ECCB 403 Final Exam Questions And
Complete Solutions
Which of the following is the correct definition of a population? Choose the best answer.
(A) A group of individuals of one species that live in a particular geographic area.
(B) A collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species.
(C) Both (A) and (B) are correct. - Correct Answer (C) Both (A) and (B) are correct.
Which of the following are the vital rates? Choose the best answer.
(A) Per-capita survival rate
(B) Per-capita mortality rate
(C) Population density
All of the above
Both (A) and (B) are vital rates. - Correct Answer Both (A) and (B) are vital rates.
Suppose a population of frogs consisted of 100 individuals on March 1, 2021 and 60 individuals
on April 1, 2021. We know there was no birth (because it is not a reproductive season). We also
know there was no immigration and emigration because the population is isolated. Which of
the following is the best answer?
(A) The monthly mortality rate was 0.6.
(B) The monthly mortality rate was 0.06.
(C) The monthly survival rate was 0.6.
(D) The monthly survival rate was 0.06.
(E)None of the above is correct because the population might have experienced something
unexpected. - Correct Answer (C) The monthly survival rate was 0.6.
The population density changes exponentially when (assuming no immigration and no
emigration)
,(A) per-capita birth rate and per-capita death rate remain constant over time
(B) the number of births and number of deaths remain constant over time
(C) per-capita death rate and per-capita birth rate change exponentially with time.
(D) per-capita death rate and per-capita survival rate remain constant over time - Correct
Answer (A) per-capita birth rate and per-capita death rate remain constant over time
According to the "fundamental law of population ecology", the four basic population processes
affecting population abundance are
(A) reproductive value, stable stage distribution, population growth rate, and carrying capacity
(B) physiology, behavior, disease, and predation
(C) birth, death, immigration, and emigration
(D) density dependence, environment, species interaction, stochasticity - Correct Answer (C)
birth, death, immigration, and emigration
When the natural log of population density (observed data) plotted against time is a straight line
with a positive slope, the population density has been growing exponentially with time.
True
False - Correct Answer True
Which of the following shows geometric growth ( Nt is a variable for population density at time
t, and others are constants)?
(A) Nt+1= lambda +Nt
(B) Nt+1= lambda X Nt
(C) Nt= at+ b
(D) all of the above - Correct Answer (B) Nt+1= lambda X Nt
The current population abundance is
(A) the sum of the number of deaths and the number of births
, (B) the number of individuals in the past plus the number of births minus the number of deaths
(C) the number of births minus the number of deaths
(D) the number of individuals in the past minus the number of births plus the number of deaths
- Correct Answer (B) the number of individuals in the past plus the number of births minus the
number of deaths
Suppose the same number of individuals were born into a population (e.g. 300 individuals per
year per population) and the same number of individuals die in the population (e.g. 299
individuals per year per population) per unit time (say over one year). The population would
increase exponentially over time.
True
False - Correct Answer False
In population ecology, which of the following is a state variable?
(A) survival rate
(B) population growth rate
(C) population density
(D) all of the above - Correct Answer (C) population density
Semelparous means (read all potential answers!)
(A) individuals reproduce to one individual at a time.
(B) all individuals reproduce exactly once and die.
(C) there is only one season for reproduction per year.
(D) individuals reproduce at most once in their life time. - Correct Answer (D) individuals
reproduce at most once in their life time.
When the finite population growth rate (a.k.a. lambda) is greater than 0, the population density
is expected to grow.
Complete Solutions
Which of the following is the correct definition of a population? Choose the best answer.
(A) A group of individuals of one species that live in a particular geographic area.
(B) A collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species.
(C) Both (A) and (B) are correct. - Correct Answer (C) Both (A) and (B) are correct.
Which of the following are the vital rates? Choose the best answer.
(A) Per-capita survival rate
(B) Per-capita mortality rate
(C) Population density
All of the above
Both (A) and (B) are vital rates. - Correct Answer Both (A) and (B) are vital rates.
Suppose a population of frogs consisted of 100 individuals on March 1, 2021 and 60 individuals
on April 1, 2021. We know there was no birth (because it is not a reproductive season). We also
know there was no immigration and emigration because the population is isolated. Which of
the following is the best answer?
(A) The monthly mortality rate was 0.6.
(B) The monthly mortality rate was 0.06.
(C) The monthly survival rate was 0.6.
(D) The monthly survival rate was 0.06.
(E)None of the above is correct because the population might have experienced something
unexpected. - Correct Answer (C) The monthly survival rate was 0.6.
The population density changes exponentially when (assuming no immigration and no
emigration)
,(A) per-capita birth rate and per-capita death rate remain constant over time
(B) the number of births and number of deaths remain constant over time
(C) per-capita death rate and per-capita birth rate change exponentially with time.
(D) per-capita death rate and per-capita survival rate remain constant over time - Correct
Answer (A) per-capita birth rate and per-capita death rate remain constant over time
According to the "fundamental law of population ecology", the four basic population processes
affecting population abundance are
(A) reproductive value, stable stage distribution, population growth rate, and carrying capacity
(B) physiology, behavior, disease, and predation
(C) birth, death, immigration, and emigration
(D) density dependence, environment, species interaction, stochasticity - Correct Answer (C)
birth, death, immigration, and emigration
When the natural log of population density (observed data) plotted against time is a straight line
with a positive slope, the population density has been growing exponentially with time.
True
False - Correct Answer True
Which of the following shows geometric growth ( Nt is a variable for population density at time
t, and others are constants)?
(A) Nt+1= lambda +Nt
(B) Nt+1= lambda X Nt
(C) Nt= at+ b
(D) all of the above - Correct Answer (B) Nt+1= lambda X Nt
The current population abundance is
(A) the sum of the number of deaths and the number of births
, (B) the number of individuals in the past plus the number of births minus the number of deaths
(C) the number of births minus the number of deaths
(D) the number of individuals in the past minus the number of births plus the number of deaths
- Correct Answer (B) the number of individuals in the past plus the number of births minus the
number of deaths
Suppose the same number of individuals were born into a population (e.g. 300 individuals per
year per population) and the same number of individuals die in the population (e.g. 299
individuals per year per population) per unit time (say over one year). The population would
increase exponentially over time.
True
False - Correct Answer False
In population ecology, which of the following is a state variable?
(A) survival rate
(B) population growth rate
(C) population density
(D) all of the above - Correct Answer (C) population density
Semelparous means (read all potential answers!)
(A) individuals reproduce to one individual at a time.
(B) all individuals reproduce exactly once and die.
(C) there is only one season for reproduction per year.
(D) individuals reproduce at most once in their life time. - Correct Answer (D) individuals
reproduce at most once in their life time.
When the finite population growth rate (a.k.a. lambda) is greater than 0, the population density
is expected to grow.
