BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Environmental Science Ecology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ecological concept describes the maximum population size that an environment can sustainably support?
- Biotic potential
- Carrying capacity (Correct answer)
- Ecological footprint
- Trophic level
Correct answer: Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity (K) is the maximum population size a given environment can support indefinitely given available resources.
Question 2: In landscape ecology, a 'corridor' primarily functions to:
- Block invasive species migration
- Connect fragmented habitat patches (Correct answer)
- Reduce surface water runoff
- Increase urban heat island effect
Correct answer: Connect fragmented habitat patches
Corridors link isolated habitat patches, facilitating wildlife movement, gene flow, and species recolonization.
Question 3: Which biogeochemical cycle is most directly affected by wetland destruction?
- Phosphorus cycle
- Sulfur cycle
- Nitrogen cycle (Correct answer)
- Carbon cycle
Correct answer: Nitrogen cycle
Wetlands are critical sites for denitrification, where bacteria convert nitrates back to atmospheric nitrogen, so their loss disrupts the nitrogen cycle.
Question 4: The concept of 'edge effect' in ecology refers to:
- Increased species diversity at habitat boundaries (Correct answer)
- Decreased productivity near water bodies
- Erosion at the margins of disturbed land
- Temperature drop at forest edges
Correct answer: Increased species diversity at habitat boundaries
The edge effect describes the tendency for greater species richness and density at the boundary between two adjacent habitat types.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes a keystone species?
- The most abundant species in an ecosystem
- A species whose removal causes dramatic ecosystem change (Correct answer)
- A species at the top of the food chain
- A pioneer species in primary succession
Correct answer: A species whose removal causes dramatic ecosystem change
A keystone species has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance, and its removal causes major structural changes.
Question 6: What is the primary driver of primary succession on a newly formed volcanic island?
- Wind-dispersed seeds and spores colonizing bare substrate (Correct answer)
- Animal migration bringing plant seeds
- Runoff from adjacent land masses
- Underwater seed banks activating
Correct answer: Wind-dispersed seeds and spores colonizing bare substrate
Primary succession begins with pioneer organisms like lichens and wind-dispersed seeds colonizing bare, lifeless substrate with no existing soil.
Question 7: In the context of urban ecology, which landscape feature most effectively reduces the urban heat island effect?
- Reflective pavement coatings
- Tree canopy cover and green roofs (Correct answer)
- Underground stormwater storage
- Permeable concrete pathways
Correct answer: Tree canopy cover and green roofs
Tree canopy and green roofs reduce urban heat islands through evapotranspiration and shading, lowering surface and air temperatures significantly.
