Bio 120 exam 2 and final questions n
correct answers
Which of the following statements about the science of ecology are accurate?
It is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the interactions
between them and the environment.
Because it advocates "nature worship", the Supreme Court of the US has ruled that it should not
be taught in schools or at public universities.
Its primary goal is to save the environment from greedy corporations.
It is considered to be a "soft science" because ecologists do not conduct experiments. - correct
answer ✔✔ It is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the
interactions between them and the environment.
What is the most significant difference between logistic population growth and exponential
population growth?
Logistic growth is always faster than exponential growth
Logistic growth is episodic, exponential growth is continuous
both are equivalent, since neither applies in "the real world"
Logistic population growth includes a value for carrying capacity, K - correct answer ✔✔ Logistic
population growth includes a value for carrying capacity, K
From the laboratory, How to Read a Scientific Paper, in the paper we had you read, which
families of snakes were considered in the study?
this paper did not discuss snake families
iguanidae and agamidae
elapidae and viperidae
,colubridae and pythonidae - correct answer ✔✔ elapidae and viperidae
Regarding the Marquis and Whelan experiment presented in lecture, what was the major
conclusion?
By feeding on insects, birds are an important part of the "circle of life"
Excluding birds actually decreased the density of herbivorous insects in trees.
There is no point to any ecology experiment because so many variables cannot be controlled
Exclusion of birds increased the density of herbivorous birds, and their feeding damage to trees,
supporting the notion that birds are important agents controlling insect hebivores. - correct
answer ✔✔ Exclusion of birds increased the density of herbivorous birds, and their feeding
damage to trees, supporting the notion that birds are important agents controlling insect
hebivores.
Predators never drive their prey extinct, because then they would go extinct themselves. true or
false? - correct answer ✔✔ false
In which biome would you expect the highest biodiversity of vascular plants?
Tropical rainforest
desert
taiga
coniferous forest - correct answer ✔✔ Tropical Forest
Which of the following features were likely present in the most recent common ancestor of all
living things?
mitochondria
Ribosomes
a cell nucleus
A cell nucleus - correct answer ✔✔ Ribosomes
, Which of the following vegetation biomes would you expect to require the presence of fire,
grazing, drought, or mineral factors preventing the establishment of woody vegetation?
Grassland
desert
Tropical rainforest
Coniferous forest - correct answer ✔✔ Grassland
Uta stansburiana is a territorial species. Given that, which pattern of spatial dispersion would
you expect?
Uniform
Can't tell from this one fact about the lizard
Clumped
Random - correct answer ✔✔ Uniform
What is a realistic, pubished, scientific estimate for the TOTAL number of non-prokaryote
species on Earth (including undescribed species)?
8.7 million
7 billion
1 million
170,000 - correct answer ✔✔ 8.7 million
Which statements about biodiversity over the phanerozoic are accurate?
Much of what existed before had a purpose - to create a groundwork for the existence of
humans.
Diversity on earth peaked about a billion years ago and is in decline.
Only the strong survive
correct answers
Which of the following statements about the science of ecology are accurate?
It is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the interactions
between them and the environment.
Because it advocates "nature worship", the Supreme Court of the US has ruled that it should not
be taught in schools or at public universities.
Its primary goal is to save the environment from greedy corporations.
It is considered to be a "soft science" because ecologists do not conduct experiments. - correct
answer ✔✔ It is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the
interactions between them and the environment.
What is the most significant difference between logistic population growth and exponential
population growth?
Logistic growth is always faster than exponential growth
Logistic growth is episodic, exponential growth is continuous
both are equivalent, since neither applies in "the real world"
Logistic population growth includes a value for carrying capacity, K - correct answer ✔✔ Logistic
population growth includes a value for carrying capacity, K
From the laboratory, How to Read a Scientific Paper, in the paper we had you read, which
families of snakes were considered in the study?
this paper did not discuss snake families
iguanidae and agamidae
elapidae and viperidae
,colubridae and pythonidae - correct answer ✔✔ elapidae and viperidae
Regarding the Marquis and Whelan experiment presented in lecture, what was the major
conclusion?
By feeding on insects, birds are an important part of the "circle of life"
Excluding birds actually decreased the density of herbivorous insects in trees.
There is no point to any ecology experiment because so many variables cannot be controlled
Exclusion of birds increased the density of herbivorous birds, and their feeding damage to trees,
supporting the notion that birds are important agents controlling insect hebivores. - correct
answer ✔✔ Exclusion of birds increased the density of herbivorous birds, and their feeding
damage to trees, supporting the notion that birds are important agents controlling insect
hebivores.
Predators never drive their prey extinct, because then they would go extinct themselves. true or
false? - correct answer ✔✔ false
In which biome would you expect the highest biodiversity of vascular plants?
Tropical rainforest
desert
taiga
coniferous forest - correct answer ✔✔ Tropical Forest
Which of the following features were likely present in the most recent common ancestor of all
living things?
mitochondria
Ribosomes
a cell nucleus
A cell nucleus - correct answer ✔✔ Ribosomes
, Which of the following vegetation biomes would you expect to require the presence of fire,
grazing, drought, or mineral factors preventing the establishment of woody vegetation?
Grassland
desert
Tropical rainforest
Coniferous forest - correct answer ✔✔ Grassland
Uta stansburiana is a territorial species. Given that, which pattern of spatial dispersion would
you expect?
Uniform
Can't tell from this one fact about the lizard
Clumped
Random - correct answer ✔✔ Uniform
What is a realistic, pubished, scientific estimate for the TOTAL number of non-prokaryote
species on Earth (including undescribed species)?
8.7 million
7 billion
1 million
170,000 - correct answer ✔✔ 8.7 million
Which statements about biodiversity over the phanerozoic are accurate?
Much of what existed before had a purpose - to create a groundwork for the existence of
humans.
Diversity on earth peaked about a billion years ago and is in decline.
Only the strong survive
