Life: The Science of Biology

David E. Sadava, David M. Hilliss, H. Craig Heller,May Berenbaum

Chapter 59

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 exotic predators
$e .$ Introduction of exotic pathogens

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 2

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

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator

Problem 3

Species extinctions matter to human society because
$a$. more than a quarter of the medical prescriptions written in the United States contain a plant product.
b. people derive aesthetic pleasure from interacting with other organisms.
$c .$ causing species extinctions raises serious ethical issues.
$d$. biodiversity helps maintain valuable 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 where it has been introduced.
$d$. has specialized disseminators of its seeds.
$e .$ has a long life span.

Jennifer Hudspeth

Jennifer Hudspeth

Numerade Educator

Problem 6

Global warming is a concern 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

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

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, when
$a$. there is space in zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens for breeding a few individuals.
$b$. the areas of origin of the captive individuals are 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.
$e .$ None of the above; captive propagation should never 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 field of reconciliation ecology has developed because
$a$. all other methods of preserving biodiversity have failed.
b. protected areas should be able to maintain biodiversity.
c. protected areas alone are insufficient to maintain biodiversity.
d. scientists are unable to control diseases today.
$e .$ we are not reconciled with other species.

Christina Sorrentino

Christina Sorrentino

Numerade Educator