Question 1

Which of the following best describes a Type III survivorship curve, and what is a likely underlying reason for this pattern?

Accepted Answer

Low survivorship early in life, with few individuals reaching adulthood; due to high juvenile mortality and production of many offspring.

Question 2

A population of rabbits introduced to a new island grows rapidly at first, but then levels off as resources become limited. Which equation best models this population's growth?

Accepted Answer

$$\frac{dN}{dt} = rN \left(1 - \frac{N}{K}\right)$$

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a density-independent factor affecting population growth?

Accepted Answer

A drought causing a massive die-off regardless of population size.

Question 4

Which statement best contrasts r-selection and K-selection strategies?

Accepted Answer

r-selected species produce many offspring with little parental care, while K-selected species produce few offspring with high parental care.

Question 5

A country experiences declining birth and death rates as it becomes more industrialized. This process is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Demographic transition

Question 6

Which of the following best defines an ecological niche?

Accepted Answer

The sum of a species’ use of biotic and abiotic resources in its environment.

Question 7

Two species of barnacles compete for space on a rocky shore. Over time, one species is eliminated from the upper intertidal zone. This outcome is best explained by:

Accepted Answer

Competitive exclusion principle

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of mutualism?

Accepted Answer

Bees pollinating flowers while obtaining nectar.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates character displacement?

Accepted Answer

Two bird species evolve different beak sizes when living together, but similar beak sizes when living apart.

Question 11

Which equation represents the Simpson’s Diversity Index (D) for a community?

Accepted Answer

$$D = 1 - \sum \left( \frac{n_i}{N} \$$right)^2$$

Question 12

Which of the following best describes a trophic cascade?

Accepted Answer

A process where changes at one trophic level cause indirect effects on other levels.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of commensalism?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

In a community, what is the main difference between a bottom-up and a top-down model of organization?

Accepted Answer

Bottom-up models emphasize the influence of nutrients and primary producers, while top-down models emphasize the influence of consumers (predators).

Question 15

Which of the following best defines conversion efficiency in an ecological context?

Accepted Answer

The proportion of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next.

Question 16

A population of insects is regulated by a parasitoid wasp that lays eggs inside the larvae, eventually killing them. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Predation (exploitation)

Question 17

Which of the following best describes asymmetric competition?

Accepted Answer

One species suffers a much greater fitness reduction than the other during competition.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of K-selected species?

Accepted Answer

Large number of offspring

Question 19

In a food chain, which of the following correctly lists the order of consumers from lowest to highest trophic level?

Accepted Answer

Primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers

Question 20

A country has a large proportion of its population under age 15. What does this age structure suggest about its future population growth?

Accepted Answer

The population is likely to grow rapidly due to demographic inertia.

Population Ecology and Community Ecology: Key Concepts and Definitions (Chapters 53 & 54)

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