Environmental Science Biodiversity and Conservation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the species-area relationship in conservation biology?
- Larger species need larger territories
- Larger habitat areas support more species (Correct answer)
- Species diversity is proportional to geographic area surveyed
- Island species are smaller than mainland counterparts
Correct answer: Larger habitat areas support more species
The species-area relationship states that larger habitat areas typically contain more species than smaller areas of the same habitat type.
Question 2: What is a wildlife corridor and what is its purpose?
- A legal zone restricting development; protects critical habitat
- A strip of habitat connecting isolated patches; allows animal movement and gene flow (Correct answer)
- A managed area for wildlife tourism; generates conservation funding
- A buffer zone around national parks; prevents human encroachment
Correct answer: A strip of habitat connecting isolated patches; allows animal movement and gene flow
Wildlife corridors are strips of habitat connecting fragmented patches, allowing animals to move, find mates, and maintain genetic diversity.
Question 3: Which concept describes the minimum viable population (MVP) in conservation?
- The maximum population a habitat can support
- The smallest population size with a high probability of persisting long-term (Correct answer)
- The optimal breeding population for captive programs
- The population level at which a species is removed from the endangered list
Correct answer: The smallest population size with a high probability of persisting long-term
MVP is the smallest population size estimated to have a reasonable chance of surviving genetic, demographic, and environmental stochasticity.
Question 4: Which treaty regulates international trade in endangered species?
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- Ramsar Convention
- CITES (Correct answer)
- Bern Convention
Correct answer: CITES
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) lists species and controls or bans international commercial trade in them.
Question 5: What is bioremediation?
- Using plants to absorb heavy metals from soil
- Using microorganisms to break down pollutants in contaminated environments (Correct answer)
- Restoring native plant communities to degraded land
- Breeding pollution-tolerant species for contaminated areas
Correct answer: Using microorganisms to break down pollutants in contaminated environments
Bioremediation uses naturally occurring or engineered microorganisms to metabolize and neutralize environmental pollutants.
Question 6: What is phytoremediation?
- Using animals to control invasive plant species
- Using plants to absorb, contain, or detoxify soil pollutants (Correct answer)
- Treating water with plant extracts
- Photosynthesis-based energy production for cleanup
Correct answer: Using plants to absorb, contain, or detoxify soil pollutants
Phytoremediation uses hyperaccumulator plants to absorb heavy metals and other contaminants from soil and water.
Environmental Science Biodiversity and Conservation 2
What is the species-area relationship in conservation biology?