Chapter 54

24 July 2022
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question
According to the principle of competitive exclusion, two species cannot continue to occupy the same _____. environmental habitat territory range ecological niche biome
answer
ecological niche
question
Of the choices below, which best describes the effect predation has on the predator/prey organisms involved in the relationship? benefit ... benefit harmed ... harmed no effect ... benefit benefit ... harmed benefit ... no effect
answer
benefit ... harmed
question
The term used to describe a harmless organism resembling a harmful one is _____. cryptic coloration warning coloration Batesian mimicry Müllerian mimicry aposematic coloration
answer
Batesian mimicry
question
Cellulose-digesting microorganisms live in the guts of termites and ruminant mammals. The microorganisms have a home and food, and their hosts gain more nutrition from their meals. This relationship is an example of _____. parasitism commensalism herbivory predation mutualism
answer
mutualism
question
Which of the following statements is consistent with the principle of competitive exclusion? The random distribution of one competing species will have a positive impact on the population growth of the other competing species. Bird species generally do not compete for nesting sites. Even a slight reproductive advantage will eventually lead to the elimination of the less well adapted of two competing species. Two species with the same fundamental niche will exclude other competing species. Natural selection tends to increase competition between related species.
answer
Even a slight reproductive advantage will eventually lead to the elimination of the less well adapted of two competing species.
question
Which of the following best describes resource partitioning? differential resource utilization that results in a decrease in community species diversity competitive exclusion that results in the success of the superior species slight variations in a species' niche that allow similar species to coexist two species that can coevolve to share identical niches a climax community that is reached when no new niches are available
answer
slight variations in a species' niche that allow similar species to coexist
question
As you study two closely related predatory insect species, the two-spot and the three-spot avenger beetles, you notice that each species seeks prey at dawn in areas without the other species. However, where their ranges overlap, the two-spot avenger beetle hunts at night and the three-spot hunts in the morning. When you bring them into the laboratory and isolate the two different species, you discover that the offspring of both species are found to be nocturnal. You have discovered an example of Batesian mimicry. mutualism. facultative commensalism. character displacement. resource partitioning.
answer
resource partitioning.
question
Which of the following is an example of Müllerian mimicry? a day-flying hawkmoth that looks like a wasp a chameleon that changes its color to look like a dead leaf two species of moths with wing spots that look like owl's eyes two species of rattlesnakes that both rattle their tails two species of unpalatable butterfly that have the same color pattern
answer
two species of unpalatable butterfly that have the same color pattern
question
Which of the following is an example of Batesian mimicry? a butterfly that resembles a leaf an insect that resembles a twig a fawn with fur coloring that camouflages it in the forest environment a nonvenomous snake that looks like a venomous snake a snapping turtle that uses its tongue to mimic a worm, thus attracting fish
answer
a nonvenomous snake that looks like a venomous snake
question
Which of the following is an example of aposematic coloration? a katydid whose wings look like a dead leaf eye color in humans colors of an insect-pollinated flower the brightly colored patterns of poison dart frogs green color of a plant
answer
the brightly colored patterns of poison dart frogs
question
Dwarf mistletoes are flowering plants that grow on certain forest trees. They obtain nutrients and water from the vascular tissues of the trees. The trees derive no known benefits from the dwarf mistletoes. Which of the following best describes the interactions between dwarf mistletoes and trees? competition parasitism commensalism facilitation mutualism
answer
parasitism
question
How might an ecologist test whether a species is occupying all of its fundamental niche or only a portion of it? Observe if the niche size changes after the introduction of a similar non-native species. Study the temperature range and humidity requirements of the species. Observe if the species expands its range after the removal of a competitor. Measure the change in reproductive success when the species is subjected to environmental stress. Observe if the niche size changes after the addition of nutritional resources to the habitat.
answer
Observe if the species expands its range after the removal of a competitor.
question
Which of the following statements is a valid conclusion of this experiment? If Chthamalus were removed, Balanus's fundamental niche would become larger. These two species of barnacle do not show competitive exclusion. Balanus is inferior to Chthamalus in competing for space on rocks lower in the intertidal zone. Balanus can survive only in the lower intertidal zone because it is unable to resist desiccation. The two species of barnacles do not compete with each other because they feed at different times of day. The removal of Balanus shows that the realized niche of Chthamalus is smaller than its fundamental niche.
answer
The removal of Balanus shows that the realized niche of Chthamalus is smaller than its fundamental niche.
question
An organism's "trophic level" refers to _____. where it lives the rate at which it uses energy its food source the intensity of its competition with other species whether it is early or late in ecological succession
answer
its food source
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Keystone species are those species _____. that provide important foods and medicines that live primarily on or under rocks and stones that have the most biomass in the community whose absence would cause major disruption in a community with the largest number of individuals in a community
answer
whose absence would cause major disruption in a community
question
Why are food chains relatively short? Longer chains are less stable and energy transfer between levels is inefficient. Top-level feeders tend to be more numerous than lower-trophic-level species. There are only so many organisms that are adapted to feed on other types of organisms. Top-level feeders tend to be small but are capable of conserving more energy. Food chain length is ultimately determined by the photosynthetic efficiency of producers.
answer
Longer chains are less stable and energy transfer between levels is inefficient.
question
Use the following diagram of a hypothetical food web to answer the following question. The arrows represent the transfer of food energy between the various trophic levels. Which letter represents an organism that could be a producer? A B C D E
answer
B
question
Which of the following best illustrates ecological succession? Grass grows on a sand dune, is replaced by shrubs, and then by trees. Overgrazing causes a nutrient loss from soil. Introduced pheasants increase, and native quail populations disappear. Decomposition in soil releases nitrogen that plants can use. A mouse eats seeds, and an owl eats the mouse.
answer
Grass grows on a sand dune, is replaced by shrubs, and then by trees.
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Why do moderate levels of disturbance result in an increase in community diversity? Habitats are opened up for less competitive species. The resulting uniform habitat supports stability, which in turn supports diversity. The environmental conditions become optimal. Competitively dominant species infrequently exclude less competitive species after a moderate disturbance. Less-competitive species evolve strategies to compete with dominant species.
answer
Habitats are opened up for less competitive species.
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The feeding relationships among the species in a community determine the community's trophic structure. ecological niche. species richness. species-area curve. secondary succession.
answer
trophic structure.
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Keystone predators can maintain species diversity in a community if they prey only on the least abundant species in the community. reduce the number of disruptions in the community. prey on the community's dominant species. competitively exclude other predators. allow immigration of other predators.
answer
prey on the community's dominant species.
question
Which of the following could qualify as a top-down control on a grassland community? limitation of plant biomass by rainfall amount influence of soil nutrients on the abundance of grasses versus wildflowers influence of temperature on competition among plants effect of grazing intensity by bison on plant species diversity effect of humidity on plant growth rates
answer
effect of grazing intensity by bison on plant species diversity