Quiz about Unit 4 - Species Interactions & Community Ecology

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of intraspecific competition?

Accepted Answer

Warblers (birds) using different areas of trees to forage for their food (insects)

Answer

Vultures & hyenas fighting over a dead animal carcass

Answer

A frog eating one particular type of insect

Answer

A fish that swims along with sharks in order to eat their leftovers

Question 2

All of the following examples are ways in which organisms try to reduce intraspecific competition EXCEPT...?

Accepted Answer

Initiating direct fights over resources

Answer

Forcing offspring to leave and find new homes

Answer

Resource partitioning

Answer

Utilizing seeds that are spread to habitable land that is far from the original organisms location

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a producer?

Accepted Answer

plant

Answer

cattle

Answer

fox

Answer

hawk

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of an herbivore?

Accepted Answer

rabbit

Answer

plant

Answer

fox

Answer

hawk

Question 5

A parasite is a predator that...?

Accepted Answer

feeds on a host organism

Answer

causes disease

Answer

makes their own food

Answer

breaks down dead organic material

Question 6

Predation influences species populations by affecting all of the following EXCEPT...?

Accepted Answer

the ability of organisms metabolize nutrients in a particular environment

Answer

all stages in the life cycles of predators & prey species

Answer

various specialized food-obtaining mechanisms and/or anatomy

Answer

adjustments to behaviors and/or body characteristics to help prey evade & predator catch

Question 7

The cyclamen mite, which is a strawberry crop pest, is a nuisance to farmers. There are also predatory mites who eat the cyclamen mites, reducing the damage that they do. This relationship would be considered...?

Accepted Answer

predator-mediated competition

Answer

pathogenesis

Answer

mutualism

Answer

commensalism

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT an example of the predator/prey "evolutionary arms race?"

Accepted Answer

Predators and prey with similar coloration

Answer

Predators with greater tolerance of certain chemicals

Answer

Prey with improved body armor

Answer

Predators or prey who evolve better evasive behaviors (i.e. extraordinary speeds)

Question 9

Some species that are harmless develop traits that resemble poisonous or distasteful species, resulting in a way to avoid predation. What is this called?

Accepted Answer

Batesian mimicry

Answer

Mullerian mimicry

Answer

Predator-avoidance mimicry

Answer

Camouflage mimicry

Question 10

A flea feeds on the blood from a dog. There is no benefit to the dog and the itching and bites might lead to infection.

Which type of symbiotic relationship is this?

Accepted Answer

parasitism

Answer

mutualism

Answer

commensalism

Answer

This is not a type of symbiosis.

Question 11

The photosynthetic algae provide food for the fungus, which in turn provides a suitable living environment for the algae.

Which type of symbiotic relationship is this?

Accepted Answer

mutualism

Answer

parasitism

Answer

commensalism

Answer

This is not a type of symbiosis.

Question 12

The Remora fish swim alongside the shark and take scraps of food that the shark drops during feeding. The shark does not eat the Remora and appears unaffected by its presence.

Which type of symbiotic relationship is this?

Accepted Answer

commensalism

Answer

parasitism

Answer

mutualism

Answer

This is not a type of symbiosis.

Question 13

The cattle egret follows herds of cattle and eats the insects that the cattle stir up as they move through the grassland. The cattle appear to be unaffected by the egrets.

Which type of symbiotic relationship is this?

Accepted Answer

commensalism

Answer

parasitism

Answer

mutualism

Answer

This is not a type of symbiosis.

Question 14

The bacteria in the gut of the termite breakdown & feed on some of the cellulose taken in by the termite. The termite would be unable to digest cellulose without these bacteria & they gain an additional source of nutrition from the surplus digested cellulose.

Which type of symbiotic relationship is this?

Accepted Answer

mutualism

Answer

parasitism

Answer

commensalism

Answer

This is not a type of symbiosis.

Question 15

Which of the following statements does NOT describe a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

they strongly physically modify their environment

Answer

they play a critical role in their community, even though they are not particularly abundant

Answer

their effects impact across multiple trophic levels

Answer

they can be any species in their community

Question 16

Organisms like otters and beavers play significant roles in modifying their environments, usually through some physical actions. These organisms are referred to as...?

Accepted Answer

ecosystem engineers

Answer

keystone species

Answer

pathogens

Answer

producers

Question 17

Productivity is the amount of _______________ produced in a given area during a given amount of time.

Accepted Answer

biomass

Answer

animals

Answer

plants

Answer

bacteria

Question 18

Which of the following is TRUE of food webs? MARK ALL THAT APPLY!

Accepted Answer

Interconnected pathways of various food chains within an ecosystem

Accepted Answer

Show the complexity of various food sources of the consumers in that community

Answer

Include only autotrophs

Answer

Measures the net productivity of a specific community

Question 19

Using the food web pictured here, which of the following species is in the highest trophic level?

Accepted Answer

Caracal

Answer

star grass

Answer

warthog

Answer

Wildebeest

Question 20

Using the food web pictured here, which species is an example of secondary consumer?

Accepted Answer

pangolin

Answer

wild dog

Answer

harvester ant

Answer

acacia

Question 21

Using the food web pictured here, which species is an example of an autotroph?

Accepted Answer

red oat grass

Answer

hare

Answer

hyena

Answer

impala

Question 22

Heterotrophs are also referred to as...?

Accepted Answer

consumers

Answer

producers

Answer

autotrophs

Answer

photosynthesizers

Question 23

Ecological pyramids are used to show the progression of energy transfer within an ecosystem. On average, about _____ of the energy in one trophic level is available to the next trophic level.

Accepted Answer

10%

Answer

100%

Answer

50%

Answer

25%

Answer

5%

Question 24

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding diversity & abundance?

Accepted Answer

Though diversity of species might be low at the poles, the abundance of a particular species might be very high.

Answer

Diversity is the # of individuals of a species in an area; Abundance is the # of different species in an area.

Answer

Climate typically does not play a role in regards to diversity.

Answer

When diversity is high, abundance is always high.

Question 25

Communities that result when species clump together for protection or to access a particular resources, often are structured in this pattern.

Accepted Answer

patchy

Answer

vertical stratification

Answer

ordered

Answer

random

Question 26

Which statement is NOT true regarding community patterns?

Accepted Answer

Human activities typically decrease edge effects and increase the amount of core habitat

Answer

Often specialists live in the core habitat while generalists live on the edges.

Answer

Locations where communities meet & environmental conditions blend are referred to as edge effects

Answer

The core habitat is a large patch of relatively uniform environment that is free of edge influences

Question 27

The ____ complexity a community possesses, the ____resilient it is when disturbance strikes.

Accepted Answer

more/more

Answer

more/less

Answer

less/more

Answer

less/less

Question 28

Which of the following views is most widely held regarding how communities form?

Accepted Answer

It is a process open to chance, with each species establishing in an environment according to its ability to colonize & survive.

Answer

It is a process in which species replace each other in predictable groups & in a regular order.

Answer

It is a process that results in a climax community very early on in development.

Answer

It is a process that must begin with a disturbance, followed by at least four stages of development.

Question 29

Which statement related to the succession process is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

Pioneer species do not colonize during primary succession - they need prior species to have lived their before.

Answer

Succession is the process where organisms occupy a site & change its environmental conditions, gradually making way for another type of community.

Answer

Generalists are usually present during early succession, with specialists arising later in the succession process.

Answer

Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance; the new community develops from the biological legacy of the previous one.

Question 30

Which of the following statements is NOT true of disturbances?

Accepted Answer

Disturbances are rare and infrequent in ecological communities.

Answer

Floods, droughts, fires can have both positive and negative impacts on the environments in which they take place.

Answer

Many species benefit from disturbances, by reducing top competitors in that environment & allowing less competitive species to persist.

Answer

Following a disturbance, an ecosystem could recover its previous species composition or it could undergo a regime shift (new community forms).

Unit 4 - Species Interactions & Community Ecology

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