Problem 1
What does species richness refer to? Select True or False for each statement.
T/F the number of species in an area
T/F the evenness of species in an area
T/F the functional diversity of a species in an area
T/F the phylogenetic diversity of species in an area
Problem 2
What community property does the red arrow in the model represent? a. high resilience b. low resistance c. high resistance
Problem 3
What is a biodiversity “hotspot”?
a. an area where an all-taxon survey is under way
b. a habitat with high NPP
c. an area with high species richness and high threat to those species
Problem 4
What does ecosystem service refer to? Select True or False for each statement.
T/FBenefits that humans derive from organisms and ecosystems.
T/FBenefits that non-human animals derive from their prey.
Problem 5
Why is the common phrase "humans and animals" not accurate in biology? Suggest one way that a more scientific outlook could boost conservation efforts.
Problem 6
Biologists claim that the all-taxa survey now under way at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the United States will improve their ability to estimate the total number of species living today. Discuss the benefits and limitations that this data set will provide in understanding the extent of global biodiversity.
Problem 7
Some biologists prefer to focus efforts on preserving endangered species while others prefer to focus on preserving ecosystems. What is your advice to biologists, based on the evidence?
Problem 8
Explain why the construction of wildlife corridors can help maintain genetic diversity in a fragmented landscape.
Problem 9
The population size of mountain pine beetles in the American Northwest has long been held in check by freezing temperatures during the winters. As winters warm, populations of pine beetles are increasing, killing whitebark pine forest. Grizzly bears rely on the nuts of whitebark pine trees. Do you think climate change is affecting the fitness of the grizzly bear population?
a. No, because climate change is affecting the beetles, not the bears.
b. Yes, because climate change is decreasing the food supply of the bears, which means they will be less strong.
c. Yes, because climate change is decreasing the food supply of the bears, which is likely to reduce their ability to survive or reproduce.
Problem 10
The maps shown here chronicle the loss of old-growth forest (more than 200 years old) that occurred in the United States. In your opinion, under what conditions is it ethical for conservationists who live in the United States to lobby government officials in Brazil, Indonesia, and other tropical countries to slow the rate of loss of old-growth forest?
Problem 10
Human impacts such as habitat destruction, climate change, and pollution are causing a rapid decline in insect diversity. Pose an argument for why conservation efforts to preserve plant diversity, like Homegrown National Park, are essential for conserving insect diversity.
Problem 11
Do you drink coffee? A lot of people do—coffee is a major tropical crop, valued at over $100 billion per year. The most popular species of coffee, Coffea arabica, originated in Africa and is now planted extensively in Central and South America. The pest called the coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampeii) moved along with the coffee and is a major problem for coffee farmers, sometimes destroying half of the coffee crop in mature plantations.
Based on what you have learned in this chapter about global trends in terrestrial ecosystems, what is currently the largest threat to the wet tropical forests in Central America?
a. Habitat destruction, such as the clearing of forests for coffee plantations
b. Exotic species, such as the introduction of coffee berry borers
c. Pollution, such as the use of pesticides in coffee plantations
d. Climate change, such as changes in precipitation patterns
Problem 12
Do you drink coffee? A lot of people do—coffee is a major tropical crop, valued at over $100 billion per year. The most popular species of coffee, Coffea arabica, originated in Africa and is now planted extensively in Central and South America. The pest called the coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampeii) moved along with the coffee and is a major problem for coffee farmers, sometimes destroying half of the coffee crop in mature plantations.
Pesticides are generally ineffective in killing coffee berry borers. Ecologist Daniel Karp and colleagues conducted a study in Costa Rica to determine if natural predators like birds reduce the beetle population. The researchers selected 12 control plots and used nets to exclude birds from 12 similar treatment plots. What is the take-home message of the graph? (Remember, * means P < 6 0.05)
Problem 13
Do you drink coffee? A lot of people do—coffee is a major tropical crop, valued at over $100 billion per year. The most popular species of coffee, Coffea arabica, originated in Africa and is now planted extensively in Central and South America. The pest called the coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampeii) moved along with the coffee and is a major problem for coffee farmers, sometimes destroying half of the coffee crop in mature plantations.
Look at the graph. Why did the researchers bother to collect data from the coffee shrubs before adding the nets to treatment plots to exclude birds?
Problem 14
Do you drink coffee? A lot of people do—coffee is a major tropical crop, valued at over $100 billion per year. The most popular species of coffee, Coffea arabica, originated in Africa and is now planted extensively in Central and South America. The pest called the coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampeii) moved along with the coffee and is a major problem for coffee farmers, sometimes destroying half of the coffee crop in mature plantations. The abundance of birds and other predators of borer beetles depends on how much natural forest is left within and around the coffee plantations. What is the approximate percentage increase in borer predators per hectare if forest cover is doubled from 15 to 30 percent?
Problem 15
This study suggests a form of sentience (the capacity to experience feelings and sensations) in bumble bees. How might these findings impact conservation policies?
Problem 15e
Do you drink coffee? A lot of people do—coffee is a major tropical crop, valued at over $100 billion per year. The most popular species of coffee, Coffea arabica, originated in Africa and is now planted extensively in Central and South America. The pest called the coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampeii) moved along with the coffee and is a major problem for coffee farmers, sometimes destroying half of the coffee crop in mature plantations. Draw a simple model to compare the relative species richness and species diversity of these two coffee plantations: one is clear-cut and planted with only coffee shrubs, the other retains some natural forest. For symbols, use a few letters to represent different species of plants and a few numbers to represent different species of animals in a square 1-ha plot.
Problem 16f
Do you drink coffee? A lot of people do—coffee is a major tropical crop, valued at over $100 billion per year. The most popular species of coffee, Coffea arabica, originated in Africa and is now planted extensively in Central and South America. The pest called the coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampeii) moved along with the coffee and is a major problem for coffee farmers, sometimes destroying half of the coffee crop in mature plantations. Evaluate this statement: Leaving some natural forest in and around coffee plantations is a 'win-win' situation—a win for ecosystems and a win for farmers.
Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology