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- 1. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements about levels of biodiversity is correct?
Genetic biodiversity is a measure of the total number of genes in a community.
A narrow distribution of habitats leads to an increase in species diversity.
Global hotspots are areas where species diversity is thriving due to habitat restoration.
A population with high genetic biodiversity is better able to respond to environmental stressors.
- 2. Multiple Choice
Which of the following best explains how environmental stressors, such as wildfires, can affect biodiversity in an ecosystem?
After an environmental stress, a genetic bottleneck may occur, which will increase genetic diversity.
Habitat diversity will increase the available niches if the landscape becomes more uniform after a disturbance.
Ecosystems with more species diversity are more likely to recover after a disturbance than ecosystems with low species diversity.
Smaller populations are less likely to go extinct than larger populations, so the species diversity will remain constant.
- 3. Multiple Choice
A one-hectare pond is sampled in early September. The sample yields 1 small catfish as well as 17 benthic invertebrates that represent 10 species.
Which of the following can be estimated from the sample for the invertebrates in the pond?
The species richness
The pond’s productivity
The uniformity of species distribution in the pond
The degree of disturbance
The stability of the ecosystem
- 4. Multiple Choice
Which of the following would be categorized as a cultural ecosystem service of forests?
Recreation and scenic areas for tourism
Timber and landscape materials
Mushroom and plant harvests
Soil stabilization and air purification
- 5. Multiple Choice
Which of the following would most likely result from the deforestation of large areas of tropical rain forests caused by slash-and-burn agriculture?
Increased ozone thinning because of the release of CFCs
Decreased acid rain because of the sequestration of SO
2
Increased global temperature because of the release of CO
2
Deceased evaporation because of the loss of the tree canopy
- 6. Multiple Choice
Which of the following correctly describes the disruption of an ecosystem service by an anthropogenic activity?
Provisioning services are disrupted by increased combustion of fossil fuels, which leads to an increase in air pollution.
Regulating services are disrupted by flash flooding from a hurricane, which decreases available food resources.
Supporting services are disrupted by an earthquake that causes habitat destruction, which displaces plants and animals.
Cultural services are disrupted by a tornado that causes the loss of acres of forest, which reduces the amount of harvestable timber.
- 7. Multiple Choice
Based on the theory of island biogeography, which of the following is the most likely reason that an island in the ocean that is 5 kilometers from a continent would have a higher number of species than one that is 15 kilometers from a continent?
There are more species that have the ability to travel 5 kilometers than can travel 15 kilometers.
Islands that are closer to continents always have a wider range of habitats than more distant islands do.
There are smaller populations of each species on islands that are at greater distances from continents.
Islands that are closer to continents always have more ecological niches than more distant islands do.
- 8. Multiple Choice
A 163 square-kilometer (km2) small island is found 2,000km from the mainland. A second, larger, 230,000km2 island is found 1,000km from the mainland. Based on the theory of island biogeography, which of the following statements is most likely true about the small island when compared with the large island?
The rate of immigration is lower for the small island than for the large island.
The small island has niches that are more like the mainland than the large island.
The small island has more available resources than the large island.
The rate of species extinction is lower on the small island than on the large island.
- 9. Multiple Choice
Highly specialized species tend to evolve on islands because of the environmental conditions and resource availability.
Based on the theory of island biogeography, which of the following would most likely experience the greatest decline of specialist species if an invasive species emigrated from the mainland?
A small island a far distance from the mainland
A small island in close proximity to the mainland
A large island a far distance from the mainland
A large island in close proximity to the mainland
- 10. Multiple Choice
For which of the following reasons do small isolated islands have a greater rate of species extinction than larger, less isolated islands?
Small isolated islands are more likely to receive more migrating species.
Small isolated islands provide opportunities for a greater diversity of species.
Because of their size, small isolated islands accumulate more species by chance.
Small isolated islands have a lower availability of resources.
Because they have fewer available niches, small isolated islands are targeted and colonized by species.
- 11. Multiple Choice
Small populations of animals, such as those typically found on islands, are prone to extinction because
they contain a high degree of genetic variability
they tend to have more predators
their habitats are more stable
they are more vulnerable to unpredictable events
they are usually generalist species
- 12. Multiple Choice
All of the following are negative externalities EXCEPT
illnesses related to living near a manufacturing facility
noise associated with living near a major airport
air pollution caused by refinery emissions
bees pollinating vegetables in addition to creating honey
damage to crops from automobile exhaust
- 13. Multiple Choice
The consumption of mosquitoes by bats and the control of flooding provided by tropical forests in mountainous areas of Central America are examples of
adaptive radiation
ecosystem services
evolution by natural selection
ecological equilibrium
positive feedback loops
- 14. Multiple Choice
A one-hectare pond is sampled in early September. The sample yields 1 small catfish as well as 17 benthic invertebrates that represent 10 species.
If the pond is resampled a year later, which of the following would best indicate that the pond had been adversely affected by adjacent development?
An uncommon species has become more numerous.
An increase in low-tolerance species has occurred.
A decrease in high-tolerance species has occurred.
Phylogenetic diversity has increased.
The biodiversity of the pond has decreased.
- 15. Multiple Choice
The graphs above show the population size and distribution of beak sizes in a finch population on the island of Daphne Major in the Galapagos in 1976 and 1978. Smaller-beaked finches are better suited for eating grasses and small seeds. Larger-beaked finches are better suited for cracking larger seeds and nuts. In 1977 a drought took place and the vegetation of the island was affected by the lack of rain.
Which of the following was the average beak size of finches on the island of Daphne Major in 1976?
8.8 mm
9.5 mm
10.2 mm
13.8 mm
- 16. Multiple Choice
The graphs above show the population size and distribution of beak sizes in a finch population on the island of Daphne Major in the Galapagos in 1976 and 1978. Smaller-beaked finches are better suited for eating grasses and small seeds. Larger-beaked finches are better suited for cracking larger seeds and nuts. In 1977 a drought took place and the vegetation of the island was affected by the lack of rain.
Which of the following statements best explains the changes in the size and composition of the population of finches after the drought?
The total number of finches in the population increased, and the smaller-beaked finches were more successful in the drier environment.
The total number of finches in the population increased, and the larger-beaked finches were more successful in the drier environment.
The total number of finches in the population decreased, and the smaller-beaked finches were more successful in the drier environment.
The total number of finches in the population decreased, and the larger-beaked finches were more successful in the drier environment.
- 17. Multiple Choice
Based on the data shown in the graph, which of the following best describes how ecologists could determine when this ecosystem is approaching a climax community?
Determine if the keystone species in the ecosystem is present two years after the volcanic eruption
Measure the biomass of the pioneer species present before and after the volcanic eruption
Record the number and type of producers present every year after the eruption
Calculate the net primary productivity of a specific indicator species every year after the eruption
- 18. Multiple Choice
Based on the data shown in the graph, which of the following events occurred after the glacial retreat?
Primary succession
Flooding
Sea level rise
Global climate change
- 19. Multiple Choice
Which of the following explanations is best supported by the data shown in the map above?
Earth’s climate has changed over geological time, and plates on Earth’s crust have shifted.
Sea level rise has led to an increased concentration of wildlife inland as the coastal areas flood.
Organisms adapt to human population growth by changing at the genetic level.
Animals migrate seasonally to mate and to find food in different habitats.
- 20. Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements correctly describes the trends seen in the data?
The highest sea level occurred in the Triassic period.
The lowest sea level occurred during the Paleogene period.
The first rise in sea level occurred during the Cretaceous period.
Sea level decreased from the beginning of the Triassic period to the end of the Cretaceous period.
- 21. Multiple Choice
Based on the data shown in the graph, when would the species richness of the ecosystem have been the lowest?
Before the volcanic eruption occurred
One to four years after the volcanic eruption
Four to ten years after the volcanic eruption
Ten to fourteen years after the volcanic eruption
- 22. Multiple Choice
The graphs above show the population size and distribution of beak sizes in a finch population on the island of Daphne Major in the Galapagos in 1976 and 1978. Smaller-beaked finches are better suited for eating grasses and small seeds. Larger-beaked finches are better suited for cracking larger seeds and nuts. In 1977 a drought took place and the vegetation of the island was affected by the lack of rain.
Which of the following was the number of finches in the population with a beak size of 10.2 mm in 1978?
8
12
40
65
- 23. Multiple Choice
Which of the following examples illustrates the community with the highest biodiversity?
- 24. Multiple Choice
In the nitrogen cycle illustrated above, nitrification occurs in which of the following steps?
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
- 25. Multiple Choice
Which of the following claims is best supported by the data in the graph?
The temperature of Earth rises and biodiversity increases immediately after a volcanic eruption.
The carrying capacity of plants in the area is approximately 250 species.
After the volcanic eruption, pioneer species colonized the area and the ecosystem began to undergo succession.
Plant species that are well adapted will survive and reproduce, leading to a change in the ecosystem biodiversity through the process of natural selection.
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