Deck 38: Conservation Biology

Question 1

Biodiversity considers

A)the genetic diversity within and between populations of a species.
B)the fate of water in the ecosystem.
C)commensal relationships between species.
D)the relationships of individuals to a food chain.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The average global temperature has risen ________ over the past 100 years.

A)3°C
B)10°C
C)5°C
D)0)8°C

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Greenhouse gases include

A)nitrous oxide and oxygen.
B)nitrogen and oxygen.
C)carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
D)carbon dioxide and methane.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Currently, the single greatest threat to biodiversity is

A)global warming.
B)habitat destruction due to humans.
C)the introduction of exotic species.
D)overexploitation of populations for food.

Question 5

Which of the following is an invasive species?

A)mallard duck in the western United States
B)brown tree snake in Guam
C)elephant in India
D)carrier pigeon in the continental United States

Question 6

You spray your lawn with a pesticide. The concentration of the pesticide in the tissues of the grass on your lawn is 10⁻⁶ parts per million (ppm). Grasshoppers eat the grass and are in turn eaten by rats, which are then eaten by owls. At each successive trophic level, the concentration of pesticides increases. The term for this process is

A)extirpation.
B)biological magnification.
C)habitat loss.
D)climate change.

Question 7

The primary goal of conservation biology is to

A)estimate the total number of species that exist.
B)maximize the land set aside for wildlife.
C)integrate human culture back into nature.
D)counter the loss of biodiversity.

Question 8

DDT and mercury

A)were once used as an energy source.
B)contribute to acid precipitation.
C)accumulate in the tissues of organisms.
D)deplete the ozone layer.

Question 9

CO₂ in the atmosphere is absorbed by ________ and converted into biomass.

A)the ozone layer
B)other atmosphere gases
C)photosynthetic organisms
D)large land masses

Question 10

To decrease pollution from sulfur, your local power plant built very tall smokestacks. The ultimate consequence of this would most likely be

A)biological magnification.
B)to dilute the sulfur pollutants in the atmosphere and thus reduce their effects on the environment.
C)to create an environmental problem at a distance from the power plant.
D)a decrease in the pH of local lakes.

Question 11

Global warming is the result of

A)rising ocean levels.
B)rising concentrations of greenhouse gases.
C)increased solar activity.
D)habitat loss.

Question 12

Which of the following is a likely consequence of thinning of the ozone layer?

A)increases in skin cancer
B)increases in escape of heat from Earth
C)global warming
D)decreases in flying insect populations

Question 13

The ability to change phenotype in response to local environmental conditions is called

A)genetic drift.
B)mutation.
C)alteration of generations.
D)phenotypic plasticity.

Question 14

By the year 1980, a wolf species (Canis rufus)once common to the southeastern region of the United States disappeared from all areas except for one small part of eastern Texas. This is an example of

A)extirpation.
B)extinction.
C)an invasive species.
D)genetic diversity.

Question 15

One way in which populations and species have been responding to climate change is by

A)changing their coat color.
B)shifting their distribution.
C)changing their metabolism.
D)evolving a flexible mode of reproduction.

Question 16

The three greatest current threats to biodiversity, in order starting with the greatest, are

A)habitat loss, overharvesting, and invasive species.
B)habitat loss, invasive species, and overharvesting.
C)invasive species, habitat loss, and overharvesting.
D)invasive species, overharvesting, and habitat loss.

Question 17

The current rate of extinction may be as much as ________ times higher than at any other time in the past 100,000 years.

A)10
B)100
C)1,000
D)10,000

Question 18

You arrive back in the United States after a visit to a foreign country located on another continent. The customs agent stops the person in front of you and confiscates the fruit basket this person is bringing home. Being the knowledgeable person you are, you calmly explain to your enraged fellow traveler that the reason for the detainment is that the fruit basket may be

A)carrying endangered fruit.
B)carrying an exotic species that could damage North American ecosystems.
C)contaminated with chemicals that will damage the ozone layer above North America.
D)contaminated with sufficient DDT to cause serious harm to anyone who eats the fruit.

Question 19

Scientists worry that global warming will result in the oceans

A)becoming more acidic.
B)becoming more basic.
C)containing less dissolved oxygen.
D)containing less dissolved carbon dioxide.

Question 20

Which of the following is not an observed effect of global warming on organisms?

A)Some species of birds and frogs now begin their breeding seasons later in the year.
B)Corals "bleach" when increased water temperatures cause them to expel their symbiotic algae.
C)Many butterfly populations have shifted their ranges to the north.
D)Many polar bears show signs of starvation as their hunting grounds melt away.

Question 21

Captive breeding

A)has allowed for the reintroduction of many species to areas from which they had disappeared.
B)has advanced to the point where biologists believe it can be used to save most endangered species.
C)can work for animals but is generally not used for endangered plants.
D)is the main conservation technique used to try to save endangered species from extinction.

Question 22

Using living organisms to clean up polluted ecosystems is known as

A)migration.
B)restoration ecology.
C)bioremediation.
D)landscaping.

Question 23

Which of the following statements about movement corridors is true?

A)Movement corridors can connect otherwise isolated habitat patches.
B)Movement corridors can promote inbreeding in declining populations.
C)Movement corridors are detrimental to species that migrate between habitats seasonally.
D)Movement corridors can prevent the spread of disease.

Question 24

Movement corridors

A)increase inbreeding.
B)reduce dispersal.
C)can be harmful because they allow for the spread of disease.
D)can be harmful because they allow for gene flow.

Question 25

Most biodiversity hot spots are found in ________ regions.

A)western
B)tropical
C)temperate
D)tundra

Question 26

Small areas that are home to a large number of threatened species and an exceptional concentration of species found nowhere else on Earth are called

A)biomes.
B)movement corridors.
C)biodiversity hot spots.
D)local populations

Question 27

The Kissimmee River Restoration Project is intended to

A)drain natural wetlands in the central Florida region.
B)increase biodiversity of the region.
C)restrict ecotourism and other recreational usage in the impacted region.
D)provide areas for homes and businesses.

Question 28

Habitats with many edges

A)are the result of natural disasters.
B)favor animals that prefer large, open ranges.
C)often result from human activities.
D)result in a significant increase in diversity.

Question 29

The Kissimmee River Restoration Project is an

A)example of large-scale bioremediation to clean up a mercury spill.
B)example of a dam that interrupted the breeding of salmon and other species.
C)attempt to restore the natural wetlands associated with the Kissimmee River.
D)effort to join two previously unconnected lakes to permit better drainage.

Question 30

If wolves were now removed from Yellowstone National Park,

A)elk populations would increase.
B)deer populations would decrease.
C)the vegetation would remain unchanged.
D)vegetation would increase, providing shelter for smaller animals.

Question 31

Some populations, especially those with high genetic variability and short life spans, may avoid extinction as the climate changes through

A)enforcement of the Endangered Species Act.
B)bioprospecting.
C)distribution of populations.
D)evolutionary adaptation.

Question 32

The aspect of conservation ecology concerned with returning degraded ecosystems (as nearly as possible)to their natural state is

A)bioremediation.
B)sustainable development.
C)restoration ecology.
D)landscape ecology.

Question 33

The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative is a plan to

A)connect all of the national parks in the western United States.
B)connect all of the national parks in the United States.
C)connect parks in the United States and Canada with protected corridors where wildlife can travel safely.
D)create a giant, fenced private land area between the national parks in the United States to create a protected zone for wildlife.

Question 34

The greatest challenge facing the zoned reserve systems of Costa Rica is

A)high predation by jaguars.
B)forest fires.
C)soil erosion.
D)the growing human population.

Question 35

A regional assemblage of interacting ecosystems is a

A)biome.
B)landscape.
C)corridor.
D)hot spot.

Question 36

Species found in only one place on Earth are called ________ species.

A)hot spot
B)exotic
C)keystone
D)endemic

Question 37

The introduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park in 1991 resulted in

A)a general decline in overall habitat
B)ecological changes involving numerous plant and animal species.
C)the migration of most of these wolves out of the park and back to Canada.
D)the death of all of the wolves, likely due to an insufficient amount of available prey.

Question 38

About one-third of all animal and plant species are concentrated on ________ of Earth's land.

A)20%
B)10%
C)5%
D)1)5%

Question 39

One result of Costa Rica's commitment to conservation is that

A)destructive practices such as massive logging and large-scale single-crop agriculture have been nearly eliminated.
B)both protected park areas and the buffer zones around them have suffered only negligible deforestation.
C)ecotourism generates many jobs and brings in a significant fraction of the country's revenue.
D)about 95% of the country's land is protected in some way.

Question 40

Protecting the endangered black-footed ferret from extinction involved

A)captive breeding and reintroduction.
B)collecting individuals from multiple small populations and combining them into a single large population.
C)vaccinating the remaining population against sylvatic plague.
D)providing food during harsh winters.

Question 41

After reading the paragraph below, answer the question that follows.
Rice is a staple crop across Asia; it serves as a main nutritional source for Asia's high population. In the 1970s, a pathogen called the grassy-stunt virus greatly decreased cultivated rice plant populations. Scientists found one wild relative of the rice plant in India that was resistant to the grassy-stunt virus, and today hybrid rice plants with that resistant gene are grown across Asia. To find this one rice plant species, approximately 17,000 rice plants samples were tested over the course of four years.
If you were a scientist working on this project, how would you argue that the results of the research would be worth the time investment?

A)Finding the wild relative with disease resistance would help avoid extirpation of fungus that has a mutualistic relationship with the cultivated rice plants.
B)Finding the wild relative with disease resistance would protect the continent of Asia as a biodiversity hot spot.
C)Finding the wild relative with disease resistance would allow Asian farmers to continue to grow the crop they know.
D)Finding the wild relative with disease resistance would help deter invasive species of rice plants.

Question 42

According to this figure, which organisms have the highest concentration of PCBs, and why?

A)phytoplankton, because they are at the bottom of the food chain
B)herring gulls, because they are at the bottom of the food chain
C)herring gulls, because they are at the top of the food chain
D)smelt, because they are in the middle of the food chain

Question 43

You are a climate scientist who wants to investigate climate change. Which of the following measurements would be the least useful?

A)rainfall in the southeastern United States from 20 years ago to the present day
B)a long-term (30-year)study of coral biodiversity in the Australian reef ecosystem
C)changes in carbon dioxide (CO₂)emission levels in China from 25 years ago to the present day
D)methane (CH₄)levels from dairy farms in Iowa during the years 2011 and 2012

Question 44

While habitat destruction by humans creates fragmented ecosystems, fragmentation can also occur due to natural processes. Which of the following natural processes would most likely create a fragmented ecosystem?

A)thunderstorm
B)glacier movement
C)blizzard
D)volcanic eruption

Question 45

The figure below depicts natural fluctuation of ozone levels in Switzerland between 1925 and 1976. Dobson units are a way to measure the total amount of atmospheric ozone above a point on the Earth's surface.
What can you conclude from this figure?

A)Natural fluctuation of ozone levels varies greatly year to year, so the average for this 50-year span was approximately 330 Dobson units.
B)Switzerland can be used as a model example of how to maintain safe ozone levels.
C)All small European countries will show fluctuations in ozone concentration levels.
D)Ozone levels show a distinct pattern of increasing by 10 Dobson units every 10 years.

Question 46

After reading the paragraph below, answer the questions that follow.
As the climate warms, organisms will shift their population ranges to different areas that are cooler. However, as humans continue to fragment large tracts of land, species will face increasing challenges in adapting their ranges to new climates. For example, movement corridors may not be able to be built if the amount of land needed for a species' range is fragmented due to cities and roads. One alternative to creating movement corridors is called managed relocation. This requires physically moving species to cooler climates.
Which of the following is an advantage of using managed relocation?

A)Scientists will be able to accurately predict how many members of a species will survive the relocation because they can start the process with a definite number of members being moved.
B)Purposefully moving species will allow scientists to put specific numbers of organisms in different areas so that the species population always maintains an even distribution of organisms across the area.
C)All species moved will be saved from extinction.
D)Governments will not face the large costs of maintaining conserved areas for corridors.

Question 47

In Clackamas, Oregon, a stand of hybrid poplar trees was planted on an area of land that is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Why would someone purposely plant trees in an area with contaminated soil?

A)to use the trees as a means of phytoremediation
B)to use the trees as a means of eliminating insect species that consume nearby endemic plants
C)to use the trees for lumber for houses
D)to see if animals will make nests in trees that grow in contaminated soil.

Question 48

Which of the following is not an example of a predicted impact of climate change?

A)Wildfires in Colorado will increase in severity.
B)Wildflower diversity in northeastern United States will increase.
C)Spring seasonal temperatures will continue to increase.
D)Australian coral reefs will experience greater loss of marine life.

Question 49

Suppose a species of wild boar (a type of pig)is actively hunted when it is at a young age because at that stage of its development the meat of the boar is particularly tender. What is a likely outcome if this species is overharvested?

A)The wild boar population will dwindle because their food source will disappear due to habitat loss.
B)The wild boar population will increase because older boars will continue to survive.
C)The wild boar population will dwindle and potentially go extinct if not enough boars that can reproduce are left to mate.
D)The wild boar population will increase because boundaries will help separate boars from humans.

Question 50

After reading the paragraphs below, answer the questions that follow.
Introduced species are a problem all over the world, and there are many examples in the United States. Several years ago, a fisherman caught a northern snakehead fish in a pond in Crofton, Maryland (a suburb of Washington, DC). Snakeheads are a favorite food of immigrants from China, and live fish can frequently be found in Asian markets. It was suspected that the fish in the Crofton pond were purchased locally and then intentionally released.
Snakeheads are top predators, and 90% of the northern snakeheads' diet consists of other fishes. The northern snakehead can breathe out of water and travel short distances (about 100 feet) across land. They also breed rapidly. Females can lay more than 100,000 eggs per year. Juveniles have also been identified in the Potomac River and other rivers in Pennsylvania.
Based on the characteristics of the snakehead described, which of the following is most likely to be a productive strategy to reduce the spread of this species?

A)extending the fishing season for prey fishes
B)introducing a natural predator to feed on juvenile snakeheads
C)capturing breeding snakeheads and sterilizing them so that they cannot breed any longer
D)introducing algae and photosynthetic bacteria to reduce nutrient levels in the water

Question 51

Araschnia levana is a species of butterfly that breeds several times a year. It has two distinctly colored pupae: Those that emerge in spring are orange and those that emerge in summer are brown. The seasonal color variations in pupae mean that the pupae blend into the colors in their environment. This is an example of

A)a threatened species.
B)an endemic species.
C)a keystone species.
D)phenotypic plasticity.

Question 52

According to this graph of changes in Earth's atmosphere, which of the following took place between the years 1800 and 2000?

A)Nitrous oxide (N₂O)levels increased from 270 ppb to 390 ppb.
B)Carbon dioxide (CO₂)levels increased from 950 ppb to 1,800 ppb.
C)Carbon dioxide (CO₂)levels increased from 290 ppm to 380 ppm.
D)Methane (CH₄₎ levels increased from 270 ppm to almost 2,000 ppm.

Question 53

After reading the paragraph below, answer the questions that follow.
As the climate warms, organisms will shift their population ranges to different areas that are cooler. However, as humans continue to fragment large tracts of land, species will face increasing challenges in adapting their ranges to new climates. For example, movement corridors may not be able to be built if the amount of land needed for a species' range is fragmented due to cities and roads. One alternative to creating movement corridors is called managed relocation. This requires physically moving species to cooler climates.
Which of the following is a disadvantage of using managed relocation?

A)Many vehicles will be needed to transport the species, so CO₂ emissions from the vehicles will cause an increase in global greenhouse gas levels.
B)Governments will face long-term high fuel costs for the many vehicles that will be needed to move the species.
C)Scientists may move the species to ranges where they will become invasive.
D)Local economies will see an increase in jobs as many individuals will need to be hired to help move the species.

Question 54

As global temperatures continue to rise, what is a likely outcome?

A)loss of populations of fish
B)greater overharvesting of medicinal plant species
C)less greenhouse gas emissions
D)formation of new glaciers

Question 55

If current trends in global warming continue for the next 50 years, where will the greatest effects of global warming likely be felt?

A)the continental United States
B)the Pacific Ocean
C)the Mississippi River
D)Russia

Question 56

After reading the paragraphs below, answer the questions that follow.
Introduced species are a problem all over the world, and there are many examples in the United States. Several years ago, a fisherman caught a northern snakehead fish in a pond in Crofton, Maryland (a suburb of Washington, DC). Snakeheads are a favorite food of immigrants from China, and live fish can frequently be found in Asian markets. It was suspected that the fish in the Crofton pond were purchased locally and then intentionally released.
Snakeheads are top predators, and 90% of the northern snakeheads' diet consists of other fishes. The northern snakehead can breathe out of water and travel short distances (about 100 feet) across land. They also breed rapidly. Females can lay more than 100,000 eggs per year. Juveniles have also been identified in the Potomac River and other rivers in Pennsylvania.
When snakeheads enter aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity in these ecosystems would most likely

A)increase, since another species has been added to the environment.
B)decrease, since the snakehead will prey on native species.
C)remain the same, since local species will prey on the snakeheads and remove them.
D)remain the same, because the snakeheads will merge without problems into established communities.

Question 57

Sustainable development

A)will require making difficult decisions regarding travel to other planets.
B)will require many people to contribute financially.
C)will speed up evolution.
D)will require global, multinational cooperation.