DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS
1.
2.
The green alga Enteromorpha can coexist with its inferior competitor, Chondrus (a red
alga) in tide pools in the rocky intertidal zone in the presence of a predatory snail, Littorina.
You hypothesise that the coexistence is predator – mediated. Describe and discuss
observations that could be made and experiments that could be carried out to test your
hypothesis.
[20 Marks]
a. Define the following terms in ecology;
i.
Endangered species
[2 marks]
ii.
Vulnerable species
[2 marks]
iii.
Rare species
[2 marks]
iv.
Indeterminate species
[2 marks]
b. Which type of organisms do you think deserve priority in conservation efforts and why?
[4 marks]
c. What ecological information would you need in order to list a species as endangered?
[8 marks]
3. Describe the characteristics of fresh water aquatic communities
[20 marks]
4. Describe an experiment that supports each of the following elements of succession
a. Facilitation
[10 marks]
b. Inhibition
[10 marks]
5. Using suitable examples, discuss exponential and logistic growth models and their application
in ecology
[20 marks]
6. Describe the antipredator adaptations by both plants and animals. Support your answer with
appropriate examples.
[20 marks]
7. Describe the biotic and abiotic explanations of species richness gradient
[20 marks]
8. Describe experiments that were carried out to test Diversity-Stability Hypothesis.
[20 marks]
9. Outcome of competition is affected both by extrinsic agencies like weather and parasites and
by extrinsic properties like the genetic composition of the competing populations. Is this
statement true? Discuss with reference to any experiment that was carried out in ecology.
[20 marks]
10. Describe the effects of pollution on the natural environment
[20 marks]
11. a). Describe the factors which regulate population size of organisms
[12 marks]
b). How can predation bring about control in populations?
[8 marks]
12. Using suitable examples, discuss exponential and logistic growth models and their
application in ecology
[20 marks]
13.
If Agriculture on once –virgin tropical forest were to stop, how could you speed up the
process of secondary succession so that the forests returned?
[20 marks]
14. a). Describe the three types of life tables and the data used to construct such tables
[12 marks]
b). Using suitable diagrams, write a brief description of the survivorship curves used in
explaining survivorship of different organisms
[8 marks]
15. Many ecologists propose that disturbance keeps communities in a continuous state of flux,
rendering in mosaics of patches at different successional stages and preventing them from
ever achieving a state of equilibrium. Giving suitable examples, discuss this statement in
light of the Non-equilibrium model of succession, Dynamic equilibrium model and the
Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis.
[20
marks]
WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK!!!!!!
END OF PAPER