Question 1

Which of the following best describes a metapopulation?

Accepted Answer

A group of subpopulations living on patches of habitat connected by an exchange of individuals.

Question 2

Africanized honeybees spread rapidly throughout the Americas. Which population dynamic process primarily explains this rapid expansion?

Accepted Answer

Dispersal

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a method for estimating patterns of survival in a population?

Accepted Answer

Carrying capacity analysis

Question 4

A researcher tags 1,000 seeds of a desert plant and finds that only 10 survive to adulthood. Which survivorship curve best describes this population?

Accepted Answer

Type III

Question 5

Which of the following assumptions is made when using age distribution to estimate mortality in a population?

Accepted Answer

The difference in the number of individuals in one age class and the next is due to mortality.

Question 6

Which of the following is a real-world example of a Type I survivorship curve?

Accepted Answer

Dall sheep

Question 7

If a population of birds shows a constant rate of survival regardless of age, which survivorship curve does it most likely follow?

Accepted Answer

Type II

Question 8

Which of the following factors can influence population growth, aside from birth and death rates?

Accepted Answer

Climate changes

Question 9

A static life table is most useful for which of the following scenarios?

Accepted Answer

Estimating ages at death for individuals born at different times

Question 10

Which equation would you use to estimate the change in population size ($$\Delta N) $$over time, considering births ($$B$$), deaths ($$D$$), immigration ($$I$$), and emigration ($$E$$)?

Accepted Answer

$$\Delta N = (B + I) - (D + E)$$

Question 11

Which of the following is a major challenge when constructing a cohort life table in the wild?

Accepted Answer

It is difficult to follow a group of individuals from birth to death

Question 12

A population of turtles is studied using growth rings on their carapaces to estimate age at death. Which method is being used?

Accepted Answer

Static life table

Question 13

Which of the following best explains why metapopulations are important for species survival in fragmented habitats?

Accepted Answer

They enable recolonization of patches where local extinctions have occurred.

Question 14

If a population's age distribution shows a large proportion of young individuals and few older individuals, what can you infer about the population's mortality rate?

Accepted Answer

Mortality is high among juveniles.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of dispersal increasing local population density?

Accepted Answer

Immigration of dandelion seeds into a new field

Question 16

A population of marine invertebrates produces millions of larvae, but only a few survive to adulthood. Which survivorship curve does this represent, and why?

Accepted Answer

Type III, because there is high juvenile mortality

Question 17

Which of the following statements about survivorship curves is correct?

Accepted Answer

Type II curves show constant mortality rates across all ages.

Question 18

Which of the following would NOT be a valid technique for estimating ages at death in a static life table?

Accepted Answer

Counting the number of offspring produced

Question 19

If a population is experiencing both high immigration and high emigration, but birth and death rates are equal, what will happen to the population size?

Accepted Answer

It will remain stable.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the main difference between a cohort life table and a static life table?

Accepted Answer

A cohort life table follows a group from birth to death, while a static life table records ages at death for individuals born at different times.

Population Dynamics: Dispersal, Metapopulations, and Patterns of Survival

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