APES Chapter 12 Study Guide
Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. / Alexander Wilson, an ornithologist in the early 1800s, described a flock of ____ that he estimated was 240 miles long and 1 mile wide and consisted of over 2 million birds.
A) / Carolina parakeets
B) / starlings
C) / sparrows
D) / passenger pigeons
E) / California condors
2. / Passenger pigeons
A) / were used as fertilizer.
B) / were good to eat.
C) / were suffocated by burning grass or sulfur below their roosts.
D) / had feathers used to stuff pillows.
E) / all of these answers
3. / Which of the following leads to an increase in biodiversity?
A) / habitat degradation
B) / phosphate pollution of streams
C) / elimination of exotic vegetation
D) / acid deposition
E) / erosion
4. / Which of the following leads to a decrease in biodiversity?
A) / protection of ecosystems
B) / pollution control
C) / ecological land use planning
D) / introduction of exotic species
E) / prevention of erosion
5. / If there are 100 million different species, the background rate of extinction is about ____ species per year.
A) / 30
B) / 100
C) / 300
D) / 600
E) / 1000
6. / Conservation biologists estimate that the current rate of extinction is ____ than the estimated natural background extinction rate.
A) / 10 times lower
B) / 10 times higher
C) / 10-100 times higher
D) / 100-1,000 times higher
E) / 1,000-10,000 times higher
7. / The current extinction crisis differs from previous mass extinctions in that
A) / ecosystems which store genes for future radiations are being protected.
B) / the current crisis is caused by the human species.
C) / it is taking place at a slower rate.
D) / recovery is likely to be faster because of genetic engineering.
E) / it is making the planet healthier.
8. / Mathematical models indicate that organisms most vulnerable to habitat loss may be the
A) / producers.
B) / herbivores.
C) / decomposers.
D) / top competitors.
E) / bacteria.
9. / You are an ecologist studying alligators in the outback. You find that the population of alligators is so depleted that organisms that depend on alligator holes for their survival are also hurting. You would most likely label the alligators
A) / threatened.
B) / endangered.
C) / locally extinct.
D) / ecologically extinct.
E) / biologically extinct.
10. / An endangered species is any species that can
A) / undergo alteration of its genetic traits.
B) / become rare within the next century.
C) / soon become extinct in all or part of its range.
D) / eventually become threatened or rare.
E) / be considered economically important but rare.
11. / According to Figure 12-3 in your text, the California condor and whooping crane are
A) / endangered species.
B) / threatened species.
C) / imported species.
D) / overpopulated species.
E) / biologically extinct.
12. / According to figure 12-3, the grizzly bear and Mojave desert tortoise are
A) / endangered species.
B) / threatened species.
C) / imported species.
D) / overpopulated species.
E) / biologically extinct.
13. / According to Figure 12-4, all of the following characteristics would make a species more prone to extinction except
A) / low population density.
B) / small body size.
C) / specialized niche.
D) / low reproductive rate.
E) / fixed migratory patterns.
14. / Small populations of species
A) / may be below the critical population density.
B) / are vulnerable to catastrophic events.
C) / may have a reduced evolutionary potential for survival.
D) / all of these answers
E) / none of these answers
15. / A population size dropping toward a critical population density increases the chances of a
A) / larger gene pool and inbreeding.
B) / larger gene pool and outbreeding.
C) / smaller gene pool and inbreeding.
D) / smaller gene pool and outbreeding.
E) / smaller gene pool.
16. / Overall, about ____ of all organisms are at risk of becoming extinct in the wild in the next few decades.
A) / 10-15%
B) / 20-25%
C) / 40-45%
D) / 60-65%
E) / 70-75%
17. / If you eat cashews, avocados, or bananas, you can thank a
A) / bat.
B) / manatee.
C) / bee.
D) / hummingbird.
E) / butterfly.
18. / Bats are endangered for all of the following reasons except that
A) / they live in habitats vulnerable to destruction.
B) / they have a slow reproduction rate.
C) / people are fearful of them.
D) / people appreciate their ecological role.
E) / none of the above
19. / Fruit-eating bats on many tropical islands are
A) / keystone species.
B) / alien species.
C) / indicator species.
D) / generalists.
E) / endangered.
20. / Biologists claim that species have
A) / ecological value.
B) / economic value.
C) / medical and scientific value.
D) / intrinsic value.
E) / all of these answers
21. / Wild plant species have economic value as
A) / fiber.
B) / dyes.
C) / oils.
D) / medicines.
E) / all of these answers
22. / The ecosystem service least likely to be provided by wild species is
A) / recycling nutrients and decomposition of organic wastes.
B) / diversifying the gene pool.
C) / balancing all the impacts of human activities.
D) / moderating Earth's climate.
E) / natural pest and disease control.
23. / A single male lion living to age seven in Kenya is worth $515,000 as a
A) / sporting trophy.
B) / tourist attraction.
C) / functioning component of the ecosystem.
D) / specimen to be sold alive to a zoo.
E) / specimen to be sold alive to a circus.
24. / People who believe that wild species have an inherent right to exist generally believe that species have
A) / economic value.
B) / extrinsic value.
C) / intrinsic value.
D) / utilitarian value.
E) / recreational value.
25. / According to biologist E. O. Wilson, most people feel a sense of affinity toward the natural world that he calls
A) / technophilia.
B) / technophobia.
C) / biophilia.
D) / biophobia.
E) / consilience.
26. / Underlying causes of extinction and reduction of wildlife populations include all of the following except
A) / affluence.
B) / human population growth.
C) / sustainable development.
D) / governmental policies that undervalue ecological services.
E) / rising resource use.
27. / The greatest threat to most species is
A) / reduction of habitats.
B) / water pollution.
C) / parasites.
D) / sport hunting.
E) / climate change.
28. / You are studying species diversity in the Caribbean islands. Which island would you expect to have the most number of species?
A) / a large island near the mainland
B) / a large island far removed from other sites
C) / a medium-sized island in the middle of an island chain
D) / a small island far removed from other sites
E) / a medium-sized island near the mainland
29. / National parks can be viewed as habitat islands surrounded by
A) / logging.
B) / industrial activity.
C) / energy extraction.
D) / agriculture.
E) / all of these answers
30. / Habitat fragmentation
A) / can create barriers that limit the ability of species to find food and mates.
B) / increases edge areas that make some species more vulnerable to predators.
C) / may create habitats too small to support the minimum breeding population of some species.
D) / may limit the ability of some species to disperse and colonize new areas.
E) / all of these answers
31. / The introduction of nonnative species often results in unforeseen consequences. This experience indicates that when introducing nonnative species, we would be well-advised to apply the
A) / first law of thermodynamics.
B) / law of common property.
C) / precautionary principle.
D) / law of supply and demand.
E) / second law of thermodynamics.
32. / About ____ of the species on the U.S. official list of endangered and threatened species are there in part because of population declines caused by nonnative species.
A) / 1/5
B) / 1/4
C) / 1/3
D) / 1/2
E) / 1/6
33. / Japanese kudzu vine offers all of the following except
A) / starch used in Asian beverages and herbal remedies.
B) / control of soil erosion.
C) / toxic berries that deplete bird populations.
D) / a source of tree-free paper.
E) / herbal remedies for diseases.
34. / Illegal hunting for profit is called
A) / subsistence hunting.
B) / sport hunting.
C) / poaching.
D) / commercial hunting.
E) / all of these answers
35. / Illegal wildlife trafficking is the world's ____ largest form of black-market commerce.
A) / second
B) / third
C) / fourth
D) / fifth
E) / sixth
36. / A threatened species causes demand for the species to increase. The species becomes endangered. Which of the following characteristics of complex systems is best applied to this sequence?
A) / negative feedback loop
B) / positive feedback loop
C) / delay
D) / antagonistic interaction
E) / a synergistic interaction
37. / The Carolina parakeet was exterminated because it
A) / fed on fruit crops.
B) / was an alien species.
C) / carried a viral disease that killed domesticated parakeets.
D) / spread histoplasmosis, a fungal disease.
E) / was over-collected for the pet trade.
38. / All of the following species except ____ are threatened or endangered because they are a nuisance to some humans.
A) / coyotes
B) / parrots
C) / prairie dogs
D) / elephants
E) / wolves
39. / Prairie dogs have almost been driven to extinction by
A) / imported black-footed ferrets.
B) / poison.
C) / coyotes.
D) / shotguns and rifles.
E) / wolves.
40. / Which of the following is almost extinct because its prime source of food has been killed by poison?
A) / wolverines
B) / black-footed ferrets
C) / manatees
D) / alligators
E) / coyotes
41. / Importing exotic birds for households may
A) / be hazardous to the owners' health.
B) / result in the decline of tourist income from exporting countries.
C) / result in a 90% animal death rate.
D) / endanger or threaten bird species.
E) / all of these answers
42. / The pet trade has depleted populations of
A) / birds.
B) / mammals.
C) / tropical fish.
D) / reptiles.
E) / all of these answers
43. / Which of the following bird species would least likely show the harmful effects of biological magnification?
A) / falcon
B) / cardinal
C) / pelican
D) / sparrow hawk
E) / owl
44. / CITES is a(n)
A) / treaty controlling the international trade in endangered species.
B) / set of regulations controlling the introduction of exotic species.
C) / pact that supports critical ecosystems that support wildlife.
D) / international organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered species.
E) / all of these answers
45. / CITES is limited by
A) / violators receiving only small fines.
B) / spotty enforcement.
C) / member countries exempting themselves from protecting some species.
D) / much of the illegal trade in wildlife going on in countries that have not signed the treaty.
E) / all of these answers
46. / Transporting of live or dead wild animals across U.S. state borders without a federal permit is prohibited by
A) / CITES.
B) / the Lacey Act.
C) / the Endangered Species Act.
D) / the Delaney Act.
E) / the Amber Act.
47. / The Endangered Species Act of 1973
A) / is one of the world's toughest environmental laws.
B) / authorizes the U.S. Fish & Wildlifr Service to identify threatened and endangered species.
C) / authorizes identification of endangered species solely on a biological basis.
D) / imposes fines for protection of endangered species on private land.
E) / all of these answers
48. / Animals listed as endangered or threatened cannot be ____ in the United States.
A) / injured
B) / hunted
C) / collected
D) / killed
E) / all of these answers
49. / Identification and listing of endangered species is done by the
A) / Fish and Wildlife Service.
B) / National Marine Fisheries Service
C) / Department of the Interior.
D) / a & b above
E) / b & c above
50. / Over the last quarter century, the number of species found exclusively on the U.S. list
A) / increased about ten times.
B) / increased about five times.
C) / stayed the same.
D) / decreased by about 50%.
E) / decreased by about 20%.
51. / All of the following are candidates for delisting from the endangered and threatened species list except the
A) / California condor.
B) / gray wolf.
C) / bald eagle.
D) / peregrine falcon.
E) / American alligator.
52. / All of the following would strengthen the Endangered Species Act except
A) / giving private landowners tax breaks for helping protect endangered ecosystems.
B) / surveying the species and ecosystems we have.
C) / making the protection of endangered species on private land voluntary.
D) / locating and protecting the most endangered species.
E) / giving private landowners financial incentives and technical help for helping protect endangered species.
53. / When wildlife experts must judge which species to save, they are least likely to choose a species because it
A) / has the best chance for survival.
B) / is furry and charismatic.
C) / has the most ecological value to the ecosystem.
D) / is potentially useful for agriculture or medicine.
E) / none of these answers
54. / The group of animals most protected by wildlife refuges are
A) / small mammals.
B) / migratory waterfowl.
C) / large mammals.
D) / songbirds.
E) / reptiles.
55. / Wildlife refuges have been instrumental in helping all of the following species recover except