Download B 262, F 2009

Name
BIOLOGY 262, FALL 2009
IN-CLASS EXAMINATION #1 (PART 1)
Date
MULTIPLE CHOICE.⎯For the following multiple choice questions circle the letter in front of the
response that best answers the question or completes the sentence. (20%, 2% each)
The samples below measured the duration of the
1. Which of the following is an assumption
common cold in people taking the herbal
of science (scientific philosophy)?
supplement Immunohappy and a group taking an
a. Different events cannot have the same
inert pill. Hypothesis: Immunohappy will
general predictable cause.
decrease the duration of the common cold.
b. Hypotheses are proven absoultely True.
Table. Days with the common cold. P-value for
c. Sense experience consistently and
comparison between the samples from the two group =
accurately represents reality.
0.044
d. The universe is completely disordered.
Immunohappy
7
5
9
8
7 10
e. None of the above. (None are assumptions)
2. What is the difference between gross
primary production and net primary
production?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Energy available to primary consumers.
Energy captured from light.
Energy converted into offspring.
Energy used for maintenance.
Energy used for growth.
3. Which of the following describes the
interaction of you (a human) with a carrot
(a plant) that you eat?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Interspecific amensalism.
Interspecific commensalism.
Interspecific predation.
Intrapecific amensalism.
Intrapecific commensalism.
Intraspecific predation.
4. Which of the following ponds (small body
of water) should have the greatest species
richness?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
Large, far from lake, high nutrients
Large, far from lake, moderate nutrients
Large, far from lake, low nutrients
Large, near lake, high nutrients
Large, near lake, moderate nutrients
Large, near lake, low nutrients
Small, far from lake, high nutrients
Small, far from lake, moderate nutrients
Small, far from lake, low nutrients
Small, near lake, high nutrients
Small, near lake, moderate nutrients
Small, near lake, low nutrients
5. Why is it wetter at the equator than in
areas to the north or south.
a. Air circulation cells
b. Carbon cycle
c. Primary production
d. Rain shadow effect
Inert pill
7
5
6
7
5
4
6. For the study above which of the following is
the negative control?
↑
a. Group receiving the Immunohappy.
b. The cold.
c. Giving Immunohappy to many people.
d. The measured number of days.
e. None of the above.
7. The hypothesis is…
↑
a. rejected.
b. supported.
c. (this cannot be determined with these data)
8. Which of the following is the “number one”
reason for the current biodiversity crisis?
a. damage by people using areas
recreationally
b. habitat modification
c. introduced species
d. overharvest of individuals of rare
species
9. If a population of 3000 is undergoing
exponential growth with a yearly intrinsic
rate of increase of 0.50, then what is the size
of the population after 2 years?
a. 3000
b. 5000
c. 6000
d. 6250
e. 6500
f. 6750
g. None of the above
10. The current human population is
approximately…
a.
600,000,000.
b.
660,000,000.
c. 6,000,000,000.
d. 6,600,000,000.
e. 60,000,000,000.
f. 66,000,000,000.
SHORT RESPONSE.⎯For the following write the appropriate number(s), formulae, and/or word(s) in the
indicated spaces.(10%)
1. Fill in the empty cells in the life table below
for a cohort of guppies. (4%)
Age
Number
0
4000
1
100
2
50
3
40
Survivorship
Mortality
3. In the space below provide the chemical
formula for the overall process of
photosynthesis and label the chemical symbols
with the name of each molecule. (3%)
2. The following age-distribution graph is for the guppy population including the cohort in question 1
(when it was age 3). Specifically what does the graph below suggest about this population’s year-toyear demography? (3%)
140
#
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
age
Age distribution of guppy population. (# = number)
DEFINITIONS.⎯For the following BIOLOGICAL words or phrases define them as accurately and
concisely as possible. (20%, 4% each)
1. Competitive Exclusion:
2. Ecological Succession:
3. Edge Effect:
4. Rescue Effect:
5. Science:
Name
BIOLOGY 262, FALL 2009
IN-CLASS EXAMINATION #1 (PART 2)
Date
FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS/PROBLEMS.⎯ Address each in as concisely and lucidly. (50%)
1. A population of 2000 African elephants (Loxodonta africana) is growing logistically and has
a yearly intrinsic rate of increase of 0.05. The carrying capacity is 5,000. (a.) What is the size
of this population after one year? After two years? Show your calculations. (8%)
If poachers (illegal hunters) find this population and start killing about 100 elephants per
year, then will this population continue to grow in number or shrink (negative growth)?
Based on your calculations above, briefly explain you answer (in 1 sentence). (2%)
2. Explain the carbon cycle. Be certain to include important forms of carbon and important
processes. (Feel free but do not feel obliged to use a labeled diagram for your answer.) (8%)
Generally explain how the carbon cycle relates to concerns about global climate change (in 1
sentence). (2%)
3. Briefly explain the how both keystone species (especially predators and grazers) and
disturbance often function similarly with respect to their effects on competition in the
communities that they effect. (6%)
4. Researchers∗ examined the effect of water and nutrient addition on Arabidopsis thaliana (a small plant
that lives for only 1 year producing seeds and then dying) in a sandy coastal area in the Netherlands
(Holland). These plants are found in a variety of soils and sandy soils are known to retain nutrients and
water less well than most other kinds of soil. They added 100 seeds to each of fifteen 13x13cm plots.
Five experienced natural precipitation, five received 400ml of water per month, and five received
400ml of water containing a fertilizer per month solution. The plots were censused monthly.
Hypothesis 1 was: Addition of water will increase survivorship in watered populations of
Arabidopsis thaliana in a sandy-soil area.
Hypothesis 2 was: Addition of water and nutrients (N and P) will increase survivorship in watered
populations of Arabidopsis thaliana in a sandy-soil area more than addition of water alone.
Table 1. Mean census data for the five plots in each of the three
conditions. (mo. = month) Note: Nutrients are dissolved in the same
amount of water delivered to the plots receiving water. P-values are for
unpaired t-test comparison April plot data comparing the 2 means
above each p-value.
mo.
Mean number.
Mean number.
Mean number.
Nothing Added
Water Added
Nutrients Added
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
April
p-value
100
1.7
1.1
1.1
0.9
0.8
↑ p = 0.005
100
100
11.0
10.4
10.5
10.4
10.4
9.5
9.9
8.4
9.4
7.7
↑ ↑ p = 0.150 ↑
(a.) Which of the groups of plots to the
left are the negative controls for each
of the two hypotheses. (4%)
Hypothesis 1 negative control is
Hypothesis 2 negative control is
Appropriately graph the data in Table 1 in the graphical space below to address the hypotheses. (6%)
(b.) Based on the data table and graph are each of
the hypotheses supported or rejected. Also
(briefly) explain why they are supported or
rejected. (8%, 4% each)
Hypothesis 1, supported or rejected and why?
Hypothesis 2, supported or rejected and why?
(c.) Based on the data in Table 1 and your graph briefly explain what you can reasonably conclude about
the demography and life history of Arabidopsis thaliana in this area of the Netherlands. (6%)
∗
The results were taken from the following study, Arany, A., T.J. de Jong, and E. van de Meijden. 2005. Herbivory and abiotic
factors affect Arabidosis thaliana population dynamics in a sand dune area. Plant Biology 7(2005): 549-555.