Chapter 4: Population Ecology Flashcards
Study for Test
Giraffes, lions, zebras, hyenas, and all the other living things of the Serengeti make up a(n)
A. ecosystem. B. population. C. community. D. biosphere.
C. community.
Every spring, many species of bird travel north to the Arctic to breed, and in the fall travel south again for the winter. This is an example of
A. immigration. B. emigration. C. migration. D. population growth.
C. migration.
You are studying the vegetation communities of the Mongolian grasslands in a 1000-square-kilometer-area. What is your best strategy for estimating the number of individuals of different plant species growing throughout the grasslands?
A. direct observation B. sampling C. indirect observation D. simply counting each one
B. sampling
Which is the highest population density of grasshoppers?
A. 35 grasshoppers/10 square meters B. 40 grasshoppers/20 square meters C. 1 grasshopper/1 square meter D. 50 grasshoppers/30 square meters
A. 35 grasshoppers/10 square meters
You will be conducting a study of the interactions of vegetation, animals, mineral composition of the soil, and water levels in a saltmarsh. You are studying the saltmarsh
A. population. B. biosphere. C. community. D. ecosystem.
D. ecosystem.
“All the living things and their physical environment within a given area” best defines
A. a community. B. an ecosystem. C. the biosphere. D. a population.
B. an ecosystem.
A population of wolves is reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park. For the first decade, the wolf population grows exponentially. Then, the population growth slows. The new pattern is known as
A. logistic growth. B. limiting factors. C. carrying capacity. D. exponential growth.
A. logistic growth.
In the example above, where wolves are reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park, the number of elk and other prey species within the park are
A. a density independent factor. B. an example of biotic potential. C. a density dependent factor. D. a limiting factor.
D. a limiting factor.
Pandas depend on bamboo. The amount of intact bamboo forest will help determine the
A. biotic potential of the population. B. carrying capacity of the population. C. sex ratio of the population. D. limiting factor of the population.
B. carrying capacity of the population.
Wildlife managers reintroduce a species of antelope to a park in Africa from which it had been wiped out. The habitat is ideal, and in the first year, the population grows from 50 animals to 60. If the population experiences exponential growth, what will the approximate population be at the end of five years?
A. 75 B. 90 C. 120 D. 150
C. 120
If 300 deer live within a 20-km² area, then 15 deer per km² is the deer _________ for that area.
A. carrying capacity B. population density C. limiting factor D. survivorship curve
B. population density
Fish, cattails, frogs, water lilies, dragonflies, and all the other living things in a pond make up a(n)
A. population. B. community. C. ecosystem. D. biosphere.
B. community.
A grassland experiences a drought that causes most of the plants to die and several watering holes to dry up. The antelope that live on the grassland experience a decrease in population because water and plants are key
A. biotic factors. B. abiotic factors. C. resources. D. habitats.
C. resources.
In a population of 100 monkeys, you count 48 males and 52 females. This population has an approximately even
A. sex ratio. B. biotic potential. C. survivorship curve. D. carrying capacity.
A. sex ratio.
A caribou is adapted to live in cold tundra environments. It would not be able to survive in a tropical forest because the tropical forest does not provide a suitable
A. community. B. population. C. population structure. D. habitat.
D. habitat.
A population’s growth rate is determined by births, deaths,
A. immigration, and emigration. B. immigration, and migration. C. migration, and biotic potential. D. immigration, and biotic potential.
A. immigration, and emigration.
An ecologist who is studying the mineral requirements and daily water intake of a plant species is studying the
A. individual. B. plant's population. C. plant's community. D. planet's ecosystem.
A. individual.
An example of a density-dependent limiting factor is
A. an avalanche. B. the amount of available food. C. a sudden flood. D. a decrease in water due to drought.
B. the amount of available food.
The equation for determining population growth is
A. (births + deaths) – (immigration + emigration). B. (births + emigration) + (deaths – immigration). C. (births + immigration) + (deaths – emigration). D. (births+ immigration) – (deaths + emigration).
D. (births+ immigration) – (deaths + emigration).
Many bird species are territorial. In territorial birds species, what kind of population structure would you expect?
A. uniform B. random C. clumped D. aging
A. uniform
The ecosystem is the most complex level of organization that an ecologist studies.
True False
False
A forest fire that kills a large percentage of a pine beetle population is an example of a density-dependent factor that limits population.
True False
False
You need to count the number of trees of a certain species within a 300-km² area. Your best strategy for estimating the number of trees is sampling.
True False
True
In year one of a study, there are 100 mice living in a field. In year two, there are 110. In year three, there are 121. In year four, there are 132. The mouse population is experiencing a logistic growth pattern.
True False
False
A dead tree is an example of a biotic factor in a forest ecosystem.
True False
True
The community is the simplest level of organization that the ecologist studies.
True False
False
In a population in which most of the individuals are of pre-reproductive or reproductive age, the population is likely to increase quickly in the future.
True False
True
At the end of an ice age, you would expect to see exponential growth of species as they colonize regions left uninhabited by glaciers.
True False
True
