Exercise 9

Question 1

Which best describes the measurement of population density

a. the number of individuals with in the entire population

b. the number of individual genets and/or ramets within the entire population

c. the number of individual genets on a per area basis

d. the number of individual genets and/or ramets on a per area basis

Answer 1

d. the number of individual genets and/or ramets on a per area basis

Question 2

How is the absolute population size related to the relative population size?

A. The relative population size is based on data that are correlated with the absolute population size but is taken at a different time or place.
B. The relative population size is based on data from the actual absolute population size but is taken at a different time or place.
C. The relative population size is based on data from the actual absolute population size taken at the same time and place.
D. The relative population size is based on data that are correlated with the absolute population size but is not an actual measure of all the individuals in a population.

Answer 2

D. The relative population size is based on data that are correlated with the absolute population size but is not an actual measure of all the individuals in a population.

Question 3

Using area-based counts, what would the population size of 1 ha (10,000 m2) of strawberries be if sampling found that there were 5, 6, 9, and 4 strawberry plants in four 0.50 × 0.50-m quadrats?

A. 60000
B. 240,000
C. 960,000
D. 24

Answer 3

B. 240,000

Question 4

What is the relationship between populations, metapopulations, and geographic ranges for species?

A. A species metapopulation is the entire area in which the species occurs and could consist of geographic ranges or groups of isolated populations linked by dispersal.

B. A species metapopulation is the entire area in which the species occurs and could consist of geographic ranges or groups of isolated populations that lack dispersal.

C. A species geographic range is the entire area in which the species occurs and could consist of metapopulations or groups of isolated populations linked by dispersal.

D. A species geographic range is the entire area in which the species occurs and could consist of metapopulations or groups of isolated populations that lack dispersal.

Answer 4

C. A species geographic range is the entire area in which the species occurs and could consist of metapopulations or groups of isolated populations linked by dispersal.

Question 5

Which best describes Clematis fremontii, the herbaceous plant described in Figure 9.5 in the textbook?

A. It is endemic to Missouri, it has a small and patchy geographic range, and it has clumped dispersion.

B. It is endemic to the US Midwest, it has a small and patchy geographic range, and it has clumped dispersion.

C. It is endemic to the US Midwest, it has a small and continuous geographic range, and it has clumped dispersion.

D. It is endemic to the US Midwest, it has a small geographic range, and it has random dispersion.

Answer 5

B. It is endemic to the US Midwest, it has a small and patchy geographic range, and it has clumped dispersion.

Question 6

Which best describes the use of species distribution models?

A. Species distribution models are used to map the geographic ranges of known species.

B. Species distribution models are used to predict the current geographic ranges of known species.

C. Species distribution models are used to predict the current and future geographic ranges of known species.

D. Species distribution models are used to predict the current and future geographic ranges of known species, and to find unknown species.

Answer 6

D. Species distribution models are used to predict the current and future geographic ranges of known species, and to find unknown species.

Question 7

Which of the following factors are important to the habitat suitability of a species?

A. Climate, food resources, and dispersal

B. Climate, food resources, and past geographic range

C. Climate, food resources, and disturbance

D. Climate, food resources, and physiological tolerance

Answer 7

C. Climate, food resources, and disturbance

Question 8

A non-native species is introduced to a habitat outside of its native geographic range. If the species becomes invasive, what factors could be responsible for its original absence in the new habitat?

Dispersal limitation and habitat suitability

Dispersal limitation and its evolutionary origins

Dispersal limitation and disturbance

Dispersal limitation and physiological tolerance

Answer 8

Dispersal limitation and its evolutionary origins

Question 9

Refer to Figure 9.13. Do all five populations of whales overlap in their distribution in the summer, and do they form a metapopulation?

All of the populations overlap in their feeding grounds, except the yellow and blue populations; thus, they do not form a metapopulation.

All of the populations overlap in their feeding grounds, except the yellow and blue populations, but they still form a metapopulation.

All of the populations overlap in their feeding grounds, except the red population; thus, they do not form a metapopulation.

All of the populations overlap in their feeding grounds; thus, they form a metapopulation.

Answer 9

All of the populations overlap in their feeding grounds, except the yellow and blue populations, but they still form a metapopulation.

Question 10

Under what conditions will a metapopulation eventually become extinct?

The rate of population extinction is greater than the rate of population colonization.

The rate of population colonization is greater than the rate of population extinction.

The rate of population extinction is greater than 1.

The rate of population extinction is less than 1.

Answer 10

The rate of population extinction is greater than the rate of population colonization.

Question 11

How can a metapopulation become extinct even when some suitable habitat is present within the metapopulation range?

Because the suitable habitat is not small enough to sustain individual populations and/or it is isolated by distance so it is unable to receive immigrants

Because the suitable habitat is a source habitat rather than a sink habitat

Because the suitable habitat is not large enough to sustain individual populations and/or it is isolated by distance so it is unable to receive immigrants

Because the suitable habitat is a sink habitat but it is isolated by distance from a source habitat so it is unable to receive immigrant

Answer 11

Because the suitable habitat is not large enough to sustain individual populations and/or it is isolated by distance so it is unable to receive immigrants

Question 12

Refer to Figure 9.16 in the textbook. Under what combination of conditions would you expect a 90% chance or greater of patch colonization by the skipper butterfly?

A patch area of 1 ha and a patch distance of 1 km away

A patch area of 0.1 ha and a patch distance of 0.1 km away

A patch area of 1 ha and a patch distance of 0.1 km away

A patch area of 10 ha and a patch distance of 10 km awa

Answer 12

A patch area of 1 ha and a patch distance of 0.1 km away

Question 13

Some Aleutian Islands are surrounded by urchin barrens while others are surrounded by kelp forests. Which statement gives the primary explanation for these differences?

Kelp forest islands and urchin barren islands differ with respect to oceanic currents.

Kelp eat urchins, thus preventing their establishment.

The kelp forest islands experience a substantially warmer climate than do the urchin barren islands.

Grazing by urchins prevents the formation of kelp forests.

Answer 13

Grazing by urchins prevents the formation of kelp forests.

Question 14

There are 80 swamp sparrows in a 20-hectare section of Mount Meadow. The average population density of sparrows at this site is _______ per hectare.

4
20
80
1600

Answer 14

4

Question 15

If the population density of ocotillo in a desert is 15 per square kilometer, how many plants would be expected in an area that is 5 km ´ 3 km?

15
45
225
1500

Answer 15

225

Question 16

King’s Lomatia (Lomatia tasmanica) is a most unusual plant. In the wild, only a single genetic individual of this shrub is known to be alive, and this colony has existed for at least 40,000 years. When a branch of this shrub falls to the ground, it sometimes establishes roots, and thus can function as a physiologically independent plant that is genetically identical to all other plants in the colony. What is the technical term for the single genetic individual?

Gamete
Ramet
Genet
Genotype

Answer 16

Genet

Question 17

King’s Lomatia (Lomatia tasmanica) is a most unusual plant. In the wild, only a single genetic individual of this shrub is known to be alive, and this colony has existed for at least 40,000 years. When a branch of this shrub falls to the ground, it sometimes establishes roots, and thus can function as a physiologically independent plant that is genetically identical to all other plants in the colony. Which term refers to a clone that is a physiologically independent plant?

gamete
ramet
genet
phenotype

Answer 17

ramet

Question 18

Place a species distribution in order from smallest to largest.

Population < Metapopulation < Geographic range
Metapopulation < Population < Geographic range
Geographic range < Population < Metapopulation
Geographic range < Metapopulation < Population

Answer 18

Population < Metapopulation < Geographic range

Question 19

Which type of mammals would you most likely find on a small oceanic island that is 2,000 kilometers away from any other land mass and has not been colonized by humans?

Wild pigs
Horses
Bats
Kangaroos

Answer 19

Bats

Question 20

Refer to the table.

Patch colonization rate Patch extinction rate

Population A
0.6 0.12
Population B
0.04 0.02
Population C
0.10 0.14

Ecologists have been monitoring three metapopulations of butterflies. According to Levins’s metapopulation model, which population(s) in the table would be expected to persist for a long time?

Population A only
Population B only
Population C only
Populations A and B

Answer 20

Populations A and B

Question 21

Which negative effect can habitat fragmentation have on a metapopulation?

It can make patches smaller, thus increasing the patch extinction rate.

It can make patches more connected, thus increasing the patch colonization rate.

It can lead to dampened oscillations within patches.

It can isolate predators, preventing them from preying on the species of interest.

Answer 21

It can make patches smaller, thus increasing the patch extinction rate.

Question 22

Which statement about the influence of evolutionary and geologic history on species distribution and abundance is true?

Evolutionary history cannot influence where an organism exists today.

Geological history influences distribution of suitable habitat and thus influences where an organism exists today.

Geological history cannot influence dispersal of populations.

Evolutionary history can only influence the abundance of a population if the species evolved within the last 10,000 years.

Answer 22

Geological history influences distribution of suitable habitat and thus influences where an organism exists today.

Question 23

What is the most likely reason that polar bears are found in the Arctic but not in Antarctica?

Antarctica does not provide a suitable habitat for polar bears.

Polar bears, which were derived from brown bears that lived in the Northern Hemisphere, are unable to travel long distances.

Polar bears, which were derived from brown bears that lived in the Northern Hemisphere, can migrate long distances, but they are either unable or unwilling to travel across tropical areas that lie between the Arctic and Antarctica.

Continental drift prevented the polar bears from going to Antarctica.

Answer 23

Polar bears, which were derived from brown bears that lived in the Northern Hemisphere, can migrate long distances, but they are either unable or unwilling to travel across tropical areas that lie between the Arctic and Antarctica.