ESA ESA Community Ecology

Question 1

Which term describes the sequential change in species composition of a community over time following a disturbance that leaves soil intact?

Accepted Answer

Secondary succession

Answer

Primary succession

Answer

Allogenic succession

Answer

Retrogressive succession

Question 2

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis predicts that species diversity is highest at:

Accepted Answer

Intermediate disturbance frequencies

Answer

Very low disturbance frequencies

Answer

Very high disturbance frequencies

Answer

Zero disturbance

Question 3

A keystone species is best defined as a species that:

Accepted Answer

Exerts a disproportionately large effect on community structure relative to its abundance

Answer

Has the highest biomass in the community

Answer

Is endemic to a single region

Answer

Occupies the highest trophic level

Question 4

Which index combines both species richness and evenness to quantify community diversity?

Accepted Answer

Shannon-Wiener index

Answer

Jaccard index

Answer

Whittaker's beta diversity

Answer

Sorensen index

Question 5

Interspecific competition in which one species directly harms another through toxin release is called:

Accepted Answer

Allelopathy

Answer

Interference competition

Answer

Exploitative competition

Answer

Amensalism

Question 6

Beta diversity measures:

Accepted Answer

The change in species composition between different habitats or along environmental gradients

Answer

Species diversity within a single habitat

Answer

The total diversity of a landscape

Answer

Genetic diversity within a population