Conserving Biodiversity
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Problem 1
Add labels to the figure that follows, which illustrates the interacting factors in a declining population that contribute to the extinction vortex.
- Compare and contrast the species interactions of mutualism, predation, and competition.
Problem 2
- A mass extinction . a. is global in scale; b. affects many different groups of organisms; c. is caused only by human activity; d. A and B are correct; e. A, B, and C are correct
Problem 3
- Current rates of species extinction appear to be approximately historical rates of extinction. a. equal to; b. 10 times lower than; c. 10 times higher than; d. 50 to 100 times higher than; e. 1000 to 10,000 times higher than
Problem 4
- According to the generalized species-area curve, when habitat is reduced to 50% of its original size, approximately of the species once present there will be lost. a. 10%; b. 25%; c. 50%; d. 90%; e. it is impossible to estimate the percentage
Problem 5
- Which cause of extinction results from humans' direct use of a species? a. overexploitation; b. habitat fragmentation; c. pollution; d. introduction of competitors or predators; e. global warming
Problem 6
Problem 7
The web of life refers to the . a. evolutionary relationships among living organisms; b. connections between species in an ecosystem; c. complicated nature of genetic variability; d. flow of information from parent to child; e. predatory effect of humans on the rest of the natural world
- Which of the following is an example of a mutualistic relationship? a. moles catching and eating earthworms from the moles' underground tunnels; b. cattails and reed canary grass growing together in wetland soils; c. cleaner fish removing and eating parasites from the teeth of sharks; d. Colorado potato beetles consuming potato plant leaves; e. more than one of the above
Problem 8
Problem 9
The risks faced by small populations include . a. erosion of genetic variability through genetic drift; b. decreased fitness of individuals as a result of inbreeding; c. increased risk of experiencing natural disasters; d. A and B are correct; e. A, B, and C are correct
- One advantage of preserving more than one population of an endangered species at more than one location is . a. a lower risk of extinction of the entire species if a catastrophe strikes one location; b. higher levels of inbreeding in each population; c. higher rates of genetic drift in each population; d. lower numbers of heterozygotes in each population; e. higher rates of habitat fragmentation in the different locations
Problem 10
- There are fewer lions in Africa's Serengeti than there are zebras. This is principally because . a. zebras tend to drive off lions; b. lions compete directly with cheetahs, whereas zebras do not have any competitors; c. zebras have mutualists that increase their population, whereas lions do not; d. there is less energy available in zebras to support the lion population than there is in grass to support the zebras; e. zebras are a keystone species, whereas lions are not
Problem 11
