Question 1

Population growth is affected differently in dense versus sparse populations. When female bats raise their offspring, they form "maternity colonies" that are densely populated. In these populations, the female bats are so tightly packed together in one area that their bodies touch one another. Mites, a common parasite of bats, thrive in this type of environment because they can easily move from host to host. What might you predict would happen to the mite infection rate once the maternity colonies naturally break apart? The parasite population will ________.

Accepted Answer

The parasite population will demonstrate declined growth because greater distance between bats makes transmission of parasites more difficult.

Question 2

Most crop pests ________.

Accepted Answer

Most crop pests have an opportunistic life history, characterized by rapid reproduction and short lifespans, allowing them to quickly exploit available resources.

Question 3

In most developed countries, overall population growth rates ________.

Accepted Answer

In most developed countries, population growth rates are near zero due to low birth rates and low death rates, leading to a fairly stable population size.

Question 4

The red-cockaded woodpecker, an endangered species, is dependent upon ________ for maintenance of its source habitat.

Accepted Answer

Fire is essential for the maintenance of the red-cockaded woodpecker's habitat, as it creates the open, pine-dominated forests that the species requires.

Question 5

Throughout most of human history, human population size ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Throughout most of human history, human population...

Question 6

________ are an example of an invasive species.

Accepted Answer

Burmese pythons are considered an invasive species in places like the Florida Everglades, where they have been introduced and have disrupted local ecosystems.

Question 7

Integrated pest management ________.

Accepted Answer

Integrated pest management (IPM) emphasizes using a variety of methods, including mixed-species plantings and crop rotation, to manage pest populations sustainably and reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.

Question 8

Weasels are a natural predator of bats. Since bats sleep during the day, weasels can climb to where they roost and feed on them. Suppose you want to design a study to see if weasels and bats demonstrate a boom and bust relationship in population size. What is the best first step to take?

Accepted Answer

To study a boom and bust relationship, it's essential to have baseline data on the population densities of both species across multiple areas to observe potential correlations over time.

Question 9

The ecological footprint of the United States ________.

Accepted Answer

The ecological footprint of the United States is almost three times higher than the world average due to high consumption rates and resource use.

Question 10

The figure shows population cycles of snowshoe hare and lynx. Recent field studies suggest that the most likely explanation for these cycles is ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The figure shows population cycles of snowshoe...

Question 11

Non-native species can have important effects on biological communities by ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Non-native species can have important effects on...

Question 12

In 2012, the Global Footprint Network reported that ________.

Accepted Answer

The Global Footprint Network reported that the average ecological footprint for the world's population had already exceeded the planet's biocapacity per person, indicating that humanity was using resources faster than the Earth could regenerate them.

Question 13

You arrive back in the United States after having visited a foreign country located on another continent. The customs agent stops the person in front of you and confiscates the fruit basket this person is bringing home. Being the knowledgeable person you are, you calmly explain to your enraged fellow traveler that the reason for the detainment is that the fruit basket may be ________.

Accepted Answer

The fruit basket may contain non-native species, such as insects or plant diseases, that could harm North American ecosystems if introduced.

Question 14

In most developing countries, ________.

Accepted Answer

In most developing countries, birth rates are much higher than death rates, leading to rapid population growth.

Question 15

Kudzu, an Asian vine introduced to the United States in the 1930s as a means to control erosion, is referred to as "the plant that ate the South" because it grows alarmingly fast and overtakes most plant species in its path. A recent and unusual way that some people are using to control kudzu growth is to allow goats to graze their land and eat the kudzu, roots and all. This is considered by some to be the most environment-friendly way to eliminate this invasive vine. How can we best describe the goats in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Goats are used as a biological control agent because they naturally consume kudzu, helping to manage and reduce its spread without the use of chemicals.

Question 16

During the Pleistocene era, many large mammal species went extinct. Their permanent disappearance occurred in a short period of time when humans were expanding across North America. In this situation, how do many scientists view humans?

Accepted Answer

Many scientists view humans as an invasive species during the Pleistocene era because their expansion and activities are believed to have contributed to the extinction of large mammal species in North America.

Question 17

The line in between the data points on the curve is a trend line; a trend line shows the general pattern of the data points. In the curve, the trend line indicates that male fur seals reached carrying capacity in the year ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The line in between the data points...

Question 18

The intentional release of a natural enemy to attack a pest population is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Biological control is the intentional release of a natural enemy to attack a pest population.

Question 19

What will be the approximate shape of the age-structure diagram of a rapidly increasing population?

Accepted Answer

In a rapidly increasing population, there are more young individuals than older individuals, resulting in a pyramid-shaped age-structure diagram.

Question 20

The use of the Indian mongoose to control rat populations ________.

Accepted Answer

The introduction of the Indian mongoose to control rat populations became a disaster because the mongoose itself became an invasive species, causing harm to native wildlife.

Quiz 19: Population Ecology