Question 1

The first plant to colonize the plains of Mount Saint Helens after this volcano erupted in 1980 was a prairie lupine.The prairie lupine is therefore an example of ____.
A)a secondary successor
B)a pioneer species
C)a keystone species
D)an exotic species
E)an introduced species

Accepted Answer

The prairie lupine is the first plant to colonize the plains after the volcano erupted, making it a pioneer species.

Question 2

Phorid flies lay their eggs inside the bodies of various insects and spiders.When the larvae hatch they consume the body of the 'host' from the inside out.The phorid fly is an example of a ____.
A)brood parasite
B)parasitoid
C)commensalist
D)competitive excluder
E)mutualist

Accepted Answer

The phorid fly is a parasitoid because it lays its eggs inside the body of another organism which ultimately kills the host as the larvae consume its body from the inside out.

Question 3

Which is a factor in determining which plant type becomes the pioneer species in a primary succession event?  
A)the species of plants that preceded it
B)the animals that occupy the area
C)chance events that affect the order in which pioneer species arrive
D)the nature of the existing soils
E)the type of disturbance

Accepted Answer

Pioneer species in a primary succession event are often determined by chance events that affect the order in which they arrive, as there is no existing soil or ecosystem to influence their establishment initially.

Question 4

The monarch butterfly is poisonous to birds; therefore,birds avoid eating them.Viceroy butterflies look very similar to monarch butterflies,but are not poisonous.Because they look like monarch butterflies,birds also do not eat viceroy butterflies.This is an example of ____.
A)resource partitioning
B)competitive exclusion
C)mimicry
D)camouflage
E)commensalism

Accepted Answer

This is an example of mimicry, where a harmless species evolves to look like a poisonous or dangerous species in order to protect itself from predation. In this case, the viceroy butterfly has evolved to look like the poisonous monarch butterfly in order to avoid being eaten by birds. This is a form of Batesian mimicry, where a harmless species mimics a dangerous one. Resource partitioning refers to the division of resources among competing species, competitive exclusion refers to the elimination of one species by another due to competition, camouflage is a form of hiding or blending in with the environment, and commensalism refers to a relationship between two species where one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. None of these concepts apply to the example provided.

Question 5

Many introduced species have deleterious effects on communities and ecosystems because ____.
A)coevolved parasites and pathogens are absent
B)the introduced species are long-lived
C)predators prefer the introduced species, resulting in proliferation of native prey species
D)the community from which they came lost an important predator, competitor, or parasite
E)human beings do not know how to appreciate them

Accepted Answer

Introduced species often lack their natural predators, competitors, or parasites in new environments, which can allow them to proliferate unchecked, often to the detriment of native species and ecosystems.

Question 6

The cowbird chick with its foster parent exemplifies an example of ____.
A)commensalism
B)brood parasitism
C)competition
D)mutualism
E)parasitoidism

Accepted Answer

The situation described involves a cowbird chick being raised by a foster parent of a different species, which is an example of brood parasitism. The cowbird benefits by having its chick raised by another species, while the foster parent may experience a decrease in reproductive success due to the additional demands of raising a chick that is not biologically related. None of the other answer choices accurately describe the situation.

Question 7

Secondary succession can occur ____.
A)after a fire
B)on a new sand dune
C)on bare rock
D)immediately after the formation of an artificial lake
E)on a glacier

Accepted Answer

Secondary succession occurs in areas where a disturbance has happened but soil is still present, such as after a fire. Choices B, C, D, and E describe scenarios where primary succession would occur, as they involve environments where soil needs to be developed first.

Question 8

An example of a specific adaptation against predation is ____.
A)photosynthetic dinoflagellates providing sugars to corals
B)eagles and foxes fighting over a carcass
C)two species of Paramecium feeding on bacteria
D)sundew plants and wolf spiders competing for food
E)a skunk squirting foul-smelling, irritating repellents

Accepted Answer

Skunks have evolved the ability to produce and spray a foul-smelling, irritating liquid as a means of defending themselves against predators. This adaptation helps them to avoid being attacked or eaten.

Question 9

Considering the traditional view of ecological succession,which plant would most likely be a pioneer species in a primary succession event?  
A)an oak tree that produces acorns dispersed by squirrels
B)a snapdragon flower pollinated by bees
C)a dandelion that produces seeds asexually, which are dispersed by the wind
D)a perennial species such as Douglas fir trees
E)a birch tree

Accepted Answer

Pioneer species are the first species to colonize a barren or disturbed area, and typically have adaptations that allow them to rapidly reproduce and disperse their seeds or spores. Asexual reproduction and wind dispersal, as seen in the dandelion, are common characteristics of pioneer species. The other options, such as trees that produce large seeds or rely on animal dispersal, are more likely to be secondary succession species that come later in the process.

Question 10

Which represents an early stage in primary succession?  
A)pine tree growth
B)mosses and lichen on bare rock
C)weedy annual plants in an open field
D)climax species in succession
E)fields of food crops

Accepted Answer

Mosses and lichen on bare rock represent an early stage in primary succession.

Question 11

Commensalism is a type of ____.
A)predation
B)symbiosis
C)active competition
D)scramble competition
E)competitive exclusion

Accepted Answer

Commensalism is a type of symbiosis, where one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Predation involves one species consuming another, active competition involves direct interference between species, scramble competition involves all individuals obtaining a limited resource, and competitive exclusion is when one species completely outcompetes and eliminates another in a given area. Commensalism is different from all of these.

Question 12

An example of keystone species are ____.
A)beavers that build dams
B)mice that feed on mushrooms and truffles
C)Douglas fir trees
D)kudzu
E)earthworms that aid decomposition

Accepted Answer

Beavers that build dams are a classic example of a keystone species because their activities have a profound impact on their ecosystem, creating wetlands that provide habitat for numerous other species.

Question 13

Which is an example of an event that would give rise to primary succession?  
A)a dense landslide of mountain rocks covering an entire valley
B)a fire that burns all surface vegetation
C)an abandoned agricultural field
D)a lake that dries up, killing all aquatic plants
E)a forest that is logged

Accepted Answer

Primary succession occurs in areas where there is no prior soil or organisms present. A landslide covering an entire valley would bring in new rock and soil, starting from scratch and leading to primary succession.

Question 14

Tapeworms and flukes are examples of ____.
A)commensalism
B)mutualism
C)competition
D)predation
E)parasitism

Accepted Answer

Tapeworms and flukes are both parasites, meaning they live in or on another organism (the host) and harm it to some degree. This is an example of parasitism.

Question 15

The plants and animals present in a region from which the trees were removed ten years earlier represent ____.
A)primary succession
B)a climax forest
C)pioneer species
D)secondary succession
E)species introduction

Accepted Answer

Secondary succession is the process of ecological succession that occurs in an area that has previously been disturbed, such as after a forest has been logged or cleared for agriculture. The plants and animals present in the region after ten years indicate that secondary succession has occurred.

Question 16

Two species of closely related squirrels both feed on acorns produced by oak trees.One species feeds exclusively near the top of the tree and the other feeds exclusively towards the bottom of the tree.This is an example of ____.
A)competitive exclusion
B)resource partitioning
C)mutualism
D)commensalism
E)mimicry

Accepted Answer

This is an example of resource partitioning, where closely related species coexist by dividing or partitioning a limited resource, in this case, the acorns produced by oak trees, based on differences in their feeding habits or behavior. The two squirrel species have evolved to utilize different parts of the oak tree, the species feeding at the top and the other at the bottom of the tree, to reduce competition for the same resource. It allows both species to coexist and reduces the likelihood of competitive exclusion or one species outcompeting the other for resources. Mutualism is a type of interaction where both species benefit, commensalism is where only one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed, and mimicry is a type of adaptation where one species resembles another to avoid being eaten.

Question 17

This orchid attached to a tree branch is an example of ____. 
A)competition
B)parasitism
C)predation
D)commensalism
E)mutualism

Accepted Answer

The absence of harm or benefit to the tree in this scenario and benefit to the orchid (as it gains support from the tree branch) makes this an example of commensalism.

Question 18

This image shows an area in which a glacier has melted.What is indicated by the number "2"? 
A)competition for food resources
B)resource partitioning between two competing species
C)emergence of climax species
D)colonization by pioneer species
E)secondary succession

Accepted Answer

The number "2" likely indicates an area where pioneer species have colonized after the glacier has melted. Pioneer species are the first to establish themselves in a disturbed area, such as a newly exposed glacial melt.

Question 19

Hoverflies like to drop in at outdoor picnics to sample the sweets,but the reaction of humans is to flee the scene because of the flies' uncanny resemblance to bees.Thus,the survival of hoverflies is enhanced by ____.
A)mimicry
B)display behavior
C)warning coloration
D)chemical defenses
E)camouflage

Accepted Answer

The hoverflies' resemblance to bees is an example of mimicry, which enhances their survival by making them less likely to be attacked or avoided by potential predators.

Question 20

How are parasitoids different from typical brood parasites?  
A)they are usually not insects
B)they affect only plants
C)they lay eggs inside a host, which is eventually killed
D)they fool another species into caring for their young
E)they usually only affect the eggs of birds

Accepted Answer

Parasitoids lay their eggs inside a host, and their offspring eventually kill the host. This is different from typical brood parasites, which lay their eggs in the nest of another species in order to trick that species into caring for their young.

Quiz 17: Communities And Ecosystems

The first plant to colonize the plains of Mount Saint Helens after this volcano erupted in 1980 was a prairie lupine.The prairie lupine is therefore an example of ____.

Phorid flies lay their eggs inside the bodies of various insects and spiders.When the larvae hatch they consume the body of the 'host' from the inside out.The phorid fly is an example of a ____.

Which is a factor in determining which plant type becomes the pioneer species in a primary succession event?

The monarch butterfly is poisonous to birds; therefore,birds avoid eating them.Viceroy butterflies look very similar to monarch butterflies,but are not poisonous.Because they look like monarch butterflies,birds also do not eat viceroy butterflies.This is an example of ____.

Many introduced species have deleterious effects on communities and ecosystems because ____.

The cowbird chick with its foster parent exemplifies an example of ____.

Secondary succession can occur ____.

An example of a specific adaptation against predation is ____.

Considering the traditional view of ecological succession,which plant would most likely be a pioneer species in a primary succession event?

Which represents an early stage in primary succession?

Commensalism is a type of ____.

An example of keystone species are ____.

Which is an example of an event that would give rise to primary succession?

Tapeworms and flukes are examples of ____.

The plants and animals present in a region from which the trees were removed ten years earlier represent ____.

Two species of closely related squirrels both feed on acorns produced by oak trees.One species feeds exclusively near the top of the tree and the other feeds exclusively towards the bottom of the tree.This is an example of ____.

This orchid attached to a tree branch is an example of ____.

This image shows an area in which a glacier has melted.What is indicated by the number "2"?

Hoverflies like to drop in at outdoor picnics to sample the sweets,but the reaction of humans is to flee the scene because of the flies' uncanny resemblance to bees.Thus,the survival of hoverflies is enhanced by ____.

How are parasitoids different from typical brood parasites?