Community Ecology

What is the main focus of community ecology?

• The study of marine life exclusively.

• The study of human communities and their environments.

• The study of individual species in isolation.

• The study of interactions between species anywhere they take place.

Answer explanation

The main focus of community ecology is the study of interactions between species anywhere they take place, not limited to specific environments or individual species.

What principle did G. F. Gause introduce?

• The Principle of Mutualism

• The Competitive Exclusion Principle

• The Principle of Ecological Niches

• The Principle of Commensalism

Answer explanation

G. F. Gause introduced the Competitive Exclusion Principle, which states that two species competing for the same limited resource cannot coexist in the same ecological niche indefinitely.

What does an organism's ecological niche represent?

• Its preference for living in water or on land

• Its ability to survive without any competition

• The sum of all resources it uses in its environment

• Its competitive abilities in a harsh environment

Answer explanation

The ecological niche of an organism represents the sum of all resources it uses in its environment, including food, shelter, and breeding sites.

What is competitive exclusion?

• The division of resources between species to minimize competition

• The elimination of one species by another due to competition for the same resources

• A mutual agreement between species to share resources

• A strategy where species avoid competing for resources

Answer explanation

Competitive exclusion refers to the elimination of one species by another due to competition for the same resources.

What is resource partitioning?

• The division of resources among similar species to reduce competition

• The process of dividing resources equally among all species

• The elimination of resources from an ecosystem

• The addition of new resources to an ecosystem

Answer explanation

Resource partitioning is the division of resources among similar species to reduce competition, making it the correct choice.

What is an example of mutualism?

• A lion hunting a zebra

• Fungi and plant roots exchanging nutrients

• A shark competing with other fish for food

• A bird eating insects off a buffalo

Answer explanation

Fungi and plant roots exchanging nutrients is an example of mutualism where both organisms benefit from the relationship by receiving essential nutrients.

What did Robert MacArthur study?

• The feeding habits of sharks

• The competitive behaviors of lions

• The mutualism between bees and flowers

• The niche partitioning among warblers

Answer explanation

Robert MacArthur studied the niche partitioning among warblers.

What is character displacement?

• The movement of species to different habitats to avoid competition

• The divergence of traits in species to minimize competition

• The displacement of one species by another in a habitat

• The process of two species becoming more similar over time

Answer explanation

Character displacement refers to the divergence of traits in species to minimize competition, allowing them to coexist in the same habitat by reducing competition for resources.

What is a fundamental niche?

• The original niche of a species before it evolves

• The niche a species occupies in the absence of competition

• The most competitive niche in an ecosystem

• A niche that is fundamental for an ecosystem's survival

Answer explanation

The fundamental niche is the niche a species occupies in the absence of competition, showcasing its full potential without external factors limiting it.

What did the Grants observe on Daphne Major?

• The formation of a new species of finch

• Character displacement among finches

• The extinction of a species due to competition

• The introduction of a new species to the island

Answer explanation

The Grants observed character displacement among finches on Daphne Major, not the formation of a new species, extinction due to competition, or introduction of a new species.