Population - Biology 1720

What does ecology study?

a.) Physical geography

b.) Interactions between organisms & environment

c.) Evolutionary patterns

d.) Weather systems

b.) Interactions between organisms & environment

What is a population in ecological terms?

a.) Group of various species in one area

b.) Group of individuals of the same species living in an area

c.) All living organisms in a region

d.) A region’s natural resources

b.) Group of individuals of the same species living in an area

What is the definition of area in population ecology?

a.) Distance between organisms

b.) Ecosystem boundaries

c.) Total population density

d.) Geographic region/space or geographic range

d.) Geographic region/space or geographic range

What does population ecology study?

a.) Environmental cycles

b.) Organisms’ daily routines

c.) Factors affecting population size & change

d.) Evolution of species

c.) Factors affecting population size & change

What does population size/density represent?

a.) Total number of species in an ecosystem

b.) Number of individuals per unit area

c.) Total geographic range of a population

d.) Number of interactions between populations

b.) Number of individuals per unit area

What does dispersion refer to in population ecology?

a.) The total number of individuals in a population

b.) The pattern of spacing among individuals within population boundaries

c.) The geographic range of a population

d.) The interactions between different populations

b.) The pattern of spacing among individuals within population boundaries

What factors influence dispersion patterns?

a.) Evolutionary changes

b.) Environmental and social factors

c.) Genetic mutations

d.) Climatic conditions

b.) Environmental and social factors

Which dispersion pattern is the most common in populations?

a.) Clumped

b.) Uniform

c.) Random

d.) Linear

a.) Clumped

What is a primary cause of clumped dispersion?

a.) Territorial behavior

b.) Competition for space

c.) Absence of strong attractions or repulsions

d.) Resource availability, mating behavior, and group defense/predation

d.) Resource availability, mating behavior, and group defense/predation

What can lead to uniform dispersion in populations?

a.) Group defense against predators

b.) Random distribution of resources

c.) Territoriality

d.) Social behavior

c.) Territoriality

What causes random dispersion in populations?

a.) Strong attractions between individuals

b.) Absence of strong attractions or repulsions

c.) Territorial disputes

d.) Uneven resource distribution

b.) Absence of strong attractions or repulsions

What does a survivorship curve plot?

a.) The total population size over time

b.) The proportion or number of a cohort still alive at each age

c.) The geographic distribution of a population

d.) The reproductive rate of a species

b.) The proportion or number of a cohort still alive at each age

What does a flat line on a survivorship curve indicate?

a.) A constant survival rate over time

b.) A high death rate at a specific age

c.) A rapid decline in population size

d.) A sudden increase in birth rate

a.) A constant survival rate over time

What does a slope on a survivorship curve represent?

a.) A change in population density

b.) A stable population size

c.) A decline in the proportion of individuals still alive

d.) An increase in reproductive success

c.) A decline in the proportion of individuals still alive

Where would humans typically fall on a survivorship curve?

a.) Type I

b.) Type II

c.) Type III

d.) None of the above

a.) Type I

Which survivorship curve is characterized by high survival rates in early and middle life, followed by a steep decline in older age?

a.) Type I

b.) Type II

c.) Type III

d.) Type IV

a.) Type I

Where would bluebirds typically fall on a survivorship curve?

a.) Type I

b.) Type II

c.) Type III

d.) None of the above

b.) Type II

Which survivorship curve is characterized by a constant death rate throughout the lifespan?

a.) Type I

b.) Type II

c.) Type III

d.) Type IV

b.) Type II

Where would salmon typically fall on a survivorship curve?

a.) Type I

b.) Type II

c.) Type III

d.) None of the above

c.) Type III

Which survivorship curve is characterized by high mortality rates early in life, followed by higher survival rates for those who reach maturity?

a.) Type I

b.) Type II

c.) Type III

d.) Type IV

c.) Type III

What type of survivorship curve best represents sea turtles?

a) Type I

b) Type II

c) Type III

d) None of the above

c) Type III

What shape does the exponential growth model typically produce on a graph?

a.) S-shaped curve

b.) J-shaped curve

c.) Linear curve

d.) Bell-shaped curve

b.) J-shaped curve

What assumption is made in the exponential growth model?

a.) Population size decreases over time

b.) Population growth is limited by carrying capacity

c.) Resources are unlimited

d.) Population growth is random

c.) Resources are unlimited

What does the carrying capacity (K) represent in population ecology?

a.) The initial population size

b.) The maximum population size that can be supported by the environment

c.) The growth rate of a population

d.) The minimum population size required for survival

b.) The maximum population size that can be supported by the environment

What shape does the logistic growth model typically produce on a graph?

a.) J-shaped curve

b.) S-shaped curve

c.) Linear curve

d.) Bell-shaped curve

b.) S-shaped curve

What does the inflection point on a logistic growth curve represent?

a.) The point where the population size is at its maximum

b.) The point where the population has its highest growth rate

c.) The point where the population reaches carrying capacity

d.) The point where the population size starts to decline

b.) The point where the population has its highest growth rate

What does life history refer to in biology?

a.) The number of reproductive episodes an organism experiences

b.) The life span of an organism

c.) The time and energy given to an offspring by its parents

d.) The traits that affect an organism’s schedule of reproduction and survival

d.) The traits that affect an organism’s schedule of reproduction and survival

What does fecundity refer to in the context of life history?

a.) The number of reproductive episodes an organism experiences

b.) The time and energy given to an offspring by its parents

c.) The number of offspring produced by an organism per reproductive episode

d.) The life span of an organism

c.) The number of offspring produced by an organism per reproductive episode

What does parity describe in life history traits?

a.) The number of reproductive episodes an organism experiences

b.) The number of offspring produced per episode

c.) The time and energy given to an offspring by its parents

d.) The life span of an organism

a.) The number of reproductive episodes an organism experiences

What does parental investment refer to in life history?

a.) The number of reproductive episodes an organism experiences

b.) The number of offspring produced by an organism

c.) The time and energy given to an offspring by its parents

d.) The traits that affect an organism’s schedule of reproduction

c.) The time and energy given to an offspring by its parents

What does longevity (life expectancy) refer to in life history?

a.) The traits that affect an organism’s reproduction and survival

b.) The number of offspring produced per reproductive episode

c.) The time and energy given to offspring by parents

d.) The life span of an organism

d.) The life span of an organism

What does semelparity refer to in reproduction strategies?

a.) Repeated reproduction, producing offspring multiple times

b.) Big-bang reproduction, reproduce once and die

c.) Reproduction with high parental investment

d.) Reproduction in dependable environments

b.) Big-bang reproduction, reproduce once and die

What does iteroparity refer to in reproduction strategies?

a.) Big-bang reproduction, reproduce once and die

b.) Reproduction in highly variable environments

c.) Repeated reproduction, producing offspring repeatedly

d.) Reproduction with no parental investment

c.) Repeated reproduction, producing offspring repeatedly

Which type of environment is likely to favor semelparity?

a.) Highly variable or unpredictable environments

b.) Dependable environments

c.) Environments with high competition

d.) Environments with abundant resources

a.) Highly variable or unpredictable environments

Which type of environment is likely to favor iteroparity?

a.) Highly variable or unpredictable environments

b.) Dependable environments

c.) Environments with low competition

d.) Environments with scarce resources

b.) Dependable environments