WorksheetsPopulation Ecology Check
Total questions: 21
Worksheet time: 20mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
A group of organisms of the same species living in the same place at the same time is called a(n) _________.
a)
Ecosystem
b)
Population
c)
Community
d)
Organism
2.
The largest number of individuals of a population that the environment can support is known as...
a)
Carrying capacity
b)
Maximum population
c)
Primary succession
d)
Secondary succession
3.
All living things within an ecosystem are interdependent. A change in the size of one population affects all other organisms within the ecosystem. One well known predator/prey relationship is between ladybugs (predator) and aphids (prey). What happens to the population of ladybugs if there is an increase in aphids?
a)
The ladybug population will decrease.
b)
The ladybug population will remain the same.
c)
The ladybug population will increase.
d)
The ladybug population will remain the same because ladybugs can only eat so may aphids.
4.
Which factor would INCREASE the carrying capacity for white-tailed deer in an Eastern temperate forest ecosystem?
a)
The re-introduction of the Eastern cougar into North Carolina.
b)
The construction of new roads and increased traffic through woodland areas.
c)
A large migration of the closely related mule deer, into the East.
d)
The re-introduction of the American chestnut tree, which produces many seeds, and used to live in North Carolina.
5.
A scientist studied animals that live in a forest over a period of a year. His observations are shown in the table. At the end of the year the scientist found that the fox population had increased to 40.
Which animal will MOST LIKELY be affected by this increase?
a)
Bears
b)
Rabbits
c)
Sparrows
d)
Robins
6.
Look at the food chain illustrated here. Frogs react very quickly to changes in their habitat. What would happen to the food chain if the frogs began to die off?
a)
The number of insects and grasses will get larger.
b)
The insect numbers would get larger; the grass numbers would get smaller.
c)
The numbers of living things at each level will get smaller.
d)
The number of snakes will get much larger; the insect number will get smaller.
7.
Elk herds in Yellowstone National Park are herbivores that eat on the available vegetation. Which factor is important to ensure the stability of this ecosystem?
a)
The introduction of another herbivorous species to increase competition.
b)
The predators, such as grey wolves, to keep the elk population from growing too large.
c)
The introduction of more elk from other parks to increase the herd population.
d)
Ensuring that only vegetation that is part of the elk’s diet is allowed to grow in the park.
8.
The Arctic fox has to compete with other predators for its food sources. The main food sources for the Arctic fox are rabbits and other small rodents. What would happen if competition for food in the Arctic increased and it was difficult for the Arctic fox to find its prey?
a)
The Arctic fox population will decline.
b)
The Arctic fox population will remain the same.
c)
The Arctic fox population will increase.
d)
The Arctic fox population will increase and then decrease only slightly.
9.
The carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment. What factors would increase a carrying capacity for a population?
I. habitat loss
II. increase in food sources
III. access to clean water
IV. increase in competition
V. increase in diseases
a)
II and III
b)
I, II, and V
c)
III and IV
d)
II, IV, and V
10.
Consider the wetland habitat pictured here. Imagine a very hot summer with little rain. What would be the limiting factor for the populations of all of the animals living here?
a)
Competition
b)
Space
c)
Food
d)
Water
11.
According to the food chain, trout are a major source of food for bears. What would happen to the trout population if the bear population became significantly larger?
a)
The trout population would grow.
b)
The trout population would stay the same.
c)
The trout population would decrease.
d)
The change in the trout population can not be predicted.
12.
Impala share the African plains with other grazing animals and predators. Which change would lead to a DECREASE in the impala population?
a)
a reduction in the lion population
b)
an increase in restrictions on the hunting of impala
c)
a reduction in the populations of other impala predators
d)
an increase in the number of other grazing animals
13.
An isolated population of great purple hairstreaks, a species of butterfly, lives in a damp meadow. The larvae feed only on a species of mountain clover plant that lives in the meadow. The adult does not fly far from the clover plants as well. One rainy summer, a fungus causes most of the clover plants to die.
As a result of the absence of clover, the hairstreak population in this location will MOST LIKELY
a)
increase and flourish.
b)
decrease to a level near extinction.
c)
switch to a different type of food.
d)
evolve immediately into a new species of butterfly.
14.
Cutting down forests changes the populations of more than trees. Imagine the organisms that lived in this forest. After the trees have been cut, fewer animals can survive here. What are MOST LIKELY the limiting factors in this case?
a)
food and space
b)
food and shelter
c)
food and water
d)
water and space
15.
What type of growth is this graph representing?
a)
Logistic Growth
b)
Exponential Growth
16.
What type of growth is this graph representing?
a)
Logistic Growth
b)
Exponential Growth
17.
In the graph to the right, what is the population of deer at the carrying capacity of the environment?
a)
3
b)
7
c)
40
d)
70
18.
What is the carrying capacity of the following graph?
a)
1000
b)
800
c)
8000
d)
600
19.
What is the carrying capacity of the graph?
a)
around 500
b)
less than 500
c)
more than 500
d)
around 600
20.
The carrying capacity of a region is affected by both density-dependent and density independent factors. Organize these options into the right categories
Categorize the following
food
shelter
disease
rainfall
temperature
pollution
density dependent factor
density independent factor
21.
Decide if each of the following limiting factors are density-dependent or density-independent.
Categorize the following
Many fish die due to a drastic change in water temperature.
Due to severe overcrowding in an Asian village, many children do not survive to adulthood.
An extensive drought in the plains threatens wildebeest, giraffe, and springbok populations
Since snakes prey on frogs, an increase in the frog pop. causes an increase in the snake pop.
Density-dependent
Density-independent
100 %
