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.
BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Environmental Science Ecology 2
Which ecological concept describes the maximum population size that an environment can sustainably support?