BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Environmental Science Ecology 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which concept describes the ability of an ecosystem to return to its original state after a disturbance?
- Resistance
- Resilience (Correct answer)
- Redundancy
- Robustness
Correct answer: Resilience
Ecological resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to recover and return to its pre-disturbance structure and function after being disturbed.
Question 2: In watershed management, a riparian buffer strip is most effective at:
- Preventing soil salinization
- Filtering agricultural runoff before it enters waterways (Correct answer)
- Controlling wildfire spread
- Providing upland wildlife habitat exclusively
Correct answer: Filtering agricultural runoff before it enters waterways
Riparian buffer strips of vegetation intercept agricultural runoff, filtering nutrients, sediments, and pesticides before they reach streams and rivers.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?
- Decomposer bacteria activity
- Herbivore grazing pressure
- Soil pH level (Correct answer)
- Mycorrhizal fungal networks
Correct answer: Soil pH level
Abiotic factors are non-living physical and chemical components of an environment; soil pH is a chemical property not produced by living organisms.
Question 4: The intermediate disturbance hypothesis predicts that species diversity is highest when:
- Disturbance frequency is very high and intense
- Disturbance is completely absent for long periods
- Disturbance occurs at intermediate frequency and intensity (Correct answer)
- Only two dominant species compete
Correct answer: Disturbance occurs at intermediate frequency and intensity
The intermediate disturbance hypothesis states that moderate disturbance levels prevent competitive exclusion while allowing recovery, maximizing species diversity.
Question 5: In landscape architecture, 'green infrastructure' primarily refers to:
- Steel-reinforced planting containers in urban areas
- Networks of natural and semi-natural areas providing ecosystem services (Correct answer)
- LEED-certified building materials used outdoors
- Irrigation systems powered by solar energy
Correct answer: Networks of natural and semi-natural areas providing ecosystem services
Green infrastructure encompasses interconnected networks of natural spaces and ecological systems that deliver ecosystem services like stormwater management and air purification.
Question 6: Which type of plant adaptation is most commonly found in xeric (dry) environments?
- Large, thin leaves to maximize photosynthesis
- Shallow widespread root systems to capture rainfall
- Thick waxy cuticles and succulent tissue to reduce water loss (Correct answer)
- High stomatal density to increase gas exchange
Correct answer: Thick waxy cuticles and succulent tissue to reduce water loss
Xerophytes adapt to drought through thick waxy cuticles, succulence, and reduced leaf area to minimize transpiration water loss.
Question 7: What ecological role do nurse plants play in desert ecosystems?
- They fix atmospheric nitrogen for surrounding vegetation
- They provide shade and shelter that facilitates seedling establishment (Correct answer)
- They produce allelopathic chemicals that suppress competition
- They attract pollinators that benefit neighboring plants
Correct answer: They provide shade and shelter that facilitates seedling establishment
Nurse plants create favorable microclimates beneath their canopy—reducing heat, desiccation, and herbivory—that enable vulnerable seedlings to establish.
BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Environmental Science Ecology 4
Which concept describes the ability of an ecosystem to return to its original state after a disturbance?