Question 1

Which of the following best describes the concept of competitive exclusion in community ecology?

Accepted Answer

When two species compete for the same limiting resource, one will outcompete and exclude the other from the niche.

Question 2

A species' fundamental niche is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

The total range of environmental conditions and resources a species could theoretically use, in the absence of competition.

Question 3

Character displacement is most likely to occur when:

Accepted Answer

Closely related species coexist in the same community and compete for similar resources.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of exploitation in ecological communities?

Accepted Answer

A lion hunting and eating a zebra.

Question 5

In a food web, which of the following best describes a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

A species whose impact on its community is disproportionately large relative to its abundance.

Question 6

Which equation is used to estimate species diversity using the Shannon diversity index?

Accepted Answer

$$H' = - \sum_{i=1}^{S} p_i \log p_i$$

Question 7

According to the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, species diversity is highest when:

Accepted Answer

Disturbance levels are intermediate, allowing both competitive and opportunistic species to coexist.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 9

The species-area relationship is often described by the equation $$S = cA^z. $$What does $$z$$ represent in this equation?

Accepted Answer

The slope of the line relating area to species richness on a log-log plot.

Question 10

Which of the following best explains why food chains are typically limited to 4-5 trophic levels?

Accepted Answer

Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient, with only about 10% of energy passed to the next level.

Question 11

Which of the following is a real-world example of ecological succession?

Accepted Answer

A forest regrowing after a wildfire.

Question 12

In the context of bottom-up and top-down controls in a food web, which equation best represents the flow of energy and nutrients?

Accepted Answer

$$N \rightarrow V \rightarrow H \rightarrow P$$

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a possible outcome of resource partitioning?

Accepted Answer

Two species occupy exactly the same niche indefinitely.

Question 14

Pathogens can alter community structure by:

Accepted Answer

Reducing the abundance of susceptible species, which can change species composition and diversity.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of mutualism?

Accepted Answer

A bee pollinating a flower, where both benefit.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about ecological niches is correct?

Accepted Answer

The fundamental niche is the potential range of conditions a species can occupy, while the realized niche is the actual range occupied due to competition.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the effect of human disturbance on community diversity?

Accepted Answer

Human disturbance usually reduces species diversity.

Question 18

According to the island equilibrium model, the number of species on an island is determined by:

Accepted Answer

The balance between immigration and extinction rates.

Question 19

Which of the following is a likely result of a large-scale disturbance, such as a wildfire, in a forest ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Ecological succession, where pioneer species colonize the area followed by other species over time.

Question 20

Which of the following is true regarding the relationship between area and species richness?

Accepted Answer

Species richness increases as area increases, often following a power law relationship.

Chapter 54: Community Ecology – Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards