Ecology Fundamentals and Environmental Management Quiz

Although John Muir, Rachel Carson, and Aldo Leopold are all influential figures in the environmental conservation movement, Ernst Haeckel is credited with first defining the term 'Ecology' in the late 19th century.

Ecology specifically focuses on the interactions between organisms and their environment, rather than weather, human behavior, or geology.

The California Sea Otter case highlights the importance of ecological understanding in terms of the impact of human activities on natural ecosystems. Hunting sea otters and harvesting kelp led to a decline in fish populations due to the loss of kelp forests.

The Nile Perch case highlights the negative impact of introducing a predator species without considering the ecological consequences. The introduction of Nile Perch led to a significant reduction in the overall available biomass for catch in Lake Victoria, emphasizing the importance of ecological understanding in such interventions.

In ecology, the levels of organization from lowest to highest are: Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem, and Biosphere. Each level represents a different scale of organization within the natural world.

Research questions about individuals in evolutionary biology often focus on traits related to survival and reproduction, as well as the role of individuals as the unit of natural selection. Other factors like environmental influences, genetic mutations, and social interactions are also important, but may not always be the primary focus of research on individuals.

Research questions about Communities often center around the interactions among populations to understand social dynamics and relationships.

Research questions about ecosystems often revolve around energy flux and nutrient cycling, as these processes play a crucial role in maintaining the balance and functioning of an ecosystem.

Research questions about the Biosphere often focus on global processes such as the carbon cycle, nutrient cycling, and interactions between different ecosystems around the world.

The correct approaches to studying ecology involve systematic methods such as observation, experimentation, and theoretical modeling. Guesswork, speculation, astrology, horoscopes, magic, and witchcraft are not considered valid or reliable scientific methods in the field of ecology.

The correct reasons for species absence in a location are primarily related to dispersal limitations, interactions with other species, and abiotic factors, not genetic mutations, lack of motivation, or alien abductions.

The Zebra Mussel case actually demonstrates how dispersal limitations can lead to its invasive nature once introduced to North America from Russia.

The Gypsy Moth case demonstrates how dispersal limitations can lead to invasive species when introduced to new environments, in this case from Europe to North America.

The correct answer highlights the impact of predation in limiting the population distribution of the Rat-Kangaroo species, specifically how the introduction of red foxes led to their elimination from mainland Australia.

The correct answer highlights the various factors demonstrated by the pigeon species in the Bismark Archipelago case, such as competition, priority effect, and the limitation of sustaining only one pigeon species on most islands.

The Priority Effect in ecology refers to the phenomenon where the first population to reach a new habitat or island gains an advantage in establishing itself over other populations.

The loblolly pine case demonstrates the significance of the physical environment in limiting the distribution of a population. The unsuitability of environments outside of the Southeastern US in terms of rainfall and winter temperatures highlights the importance of environmental factors in determining population distribution.

Transplant experiments help identify and understand the source of limitations in population distribution, such as factors that affect the survival or growth of transplanted organs or tissues.

The correct method for a transplant experiment involves three treatments as mentioned in the correct answer. The incorrect answers provided are either missing a treatment or including unnecessary treatments making them incorrect.

The correct answer outlines the possible results/conclusions of a transplantation experiment based on different limitations. Each incorrect answer presents a different limitation scenario with corresponding outcomes to test the understanding of transplantation experiment outcomes.

Abiotic factors are non-living components that can significantly influence ecosystems. In this case, precipitation and temperature are major abiotic factors affecting the environment and living organisms.

Density refers to the number of individuals per unit area or volume within a population, while diversity is the variety of species or genetic make-up, dispersion is the pattern of spacing among individuals, and mortality is the rate of death in a population.

Population density is directly affected by the number of births and immigrants coming into the population, which increase the total population within a given area. Factors such as deaths, emigration, weather patterns, and economic conditions can also influence population density, but do not necessarily lead to an increase in density.

Population density is the number of individuals in a given area. Factors such as death and emigration can lead to a decrease in population density by reducing the total number of individuals in that area.

Dispersion in biology refers to the distribution of individuals within a population, and how they are spread out relative to each other.

Dispersion refers to the pattern of spacing of individuals within a population. The correct types of dispersion are clumped, evenly spaced, and random. 'Uniform', 'Segregated', and 'Grouped' are incorrect options as they do not accurately describe different types of dispersion.