Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between proximate and ultimate causation in animal behavior?

Accepted Answer

Proximate causation refers to the immediate physiological or environmental triggers for a behavior, while ultimate causation explains the evolutionary significance and adaptive value of the behavior.

Question 2

Prairie voles are known for their monogamous social behavior, while meadow voles are more promiscuous. Which hormone is most closely associated with the pair-bonding and consoling behavior observed in prairie voles?

Accepted Answer

Oxytocin

Question 3

Hamilton’s Rule predicts when altruistic behavior will evolve. Which of the following equations correctly represents Hamilton’s Rule?

Accepted Answer

$$rB \u003e C$$

Question 4

A female barn owl chooses a mate based on the brightness of his plumage, which is correlated with his ability to provide food. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Intersexual selection based on fitness traits

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the difference between a fundamental niche and a realized niche?

Accepted Answer

A fundamental niche is the full range of environmental conditions an organism can theoretically occupy, while a realized niche is the portion actually occupied due to biotic interactions such as competition.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of reciprocal altruism?

Accepted Answer

Two unrelated vampire bats sharing blood meals, with the expectation that the favor will be returned in the future

Question 7

Which atmospheric phenomenon is primarily responsible for the formation of major deserts at approximately 30° latitude north and south?

Accepted Answer

Hadley cells

Question 8

A population of American moose has a per capita rate of population increase $$r = 0.05$$ per year. If the population size is 1,000 individuals, what is the expected population size after one year assuming exponential growth? (Use $$N_{t+1} = N_t e$$^{r}$$)

Accepted Answer

$$1,051$$

Question 9

Which of the following best explains why the realized niche of Geospiza fortis (a Darwin’s finch) is smaller than its fundamental niche when Geospiza fuliginosa is present on the same island?

Accepted Answer

Competition with Geospiza fuliginosa restricts the resources available to Geospiza fortis.

Question 10

Which of the following is a correct statement about net primary productivity (NPP)?

Accepted Answer

NPP is calculated as the difference between gross primary productivity and the energy used by producers for respiration.

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the effect of the Coriolis effect on global wind patterns?

Accepted Answer

It causes winds to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 12

A population of acai palms has a net reproductive rate $$R = 0.8. $$What does this indicate about the population’s future size?

Accepted Answer

The population is expected to decrease.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

Accepted Answer

Barnacles attaching to a whale, gaining mobility while the whale is unaffected

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the process of adiabatic cooling?

Accepted Answer

Air cools as it rises and expands, leading to cloud formation and precipitation.

Question 15

Which of the following is a likely evolutionary response of prey species to intense predation pressure?

Accepted Answer

Development of cryptic coloration

Question 16

Which of the following best explains why coastal climates tend to have milder temperatures than interior climates at the same latitude?

Accepted Answer

Water has a higher specific heat capacity than land, moderating temperature fluctuations.

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of intrasexual selection?

Accepted Answer

Male American moose fighting for access to females

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the relationship between direct fitness, indirect fitness, and inclusive fitness?

Accepted Answer

Inclusive fitness is the sum of direct fitness and indirect fitness.

Question 19

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates niche differentiation?

Accepted Answer

Two lizard species occupy different parts of a tree to reduce competition.

Question 20

Which of the following is a likely consequence of population age-class inertia in human populations?

Accepted Answer

A population with a large proportion of young individuals will continue to grow even if birth rates decline.

Behavioral Ecology and Population Ecology: Key Terms and Concepts

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