Download Practice Questions – Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Evolution What are

Practice Questions – Chapter 4
Biodiversity and Evolution
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What are the four major components of biological diversity? What is the
importance of biodiversity?
What is an endemic species? Why is it vulnerable to extinction? Distinguish
between mass extinction and background extinction.
What is species diversity? Distinguish between species richness and species
diversity and give an example of each.
Describe the “Theory of Island Biogeography”. Illustrate your answer.
What is an “ecological niche”? Distinguish between generalist species and
specialist species and give an example of each.
What are the reasons that the amphibians are vanishing? List some reasons
why we should protect them.
Describe the role of a beaver as a foundation species.
Give three reasons why we should protect sharks from being driven to
extinction.
Explain what could happen to the ecosystem where American alligators live if
the alligators went extinct. Include a plant and an animal species (other than
alligators) that would seriously be affected. Describe how each might respond
to the changes in their environmental conditions.
Is the human species a keystone species? Explain. If humans were to become
extinct, what are three species that might also become extinct and three species
whose populations would probably grow?
Vocabulary Words
Biological evolution
Natural selection
Adaptive trait
Differential reproduction
Speciation
Geographic isolation
Reproductive isolation
Genetic engineering
Native species
Non-native species
Indicator species
Keystone species
Foundation species