Ecological Relationships and Conservation Concepts

What type of relationship exists between plants and fungi when they swap beneficial nutrients underground?

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

• Mutualism

• Competition

In which type of relationship does one species benefit while the other is neither helped nor harmed?

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

• Predation

What kind of relationship is it when mistletoe grows on a tree and takes water and nutrients, stunting the tree's growth?

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

• Symbiosis

Why are endemic species particularly vulnerable to environmental changes or events?

• They are highly adaptable to many environments.

• They only grow natively in one specific place.

• They have many different populations spread globally.

• They can easily relocate to new habitats.

What is a characteristic of ex-situ conservation?

• Growing plants in their natural habitat.

• Starting new plant populations outside their natural habitat.

• Clearing debris to prevent forest fires.

• Trimming back other plants encroaching on a species' territory.

What is the primary focus of community ecology?

• Studying how individual species grow.

• Understanding how groups of different species interact in a shared space.

• Analyzing the growth of plants in botanical gardens.

• Examining how a single population changes over time.

How do mangrove trees benefit the Florida Everglades ecosystem?

• They provide food for manatees.

• They thrive in low-nutrient soils.

• They shield inland plants, animals, and people from storms.

• They offer cover for frogs and fish.

What is a significant negative impact of cheatgrass in the Western U.S.?

• It helps native species grow faster.

• It improves the nutrient content of the soil.

• It increases the risk and intensity of wildfires.

• It provides a new food source for local wildlife.