EXAM 4 BIOS 1710 QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS 2025\2026 EXAM
GRADED A+
An experiment conducted in the rocky intertidal zone compared the
species diversity in control plots (no predator removal) with diversity in
experimental plots (removal of the top predators, sea stars). After 5
years, the control plot had 15 species of intertidal invertebrates and the
experimental plots had one species of mussel and on species of barnacle.
Why did species diversity most likely remain high in the presence of a
predator?
a. The sea star kept the mussel and barnacle populations low enough to
prevent competitive exclusion from occurring.
b. The sea star kept the mussels and barnacles from developing a
mutualistic relationship. That, in turn, kept their populations low.
c. The mussels and the barnacles parasitized the sea stars, keeping
populations low enough to prevent competitive exclusion from
occurring.
,d. The sea stars developed a mutualistic relationship with the mussels
and barnacles, keeping t - ANSWER- a. The sea star kept the mussel
and barnacle populations low enough to prevent competitive
exclusion from occurring.
Male Australian bowerbirds build and decorate elaborate structures,
called bowers, out of grasses and other vegetation. Females select males
based on the quality of the male's bower and his song/dance. Which of
the following is an ultimate explanation for female bowerbird choice?
a. The quality of the bower communicates to the female that he is
receptive to mating.
b. Bowers that are higher quality offer better protection and large food
caches that will increase offspring survival.
c. Visual and auditory cues trigger hormones in the female Australian
bowerbird that cause her to be attracted to the male Australian
bowerbird.
d. The female was exposed to her father's call, so she learned at an early
age to recognize the specific song as from a potential mate.
e. All are ultimate explanations - ANSWER- b. Bowers that are higher
quality offer better protection and large food caches that will
increase offspring survival.
,Most human-dominated ecosystems have lower diversity than natural
ecosystems in a similar environment. What ecosystem services are
diminished in human-dominated ecosystems?
a. resilience of the ecosystem to disturbance.
b. candidate organisms for new sources of food or medicine.
c. levels of primary production.
d. All of these choices are correct. - ANSWER- d. All of these choices
are correct
If the population size of song sparrows is mainly regulated by density-
dependent factors, would you expect natural selection to favor an r-
selected or K-selected life history?
a. r-selected
b. K-selected - ANSWER- b. K-selected
A population that has a high mortality earlier in the life cycle than later
in the life cycle would have a ____________ survivorship curve.
, a. Type I
b. Type II
c. Type III - ANSWER- c. Type III
What steps can humans take to reduce the amount of (man-made) CO2
released into the atmosphere?
a. increase reforestation efforts
b. invest in wind or nuclear power
c. employ "scrubbers" for smokestacks
d. reduce the consumption of fossil fuels
e. All of these choices are correct. - ANSWER- e. All of these choices
are correct.
In addition to burning fossil fuels, humans return CO2 to the atmosphere
faster than it can be removed by:
a. clearing forests for agriculture.
b. polluting the oceans.
VERIFIED ANSWERS 2025\2026 EXAM
GRADED A+
An experiment conducted in the rocky intertidal zone compared the
species diversity in control plots (no predator removal) with diversity in
experimental plots (removal of the top predators, sea stars). After 5
years, the control plot had 15 species of intertidal invertebrates and the
experimental plots had one species of mussel and on species of barnacle.
Why did species diversity most likely remain high in the presence of a
predator?
a. The sea star kept the mussel and barnacle populations low enough to
prevent competitive exclusion from occurring.
b. The sea star kept the mussels and barnacles from developing a
mutualistic relationship. That, in turn, kept their populations low.
c. The mussels and the barnacles parasitized the sea stars, keeping
populations low enough to prevent competitive exclusion from
occurring.
,d. The sea stars developed a mutualistic relationship with the mussels
and barnacles, keeping t - ANSWER- a. The sea star kept the mussel
and barnacle populations low enough to prevent competitive
exclusion from occurring.
Male Australian bowerbirds build and decorate elaborate structures,
called bowers, out of grasses and other vegetation. Females select males
based on the quality of the male's bower and his song/dance. Which of
the following is an ultimate explanation for female bowerbird choice?
a. The quality of the bower communicates to the female that he is
receptive to mating.
b. Bowers that are higher quality offer better protection and large food
caches that will increase offspring survival.
c. Visual and auditory cues trigger hormones in the female Australian
bowerbird that cause her to be attracted to the male Australian
bowerbird.
d. The female was exposed to her father's call, so she learned at an early
age to recognize the specific song as from a potential mate.
e. All are ultimate explanations - ANSWER- b. Bowers that are higher
quality offer better protection and large food caches that will
increase offspring survival.
,Most human-dominated ecosystems have lower diversity than natural
ecosystems in a similar environment. What ecosystem services are
diminished in human-dominated ecosystems?
a. resilience of the ecosystem to disturbance.
b. candidate organisms for new sources of food or medicine.
c. levels of primary production.
d. All of these choices are correct. - ANSWER- d. All of these choices
are correct
If the population size of song sparrows is mainly regulated by density-
dependent factors, would you expect natural selection to favor an r-
selected or K-selected life history?
a. r-selected
b. K-selected - ANSWER- b. K-selected
A population that has a high mortality earlier in the life cycle than later
in the life cycle would have a ____________ survivorship curve.
, a. Type I
b. Type II
c. Type III - ANSWER- c. Type III
What steps can humans take to reduce the amount of (man-made) CO2
released into the atmosphere?
a. increase reforestation efforts
b. invest in wind or nuclear power
c. employ "scrubbers" for smokestacks
d. reduce the consumption of fossil fuels
e. All of these choices are correct. - ANSWER- e. All of these choices
are correct.
In addition to burning fossil fuels, humans return CO2 to the atmosphere
faster than it can be removed by:
a. clearing forests for agriculture.
b. polluting the oceans.
