Quiz 2: Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology - due Thursday

Sept. 26, 2024

Due Sep 26 at 9p.m.
Points 30
Questions 30
Available Sep 24 at 8p.m. - Sep 26 at 9p.m.
Time Limit 40 Minutes

Instructions
Purpose:
To give students the opportunity to test their understanding of the concepts and information presented in:

(1) Week 2-Lecture 3: Biodiversity, Evolution and Extinction (in-person Lecture 3)

(2) Week 2-Lecture 4: Ecology (Populations, Communities and Ecosystems) (recorded Lecture-4 videos)

Preparation:
Before attempting Quiz 2, students should:

(1) review the in-person lecture for Week 2 (Lecture 3 (https://learn.ontariotechu.ca/courses/30494/pages/lecture-

3-in-person-biodiversity-evolution-and-extinction) ), which involves the in-class slides (no video);

(2) review the recorded lecture for Week 3 (Lecture 4 (https://learn.ontariotechu.ca/courses/30494/pages/lecture-4-

recorded-ecology-populations-communities-ecosystems) ), which involves 3 videos;

Make their own notes when watching the videos and fill in any missing information. Remember the completed
Powerpoint slides can be viewed in the videos (annotated Powerpoint slides will not be posted after lectures).

(3) review the the textbook chapter and other resources (available at the link below) to supplement their
understanding of the lecture content:

Textbook Chapter with Assigned Reading for Week 2 and Quiz 2 (not testable)
(https://learn.ontariotechu.ca/courses/30494/pages/resources-for-week-2)

Note: There are no assigned readings from the textbook chapter for Week 2 and Quiz 2

Students may use their notes, lecture slides and textbook chapter for this open book quiz.

Format:
Students

will have 40 minutes to complete the 30 questions (multiple-choice, true/false);

must complete the quiz in one sitting (no option to stop and resume); this Quiz will not be proctored;
 will have only one attempt to complete this quiz; do not open the quiz to check out the questions before
starting the one attempt as this will count as your attempt and you will receive a low mark or a mark of zero
for this quiz;
should contact the instructor Mary Olaveson through Canvas email if they experience any problems;
NOTE: no considerations will be given if students experience technical problems in the two hours
before the deadline
must submit the quiz by the deadline (Thursday January 25, 2024 by 9:00 p.m.);
will be able to see their mark after it is released in the "Grades" tab; grades will be released within 48 hours
of the quiz deadline (unless otherwise noted).

Instructions for Quiz 2:

When you are ready, you can start Quiz 2 (available in Week 2 Module and from the links on the Navigation Guide
under "Quiz Schedule").

The quiz will close automatically after 40 minutes and your mark will be based on the number of correct
answers that you have submitted up to that point.

Follow the instructions below to avoid technical issues:

Make sure that your device (e.g. computer, laptop, phone, etc.) is charged and/or that you have access to your
charger;
If you are not sure about the reliability or stability of your wireless access, consider using a hard-wired ethernet
connection so that you will not experience any interruptions or other technical issues;
Use Chrome as your browser instead of any other browser options;
Clear the cache (or history) for your browser before starting the quiz;
Do not to flip back-and-forth between tabs open on your browser as you may lose access to the quiz questions
and there will be no option to start the Quiz over again.
This quiz was locked Sep 26 at 9p.m..

Attempt History
Attempt Time Score
LATEST Attempt 1 32 minutes 29 out of 30

Score for this quiz: 29 out of 30

Submitted Sep 25 at 10:32a.m.
This attempt took 32 minutes.

Question 1
0 / 1 pts
What is the most likely location of a biodiversity hotspot?
prairie grasslands
You Answered
ocean
tundra
 boreal forest
Correct Answer
islands

Question 2
1 / 1 pts
Which of the following could be a significant economic benefit of protecting biodiversity in rain
forests and coral reefs?
Correct!
the production of chemicals to manufacture medicines
the inclusion of ecosystem services to find real costs of products
the enjoyment of a natural areas for recreation
the improvement in the quality of life of more people
the appreciation of a beautiful natural landscapes

Question 3
1 / 1 pts
The highest species diversity is found in which of the following groups?
bacteria
animals
Correct!
insects
plants
fungi

Question 4
1 / 1 pts
Several factors contribute to the endangerment of species, including all of the following except
Correct!
diversification of genes
pollution
overharvesting
anthropogenic climate change
habitat destruction
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Question 5
1 / 1 pts
European rabbits were introduced into Australia and quickly spread, reproduced, and became a
major pest species. They eat up to $600 million worth of food and pasture crops annually, and
have damaged the populations of many native plants and the populations of animals that eat the
plants. Twice in the past 50 years, rabbit diseases have been introduced to try to control the
population, with some success. This is a case where
habitat alteration resulted in decreased biodiversity
a keystone species has caused overharvesting
Correct!
an invasive species has reduced the genetic diversity of the native species
an extirpation has occurred
climate change has decreased the genetic diversity of indigenous or native species
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Question 6
1 / 1 pts
Which of the following statements is true?
Natural selection always favors complexity and a larger body size.
Correct!
Species on Earth today are just a fraction of all species that have ever lived.
The number of species existing at one time has decreased throughout history.
Most organisms present early in Earth's prehistory were more complex than modern organisms.
Extinctions of past species have always happened gradually and on a small scale.
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Question 7
1 / 1 pts
What is biodiversity?
a field of study that focuses on humans and their interactions with the environment
Correct!
the variety of all living things on Earth
the measurement of individuals in a particular population
the variety of all living and nonliving things on Earth
diversity that refers only to coloration of fur, feathers, and skin
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Question 8
1 / 1 pts
What is an endemic species?
It is a species that causes disease.
It is a species with high rates of mutations that lead to large numbers of offspring species.
It is a generalist organisms.
Correct!
It is a species found only in one place on the planet.
It is an invasive species that can lead to the extinction of native species.

Question 9
1 / 1 pts
What is the minimum viable population?
Correct!
It is the smallest number of individuals that allows the population to survive long term.
It is the smallest flock or herd size that would protect against predators.
It is the same number of individuals for each population.
It is the smallest area required for a mating ritual.
It is the smallest number of populations required to make up an ecosystem.
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Question 10
1 / 1 pts
A single bacterium is put in an environment with no competition. As long as resources remain
unlimited, how will the bacterial population respond?
It will not reproduce.
It will reproduce linearly.
It will reproduce exponentially and linearly.
It will reproduce logistically.
Correct!
It will reproduce exponentially.
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Question 11
1 / 1 pts
When are populations expected to grow close to or at their intrinsic (or maximum) rate of growth?
when they are near their environmental carrying capacity and their numbers are low
Correct!
when their numbers are low
when they have depleted their food supply
when they are near their environmental carrying capacity
when density-dependent factors are reducing birth rates
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Question 12
1 / 1 pts
Which of the following is an example of a density-independent factor?
a flowering plant that is insect pollinated
Correct!
an ice storm causing damage to trees and shrubs
a plant parasite, such as mistletoe
availability of nest sites for a flock of songbirds (e.g. warblers)
a fungal infection (e.g. blight) in a wheat field

Question 13
1 / 1 pts
Which choice represents the correct hierarchy of ecological organization from the largest category
to the smallest category?
ecosystem - population - individual - community - biosphere - biome
individual - community - population - ecosystem - biome - biosphere
Correct!
biosphere - biome - ecosystem - community - population - individual
biome - biosphere - community - ecosystem - population - individual
individual - population - community - ecosystem - biome - biosphere
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Question 14
1 / 1 pts

In the Everglades food chain below, which organism is a secondary consumer?

sawgrass → insect → frog → raccoon → alligator

alligator
sawgrass
insect
Correct!
frog
raccoon
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Question 15
1 / 1 pts
What does the concept of the trophic pyramid explain?
The fact that biomass decreases as you move down the food web.
None of the answers listed apply

The fact that each transfer of energy as you move up the food web results in a loss of about 10%.
Correct!

The fact that each transfer of energy as you move up the food web results in a loss of about 90%.
The fact that biomass increases as you move up the food web.
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Question 16
1 / 1 pts
What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
There is no difference
 Producers are the first species in a food web, while secondary consumers begin a food chain.
A food chain always shows how much energy is passed from one organism to the next.

A food web only includes a single line of species consuming other organisms among trophic levels.
Correct!

A food web shows interactions among all the species of a community, instead of just a single line
of energy transfer between single trophic levels.
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Question 17
1 / 1 pts
Following a severe ice storm in 2013 in southern Ontario, the composition of the tree species
changed as the community recovered from the disturbance. What type of phenomenon does this
scenario suggest?
keystone succession
population succession
competitive succession
primary succession
Correct!
secondary succession
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Question 18
1 / 1 pts
What term describes species that move into areas in the later stages of ecological succession?
colonizing species
edge species
Correct!
climax species
pioneer species
keystone species
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Question 19
1 / 1 pts
On Earth, all ecosystems function through two fundamental processes, nutrient cycling and energy
flow. Which of the following statements is correct?
Nutrient cycling is considered an open process.
Neither nutrient cycling nor energy flow are open processes.
Both nutrient cycling and energy flow are open processes.
Neither nutrient nor energy processes are important for ecosystem functioning
Correct!
 Energy flow is considered an open process.
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Question 20
1 / 1 pts
What appears to be the cause of the eutrophication that has taken place in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence and other coastal locations around the world?
pesticide use along the waterways
Correct!
excess nutrients from fertilizers
weather alone, because this phenomenon is only obvious in the summer
global warming from human use of fossil fuels
heavy metals dumped in the sewage
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Question 21
1 / 1 pts
When an oak tree undergoes photosynthesis, it is essentially __________.
adding nitrogen to the atmosphere
Correct!
removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
all of these answer choices are correct
removing nitrogen from the atmosphere
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Question 22
1 / 1 pts
Humans have dramatically altered the rate of nitrogen fixation into forms usable by photosynthetic
organisms (plants, algae and cyanobacteria) by ________.
increasing the erosion of farmlands through poor agricultural practices
burning of fossil fuels to meet our energy needs
using antibiotics to reduce the numbers of denitrifying bacteria
selectively removing leguminous plants
Correct!
producing synthetic fertilizers and applying them to crops, lawns, and parks
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Question 23
1 / 1 pts
Which nutrient lacks a gaseous form that is found in the atmosphere of Earth?
carbon
sulfur
Correct!
 phosphorus
nitrogen
oxygen
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Question 24
1 / 1 pts
What is one major problem resulting from the increased stress on natural ecosystems caused by
human activities?
ecosystems are too biodiverse to respond to human-caused threats
Correct!
natural selection cannot keep up with the constant human-caused threats
all of these answer choices are correct
evolution tends to occur more rapidly when ecosystems are under stress
newly introduced species almost never thrive in unfamiliar ecosystems
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Question 25
1 / 1 pts
What term describes the intentional breeding for certain traits or combination of traits, commonly
used in agriculture?
Correct!
artificial selection
genetic drift
natural selection
the founder effect
the bottleneck effect
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Question 26
1 / 1 pts
Natural selection acts on ________ while ________ evolve.
populations; individuals
species; individuals
Correct!
individuals; populations
communities; populations
communities; individuals
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Question 27
1 / 1 pts
Species are considered ______ when they face a high risk of extinction in the immediate future.
Species are considered ________ when they are in danger of becoming _______ in the near
future.
endangered; extinct; threatened
Correct!
endangered; threatened; endangered
threatened; endangered; endangered
threatened; endangered; extirpated
extirpated; threatened; endangered
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Question 28
1 / 1 pts
Which of the following human activities has the potential to influence selection and affect
evolution?
use of antibiotics
use of pesticides
Correct!
use of pesticides, antibiotics, and herbicides
use of pesticides and herbicides
use of herbicides
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Question 29
1 / 1 pts
What is extinction?
It is the loss of a species from one place on the planet while it still exists in other locations
Correct!
It describes the disappearance of a species from Earth.
It is the loss of communities from the planet.
It is occurring more slowly now than at any other time in Earth's history.
It is always caused by human activities or disturbance.
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Question 30
1 / 1 pts
In Earth’s history, there has/have been ____ major extinction event(s) leading to the loss of 50% or
more of the species present.
Correct!
five
nine
one
seven
three
Quiz Score: 29 out of 30