is reduced from 10,000 km² to 1000 km², the number of species decreases from about 500 to about 150. This is a decrease of about 70%, which is equivalent to a loss of about 30% of the species (100% - 70% = 30%). Therefore, roughly 30% of the species would disappear. Answer choice C is the closest to this estimate.

Question 12

What is the main difference between sustainable development and adaptive management?

Accepted Answer

The main difference between sustainable development and adaptive management is that sustainable development focuses on using resources carefully to prevent decline, while adaptive management is an ongoing process of reevaluating and re-implementing management plans through time. Adaptive management is a more iterative approach that emphasizes learning and adjusting management strategies based on new information and changing conditions. While sustainable development may also incorporate adaptive management principles, the two concepts are distinct. Option A is incorrect as adaptive management does not necessarily have a more international aspect than sustainable development. Option B is incorrect as the two concepts are not essentially the same. Option C is only partially correct but does not capture the main difference between the two concepts.

Question 13

The habitat of your bat population (in your 2000-hectare forest)is designated as a protected area.What,if any,might be an advantage of removing a small number of bats and placing them in a zoo?

Accepted Answer

Placing a small number of bats in a zoo could provide an opportunity for breeding in a controlled environment, which could potentially lead to repopulating other areas in the future. However, it is important to carefully consider the potential impact on the remaining population in the protected area before removing any individuals.

Question 14

Figure 55.5 
-According to Figure 55.5,what is the least likely explanation for the data after 1985?

Accepted Answer

Emigration is the least likely explanation for the data after 1985 because the population size increased during this time period.

Question 15

Which of the following statements regarding species diversity is false?

Accepted Answer

Through agriculture, humans have not increased the number of plant species; rather, they have often reduced biodiversity by favoring a limited number of crop species and varieties.

Question 16

Which of the following criteria have to be met in order for a species to qualify as invasive?

Accepted Answer

The most accurate description of an invasive species is that it is introduced to a new area, spreads rapidly, and displaces native species. Endemic species are those that are naturally occurring in an area, so they cannot be invasive. While invasive species can displace other invasive species, this is not a necessary criterion for a species to be considered invasive. Slow spreading species are not typically invasive, as they do not have the same disruptive impact on native species as rapidly spreading invasive species.

Question 17

Researchers have been studying a rare population of 87 voles in an isolated area.Ten voles from a larger population were added to this isolated population.Besides having 10 additional animals,what benefits are there to importing individuals?

Accepted Answer

Importing individuals from a distant population can bring genetic diversity and reduce inbreeding depression. This can be beneficial for the long-term survival and health of the population.

Question 18

Figure 55.8 Use the following information when answering the corresponding question(s).
Abstract:
Recognition of the importance of land-use legacies in most ecological systems has been a major factor driving the recent focus on human activity as a legitimate and essential subject of environmental science.Ecologists,conservationists,and natural resource policy makers now recognize that the legacies of land-use activities continue to influence ecosystem structure and function for decades or centuries or even longer after those activities have ceased.
 
-Based on Figure 55.8,what can you conclude about land-use legacy in the southern Yucatán?

Accepted Answer

As the Mayan population increased, deforestation increased, which likely led to increased soil erosion, impacting the land-use legacy in the southern Yucatán.

Question 19

Figure 55.6 
-In looking at Figure 55.6,what can be said about edge effects?

Accepted Answer

In Figure 55.6, the biomass decreases along the edges of the forest fragments, indicating a negative edge effect. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because there is no evidence for an increase in biomass along the edges. Option C is partly true, but it only mentions species diversity and not biomass. Option D is incorrect because the data in the figure clearly show that fragmentation affects biomass.

Quiz 55: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

The main factor that leads to the loss of biodiversity is _____.

Figure 55.7 -In looking at the species-area plot in Figure 55.7,what can be concluded?

Figure 55.5 -According to Figure 55.5,what is occurring after 1985?

Figure 55.9 -Based on Figure 55.9,what can you conclude about land-use legacy in New England?

You discover,in your massive 2000-hectare forest,a species of bat that is not found anywhere else.Which of the following agencies would not be involved in helping you formulate a plan to conserve this species?

What is the main purpose of the wildlife corridor?

Which of the following statements regarding extinction is false?

Which of the following is a likely mechanism for biodiversity increasing productivity?

On Easter Island,data show that it was once covered by massive palm trees.How can an ecosystem collapse from removal of just one species of large tree?

Figure 55.7 -Based on the species-area plot in Figure 55.7,if habitable area on an island were reduced from 10,000 km² to 1000 km²,roughly what percentage of the species would disappear?

What is the main difference between sustainable development and adaptive management?

The habitat of your bat population (in your 2000-hectare forest) is designated as a protected area.What,if any,might be an advantage of removing a small number of bats and placing them in a zoo?

Figure 55.5 -According to Figure 55.5,what is the least likely explanation for the data after 1985?

Which of the following statements regarding species diversity is false?

Which of the following criteria have to be met in order for a species to qualify as invasive?

Researchers have been studying a rare population of 87 voles in an isolated area.Ten voles from a larger population were added to this isolated population.Besides having 10 additional animals,what benefits are there to importing individuals?

Figure 55.6 -In looking at Figure 55.6,what can be said about edge effects?