WILDLIFE BIOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Primary Succession - Answer-bare ground to a climax community, occurs in barren
region with no plant life, lacks soil and organic matter, very challenging for pioneer
community. Takes over 1,000 yrs
Stand - Answer-group of trees of similar age and structure. >2 hectares
landscape - Answer-heterogeneneous mosaic of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
at a large scale
Population - Answer-a group of individuals within a species in a given area at a
particular time
Succession - Answer-the orderly process of change in species composition and
community structure over time
Secondary Succession - Answer-subtle changes in vegetative communities, occurs
in previously inhabited but disturbed region,some plant life, some organic matter/soil,
surviving plants grow to form a pioneer community. 50-200 yrs
Disturbance - Answer-resets succession
Stages/seres of succession - Answer-Pioneer Stage (crabgrass) -->shrubs ---
>Climax stage (oak)
Pioneer Seres - Answer-•high production low biomiass= P/B =
high linear food chain b/c there are few players in the ecosystem
•High entropy( change introduction by disturbance) a lot of change
•Resilience stability (elastic able to bounce back from disturbance)
•Low symbiosis relationship that exists
Climax Seres - Answer-Lower (relative) productivity, high biomass= P/B low,
complex food webs, • Low entropy
• Resistance stability inelastic
• High symbiosis
Food Chain - Answer-Energy passing through trophic levels in an ecosystem
Ecological Pyramid - Answer-hierarchical description of trophic levels in the food web
and relative abundance
Trophic Level - Answer-members of the community who share a similar mode of
energy uptake
, Survival Strategies - Answer-members of communities possess characteristics that
are suited for their environment
Pioneer Species - Answer-• R selected species =high reproduction, shorter life, less
parental care, accelerated development, more flexible in habitat use
• Set for opportunity, shorter lived
Climax Species - Answer-• K selected species=carrying capacity, long lived, invest a
lot of energy in resources, lower reproduction, more parental care, delayed
development, less flexible in habitat use
Set for equilibrium and stability
Type 3 Survivorship Curve - Answer-R Selected Specie, die off immediately early in
life
Type 1 Survivorship Curve - Answer-K Selected Species, don't die off early in life
Type 2 Survivorship Curve - Answer-1 to 1 ratio
Density (Properties of Pops) - Answer-Unit area of volume
• Census: complete count of every individual with defined area
• Estimate: subsample (mean +SE)
• Index: relative comparison: actual number of animals not known. Easiest to collect,
not as precise
Dispersal (Properties of Pops) - Answer-movement of animal into and out of
population
DOES NOT RETURN TO ORIGINAL SITE
• Emmigration- leaving an area, reduce population size
• Immigration- entering new area, increase population size
• Salley: movement out of habitat w/ return
• Migration: long distance movement with seasonal returns
• Philopatry: love of home
Dispersion (Properties of Pops) - Answer-pattern of individuals in space and time
• Regular: (Uniformed) (Evenly distrib. Across landscape)
• Aggreagated (clumped) (animal moving and avoiding certain areas)
• Random: (no clue) THERE IS NO RANDOM COMPONENT
o A. either you don't know pattern
o B. where you are in successional pattern
Modern Conservation Movement (1986-present) - Answer-•1986- Society for
Conservation Biology is born
•new emphasis on biodiversity
•emphasis on landscape management, GIS, cataloging, T &E species, management
of small populations.
•landscape connectivity: landscape corridors, buffer zones, sustainability use are.
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Primary Succession - Answer-bare ground to a climax community, occurs in barren
region with no plant life, lacks soil and organic matter, very challenging for pioneer
community. Takes over 1,000 yrs
Stand - Answer-group of trees of similar age and structure. >2 hectares
landscape - Answer-heterogeneneous mosaic of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
at a large scale
Population - Answer-a group of individuals within a species in a given area at a
particular time
Succession - Answer-the orderly process of change in species composition and
community structure over time
Secondary Succession - Answer-subtle changes in vegetative communities, occurs
in previously inhabited but disturbed region,some plant life, some organic matter/soil,
surviving plants grow to form a pioneer community. 50-200 yrs
Disturbance - Answer-resets succession
Stages/seres of succession - Answer-Pioneer Stage (crabgrass) -->shrubs ---
>Climax stage (oak)
Pioneer Seres - Answer-•high production low biomiass= P/B =
high linear food chain b/c there are few players in the ecosystem
•High entropy( change introduction by disturbance) a lot of change
•Resilience stability (elastic able to bounce back from disturbance)
•Low symbiosis relationship that exists
Climax Seres - Answer-Lower (relative) productivity, high biomass= P/B low,
complex food webs, • Low entropy
• Resistance stability inelastic
• High symbiosis
Food Chain - Answer-Energy passing through trophic levels in an ecosystem
Ecological Pyramid - Answer-hierarchical description of trophic levels in the food web
and relative abundance
Trophic Level - Answer-members of the community who share a similar mode of
energy uptake
, Survival Strategies - Answer-members of communities possess characteristics that
are suited for their environment
Pioneer Species - Answer-• R selected species =high reproduction, shorter life, less
parental care, accelerated development, more flexible in habitat use
• Set for opportunity, shorter lived
Climax Species - Answer-• K selected species=carrying capacity, long lived, invest a
lot of energy in resources, lower reproduction, more parental care, delayed
development, less flexible in habitat use
Set for equilibrium and stability
Type 3 Survivorship Curve - Answer-R Selected Specie, die off immediately early in
life
Type 1 Survivorship Curve - Answer-K Selected Species, don't die off early in life
Type 2 Survivorship Curve - Answer-1 to 1 ratio
Density (Properties of Pops) - Answer-Unit area of volume
• Census: complete count of every individual with defined area
• Estimate: subsample (mean +SE)
• Index: relative comparison: actual number of animals not known. Easiest to collect,
not as precise
Dispersal (Properties of Pops) - Answer-movement of animal into and out of
population
DOES NOT RETURN TO ORIGINAL SITE
• Emmigration- leaving an area, reduce population size
• Immigration- entering new area, increase population size
• Salley: movement out of habitat w/ return
• Migration: long distance movement with seasonal returns
• Philopatry: love of home
Dispersion (Properties of Pops) - Answer-pattern of individuals in space and time
• Regular: (Uniformed) (Evenly distrib. Across landscape)
• Aggreagated (clumped) (animal moving and avoiding certain areas)
• Random: (no clue) THERE IS NO RANDOM COMPONENT
o A. either you don't know pattern
o B. where you are in successional pattern
Modern Conservation Movement (1986-present) - Answer-•1986- Society for
Conservation Biology is born
•new emphasis on biodiversity
•emphasis on landscape management, GIS, cataloging, T &E species, management
of small populations.
•landscape connectivity: landscape corridors, buffer zones, sustainability use are.
