Question 1

Suppose you attend a town meeting at which some experts tell the audience that they have performed a cost-benefit analysis of a proposed transit system that would probably reduce overall air pollution and fossil fuel consumption. The analysis, however, reveals that ticket prices will not cover the cost of operating the system when fuel, wages, and equipment are taken into account. As a biologist, you know that if ecosystem services had been included in the analysis the experts might have arrived at a different answer. Why are ecosystem services rarely included in economic analyses?

Accepted Answer

Ecosystem services are often taken for granted and their value is difficult to estimate. This leads to a tendency to overlook them in economic analyses.

Question 2

Which of the following is a consequence of biological magnification?

Accepted Answer

Biological magnification refers to the increase in concentration of certain substances, such as toxins, as they move up the food chain. As a result, top-level predators typically accumulate higher levels of these substances, making them more susceptible to negative effects.

Question 3

Why were ecologists concerned about the shift in the peak caterpillar season from June 3, 1980, to May 15, 2000?

Accepted Answer

The shift in peak caterpillar season would likely mean that the 2000 flycatcher nestlings would miss the peak caterpillar season and may not be as well fed, potentially leading to population reductions. The other choices are possible concerns, but are not directly related to the shift in peak caterpillar season.

Question 4

Your friend is wary of environmentalists' claims that global warming could lead to major biological change on Earth. Which of the following statements can you use in response to your friend's suspicions?

Accepted Answer

All the statements listed provide evidence or potential consequences of global warming, supporting the claims of environmentalists about significant biological changes.

Question 5

What is the single greatest threat to biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Habitat alteration, fragmentation, and destruction are the single greatest threat to biodiversity. These processes result in the loss of habitat for various species, leading to their decline and eventual extinction. The destruction of natural habitats often occurs due to human activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and agriculture. As a result, habitats become isolated from each other, reducing genetic diversity, and making it difficult for species to migrate and adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Question 6

Of the following statements about protected areas that have been established to preserve biodiversity, which one is not correct?

Accepted Answer

The statement that about 25% of Earth's land area is now protected is not correct. As of my last update, approximately 15% of the Earth's land area and about 7% of the ocean area have been designated as protected areas, not 25%.

Question 7

The main cause of the increase in the amount of CO2 in Earth's atmosphere over the past 150 years is

Accepted Answer

The burning of larger amounts of wood and fossil fuels is the main cause of the increase in the amount of CO2 in Earth's atmosphere over the past 150 years. As human population increased, so did the demand for energy, leading to the burning of more wood and fossil fuels. This releases CO2 as a byproduct, which accumulates in the atmosphere and contributes to climate change.

Question 8

One characteristic that distinguishes a population in an extinction vortex from most other populations is that

Accepted Answer

The answer of One characteristic that distinguishes a population in...

Question 9

Use the graph in Figure 43.2 and the information provided in the paragraph below to answer the following questions.
Flycatcher birds that migrate from Africa to Europe feed their nestlings a diet that is almost exclusively moth caterpillars. The graph in Figure 43.2 shows the mean dates of arrival, bird hatching, and peak caterpillar season for the years 1980 and 2000.
  Figure 43.2
-The shift in the peak of caterpillar season is most likely due to

Accepted Answer

The graph shows that the peak caterpillar season has shifted earlier in both 1980 and 2000. This is most likely due to global warming, as warmer temperatures can cause earlier emergence and peak activity of insect species.

Question 10

Which of the following strategies would most rapidly increase the genetic diversity of a population in an extinction vortex?

Accepted Answer

Introducing new individuals from other populations of the same species would introduce new genetic material to the population, increasing its genetic diversity. This strategy would be especially effective if the populations being introduced are genetically distinct from the endangered population.

Quiz 43: Global Ecology and Conservation Biology