Reference no: EM133250197

Q1. The realized niches observed in nature are often larger than the fundamental niches of the organisms being observed.

True False

Q2. The competitive exclusion principle only applies when the niches of competing species have a high degree of overlap.

True False

Q3. Four snake species colonize an island at the same time. The species are biologically identical in every way and the island is habitable to them. If nothing changes, which of the following options is most likely to happen over time?

a. All four species will coexist because they will divide up the prey on the island.

b. All four species will go extinct because they have identical niches.

c. One species will develop a new realized niche and survive while the others go extinct because of competition.

d. One species will persist, but we cannot predict which one; the others will go extinct because of competition.

Q4. If four different snake species with identical food and habitat niches colonize an island at the same time, and one is better able to detect and acquire food than the others, which of the below options will most likely happen over time?

a. The species best able to detect and find food will compete with the others, causing them to occupy smaller realized niches.

b. The species best able to detect and find food will outcompete the other snakes; it will eliminate the others via competitive exclusion.

c. All four species will coexist because they will all occupy smaller realized niches due to competition

d. One species will persist, but we cannot predict which one; the others will go extinct because of competition.

Q5. Kangaroo rats are endemic to the deserts of the American southwest. In one region, two kangaroo rat species eat only seeds and are biologically extremely similar. The two species are found in adjacent habitats. Seeds are abundant in both habitats, but less nutritious than insects. If you were to double the amount of seeds across both habitats and add insects as potential food, which of the following outcomes would most likely result?

a. One species will change its food preferences to eat insects and the two species will coexist across both habitats.

b. Because of the abundance and diversity of food available, both species will coexist across both habitats.

c. Both species will switch their diets to the more nutritious insects and one will exclude the other from both habitats.

d.No change will occur; the abundance and diversity of resources does not determine the ultimate outcome of competition if niches remain the same.

Q6. A third species of kangaroo rat is introduced into the habitats of the two species from Question 5. If this third species is biologically similar to the first two, but also eats insects, which of the following will most likely happen?

a. All three species will coexist because the new species has a different niche from the other two.

b. The two original species will outcompete the new one because they were present in the habitat first.

c. The new species will outcompete the other two because it has a broader food niche and can take advantage of resources that the other two cannot.

d. One species will outcompete the others, but which species does so will be determined by random chance.

Q7. If, over evolutionary time, one of the two kangaroo rat species from Question 5 (without a third species present) were to evolve a change in food habits such that it eats only insects. Which of the following would most likely happen?

a. It would outcompete the other species because insects are more nutritious than seeds.

b. The other species would outcompete it because seeds are more abundant than insects

c. .Both species would share both habitats because their niches would be different and competition would thus be eliminated.

d. One species would outcompete the other, but which species does so will be determined by random chance.

Q8. Two species of bats colonize an island at the same time. There are similar numbers of moths and beetles on the island, but no other bats. The only difference between the bat species is foraging ability; one is more efficient at catching beetles, and the other is more efficient at catching moths. Which of the below choices will most likely happen over time to the two bat species on the island?

a. Both species will change their fundamental niches and will coexist.

b. The weaker competitor will change its fundamental niche and both species will coexist.

c. The weaker competitor will change its realized niche and both species will coexist.

d. The two species will coexist by occupying different realized niches.

Q9. The same two bat species in the previous question live on an island that is forested on one side and shrubby on the other. The bats can survive in either habitat. On the island, most moths are found in trees and most beetles are found in shrubs. Which of the following statements is most likely true?

a. Both bat species will be found in equal abundance everywhere on the island because they have the same fundamental niche.

b. Both bat species will be found in equal abundance everywhere on the island because they have the same realized niche.

c. The bat species will not overlap in their distribution on the island because each will have outcompeted the other where their preferred prey is more abundant.

d. The bat species will not overlap in their distribution on the island because competition will have resulted in random extinction on each side of the island.

Q10. On an adventure to a faraway place, you discover two previously unknown species of woozle. You notice that purple woozles live on the ground and orange woozles live high up in the trees. You gather up all of the purple woozles (they're easier to catch) and take them to a zoo. The next year, when you return to gather up the orange woozles, you find that they now live on the ground as well as in the trees. Based on what you know about niches and competition, which of the following is TRUE?

a. Competition between purple and orange woozles might have been responsible for where you found them on the island.

b. The fundamental niches of orange woozles does not include ground habitat.

c. On the ground, purple woozles are probably poorer competitors than orange woozles.