Ecology Midterm 1 Uvic QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | ALREADY GRADED A+ | LATEST Exam questions and answers 2026 GRADED A+

Ecology Midterm 1 Uvic QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS | ALREADY
GRADED A+ | LATEST Exam questions
and answers 2026 GRADED A+
Ecology is split into these five categories: - CORRECT ANSWERS Earth (Biosphere),
ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms.



Ecological genetics is the study of: - CORRECT ANSWERS genetic/phenotypic variability in
natural populations of plants and animals and the relationship to ecological processes.



A homozygote is _______ for a locus. ie: - CORRECT ANSWERS Monomorphic, ie. aa



A heterozygote is _______ for a locus. ie: - CORRECT ANSWERS Polymorphic, ie. ab



A locus is a: - CORRECT ANSWERS Gene



If the numbers in a populations size are low, what does this mean for variability? Why? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Variability will be low if population size is small. A decrease in alleles is found
and therefore less likely to find heterozygotes as individuals are more likely to mate with like individuals.



Increased homozygosity leads to increased: - CORRECT ANSWERS Mortality



Define minimum viable population (MVP). - CORRECT ANSWERS Retain 90% of genetic
variability after 200 years

,Define minimum viable area (MVA). - CORRECT ANSWERS Minimum land area required
to maintain genetic

variability after 200 years



Minimum population size for persistence of isolated populations is? - CORRECT ANSWERS
About 2500



Natural selection is the: - CORRECT ANSWERS Non-random and differential reproduction
of genotypes resulting in preservation of favourable variants



Adaptation is: - CORRECT ANSWERS Any physiological, morphological or behavioural
modification that enhances survival and reproductive success of an organism.



Evolution is defined as: - CORRECT ANSWERS 'serial change over time'

Or

'descent with modification'



Define anagenesis: - CORRECT ANSWERS Gradual change over time

-changing adaptations over time within a population



Define cladogenesis: - CORRECT ANSWERS The branching of lineages

and formation of new species



What leads to species diversity? - CORRECT ANSWERS Cladogenesis



Currently, the earth is thought to be the only planet in our solar system with life. One of the following
best describes when life began:

, a) Life did not originate on earth but elsewhere in the solar system

b) First life developed on earth 3 billion years ago

c) The oldest simple life forms on earth are 300 million years old

d) Life first evolved in the earth's oceans 100 million years ago

e) Simple cells with RNA are found in sedimentary rocks that are 800 billion years of age - CORRECT
ANSWERS b) First life developed on earth 3 billion years ago



The total number estimated for species on Earth is? - CORRECT ANSWERS About 8-100
million



What is the Optimal Foraging Theory? - CORRECT ANSWERS Optimizing food/prey by

a) preference for the greatest NET energy gain

b) feed selectively when food/prey is abundant

c) include low quality food/prey when profitable food/prey is scarce



Sodium is the: - CORRECT ANSWERS The primary extracellular ion with the major role in
body fluid volume, acid-base balance, tissue pH, muscle function, nerve synapse -daily loss from urine,
defecation, sweating



Terrestrial plants tend to be sodium deficient. Why? - CORRECT ANSWERS To limit
foraging by animals.



How do animals obtain sodium in their diet? - CORRECT ANSWERS By migrating.



In the Isle Royale, Lake Superior Moose example, the Moose had a diet of both terrestrial and aquatic
plants. Why? - CORRECT ANSWERS Terrestrial: High in calories but low in sodium

Aquatic: High in sodium but low in calories