Ecology Final Exam ( Updated 2026-2027 )
1100 Complete Questions & Answers
(Solved) 100% Correct Graded A+
These extinct animals, including the dodo bird and tortoises, once ate the
fruit of many plant species. As a result of the extinction of these animals
I. the flowers of the plants can no longer be pollinated.
II. the parental plants are strongly competing with their offspring.
III. many plants are growing together in tight groups instead of being
spread over the island. - ✔ANSWER✔-II, III
Biologists have recently introduced wild turkeys and Aldabra tortoises
to the islands of Mauritius. How have these introductions affected native
plants of Mauritius? - ✔ANSWER✔-the seeds have better rates of
germination
What was the main factor that led to declines in collared lizard
(Crotaphytus collaris) populations in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri?
- ✔ANSWER✔-suppression of forest fires decreased the open habitat
that collared lizards require
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The pattern of density and spacing of individuals in a population is
called the - ✔ANSWER✔-spatial structure
The range of abiotic conditions under which a species can persist is
called its - ✔ANSWER✔-fundamental niche
A species of tree is found from the Canadian border down to the
southeast United States. This is called the species' -
✔ANSWER✔geographic range
An endangered frog species lives in only a few forest patches found
throughout the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The
Pacific Northwest is its _____ and the forest patches are its _____. -
✔ANSWER✔-geographic range; realized niche
Determining the suitable habitat conditions for a species is called
_____ modeling. - ✔ANSWER✔-ecological niche
When a species is in danger of becoming extinct, scientists use
ecological niche modeling to assess where the species might have the
highest probability of successful reintroductions. What does ecological
niche modeling determine? - ✔ANSWER✔ecological envelope
What is the difference between a species' realized niche and its
ecological envelope? - ✔ANSWER✔-the realized niche is the range of
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conditions under which a species lives, whereas the ecological envelope
predicts the range of conditions under which a species can live.
Species with very large geographic ranges that can span several
continents are called - ✔ANSWER✔-cosmopolitan
The orange-breasted sunbird (Anthobaphes violacea) lives only in the
fynbos region in the Western Cape of South Africa. This is an example
of - ✔ANSWER✔-an endemic species
The number of individuals _____ best defines abundance. -
✔ANSWER✔-in a defined area
Which of these measurements is NOT an example of density? -
✔ANSWER✔-13 colonies per square meter
When there are direct interactions among individuals in a population,
_____ dispersion is favored. - ✔ANSWER✔-evenly spaced
What type of dispersion do many agricultural crops exhibit? -
✔ANSWER✔-even
Which dispersion should be favored among plants that compete
intraspecifically by casting shade? - ✔ANSWER✔-evenly spaced
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Populations whose individuals _____ favor clustered dispersion. -
✔ANSWER✔-live in social groups
How do dispersal and migration differ? - ✔ANSWER✔-Dispersal is
usually permanent, and migration is seasonal.
A researcher who wants to know how many tree seedlings are in a
1hectare site counts the number of seedlings within five 2square-meter
subplots and then calculates the average. This method of determining
the number of individuals in an area is known as a - ✔ANSWER✔-
survey
A researcher counts the number of individuals of a tree species between
two fixed points is making a(n) _____ survey. - ✔ANSWER✔-
linetransect
During the annual Christmas bird count conducted by the Audubon
Society, volunteers count the number of individuals of every bird
species they can see or hear within a 24-kilometer circle. This is an
example of a(n) _____ survey. - ✔ANSWER✔line-transect
The best way to quantify organisms that are well camouflaged is a(n)
_____ survey. - ✔ANSWER✔-mark-recapture