Question 1

Which of the following statements about parasitism is NOT true?
A) The host is generally larger than the parasite.
B) An efficient parasite usually kills its host.
C) Smaller parasites often live as endoparasites within the body of the host.
D) Ectoparasites are attached to the outside of the host's body by specialized organs.
E) Some organisms and all viruses are obligate parasites and must live inside a host.

Accepted Answer

An efficient parasite does not usually kill its host as it relies on the host for survival. A successful parasite may cause harm to the host but will not typically kill it, at least not immediately, as it needs the host to survive and reproduce.

Question 2

Consider the following food chain: hawk - rabbit - clover. Each species will contain a different amount of calories in its body (clover: 10 calories, rabbit: 500 and hawk: 1200). Each species has a different daily caloric requirement (clover: sunlight, rabbit: 100 calories, hawk: 300).
How many clover plants, per day, does it take to support one hawk?
A) approximately 600 clover plants
B) approximately 30 clover plants
C) approximately 60 clover plants
D) approximately 3 clover plants
E) None, clover plants do not support hawks.

Accepted Answer

To support one hawk, which requires 300 calories daily, we first consider the rabbit's efficiency in converting clover calories into its own body mass. Since a rabbit needs 100 calories daily and can be assumed to convert this intake efficiently into body mass (500 calories total for a rabbit), it would need 100/10 = 10 clover plants per day. However, the hawk preys on rabbits, not directly on clover. To get 300 calories, considering the rabbit's body mass provides 500 calories, a hawk would need a fraction of a rabbit per day, but since energy transfer between trophic levels is not 100% efficient (typically around 10%), the actual number of clover plants needed to support the hawk indirectly through the rabbit is much higher. To support a rabbit (500 calories) which in turn supports a hawk, you'd need 500/10 = 50 clover plants for the rabbit, but since the hawk needs 300 calories daily and considering the inefficiency in energy transfer, it would actually require multiple rabbits over time, translating to many more clover plants indirectly. The closest approximation given the options and considering energy transfer inefficiencies would be 600 clover plants, as it accounts for the energy needed by the rabbit to live (which the hawk preys on) and the inefficiency in energy transfer up the food chain.

Question 3

Consider the following food chain: hawk - rabbit - clover. Each species will contain a different amount of calories in its body (clover: 10 calories, rabbit: 500 and hawk: 1200). Each species has a different daily caloric requirement (clover: sunlight, rabbit: 100 calories, hawk: 300).
How many clover plants, per day, does it take to support a family of hawks (mom, dad and juvenile. Assume each hawk needs the same number of calories per day)?
A) approximately 1800 clover plants
B) approximately 600 clover plants
C) approximately 100 clover plants
D) approximately 18,000 clover plants
E) None, hawks do not eat clover plants.

Accepted Answer

Each hawk requires 300 calories per day. A family of three hawks requires 900 calories per day. Since each rabbit provides 500 calories, they need 2 rabbits per day (1000 calories). Each rabbit requires 100 calories, which is 10 clover plants (10 calories each). Therefore, 2 rabbits need 20 clover plants per day. To support the hawks, 1800 clover plants are needed (900 calories from hawks / 500 calories per rabbit * 100 calories per rabbit / 10 calories per clover).

Question 4

The first species to begin secondary succession are called pioneer species, or colonizers.

Accepted Answer

Pioneer species are the first to begin secondary succession, and are also called colonizers because they colonize an area that was previously uninhabited or devoid of life. They pave the way for other, more complex species to eventually take over and create a more mature ecosystem.

Question 5

What is the correct order of events during primary succession?
A) Soil formation occurs - pioneer species enter the region, shrubs begin to grow - small trees begin to grow
B) pioneer species enter the region, soil formation occurs, shrubs begin to grow - small trees begin to grow
C) pioneer species enter the region, shrubs begin to grow - small trees begin to grow
D) pioneer species enter the region, climax status is reached- small trees begin to grow

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the correct order of events...

Question 6

The frequent change in HIV surface proteins is a type of
A) coevolution.
B) parasitism.
C) mutualism.
D) commensalism.

Accepted Answer

The frequent change in HIV surface proteins is a result of coevolution between the virus and the host immune system. This coevolution leads to the development of new strains of the virus that can escape recognition by the immune system, making it difficult to develop an effective vaccine or cure.

Question 7

If there are 12,000kg in the base of an ecological pyramid, how many kg will be found in the body tissue of the tertiary consumers?
A) 1200 kg
B) 120 kg
C) 12000 kg
D) 6000 kg
E) 12 kg

Accepted Answer

The answer of If there are 12,000kg in the base...

Question 8

Which of the following features is not part of the ecological niche of a white tailed deer?
A) The number of acorns it consumes during the fall.
B) The availability of woods for it to use as cover in order to escape from predators.
C) The presence of a water source within its habitat.
D) All of these are part of a white tailed deer's ecological niche.

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed (A, B, and C) are aspects that contribute to the ecological niche of a white-tailed deer. The ecological niche includes various factors such as diet, habitat requirements, and water source availability, which are all essential for the deer's survival and reproduction.

Question 9

_____ is the interaction between two species as both attempt to use the same environmental resources.
A) Competition
B) A community
C) An ecosystem
D) Predation
E) Symbiosis

Accepted Answer

Competition is defined as the interaction between two or more species or individuals where both are attempting to use the same environmental resources. The other options, such as community and ecosystem, refer to more general terms or concepts related to populations and their interactions, while predation and symbiosis involve different types of interactions between species.

Question 10

Clements proposed the climax-pattern model of succession. Governing factors for this model include
A) climate.
B) soil conditions.
C) each successive community preparing the way for the next.
D) All of the choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

All of the choices are correct. The climax-pattern model of succession proposed by Clements recognizes the importance of both abiotic (climate and soil conditions) and biotic (successive communities preparing the way for the next) factors in influencing the direction and development of a community.

Question 11

Consider the consequences of a harmless prey that evolves toward mimicry of a model that has an antipredator defense (Batesian mimicry). What happens to the effectiveness of this defense as more and more prey in the population are harmless mimics? Then consider what happens when a species with bad taste evolves to resemble a model that stings (Mullerian mimicry).
A) The number of Mullerian mimics is limited because they dilute the protection afforded by the warning color pattern, but the addition of more Batesian mimics only strengthens the protective mimicry complex.
B) The increase number of Batesian mimics dilutes or weakens the protection afforded by the warning color pattern, but the addition of more Mullerian mimics only strengthens the protective mimicry complex.
C) The number of both Batesian and Mullerian mimics is limited because both dilute the protection afforded by the warning color pattern.
D) The number of both Batesian and Mullerian mimics is unlimited because they both reinforce the protection afforded by the warning color pattern.

Accepted Answer

Batesian mimicry relies on harmless individuals resembling a model that has a warning color pattern but no actual defense, allowing them to avoid predation by deceiving predators into thinking they are not palatable. As more harmless prey species evolve this mimicry, the warning color pattern becomes less effective as predators learn to ignore it. On the other hand, Mullerian mimicry involves species with actual defenses resembling each other, which reinforces the warning signal and makes it more effective in deterring predators. Therefore, the increase in the number of Batesian mimics weakens the protection, but the addition of Mullerian mimics strengthens the protective mimicry complex.

Question 12

As animals take in food energy approximately 10% of it is made available to the next level in the food chain. Which of the following is one of the ways in which the energy is used by the organism and not passed along?
A) cellular respiration
B) defecation
C) excretion
D) death
E) All of these are ways in which the organism uses the energy.

Accepted Answer

All the options listed (A: cellular respiration, B: defecation, C: excretion, D: death) represent ways in which energy is used by an organism and not passed along to the next trophic level in the food chain. Cellular respiration is the process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food, defecation and excretion are processes by which waste products are eliminated from the body, and energy is also lost from the ecosystem when an organism dies and is decomposed by detritivores rather than being consumed by predators.

Question 13

The relationship between plants and their pollinators is a good example of parasitism.

Accepted Answer

The relationship between plants and their pollinators is actually an example of mutualism, as both the plant and the pollinator benefit from the interaction. The plant gets to reproduce by attracting pollinators to transfer pollen, while the pollinator gets a food reward in the form of nectar or pollen. Parasitism is a relationship in which one species benefits at the expense of the other.

Quiz 45: Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Which of the following statements about parasitism is NOT true?

The first species to begin secondary succession are called pioneer species, or colonizers.

What is the correct order of events during primary succession?

The frequent change in HIV surface proteins is a type of

If there are 12,000kg in the base of an ecological pyramid, how many kg will be found in the body tissue of the tertiary consumers?

Which of the following features is not part of the ecological niche of a white tailed deer?

_____ is the interaction between two species as both attempt to use the same environmental resources.

Clements proposed the climax-pattern model of succession. Governing factors for this model include

As animals take in food energy approximately 10% of it is made available to the next level in the food chain. Which of the following is one of the ways in which the energy is used by the organism and not passed along?

The relationship between plants and their pollinators is a good example of parasitism.