Environmental Science, 11th Edition (Cunningham)

Chapter 11: Biodiversity

Practice Quiz

1
The phylogenetic species concept holds that the definition of a species should be
A)based on reproductive compatibility.
B)based on branching relationships among species.
C)based on evolutionary relationships.
D)variable depending on the type of organism.
2
The greatest number of known living species are
A)insects.
B)bacteria.
C)algae.
D)mites, ticks, and spiders.
3
The continued survival of a great number of wild species is important to humans
A)as a potential source of new kinds of foods.
B)as an important source of new drugs and medicines.
C)as the means by which important ecological processes can be preserved.
D)for all the above reasons.
4
What do bacteria, fox glove, Mexican yam, and the Rauwolfia plant have in common? They all
A)grow in the same tropical ecosystem.
B)have been discovered by biologists in the last 25 years.
C)are wild species providing us with important medicines.
D)have exciting possibilities for use as human food.
5
Species extinction
A)is a relatively recent phenomenon.
B)is linked exclusively to expanding human activities.
C)has been the fate of the vast majority of species that have inhabited the earth.
D)is characterized by more than one of the above.
6
Species at imminent risk of extinction are classified as __________ species.
A)vulnerable
B)endangered
C)threatened
7
Seafood now endangered by overharvesting includes
A)bluefin tuna.
B)orange roughy.
C)sharks.
D)all of the above.
8
The goal of the Endangered Species Act is to protect
A)broad categories of ecosystems.
B)key species which are particularly important for normal ecosystem function.
C)all species, regardless of their direct usefulness to humans.
D)species providing commodities important to humans.
9
What do Eurasian milfoil, kudzu vine and purple loosestrife have in common? They
A)are all in danger of extinction in their native habitats.
B)offer exciting prospects as potential sources of new drugs.
C)are exotic species wreaking havoc in the ecosystems into which they have been introduced.
D)offer promise as agents of biological control for pest species.
10
Because prairie dogs have a major effect on the ecological functioning of their habitat and the health of other members of their community, they are considered to be __________.
A)an indicator species
B)an umbrella species
C)a keystone species
D)a flagship species
11
DNA sequencing technology has improved biologists ability to understand ancestral relationships among different kinds of life.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
12
Humans have domesticated nearly all the plant species that could contribute to human food production.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
13
A wide diversity of living things provides a range of intrinsic benefits to humans.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
14
Exotic species introductions have had a significant impact on biodiversity.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
15
Ecological diversity ____.
A)refers to the richness and complexity of a biological community
B)is more important to conservation than genetic diversity
C)refers to the various types of ecosystems on earth
D)refers to the different kinds of species present in an ecosystem
16
Biodiversity Hot Spots _____.
A)Are determined based on number of endemics and habitat loss
B)Account for less then 2% of the world’s land mass, yet comprise ¾ of the world's threatened animals
C)Are found only in tropical ecosystems
D)More than one of the above is true
17
Ecological services provided by the world’s organisms include _______.
A)Air purification
B)Soil formation
C)Nutrient cycling
D)All of the above
18
The most important extinction threats for most species are anthropogenic environmental pollutants and over-harvesting via hunting and fishing.
A)TRUE
B)FALSE
19
Invasive species _______.
A)Flourish in a new environment due to a lack of predators, diseases or resource limitations.
B)have been introduced both deliberately and accidentally
C)Rarely invade islands because of their comparative isolation
D)One of the above is false.
20
Flagship species _______.
A)are especially interesting and attractive and are used by conservation organizations to motivate people.
B)is a term that refers to the largest species of a community
C)are species whose presence is tied to specific environmental conditions
Glencoe Online Learning CenterScience HomeProduct InfoSite MapContact Us

The McGraw-Hill CompaniesGlencoe