CHAPTER 52—POPULATION ECOLOGY
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Rabbits introduced to Australia overpopulated because in their new habitat ____.
a.
people rarely hunted them
b.
they had no natural diseases
c.
they had no natural predators
d.
their food supply was larger
e.
there were few herbivorous competitors
2. What was the long-term effect of the introduction of myxoma virus to control rabbits in Australia?
a.
The rabbits were all killed.
b.
Most rabbits became immune to the virus.
c.
The virus killed off some of the rabbit population but also infected kangaroos and
wallabies.
d.
The virus became less virulent and the rabbits gained some immunity.
e.
The virus had no effect.
3. Population growth of rabbits in Australia can best be described as
a.
fast.
b.
exponential.
c.
virulent.
d.
stable.
e.
epidemic.
4. The density of a population is defined as______.
a.
the number of individuals in a population at a specified time
b.
the number of individuals in a population at a specified place
c.
the number of individuals per unit area or per unit volume of habitat
d.
the size of the individual organisms per unit area
e.
the number of the individual organisms per unit size of each individual
5. Populations in which individuals repel each other because resources are in short supply tend to have
____ distributions.
a.
random
b.
clumped
c.
uniform
d.
dynamic
e.
unpredictable
6. A population of mostly ____ individuals with a ____ generation time and a ____ proportion of females
is expected to show the most growth in the future.
a.
prereproductive; short; high
b.
reproductive; short; high
c.
reproductive; long; low
d.
postreproductive; long; low
e.
prereproductive; short; low
7. In which of the following species would the number of males LEAST affect the rate of population
growth?
a.
Northern elephant seals
b.
Trumpeter swans
c.
Canadian geese
d.
European rabbits
e.
Norwegian rats
8. Generation time increasing with body size is least likely in _______.
a.
bacteria
b.
plants
c.
animals
d.
protists
e.
fungi
9. The ____ method of determining population size is often used to estimate the population size of
mobile animals that live within a restricted geographic range.
a.
mark-release-recapture
b.
direct count
c.
extrapolation of counts from quadrants to entire population
d.
plot
e.
indirect count
10. Marine biologists tagged and released 50 marlin. Later, fishermen caught 300 marlin, 15 of which had
tags. What is the estimate for the number of marlin in the population?
a.
5,000
b.
315
c.
365
d.
2,500
e.
1,000
©2014
Use the diagram above for the following question(s).
11. Sea turtles are likely to die when they are young, but have a good chance of surviving once they reach
large size. Which survivorship curve best fits them?
a.
Type I, which is graph A
b.
Type II, which is graph B
c.
Type I, which is graph C
d.
Type III, which is graph C
e.
Type III, which is graph A
12. Humans living in environments with good medical care are most likely to exhibit which of the
following survivorship curves?
a.
Type I, which is graph A
b.
Type II, which is graph B
c.
Type I, which is graph C
d.
Type III, which is graph C
e.
Type III, which is graph A
13. A species with a relatively constant rate of mortality in all age classes would most likely exhibit which
of the following survivorship curves?
a.
Type I, which is graph A
b.
Type II, which is graph B
c.
Type I, which is graph C
d.
Type III, which is graph C
e.
Type III, which is graph A
14. Investigators using molecular techniques determined that the rapid spread of armadillos into the
southern U.S. was due to ____.
a.
territorial sires driving out male offspring
b.
a 92 percent reproduction rate
c.
extensive migration of individuals
d.
unexplained reasons
e.
hunting pressure
15. The method(s) used to study the reproductive behavior of armadillos included which of the following?
a.
Statistical techniques.
b.
Polymerase chain reaction.
c.
Direct observation of mating.
d.
Statistical techniques and Polymerase chain reaction.
e.
Mark-release-recapture.
16. The allocation of resources for survival, growth, and maximal reproduction determines the ____ of a
species.
a.
survivorship curve
b.
life history
c.
specific mortality
d.
age-specific fecundity
e.
dispersion
17. Organisms store energy as______.
a.
starch
b.
glycogen
c.
fat
d.
sugar
e.
starch, glycogen or fat
18. Which of the following characteristics would NOT have evolved with the others in the life history
strategy of a single species?
a.
low fecundity
b.
active parental care
c.
multiple reproductive episodes
d.
low chance of survival in adulthood
e.
late reproduction
19. Life history patterns of guppies in Trinidad are a result of which natural selection force?
a.
Competition differences in different streams.
b.
Predation differences in different streams.
c.
Temperature differences in different streams.
d.
Pollution differences in different streams.
e.
Salt concentration differences in different streams.
20. All of the following choices are descriptive of a population experiencing exponential population
growth EXCEPT ____.
a.
resources are limited
b.
graph of growth produces a “J” shaped curve
c.
per capita growth rate remains constant
d.
N/t is increasing
e.
population increases at an increasing rate
21. A population of 100 animals in logarithmic growth has rmax = 0.4 and K = 102. Using the fact that r =
rmax(K − N)/K, calculate the value of r.
a.
0.0078
b.
0.792
c.
−0.580
d.
0.078
e.
0.99
22. The intrinsic rate of increase is _____ for bacteria, protists, and animals with short generation time and
____ for those with long generation time.
a.
high; low
b.
high; constant
c.
low; high
d.
low; constant
e.
constant; low
23. In the logistic model of population growth, what is expected to happen to r when N = K?
a.
r will approach rmax
b.
r will approach 1
c.
r becomes negative
d.
r = 0
e.
r > 0
24. Which of the following factors is NOT a density-dependent regulator of population size?
a.
competition for food
b.
limitation of nesting sites
c.
disease
d.
parasitism
e.
drought
25. Lizards can control spider populations on Caribbean islands by which density dependent
mechanism(s)?
a.
Predation.
b.
Competition.
c.
Predation on a common predator.
d.
Predation and competition.
e.
Predation, competition, and predation on a common predator.
26. Which of the following traits is characteristic of a K-selected species?
a.
adapted to rapidly changing environments
b.
small body size
c.
short generation time
d.
provide substantial parental care to offspring
e.
single reproductive event common
27. Studies have determined that all of the following except ______ are responsible for the cyclical rise
and fall of arctic hare and lynx populations.
a.
predation
b.
a limited food supply for hares
c.
predation by other mammals
d.
intraspecies competition
e.
disease
28. The transformation of humans from hunter-gatherer societies to agriculturally based ones occurred
approximately _____.
a.
14,000 years ago
b.
11,000 years ago
c.
7,000 years ago
d.
1,500 years ago
e.
200 years ago
29. The beginning of the industrial and scientific revolution occurred _____.
a.
when human population size was approximately 1 billion
b.
when human population size was approximately 1 million
c.
when human population size was approximately 5 million
d.
approximately 500 years ago
e.
approximately 100 years ago
30. Birth rates generally reach their highest point in which stage of the demographic transition of a
country?
a.
preindustrial
b.
transitional
c.
industrial
d.
postindustrial
e.
stage 1
31. Recent studies have demonstrated evolution in populations over a span of time as short as ____.
a.
single years
b.
decades
c.
centuries
d.
thousands of years
e.
millions of years
32. Research has shown that commercial fisheries place selective pressure on fish populations by
harvesting mostly the ____ fish, resulting in ____.
a.
young; aging populations
b.
larger; maturity at smaller sizes
c.
smaller; maturity at larger sizes
d.
prereproductive; declining birth rates
e.
postreproductive; no change in population size
33. A human population with an age structure diagram that is narrower at the base than at the top would
have ____.
a.
zero population growth
b.
r < 0
c.
r > 0
d.
been affected by density independent factors
e.
(K − N)/K < 1
34. A human population living without medical care in a developing country would probably have ____.
a.
a rectangle-shaped age structure diagram
b.
an r value < 0
c.
a pyramid-shaped age structure diagram
d.
per capita birth and death rates consistent with those of a stage 4 society
e.
no density dependent factors operating
35. A stage 3 society, based on the demographic transition model, would be characterized by all of the
following except ____.
a.
an r value > 0
b.
industrialization
c.
a clumped population distribution
d.
(K − N)/K approaching 1
e.
an r value approaching 1
Select the Exception
36. Most of the following factors are intrinsic controls to population growth. Select the exception.
a.
increased aggression
b.
hormonal changes
c.
reduced reproduction
d.
increased dispersal
e.
increased predation
37. Four of the five regions listed below are experiencing less than 1.9 percent annual population growth.
Select the exception.
a.
Western Europe
b.
North America
c.
Africa
d.
Australia
e.
Russia
MATCHING
Match each of the following terms with its correct definition.
a.
Population increasing steadily by a constant ratio
b.
The average number of offspring produced by females during each age interval
c.
Population growth slows as population approaches K
d.
The number of individuals per unit area or unit volume
e.
Movement out of a population
38. population density
39. emigration
40. age-specific fecundity
41. exponential population growth
42. the logistic model
Classification
Use the five equations listed below for the following question(s).
a.
N/t = B − D
b.
dN/dt = (b − d)N
c.
dN/dt = rmaxN
d.
d = (D/N)
e.
dN/dt = rmaxN(K − N)/K
43. population growth under ideal conditions
44. logistic model of population growth
45. exponential model of population growth
46. per capita death rate
47. change in population size
Choice
For each of the following statements, choose the most appropriate survivorship curve from the list
below.
a.
type I
b.
type II
c.
type III
48. typical of humans
49. typical of Cleome droserifolia
50. constant rate of mortality in all age classes
51. high juvenile mortality followed by increased chance of survival as adult
Classification
Categorize the following traits as belonging predominantly to an r-selected species or a K-selected
species.
a.
r-selected
b.
K-selected
52. short maturation time
53. long life span
54. low mortality rate
55. one reproductive episode
56. early timing of first reproduction
57. small clutch or brood size
58. large offspring
59. little or no parental care
60. extensive parental care
61. fluctuating population size
62. high tolerance to environmental change
Labeling
Identify each labeled part of the following illustration.
63. negative growth
64. rapid growth
65. reproductive
66. prereproductive
67. postreproductive
68. zero growth
SHORT ANSWER
69. What type of population dispersion is most common, and how does area sampled affect how
dispersion appears to a researcher?
70. What basic information does a demographer need to know to predict a species population size through
time?
71. How are an organism’s life time energy use and economics analogous?
72. What characteristics are consistent with a K-selected species? Where do humans fall on the r through
K continuum?
73. What phenotypic effects does crowding have on the migratory locust? How are these changes
adaptive?
MODIFIED TRUE/FALSE
If the statement is true, answer “T“. If the statement is false, answer “F” and make it correct by
changing the underlined word(s) and writing the correct word(s) in the answer blank(s).
74. Biologists captured and marked 100 butterflies, and later captured 115, 5 of which were marked. The
population estimate is 2000 butterflies.
75. Uniform dispersion usually results from individuals of a species repelling each other.
76. A cohort is a group of individuals of the same sex.
77. The tools used by ecologists to study demography were developed by developmental biologists.
78. Egg yolk and seed endosperm are examples of passive parental care.
79. Logistic population growth describes growth without limitation.
80. Parasitism is a density-independent factor of population control.
81. An “S” shaped curve is characteristic of logistic population growth.
82. Populations of bay checkerspot butterflies that occupy large patches of suitable habitat serve as sink
populations for individuals that recolonize small patches of suitable habitat where butterfly
populations frequently become extinct.
83. It took 3 million years for the human population to reach 1 billion, 123 years to grow to 2 billion, and
12 years to grow from 6 to 7 billion.
OTHER
84. Write the letter of the region expected to have the highest population by 2025 next to 1, the letter of
the region expected to have the lowest population by 2025 next to 6.
Europe
Asia
Latin America
North America
Africa
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
B
2.
E
3.
A
4.
C
5.
D
ESSAY
85. What are some density-dependent factors that affect humans at higher population densities, and how
have these been addressed in industrial societies?
86. “Humans have two options for limiting population growth: We can make a global effort to limit our
own population, or we can wait until the environment does it for us.” Briefly address each scenario.
What methods would result in a successful global decline in birthrate? What environmental events are
the alternatives?