Ecology and Evolution - Fall 2005 Study Guide
This study guide is really just a collection of questions that may show up on the final exam. The test will be
comprehensive but this list of questions is not. Do not count on these exact questions showing up on the test.
Instead, study the concepts surrounding the issues within each question. In addition, material for the last
Quizzam (#7) is not covered in this study guide but will be on the test.
Do ecological studies support the idea of a balanced natural world that exists in a pristine state?
A) Yes, ecological studies support this idea.
B) No, ecological studies show historical variation in nature and the pervasive influence of human activities – nature is in non-equilibrium.
The word "ecology" is derived from the Greek oikos, which means: A) money or currency B) the ocean C) house D) root or origin
Who gave the word "ecology" its current broad meaning? A)
Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus
the German zoologist Ernst Haeckel B)the English naturalist Charles Darwin
C)
the
Gray whales feed in the Bering Sea, then migrate far to the south, reproducing in the Gulf of California. Feeding conditions in the Bering Sea influence the
reproductive success of these animals in their breeding area. Reproductive success, in turn, modifies the impact of the gray whale on marine ecosystems in
the Gulf of California. What important principle do these interlinked processes illustrate?
A) All ecosystems are ultimately linked together in a single biosphere.
B) All ecosystems are tightly bounded and poorly linked with other ecosystems.
It may be said that the approach taken by an ecologist to the study of the natural world depends on the level of ecological organization studied. For example, an
ecologist who takes the population approach to the study of ecology would most likely be interested in:
A) adaptations of individual organisms that suit them for life in their environment.
B) changes in numbers, resulting from births and deaths, of individuals belonging to a particular species in a particular place.
C) the number and relative abundances of species living in a particular place.
D) transport of energy and materials at the global scale.
Which of the following properties of water is most important in preventing the bottoms of large bodies of water (lakes and oceans) from freezing solid?
A)Water conducts heat rapidly. B)
Water is most dense at 4°C.
C)
Water is capable of dissolving a wide array of substances.
D)
Freezing of water requires the removal of 80 times as much heat as that needed to lower the temperature of the same quantity of water by 1°C.
Which is the photosynthetic reaction? Glucose is a sugar.
A) (sunlight +) water + glucose  carbon dioxide + oxygen
B) (sunlight +) water + carbon dioxide  glucose + oxygen
C) (sunlight +) oxygen + glucose  carbon dioxide + water
D) (sunlight +) oxygen + water  glucose + carbon dioxide
Which is the cellular respiration reaction? ATP is a molecule related to available energy.
A) water + glucose  carbon dioxide + oxygen (+ ATP)
B) water + carbon dioxide  glucose + oxygen (+ ATP)
C) oxygen + glucose  carbon dioxide + water (+ ATP)
D) oxygen + water  glucose + carbon dioxide (+ ATP)
This can be limiting to photosynthesis: A)carbon dioxide B) Oxygen C) Water D) sugar such as glucose E) A & C
Assemblages of organisms and their physical environments constitute which level of the ecological hierarchy? \ A) organism B) population C) community D)
ecosystem
T or F Mammals including humans (Homo sapiens) are dominant species of the planet because the group includes so many species compared to others.
T or F There are several species within the genus Homo.
Which of the following best relates the severity and frequency of natural events, such as storms or droughts?
A) Nothing is known about this relationship. B) The severity and frequency of these events are unrelated. C) The more severe the event, the less frequent it is. D)
The more severe the event, the more frequent it is.
In the scientific process, what is an hypothesis? A) an explanation B) an experiment
In the scientific process, what is a theory? A) a proven fact
D) an observation about the way the world works
C) an observation
D) a proven fact
B) a hypothesis that has an overwhelming amount of data supporting it
C) an educated guess
In class, I used examples of gravity, low precipitation, and freezing water temps to illustrate what point? A) a non-equilibrium nature B) pseudoscientific processes C)
Taxonomic hierarchical system of biology
How many biological “domains” are there? A) 1
B) 3
C) 5
D) thousands
Organisms have adaptations or have certain tolerances to extremes to get the chance to do what? A) Grow B) Reproduce C) Survive

the fundamental unit of evolution
Match:

A logical consequence of a hypothesis.
A) Organism

Change in the heritable traits of organisms over time.
B) Habitat

Place where an animal or plant normally lives; characterized by
C) Evolution
physical environmental features
D) Prediction

the fundamental unit of natural selection
E) Population
Why is water so important for life? A) basic ingredient in photosynthesis B) it is abundant on earth C) has unique thermal properties D) dissolves lots of nutrients
E) all of these
Which is not an important aspect of testing a hypothesis? A) Testable B) Not falsifiable C) Repeatable D) Based upon observation and question
These are all scientific theories except: A) Theory of Evolution
B) Theory of Global Warming
C) Intellegent Design D) Gene Ray’s Time Cube
Which generally requires the best environmental conditions.
A) Growth B) Survival
C) Reproduction
E) C & D
Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum (energy from sun) includes wavelengths that are longest (than 700 nanometers)?
A) infrared radiation (IR)
B) visible light (PAR) C) Ultravioloet light (UV)
D) x-rays
The energy content of electromagnetic radiation is related inversely or opposite to its wavelength. Which of the following kinds of electromagnetic radiation has the
highest energy?
A)
infrared radiation B) visible light C) ultraviolet radiation D) x-rays
Which are perceived as heat?
A)
infrared radiation
B) visible light
C) ultraviolet radiation
D) x-rays
Why are there now strict controls over the manufacture and release into the atmosphere of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)?
A) CFCs destroy ozone in the upper atmosphere, permitting greater penetration of harmful ultraviolet radiation.
B) CFCs absorb visible light entering the earth's upper atmosphere, resulting in a phenomenon know as "global cooling."
C) CFCs are extremely toxic to most organisms and cause severe respiratory problems in humans.
When we determine the change in heat content of an organism as a function of metabolism, evaporation of water, net radiation balance, and the net transfer of heat by
conduction and convection, what are we describing?
A)
the habitat of the organism
C)
the energy or heat budget of the organism
B) the niche of the organism
D) the food budget of the organism
The energy of incident solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth declines toward the poles from its maximum in equatorial regions. Why is this?
A) Cold air absorbs more solar radiation than warm air.
B)
A given amount of solar radiation is spread over a larger area at higher
latitudes.
C)
Solar radiation travels a longer path through the earth's atmosphere at higher latitudes.
D) Both A and B are true.
E)
Both B and C are true.
Which of the following increases as one moves poleward from the tropics?
B) mean annual temperature
D) all of the above
A)
length of the growing season C) seasonal range (variation) in temperatures
Why are areas in the tropics wetter (i.e., they receive more precipitation) than areas at higher latitudes – say, for example, the poles?
A) There is more water in tropical latitudes.
B)
Water cycles more rapidly through the tropical atmosphere.
C) More precipitation falls as snow at higher latitudes.
D)
The tropics are windier.
Air masses descending to the earth at approximately 30 degrees north and south of the equator create what conditions at the earth's surface?
A) arid (desert) climate D)
unusually constant temperature B) unusually high precipitation
E)
all of the above
C) unusually high snowfall
Which two features distinguish a coastal zone from the adjacent continental interior?
A) higher precipitation and lower temperature variation
B)
C) higher precipitation and higher temperature variation
D)
lower precipitation and lower temperature variation
lower precipitation and higher temperature variation
What kind of oceanic circulation would you predict for the western coasts of the continents?
A) cold currents moving from the equator poleward
B)
warm currents moving from the equator poleward
C) cold currents moving from the poles toward the equator
D)
warm currents moving from the poles toward the equator
Costa Rica is relatively close to the equator. It, like Panama, is divided from the Northwest to the Southeast by the Talamanca mountain range. Northeast and
Southwest of this range are slopes down to the Caribbean sea and Pacific ocean respectively. Which slope would you expect to be relatively dry due to a rainshadow
effect?
A) Caribbean
B) Pacific
Why is the water at the bottom of a temperate lake likely to be close to 4°C year-round?
A) Cooling water below 4°C requires enormous amounts of energy.
B)
C) Air temperatures in the temperate zone never fall below 4°C.
D)
It is impossible to cool water below 4°C.
Water is most dense at 4°C.
In Pennsylvania, on which slope face would you expect to find plants that tolerate drier, warmer conditions? A) North
B) South C) East
D) West
Many temperate lakes exhibit vertical mixing of surface and deeper waters, called overturn, twice annually. During which seasons does overturn occur?
A)winter and spring C)
fall and spring
B)
winter and summer D)
fall and summer
Species with a narrow range of environmental tolerance are called specialists. Those with a wide range of tolerance are called __________.
A) omnivores B) generalists C) opportunists D) transitional species
The similar appearances of unrelated seed-eating birds around the world are an example of __________.
A) convergence
B) cloning C) polymorphism
D) polygamy
Our ability to distinguish different biomes under similar conditions in different parts of the world depends primarily on which of the following factors that influence the
distributions of growth forms? A) unique evolutionary histories in different parts of the world B) chance events that prevent dispersal of organisms to
all parts of the world C) interactions among species D) the matching of growth form and environment
Where the distributions of various species of maple (sugar, red, black, and silver) overlap in eastern North America, the species exhibit distinctive preferences for local
environmental conditions. This is a reflection of differences in __________ of the species.
A) growth forms
B) convergences
C)
ecological tolerances
D) biomes
Reading. Small leaf size in desert plants facilitates:
to flowers by pollinators.
A) loss of heat by convection.
B) conservation of nutrients.
C) capture of rainwater.
D) visits
In Robert H. Whittaker's approach to relating terrestrial biomes and climatic variables, the principal biomes fall in a triangular area that does not include climates with:
A) high temperature and high precipitation B) high temperature and low precipitation C) low temperature and high precipitation D) low temperature
and low precipitation
Walter's climate diagrams allow us to identify any months that have water deficit. These are months in which:
A) temperature is above precipitation.
B) temperature does not go above 20°C.
C) precipitation is above temperature.
D) precipitation is equal to temperature.
Which of the following biomes is found commonly in eastern North America and southern Canada, and also in Europe and eastern Asia?
A) temperate seasonal forest biome
B) temperate rain forest biome
C) temperate grassland/desert biome
D) woodland/shrubland biome
Which of the following biomes is associated with a Mediterranean climate?
forest/savanna
D) boreal forest
A) subtropical desert biome B) woodland/shrubland biome
C) tropical seasonal
Reading. Forests dominated primarily by evergreen trees with abundant lianas and epiphytes are found in which of the following biomes?
A) tropical rain forest biome
B) tropical seasonal forest/savanna biome
C) subtropical desert biome
D) woodland/shrubland biome
With respect to the world’s biomes, North America is ________________.A) Diverse
The climate diagrams of Walter portray:
B) Not-diverse
A) evapotranspiration and precipitation. B) evapotranspiration and temperature. C) temperature and precipitation.
In which of the following biomes would you expect fire to play an important role in maintaining structure and function of the biological community?
A) tropical savanna biome B) Mediterranean woodland biome C) temperate grassland biome
D) temperate needle-leaved biome E) all of the above
Lakes are generally divided into zones, each of which has unique physical and biological attributes. In which of the following zones would you expect to find rooted
vegetation?
A)
littoral B) limnetic C) benthic D) all of the above
Which of the following is a characteristic of a typical estuary?
C)
It is edged by tidal marshes.
A)
D)
It is located at the mouth of a river. B)
It has a mix of fresh and salt water.
It is highly productive.
E) All of the above are true.
Which of the following oceanic zones extends to the edge of the continental shelf?
A)
littoral B) neritic C) oceanic
D) aphotic
In oceans, the biological productivity within the photic portion of the neritic zone is usually far greater than that within the photic portion of the oceanic zone. What
limits productivity in the oceanic zone?
A)
toxic substances introduced by human activities
B)
low temperatures
C) low nutrient levels
D)
low oxygen
Coral reefs are to open oceans as __________.
A)
tropical rain forests are to deserts B) deserts are to tropical rain forests
Plants, algae, and some bacteria capture the energy of sunlight and store it in chemical form. We refer to these organisms collectively as __________.
A) primary producers (autotrophs) C) primary consumers (herbivores) D) decomposers E) reducers
Which of the following ecosystems has a level of primary production similar to that of a tropical rain forest but does not necessarily have the biological diversity?
A) subtropical desert B)open ocean D) marsh
E) Mediterranean woodland
C) temperate grassland
The energy ingested by an organism minus the energy content of egested materials is referred to as __________.
A) respiration B) excreted energy C) net production
D) gross production E) assimilated energy
Who were these ecologists?
This ecologist was the first to promote the concept of the "food web". The concept focuses on feeding relationships as the links connecting the organisms of an
ecological system into a single functional entity.
This ecologist coined the term "ecosystem," recognizing that the biotas, plus their physical environment, constitute a fundamental level of ecological organization.
This ecologist was the first to apply thermodynamic principles to the study of ecological systems.
The concept of the ecosystem as an energy-transforming machine obeying thermodynamic principles was not widely accepted in the early part of the 20th century. It
was not until the 1940s that the work of this young aquatic ecologist, also drawing from other ecologists (in the list to the right) brought widespread attention
to this concept.
This ecologist promoted the “universal” model of energy transfer through ecosystems.
The ecological (food chain) efficiency relates the productivity of one trophic level to that of the trophic level supporting it. Which of the following is a typical range of
ecological efficiencies encountered in a variety of ecosystems?
A)
1–2% B) 5–20% C) 25–50% D) 50–100%
The ratio of energy channeled into net production (growth and reproduction) to the energy assimilated is the organism's net production efficiency. Which of the
following would you expect to have the highest net production efficiency?
A)
active, warm-blooded animals C)
active, cold-blooded
animals B)
sedentary, warm-blooded animals
D)
sedentary, cold-blooded animals
Tough question: which of the following is necessarily lower?
A)
net production efficiency B) gross production efficiency
Cows have lots of evolutionary adaptations for eating grass. Rumen, either internal (cow) or external (rabbit) are an evolutionary result of what?
A) low assimilation efficiency based upon dissimilarity between organisms at different trophic levels (cow eating grass).
B) high assimilation efficiency based upon the proximity of one trophic level and the next (cow eating grass).
Given what you know about transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next, what can you conclude about the potential food-chain length in natural ecosystems?
A) There is no limit to the number of trophic levels in a food chain.
B) There is an upper limit to the number of trophic levels in a food chain, probably around 4–5.
C)
There is an upper limit to the number of trophic levels in a food chain, probably around 10–20.
How can humans increase their food supply and reduce their ecological impact? A) by eating higher on the food chain
B) by eating lower on the food chain
Energy transformations in biological systems typically link assimilatory and dissimilatory processes. Which of the following is necessary for such transformations to
occur?
A)
The dissimilatory process must release less energy than that required by the assimilatory process.
B) The dissimilatory process must release more energy than that required by the assimilatory process.
C) The energy released by the dissimilatory process must exactly balance the energy required by the assimilatory process.
Most biological energy transformations are associated with the biochemical oxidation (add oxygen) and reduction (adding electrons usually in the form of hydrogen
such as one finds in a molecule of water) of which of the following elements?
A) sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium
B) copper, iron, aluminum, and manganese
C) carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur
T or F Energy flow in the ecosystem is recycled.
T or F Energy flow and chemical processes are tightly linked in an ecosystem.
T or F Evaporation rates are greater than precipitation rates over land.
Which of the following is by far the largest reservoir of water on earth? A)
rivers E) soil moisture
T or F Chemicals in ecosystems are recycled.
T or F Chemicals may be residents or contained for long periods of time.
T or F Evaporation rates are greater than precipitation rates over the ocean.
the oceans B) polar ice caps and glaciers
C) underground aquifers D) lakes and
Which of the following diets will lead to the greatest assimilation efficiency in herbivorous animals adapted to consuming such a diet?
A) decaying wood
B) seeds
C) grasses
D) branches and leaves of shrubs
Which of the following animals has the lowest net production efficiency? A) lizard
B) fish
C) hummingbird
D) cow
Which of the following biochemical reactions is an example of a dissimilatory process? A) oxidation of carbon in carbohydrate during respiration
B) reduction of carbon in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis
Which of the following is the smallest compartment of the water cycle? A) ice caps and glaciers B) underground aquifers C) lakes and rivers D) water vapor in the
atmosphere
The rivers and streams of the earth deliver a continuous flow of water to the oceans. This is possible because:
A) surplus oceanic water seeping into the centers of the continents must return to the oceans.
B) volcanic activity is constantly bringing "new" water to the surface of the earth.
C) there is a net transport via the atmosphere of water from the oceans to the land masses of the earth.
D) weathering of rocks "unlocks" water stored at the time the rocks were formed.
An individual giant red velvet mite emerges from its burrow in the sands of the Mojave Desert only once each year. What important functions does the mite perform
during such excursions? A) bathing and drinking, B) finding nesting material C) feeding and mating D) all of the above
Giant red velvet mites emerge from their burrows in the Mojave Desert on just a few days during each year, always during the cooler months. What factors make these
times of emergence favorable? A) Tolerable temperatures on the desert's surface
B) presence of their prey, desert termites
C) both A and B
Both the cases I used in class (of red velvet mites and the case of migratory birds either fattening-up or staying lean) are examples of ______.
costs of particular behavior
B) Old School Adaptation
C) New School Adaptation
A) Fitness
Early in the twentieth century, scale insects were serious pests in California citrus orchards. To which of the following control agents did the scale population evolve
resistance?
A) DDT
B) cyanide gas
C) lead arsenate
D) pyrethrin
The development of resistance to cyanide poisoning in California citrus scale is an excellent example of evolution by natural selection. Which of the following
characteristics of this situation were critical to the evolutionary process? A) There was variation in cyanide resistance among individuals. B) There was inheritance of
cyanide resistance. C) There were differences in fitness related to variation in cyanide resistance. D) All of the above were critical to the process
Natural selection is a process that continually "pushes" all organisms toward a predetermined goal, represented by perfection of all traits. A)True B) false
Which of the following is relevant to the evolutionary process? A) How fast rabbits can run B) whether running speed affects ability rabbits to leave offspring
It is often said that an individual phenotype is the product of both "nature and nurture." With respect to variability, an alternative way of stating this would be to say that
individuals are the products of their __________. Hint: remember the equation Vp = … A) Genotype and environment B) genotype and fitness C) phenotype and
fitness D) phenotype and genotype
The desert iguana spends most of the year in its burrow, venturing out for brief periods when soil surface temperatures are within a relatively narrow range between 3943°C. This limited range of conditions within which the animal ventures above ground is called its: A) Compensation point
B) equilibrium point C) activity
space
D) escape space
Who were these folks?
Linnaeus Buffon
Dobzhansky Lyell Lamarck
Darwin
Cuvier Hutton
Wallace Mendel Simpson
Mayr
Define: A) Adaptation B) Generic fitness C) Natural Selection D) Genetic fitness E) Genotype
Which of the following individuals helped to relax the life-is-fixed constraint? A) Buffon B) Darwin C) Wallace
D) All of these
Darwin was aboard the HMS _________ when he made many of his life-changing observations. A) English Prize B) Dawkins C) Fitzroy D) Weiner-schnitzel
E) Beagle
Which is likely to produce the tallestish phenotype.
A) shortish gene and great nutrition
B) tallish gene and poor nutrition C) tallish gene and great nutrition
Dolphin Badger
Frog Tuna
Phylogeny (Phylogenetic tree) Questions.
Dolphin and tuna have very similar phenotypes. This is likely a result of _____.
A) reversed evolution B) close common ancestry
C) special creation
D) convergent evolution
Which is true?
A) Frog is more closely related to dolphin than tuna
X
B) Frog is more closely related to tuna than dolphin
y
The X refers to the arrow on the left side of the phylogenetic tree figure. What does the arrow next to the “X” symbolize in the
picture? A) Space
B) Diversity of life
C) Fossil upheaval
D) Time
The “y” is pointing to two areas in the picture called nodes. What do those nodes represent?
A) Frogman and Tunaboy respectively
B) hypothetical ancestor of the group above it
C) Special cases where descendent species resulted from hybridization of species above it
D) Known common ancestors
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
T or F
Certain variants in phenotype incur their owner a relative reproductive advantage.
Allelic variation (i.e. genes associated with A, B, O blood typing) arises from natural selection.
Allelic variation (i.e. genes associated with A, B, O blood typing) arises from mutation.
Mutation may be caused by mechanisms internal to the organism.
Mutation may be caused by mechanisms external to the organism.
Most mutations are either harmful or neutral.
Evolution by natural selection is a random phenomenon.
Research on the desert iguana has demonstrated that this animal utilizes only a small portion of the full range of conditions available to it during a day or a year. This
limited range of conditions is referred to as the animal's __________. A)genotype B)phenotype C) activity space D)personal space E)microhabitat
Research on cactus wrens has shown that these birds exploit various microhabitats within their desert habitat during the course of a summer day. Of the following
microhabitats, which would have the highest usage around noon on a midsummer day? A)exposed ground in full sun
B)branches of a small shrub in
partial shade C)upper branches of a cactus in full sun D)lower branches of a cactus in partial shade E)lower branches of a large shrub in full shade
Acclimation is: A) reversible
B) irreversible
C) sometimes reversible and sometimes irreversible
You have recently produced clones (genetically identical) of a particular goldfish genotype. This genotype is found in nature in habitats where the water temperature is
typically about 25°C. Two of these cloned individuals, A and B, are raised under identical conditions at 25°C. Goldfish A is then acclimated to a water
temperature of 5°C, while goldfish B is left at 25°C. Each goldfish is then evaluated for swimming speed at the temperature at which it was acclimated.
Which fish swims faster?
A)
goldfish A B) goldfish B C) Swimming speed is equivalent in both goldfish.
Which of the following British biologists first placed the clutch size (of birds) in an evolutionary context? A)J. P. Grime B) Charles Darwin
A.G. Tansley
C) David Lack
D)
A female African elephant produces a single offspring at intervals of several years, caring for her young for an extended period before reproducing again. The
elephant's reproductive life history is referred to as:
A) semelparous B) iteroparous C) oddparous D) evenparous E) nonparous
Humans are generally considered to be: A) semelparous B) iteroparous C) oddparous D) evenparous E) nonparous
The larvae of swallowtail butterflies (genetically similar ones) are capable of surviving and growing over a range of temperatures. They exhibit faster growth as the
environmental temperature increases. The responsiveness of the larval phenotype to a range of environmental temperatures is referred to as:
A)a genotype-environment interaction. D)evolutionary fitness. B)phenotypic plasticity (reaction norm). E) none of the above C)variation in fecundity.
Consider an oak tree. By breeding at an earlier age, the oak will reap the obvious benefit of increased fecundity at that age. Is there any potential cost associated with
breeding at an earlier age?
A)
There is no cost associated with breeding at an earlier age.
B) Yes, there is a cost: reduced survival to
older ages.
C)
Yes, there is a cost: reduced fecundity at older ages.
D) Both A and B are reasonable expectations.
E) Both B and C are reasonable expectations.
Consider the same oak. By producing more offspring at any particular age, the oak may reap an increased fecundity at that age. Is there any potential cost associated
with increasing number of offspring at any one reproductive event?
A) There is no cost associated with this B)
Yes, there is a cost: reduced nutrients to adult. C)
Yes, there is a cost: reduced survivorship of
each.
D)
Both A and B are reasonable expectations. E)
Both B and C are reasonable expectations.
Storm-petrels live 30 to 40 years. Thrushes rarely live beyond 3 to 4 years. Even if you knew nothing more about the life histories of these two species, could you
make an educated guess about which species has the longer prereproductive (pre-maturity) period?
A) No, information about maximum age is insufficient background for an educated guess.
B) Yes, the longer-lived species (storm-petrel) probably has the longer prereproductive period.
C) Yes, the shorter-lived species (thrush) probably has the longer prereproductive period.
Define: Migration
Microenvironment
Acclimation Microhabitat
Activity Space
Tropical songbirds tend to lay __________ eggs per clutch than (as) their counterparts at higher latitudes. A) more
C) the same number of
D) fewer
B) sometimes more, sometimes fewer
Researchers have experimentally manipulated the number of eggs per clutch of various songbirds. When they did this with magpies, which normally lay a clutch of 7
eggs, they found that the number of young fledged was largest for birds with __________ per clutch. A) 5 eggs B) 6 eggs C) 7 eggs D) 8 eggs
Which of the following life history components refers specifically to the number of episodes of reproduction? A) maturity B) parity C) fecundity D) aging
Below is a list of various bird groups, with their typical age at maturity (in years). Which of these would you expect to have the greatest annual survival?
A) songbirds (1 year) B) owls (2 years)
C) gulls and terns (3-5 years)
D) albatrosses (9-10 years)
Agaves are fascinating plants, growing for many years before producing massive floral displays, setting fruit, and dying. Which of the following hypotheses represents
a plausible explanation for this life history? A) Agaves benefit from this life history by timing reproduction to match very favorable years.
B) Agaves benefit from this life history because adult survival is relatively low and the interval between
good years for reproduction is long.
C) Agaves benefit from this life history because massive floral displays may favor plants that put all their effort into one reproductive episode.
D) All of the above are plausible.
Metabolic Rate
Define the different aspects of this graph
Outside Temperature
Concept of renewal and future value is directly related to fitness because fitness includes not just the next generation but future generations. It is very similar to putting
money in a savings account. Here is one equation that can be used to calculate either.FV = P(1+r)n The “interest rate” (r) in the equation is related to what?
A) how fast your children grow B) how fast your children reproduce
C) having children produce children produce children, etc.
True (A) or False (B). Energy allocated for one life history function can be used also for another function.
Porcelin crabs that live in relatively harsh environments show _________________ evolutionary adaptations that are the result of long term acclimatization. A)
physiological
B) morphological
C) biochemical
D) could be any of these.
Which ecologist would have said something like this: “I feel that one can express the niche of a species as the multidimentional hypervolume of all of its environmental
ranges and/or requirements”.
A) Joe Grinnell
B) Charles Elton
C) G. E. Hutchinson
Look at these data of a cohort (all born at the same time) of squirrels that were followed over 6 years.
Age
Number surviving
Born
535
1
120
2
100
3
85
4
50
5
25
6
10
What type of survivorship curve does this squirrel cohort exhibit? A) Type I B) Type II C) Type III
Natural selection is a process that continually "pushes" all organisms toward a predetermined goal, represented by perfection of all traits.
false
What do the following elements in the life table mean?
Define: types of selection: directional, diversifying or disruptive,
stabilizing, frequency-dependent, define: density dependence, density
dependence
Age Class (x)
0
1
2
3
4
nx
100
50
25
12
0
lx
0.1
#3
0.025
0.012
0
mx
#4
25
13
12
0
A)
Lx
75
37.5
18.5
6
Tx
#5
62
24.5
6
True B)
ex
1.83
1.65
1.32
1
T or F Selection can lead to speciation.
T or F Microevolution can
lead to macroevolution.
T or F Microevolution can lead to speciation.
T or F There is only one definition of a species. T or F Humans are prosimians. T or F Prosimians are primates. T or F Humans are primates.
Be able to graph these: types of selection, types of evolution (cladistic, anagenic)
How Do New World monkeys differ from Old World Monkeys?
Which anthropoid is most closely related to humans? Old World monkeys
Which of these primates is a prosimian? galago (bush baby)
B) Orangutans
B) spider monkey
C) Chimpanzees
C) baboon D) chimpanzee
D) Gorillas
E) Gibbons
E) gorilla
Which of these gives the correct order of divergence from the main line of descent leading to humans?
A) prosimians, monkeys, gibbons, orangutans, African apes, humans
B) gibbons, orangutans, prosimians, monkeys, African apes, humans
C) monkeys, gibbons, prosimians, African apes, orangutans, humans
D) African apes, gibbons, monkeys, orangutans, prosimians, humans
What is closest date of the hypothesized evolutionary divergence of Humans from the rest of the great apes?
What is the closest date of the hypothesized evolutionary divergence between the prosimians and the rest of the primates?
Kaibab Squirrel (north rim of grand canyon) and Abert’s Squirrel (south rim) are probably a result of ______________________.
B) Sympatric Speciation
C) Competitive Displacement
D) “Snap-shot” life table dynamics
A) Allopatric speciation
Speciation of Kaibab squirrel and Abert’s Squirrel from a common ancestor is probably a result of___. Pre or postzygotic isolating mechanism
The Missouri state mammal is the majestic Mule. Mules are _________________, making them a great example of _________________.
A) inviable; prezygotic isolating mechanism B) sterile; postzygotic isolating mechanism
C) a fantasy beast with a horn; a version of the narwhal on land
D) sterile, behavioral isolating mechanism
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