Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between interspecific and intraspecific competition?

Accepted Answer

Interspecific competition occurs between individuals of different species, while intraspecific competition occurs between individuals of the same species.

Question 2

Which equation represents the competitive exclusion principle in population dynamics?

Accepted Answer

$$N_1$$ = $$r_1$$ $$N_1 (1$$ - \frac{$$N_1$$ + \alpha_{12} $$N_2$$}{$$K_1$$})$$

Question 3

A plant species releases chemicals into the soil that inhibit the growth of nearby plants. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Allelopathy

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a possible outcome of interspecific competition?

Accepted Answer

Obligate mutualism

Question 5

In a marine food web, which of the following would be considered a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

A species whose removal causes a dramatic change in community structure

Question 6

Which term describes the process by which two species evolve differences in traits to minimize competition?

Accepted Answer

Character displacement

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

Accepted Answer

Barnacles attaching to a whale, benefiting the barnacles but not affecting the whale

Question 8

Which formula is used to calculate the Shannon Diversity Index ($$H') $$for a community?

Accepted Answer

$$H' = -\sum p_i \ln p_i$$

Question 9

A predator-prey relationship can be modeled by the Lotka-Volterra equations. Which equation describes the change in prey population?

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{dN}{dt} = rN - aNP$$

Question 10

Which of the following best illustrates resource partitioning in a forest ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Two bird species feeding on different parts of the same tree

Question 11

Which of the following is a real-world example of mutualism?

Accepted Answer

A fungus and an alga forming a lichen

Question 12

Which of the following is most likely to increase species richness in a community?

Accepted Answer

High levels of predation that prevent competitive exclusion

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of facilitation in plant communities?

Accepted Answer

A cactus providing shade that allows seedlings to survive in the desert

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the effect of pathogens on community structure?

Accepted Answer

Pathogens can reduce the abundance of dominant species, allowing other species to increase in abundance.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a mechanism by which species coexist in a community?

Accepted Answer

Competitive exclusion

Question 16

Which of the following scenarios best demonstrates the concept of ecological niche?

Accepted Answer

A species' role in its environment, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other species

Question 17

Which of the following is a likely consequence of competitive exclusion in a community?

Accepted Answer

One species is eliminated from the community due to competition for the same resource

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of a top-down control in a marine food web?

Accepted Answer

Predators regulating the abundance of herbivores

Question 19

Which of the following equations best represents the effect of predation on prey population growth?

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{dN}{dt} = rN - aNP$$

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the concept of species diversity in a community?

Accepted Answer

The number of different species and their relative abundances

LSN40: Community Ecology

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