Chapter 01
An Introduction to Ecology

Multiple Choice Questions
 
1. What factor is promoting new diseases that are driving the Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus sp.) to extinction? 
A. deforestation
B. new predators
C. climate change
D. introduced species
E. water pollution

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: CO
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
2. The Panamanian golden frog is in decline from what specific threat? 
A. a virus
B. a fungus
C. an introduced competitor
D. an introduced protist
E. overharvesting

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: CO
Topic: Introductory Ecology

3. Ecology 
A. requires the study of plants.
B. is the study of the environment.
C. primarily studies animals.
D. works for the good of the environment.
E. includes the study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.01
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
4. The abiotic components of a forest include 
A. trees and water.
B. microbes and soil.
C. animals and climate.
D. soil salinity and pH.
E. plans and pollinators.

Bloom's Level: Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.01
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
5.  Populations are best defined as  
A.  all members of a species. 
B.  all organisms found in an environment. 
C.  communities of individuals 
D.  families. 
E.  groups of interbreeding individuals. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.01
Topic: Introductory Ecology

6. The study of species interactions includes 
A. predation, parasitism and herbivory.
B. environmental science.
C. climate change.
D. physical ecology.
E. invasive species.

Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.01
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
7.  Patterns of species change and succession are one focus of  
A.  behavioral ecology. 
B.  environmental science. 
C.  biological control. 
D.  community ecology. 
E.  physiological ecology. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.01
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
8.  Invasive Eurasian grass species can outcompete native North American grasses through  
A.  secretion of allelochemicals. 
B.  producing more viable seeds. 
C.  producing seeds year-round. 
D.  avoiding grazing animals. 
E.  faster seed germination. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.01
Topic: Introductory Ecology

9.  List in order of scale, from the smallest to the greatest  
A.  organismal 
B.  population 
C.  community 
D.  ecosystems 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.02
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
10.  Forest tent caterpillars lay down silk trails between their tent and the leaves to:  
A.  relocate the leaves. 
B.  attract colony mates. 
C.  deter predators. 
D.  a and b 
E.  All of the above 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.02
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
11.  Global change encompasses  
A.  habitat destruction. 
B.  the introduction of invasive species. 
C.  direct exploitation. 
D.  the addition of pollutants to the environment. 
E.  All of these. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology

12.  The average span of a species in the fossil record is  
A.  1 million years 
B.  4 million years 
C.  10 million years 
D.  20 million years 
E.  100 million years 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
13. Why is knowing the average life span of a species in the fossil record important? 
A. to calculate the current extinction rate.
B. to determine the speciation rate.
C. to determine whether the current extinction rate is greater than the historic extinction rate.
D. to determine whether the current speciation rate is greater than the historic speciation rate.
E. to compare the current extinction and speciation rates.

Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
14.  E. O. Wilson has referred to the threats of life on Earth with the acronym  
A.  RHINO 
B.  LION 
C.  HIPPO 
D.  FISH 
E.  SHARK 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology

15. Which is not an example of habitat loss? 
A. swamp drainage
B. deforestation
C. strip mining
D. overharvesting
E. river channelization

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
16. The Ivory Billed Woodpecker was widely assumed to have gone extinct because of 
A. habitat destruction.
B. overharvesting.
C. draining of swamps.
D. introduced avian malaria.
E. DDT.

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
17.  The passenger Pigeon was widely assumed to have gone extinct because of  
A.  habitat destruction. 
B.  overharvesting. 
C.  invasive species. 
D.  pollution. 
E.  All of these. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology

18.  Common gaseous pollutants into the atmosphere include  
A.  carbon dioxide. 
B.  carbon monoxide. 
C.  sulfur dioxide. 
D.  nitrogen oxide. 
E.  All of these. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
19.  The organisms most threatened with extinction are now believed to be the  
A.  birds. 
B.  fish. 
C.  amphibians. 
D.  mammals. 
E.  reptiles. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
20.  The greatest threat to most species is  
A.  habitat destruction. 
B.  invasive species. 
C.  pollution. 
D.  direct exploitation. 
E.  None of these. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology

 

Ranking Questions

21.  Rank the following items in their correct order (Fig. 1.10).  
3   increase in Peromyscus mouse population 
4   increased risk of hantavirus in humans 
1   increase in invasive knapweed 
2   increase in gall fly biocontrol agents 

Multiple Choice Questions
 
22.  What is replication in scientific inquiry?  
A.  Asking several different hypotheses at once. 
B.  Testing both biotic and abiotic factors. 
C.  Finding different species for experiments. 
D.  Performing experiments several times. 
E.  Having a well defined time frame for experiments. 

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.04
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
23. You wish to investigate the effects of predatory animals on the number of invertebrates on an intertidal rock face, by mans of an experiment. The most appropriate method would be 
A. a laboratory experiment.
B. a field experiment.
C. a natural experiment

Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.04
Topic: Introductory Ecology

 

Ranking Questions
 
24.  Rank the following items in their correct order.  
4   data analysis 
2   hypothesis formation 
5   hypothesis acceptance 
3   hypothesis testing 
1   observation 

True / False Questions
 
25.  The interactions among living organisms are called biotic interactions.  
TRUE

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.01
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
26.  Ecologists generally believe that, for any given habitat, species poor communities function better than species rich communities.  
FALSE

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.02
Topic: Introductory Ecology

27.  The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that in each energy transformation free energy is reduced because heat energy is lost from the system.  
TRUE

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.02
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
28.  Of Central American rainforest frogs, S. Alan Pounds said "Climate change is the bullet killing frogs but disease is pulling the trigger."  
FALSE

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
29.  Ecology is the application of environmental science to real world problems.  
FALSE

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
30.  An ecosystem needs a recurring input of energy from an extended source to sustain itself.  
TRUE

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology

31. Increasing atmospheric CO2 will increase ocean pH. 
FALSE

Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology
 
32.  Field experiments are usually conducted on larger scales than laboratory experiments.  
TRUE

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.04
Topic: Introductory Ecology

Matching Questions
 
33. Match the following terms with their definition 
1. behavioral ecology
 	     considers how organisms have evolved to live in their environment
 	  2 	
2. evolutionary ecology
 	     focuses on how the behavior of an organism contributes to its survival
 	  1 	
3. population ecology
 	     investigates how organisms are adapted to their environment
 	  4 	
4. physiological ecology
 	     focuses on the number of individuals in an area and how they reproduce and grow in numbers
 	  3 	

Bloom's Level: 2. Understand
Learning Outcome: 01.02
Topic: Introductory Ecology

34. Match the following elements of global change with their results 
1. direct exploitation
 	     reduction of organismal abundance and genetic diversity
 	  2 	
2. habitat destruction
 	     predation, parasitism, or competition with native species
 	  3 	
3. invasive species
 	     hunting, harvesting and collecting
 	  1 	
4. release of pollutants
 	     direct and indirect mortality over a range of scales from local to global
 	  4 	

Bloom's Level: 1. Remember
Learning Outcome: 01.03
Topic: Introductory Ecology