wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Unit 3: Population Ecology

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 17mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Which of the following is a term for a group of similar organisms that can reproduce fertile offspring?
a)
community
b)
population
c)
species
d)
individuals
2.
A population will most likely stop growing when it reaches its:
a)
Growth limit
b)
Exponential limit
c)
Carrying Capacity
d)
Metapopulation
3.
Carrying capacity is represented by which letter?
a)
r
b)
E
c)
K
d)
c
4.
Which factor is a density-dependent limiting factor on the population of a species?
a)
seasonal variation
b)
natural disasters
c)
unusual weather
d)
predation
5.
Any abiotic or biotic factor in an ecosystem that causes a population’s size to slow or decrease is a ____________ factor.
a)
growth
b)
limiting
c)
carrying
d)
density dependent
6.
Refer to the diagram of the survivorship curve.
Which curve best describes an organism that invests a lot of energy in parenting?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
this is not a survivorship curve
7.
The graph of logistic growth can be described as...
a)
S-shaped
b)
J-shaped
c)
Bell shaped
d)
U-shaped
8.
If the number of births is greater than the number of deaths in a population, what will happen to the growth of the population?
a)
It will increase.
b)
It will decrease.
c)
It will stay the same.
d)
It will fluctuate.
9.
Which type of growth is best illustrated by this rabbit population?
a)
exponential
b)
logistic
c)
S-shaped
d)
boom-bust
10.
All of the following are limiting factors EXCEPT:
a)
immigration
b)
competition
c)
drought
d)
predation
11.
Which of the following is a density-independent limiting factor?
a)
disease
b)
emigration
c)
earthquake
d)
predation
12.
If the population's needs are not met, what may happen?
a)
Competition
b)
Migration
c)
Death
d)
All of the above
13.

Generalists

a)

Have limited unique diet

b)

are K-selected species

c)

Have broad niches and eat many things

d)

Are commonly found in stable climax communities.

14.

Specialists

a)

Have a low tolerance for envirnmental change

b)

Have a high tolerance for environmental change

c)

wide range of diet

d)

r- selected species

15.
Have large effects on ecological community
a)
Foundations Species
b)
Indicator Species
c)
Keystone Species
16.
Provide early warnings of damage to ecosystem
a)
Indicator Species
b)
Keystone Species
c)
Foundations Species
17.

Which type of population distribution can help provide organisms with protection from predators?

a)

Random distribution

b)

Uniform distribution

c)

Clumped distribution

d)

either uniformed or clumped

18.

The ___________ growth model is used to predict the growth of populations that are subject to density-______________ constraints, such as increased competition for food, water, or nest sites.

a)

logistic; dependent

b)

logistic; independent

c)

exponential; independent

d)

exponential: dependent

19.

A population of rabbits, introduced to an island, has rapid growth for a few years and then slows. What is a likely reason for this pattern?

a)

Sex ratio changed

b)

Immigration has diminished

c)

Carrying capacity was reached

d)

Intrinsic growth rate has changed.

20.

A population of bacteria in a Petri dish is growing at an exponential rate. Assume a starting population of 200 bacterium. If the growth rate for the species increases 10 percent every hour, approximately how long will it take for the number of bacterium to reach 400?

a)

3 hours

b)

6 hours

c)

7 hours

d)

8 hours

21.

The population size (N) of Kenyan lions is

a)

the estimated number of lions living in south Africa.

b)

the estimated number of lions living within each square mile in Africa.

c)

the estimated number of lions living in south Africa.

d)

the estimated number of lions in Kenya during the time of measurement.

22.

Which does NOT describe patterns of population growth?

a)

Populations can grow without restraint as long as resources are not limiting.

b)

The size of some populations tends to remain relatively constant over time.

c)

In some populations size fluctuates in a cyclical pattern.

d)

Population size is not affected by other populations.

23.

In his 1798 book, An Essay on the Principle of Population, Thomas Malthus stated “…the power of [Earth’s human] population [to increase] is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.” He explained that our population increases exponentially while we can only increase our food supply linearly. Using our modern terminology, what did Malthus mean by “the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man?”

a)

Biotic potential

b)

Birth Rate

c)

Carrying Capacity

d)

Environmental resistance

24.

A population of river otters has a population growth rate of 0.2 per year. If the population starts out with 50 individuals and there is no death and no migration, how many individuals would you expect after one year and after two years?

a)

10 ; 2

b)

60 ; 70

c)

55; 67

d)

60; 72

25.

Characteristics of an r-selected species include

I. many offspring.

II. fast population growth rate

III. short time to reproductive maturity

a)

I only

b)

I and II

c)

II and III

d)

I, II, and III