Life: The Science of Biology

Purves, William K., Sadava, David E., Orians, Gordon H., Heller, H. Craig

Chapter 57

Conservation Biology - all with Video Answers

Educators

Chapter Questions

Problem 1

Which of the following is not currently a major cause of species extinctions?
a. Habitat destruction
b. Rising sea levels
c. Overexploitation
$d$. Introduction of predators
e. Introduction of diseases

Jennifer Hudspeth

Jennifer Hudspeth

Numerade Educator

Problem 2

The most important cause of endangerment of species in the United States currently is
a. pollution.
$b$. exotic species.
$c .$ overexploitation.
$d .$ habitat loss.
$e .$ loss of mutualists.

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 3

People care about species extinctions because
$a$. more than half of the medical prescriptions written in the United States contain a natural plant or animal product.
$b$. people derive aesthetic pleasure from interacting with other organisms.
$c$. causing species extinctions raises serious ethical issues.
$d$ biodiversity helps maintain ecosystem services.
$e .$ All of the above

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 4

As a habitat patch gets smaller, it
$a$. cannot support populations of species that require large areas.
$b$. supports only small populations of many species.
$c$. is influenced to an increasing degree by edge effects.
$d$ is invaded by species from surrounding habitats.
$e .$ All of the above

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 5

A plant species is most likely to become invasive when introduced to a new area if it
a. grows tall.
b. has become invasive in other places where it has been introduced
$c .$ is closely related to species living in the area into which it is introduced.
$d$. has specialized dispersers of its seeds.
$e .$ has a long life span.

Noah Boudrie

Numerade Educator

Problem 6

Conservation biologists are concerned about global warming because
$a$. the rate of change in climate is projected to be faster than the rate at which many species can shift their ranges.
$b$. it is already too hot in the Tropics.
$c .$ climates have been so stable for thousands of years that many species lack the ability to tolerate variable temperatures.
$d .$ climate change will be especially harmful to rare species.
$e .$ None of the above

Noah Boudrie

Numerade Educator

Problem 7

Scientists can determine the historical frequency of fires in an area by
$a$. examining charcoal in sites of ancient villages.
$b .$ measuring carbon in soils.
$c$. radioactively dating fallen tree trunks.
$d$. examining fire scars in growth rings of living trees.
$e .$ determining the age structure of forests.

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 8

Captive propagation is a useful conservation tool, provided that
$a$. there is space in zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens for breeding a few individuals.
$b$. the genetic pedigree of all individuals is known.
c. the threats that endangered the species are being alleviated so that captive-reared individuals can later be released back into the wild.
$d .$ there are sufficient caretakers.
$e .$ Captive propagation should not be used because it directs attention away from the need to protect the species in their natural habitats.

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 9

Restoration ecology is an important field because
a. many areas have been highly degraded.
$b$. many areas are vulnerable to global climate change.
c. many species suffer from demographic stochasticity.
$d$. many species are genetically impoverished.
$e .$ fire is a threat to many areas.

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 10

The new discipline of conservation medicine has developed because
$a$. the frequency of diseases has increased among marine organisms.
$b$. the frequency of diseases has increased among terrestrial organisms.
$c$. the frequency of diseases has increased among both marine and terrestrial organisms.
$d$. scientists can better control diseases today than they previously could.
$e .$ diseases can be readily diagnosed today

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator