Ecology Chapter 12

When each of two species benefits from their interaction, the relationship is referred to as ________.

mutualism

When one species reduces or adversely affects the population of another, but the affected species has no influence in return, the relationship is referred to as ________.

amensalism

When one species feeds on another prey species, typically killing it, the relationship between the two interacting species is referred to as ________.

predation

When the interaction is detrimental to the population of both species (- -), it is referred to as ________.

competition

When individuals of two species interact, the nature of the interaction can be classified qualitatively as positive, negative, or ________.

neutral

______ occurs when two species undergo reciprocal evolutionary change through natural selection.

Coevolution

Under certain conditions, ________ fungi live in the roots of many species of plants and have a mutually beneficial relationship with the plants.

mycorrhizal

The process in which a network of species undergoes reciprocal evolutionary change through natural selection is referred to as ________.

diffuse coevolution

The range of physical and chemical conditions under which each species can persist (survive and reproduce) and the array of essential resources it utilizes are referred to as its ecological ________.

niche

The ________ niche is the portion of a fundamental niche in which species can exploit as a result of interactions with other species.

realized

When the trunk or limb of a tree provides the substrate on which an epiphytic orchid grows, the arrangement benefits the orchid, which gets nutrients from the air and moisture from aerial roots, while the tree is unaffected. The relationship is referred t

commensalism

When the relationship between two interacting species is detrimental to the populations of both species, the interaction is referred to as
A) parasitism.
B) mutualism.
C) competition.
D) amensalism.

competition

Which of the following interactions would be considered predation?
A) + -
B) + 0
C) - -
D) - 0

+-

A remora feeds on the scraps that escape from a shark's mouth while feeding. It has no clear positive or negative impact on the shark. This is an example of
A) competition.
B) commensalism.
C) amensalism.
D) neutral.

commensalism

What is the difference between a parasite and a parasitoid?
A) A parasite is larger.
B) A parasitoid is harmless to the host.
C) A parasite has only one host.
D) A parasitoid typically always kill its host.

A parasitoid typically always kill its host

The carrying capacity for species 1 is 1000 and for its competitor, species 2, it is 500. What is the maximum abundance of species 1 if 250 of species 2 coexists with it?
A) 250
B) 1000
C) 500
D) 1250

500

As predators feed on prey, prey abundances decrease over time. This is predicted to result in a(n)
A) increase in predator abundance.
B) decrease in predator abundance.
C) no change in predator abundance.
D) increase in predator size.

decrease in predator abundance

Owl species A has a carrying capacity of 2000, while another owl species B has a carrying capacity of 200. What is the logical conclusion of this?
A) Species A is larger than B.
B) Species B uses more resources per individual.
C) Species A uses more habit

Species B uses more resources per individual

As the population of a predator increases, the
A) population of the prey species decreases.
B) birthrate of the prey species increases.
C) mortality rate of the prey species decreases.
D) proportion of the prey population that is captured and consumed dec

population of the prey species decreases

Which of the following has the strongest impact on species 1 population size? N2 =
A) 0.
B) 250.
C) 500.
D) 750.

750

When a species of bird preys upon the seeds of a plant and favors the smallest seeds,
A) the prey species functions as an agent of natural selection on the predator.
B) natural selection favors individual plants that produce the largest seeds.
C) the plan

natural selection favors individual plants that produce the largest seeds

The length of a butterfly tongue perfectly matches the nectar tube of a flower it pollinates. This is an example of
A) competition.
B) amensalism.
C) phenotypic plasticity.
D) coevolution.

coevolution

What might happen over time if two bird species competed for the same seed resource and one preferred larger seeds while the other species preferred smaller ones?
A) Species would repeatedly switch between small and large seeds.
B) Beak sizes might shift

Beak sizes might shift over time.

Hummingbirds are attracted to red flowers with long tubes. What might you predict would happen to flowers if hummingbirds become the predominant species on a remote island?
A) Flowers would become gradually more red.
B) Flowers would develop shorter tubes

Flowers would become gradually more red

On a dare, a student challenges another student to lick a California newt (Taricha torosa). From which population of newts should the student grab an individual to reduce his or her risk of a toxic dose?
A) from a population with no garter snakes
B) from

from a population with no garter snakes

The neurotoxin that Taricha spp. possess to ward off predators is
A) TTG.
B) taricha venom.
C) tetrodotoxin.
D) thamnophis poison.

tetrodotoxin

In an area with high soil nutrient availability, mycorrhizal fungi are
A) commensal.
B) competitive.
C) parasitic.
D) neutral.

parasitic

Mycorrhizal fungi have a mutually beneficial relationship with plants in environments with soils that
A) are saturated with water.
B) have a high clay content.
C) are acidic.
D) are low in nutrients.

are low in nutrients

The red line in the figure (the furthest to the right) represents
A) low-toxicity Taricha individuals.
B) high-toxicity Taricha individuals.
C) highly vulnerable garter snake population.
D) highly resistant garter snake population.

highly resistant garter snake population

In most plant-pollinator interactions, plants species are pollinated by
A) one animal species, and each animal species pollinates one plant species.
B) one animal species, and each animal species pollinates multiple plant species.
C) multiple animal speci

multiple animal species, and each animal species pollinates multiple plant species

A food web is a better representation of a community than a food chain because most interactions among organisms
A) are specialized between particular individuals.
B) are diffuse across a range of contexts.
C) are limited to trophic levels.
D) are related

are diffuse across a range of contexts

A flower is not ideally matched with a pollinator that visits it daily. Why might that be?
A) The flower does not need pollination.
B) The flower is imperfect.
C) The flower does not have sufficient nutrients.
D) The flower has several other pollinators w

The flower has several other pollinators with differing traits

An invasive bullfrog consumes a Taricha newt and dies immediately. What can you say about the toxin?
A) It is toxic to general vertebrate predators.
B) It is specifically toxic only to the garter snake.
C) It likely evolved to kill the bullfrog as well af

It is toxic to general vertebrate predators

An ecological niche is typically ________ dimension/s.
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) an unspecified number of

an unspecified number of

A species of cattail inhabits both deep and shallow water in the absence of a competitor but only shallow water in the presence of it. This is an example of
A) a realized niche.
B) a fundamental niche.
C) carrying capacity.
D) coevolution.

a realized niche.

The concept of the niche was initially developed by
A) Hutchinson.
B) Brodie.
C) Wetzel.
D) Grinnell.

Grinnell

A realized niche can be larger than a fundamental niche
A) never.
B) when a competitor is present.
C) when abiotic conditions improve.
D) when a commensal species expands another's niche space.

when a commensal species expands another's niche space

Two species of cattail (Typha) live in shallow water along the shoreline of ponds. Although T. agustifolia can live by itself in water 0-20 cm deep, in the presence of T. latifolia, it occurs only in water > 20 cm deep, whereas T. latifolia occurs in shal

realized niche

The process whereby one species gives rise to several others that exploit different features of the environment is known as
A) exponential growth.
B) coevolution.
C) adaptive radiation.
D) competition.

adaptive radiation

Adaptive radiation is often the result of
A) lack of predation.
B) excess nutrients.
C) resource competition.
D) abiotic factors.

resource competition

The globeflower can host
A) at least six coexisting species.
B) a single coevolved species.
C) three different coexisting species.
D) not a single insect species.

at least six coexisting species

What does the following formula represent? dN1/dt = r1N1(1 - (N1 + N2)/K1)
A) population growth of species 1 in absence of species 2
B) population growth of species 1 in presence of species 2
C) carrying capacity of species 1 in absence of species 2
D) po

population growth of species 1 in presence of species 2

As two competing species approach their respective carrying capacities, the growth rate of the other species
A) accelerates.
B) is unaffected.
C) is doubled.
D) slows down.

slows down

Urbanization impacts
A) all species positively.
B) all species negatively.
C) most species negatively, but a few positively.
D) most species positively, but a few negatively.

most species negatively, but a few positively

In comparison to desert habitats, urban landscapes on average have a
A) higher number of bird species.
B) lower number of bird species.
C) similar number of bird species.
D) the same type of bird species.

lower number of bird species