Chapter 5 Study Guide

Brianna is mapping trees in a section of land. She observes that some of the trees are clumped together, some are uniformly separated, and some appear to be spaced randomly. What is she describing?

• the population density

• the population distribution

• the population growth

• the population outline

Murray is observing a bacterial colony that is growing in agar in a Petri dish. Agar is processed seaweed. Murray calculates that the population doubles in size every 32 hours.

Which conclusion is supported by Murray's observations?

• The agar and air in the Petri dish are providing all of the resources needed by the bacteria.

• The bacterial colony is growing in all regions of the agar in the Petri dish.

• The bacterial colony will continue doubling in size indefinitely.

• The agar and air in the Petri dish are limiting factors on the growth of the bacterial colony.

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A scientist concludes that a population of bison has reached the carrying capacity of the prairie where it lives. The birthrate and death rate of the bison population are equal to each other. What can be concluded about the rates of immigration and emigration?

• The rates of immigration and emigration are equal to each other.

• The rate of either immigration or emigration is zero.

• The rate of immigration equals the birthrate.

• The rate of emigration equals the death rate.

A rabbit population is affected by parasitism and disease, both of which are density-dependent limiting factors. Which statement describes the effects of parasitism and disease on the rabbits?

• Parasites and disease weaken or kill a constant percentage of the rabbit population, regardless of its density.

• As the density of the rabbit population increases, parasites and disease weaken or kill a greater percentage of rabbits.

• As the density of the rabbit population increases, parasites and disease weaken or kill a lesser percentage of rabbits.

• Parasites and disease weaken or kill mostly the youngest and oldest rabbits, and not the rabbits of average age.

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Scientists have observed the exponential growth of lionfish in the Caribbean Sea. Which of these predictions about the future of the lionfish population is the most likely to occur?

• The lionfish population will continue growing exponentially indefinitely.

• A limiting factor will cause the growth of the lionfish population to slow down, forming a pattern of logistic growth.

• A limiting factor will cause the lionfish population to decline rapidly, and eventually decrease to near zero.

• The lionfish population will enter a cycle of increasing and decreasing numbers, typical of many predators and prey.

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The graph shows the changing populations of wolves and moose in Isle Royale National Park. Wolves are predators, and moose are their prey.

Which of the following pairs of populations is most likely to increase and decrease in a similar pattern to the wolves and moose?

• Moose and balsam fir, which are the favorite food plants of moose

• Very old wolves and young wolf pups

• Moose and the beneficial bacteria that live in the digestive tracts of moose

• Male wolves and female wolves

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A hurricane blows across a Caribbean island. The storm flattens trees, and it drowns or washes away a large number of plants and animals. As a result of the storm, the carrying capacity of the island is temporarily reduced for many of the island species.

How is the storm classified as a limiting factor?

• The storm is a density-independent limiting factor, because population size and density do not alter the storm's effect.

• The storm is a density-independent limiting factor, because its effect depends on the size and density of a population.

• The storm is a density-dependent limiting factor, because its effect depends on the size and density of a population.

• The storm is a density-dependent limiting factor, because its effect depends on the strengths of its wind and rainfall.

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Bamboo is a type of grass. In the wild, pandas eat bamboo almost exclusively. For this reason, the availability of bamboo is a significant limiting factor on the panda population.

Which statement describes how pandas could become extinct in the wild?

• The bamboo population decreases so low that other limiting factors begin to affect the panda population.

• The bamboo population decreases so low that the carrying capacity for pandas becomes zero.

• The populations of bamboo and pandas follow a cyclical pattern of increasing and decreasing, until one of them becomes extinct.

• The populations of bamboo and pandas both follow a pattern of exponential growth, and then both become extinct.

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The human population has changed in ways that are similar to other populations. How has the human population changed since it first appeared on Earth?

• The population has generally increased at a relatively constant rate.

• The population has generally increased, and at rates that have varied over time.

• The population increased rapidly until it reached its carrying capacity, where it has remained for thousands of years.

• The population increased rapidly until it reached its carrying capacity, and then decreased at a constant rate.

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Demographers developed a hypothesis to explain the changes to the populations of countries over time. This hypothesis describes a demographic transition, in which countries change from a combination of high birthrates and high death rates to low birthrates and low deathrates. The changes of the demographic transition are summarized in the graph.

Which of these events is most likely to occur during Stage II of the demographic transition?

• The population decreases slightly, especially in the younger age ranges.

• The population decreases slightly, especially in the older age ranges.

• The population increases slightly, due mainly to the increased rate that babies are born.

• The population increases significantly, due mainly to a decrease in death rate.

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