Ecology Final

The temporal (e.g. seasonal) variation in climate across Earth’s surface results from:

The tilt of Earth’s axis and Earth’s orbital rotation around the sun

Why are cold climates difficult for small endotherms?

All of the above.

Which of the following is an example of an animal modifying its energy exchange using conduction?

a lizard laying flat on a cool rock when its body gets too warm

How do desert rodents such as kangaroo rats obtain most of their water?

Oxidative metabolism

When would r-selected traits NOT be favored?

When there is intense competition

What would be the main climatic effect if you were able to replace a real forest with plastic trees with the same color, height, and shape as the real trees?

warming due to loss of transpirational cooling

Which predator is at lowest risk?

F

Which of the following is an adaptation of photosynthesis to low water availability?

CAM photosynthesis

Which of the following is NOT an assumption of the theory of optimal foraging?

bigger is better- there is always more energy to be gained from larger food sources.

According to island biogeography theory, which of the following islands would likely have the HIGHEST species richness?

A large island located close to the mainland

The cells of a particular plant have an internal salt concentration of 0.3%. If Solution X contains 0.2% of salt and Solution Y contains 0.4% salt, determine which solution is hypoosmotic and which is hyperosmotic relative to the plant cells.

Solution X is hypoosmotic and Solution Y is hyperosmotic

The light saturation point of this plant grown in INTERMEDIATE light levels is about

1250 umol/m2/s

You stumble into a beautiful bog and notice there are many carnivorous plants. What prediction can you make about the bog?

The soils have poor nutrient quality

Which of the following would be the best indicator of food quality for a heterotroph?

ratio of carbon to nitrogen content

If upside Y, the finite rate of increase is = 1, the population is:

stable

Which of the following is an example of density-independent factors regulating population size?

mortality in mosquitofish increases when unusually cold weather occurs

—- is when individuals of one species releases a toxin that harms another species

Allelopathy

Which of the following would NOT be a resource for plants?

temperature

A cohort life table is good for

sessile (sedentary) organisms

Which of the following can help protect local populations from extinction?

Immigration

Which is not one of the five important characteristics of a population discussed in class?

Life history strategy

Based on the data in this graph, what is the carrying capacity in this environment?

28

Which of the following spatial dispersions would suggest strong micro-habitat preferences of a species?

Clumped

Three forest patches all have the same area

Patch A (star)

What percent of species on earth are parasites?

>50%

Supposed a lichen and a small tree are engaged in an ecological relationship in which only the lichen benefits, but the tree is not harmed. This relationship is an example of —, and for the tree it is —-.

commensalism, facultative