Free Ecology Conservation and Restoration Ecology Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A conservation agency is debating whether to protect a single large, contiguous forest or several smaller forest patches of the same total area. To maximize the long-term persistence of large, wide-ranging carnivore species, which ecological principle provides the strongest guidance?
- The concept of beta diversity, as several small reserves may capture more unique habitats.
- The principle of succession, as several smaller patches will recover from disturbance faster.
- The process of bioremediation, as smaller, isolated patches are easier to decontaminate.
- The theory of island biogeography, which suggests a single large reserve will have lower extinction rates. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The theory of island biogeography, which suggests a single large reserve will have lower extinction rates.
The theory of island biogeography, applied to terrestrial 'islands' of habitat, posits that larger areas can support larger populations and will have lower rates of extinction. For wide-ranging species that require extensive territory, a single large, unfragmented area is superior to several small, isolated patches, as it minimizes edge effects and supports a larger, more genetically viable population.
Question 2: Which of the following statements best defines the primary goal of ecological restoration according to the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER)?
- To assist the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. (Correct answer)
- To remove all non-native species from an area and reintroduce historically present species.
- To return a damaged landscape to a state of maximum economic productivity, such as for agriculture or forestry.
- To perfectly recreate a pristine, historical ecosystem exactly as it existed before any human disturbance.
Correct answer: To assist the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.
The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) defines ecological restoration as the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. This goal focuses on re-establishing ecological processes and trajectories, rather than simply removing invasive species, maximizing economic output, or attempting to achieve an often-impossible historical replica.
Question 3: A team of biologists is conducting a population viability analysis (PVA) for a small, isolated population of grizzly bears. They aim to determine the smallest population size that will ensure a 95% probability of persistence for the next 100 years. What is this critical threshold value called?
- Carrying Capacity (K)
- Effective Population Size (Ne)
- Minimum Viable Population (MVP) (Correct answer)
- Metapopulation Threshold
Correct answer: Minimum Viable Population (MVP)
The Minimum Viable Population (MVP) is defined as the smallest size a population can be and still have a specified probability (e.g., 95%) of persisting for a certain amount of time (e.g., 100 years), despite demographic, environmental, and genetic challenges. Carrying capacity is the maximum population size an environment can sustain, while effective population size is a related genetic measure, but MVP is the specific term for this persistence threshold.
Question 4: A former industrial site has soil heavily contaminated with lead and cadmium. A restoration plan proposes planting specific species, such as Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), that are known to absorb and accumulate these heavy metals in their tissues. The plants will then be harvested and safely disposed of. This restoration technique is best described as:
- Bioaugmentation
- Phytoremediation (Correct answer)
- In-situ oxidation
- Bioventing
Correct answer: Phytoremediation
Phytoremediation is a cost-effective, plant-based approach to environmental cleanup. Specifically, this scenario describes phytoextraction, a type of phytoremediation where plants take up contaminants like heavy metals from the soil and concentrate them in their harvestable parts.
Question 5: A conservation organization launches a major fundraising campaign centered on saving the Bengal tiger. By securing legal protection for the vast forest habitats required by tigers, the campaign also effectively protects thousands of other species, including deer, boar, birds, and insects, that share the same ecosystem. In this context, the tiger is being used primarily as a(n):
- Keystone species
- Indicator species
- Foundation species
- Flagship species (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Flagship species
A flagship species is a species chosen to act as an icon or symbol for a conservation cause due to its charisma and public appeal. While the tiger also functions as an umbrella species (because protecting its large habitat protects many other species), the question's focus on its role in a fundraising campaign points directly to its use as a flagship species.
Question 6: The 'extinction vortex' describes a process where small populations are drawn into a downward spiral toward extinction. What is the primary feedback mechanism that drives this vortex?
- Loss of genetic diversity, leading to inbreeding depression and reduced ability to adapt to environmental changes. (Correct answer)
- An increase in resource competition as the habitat shrinks, leading to starvation and reduced birth rates.
- A rapid increase in predation pressure because individuals in small populations are easier to find.
- The Allee effect, where population growth rate increases with population size due to social benefits.
Correct answer: Loss of genetic diversity, leading to inbreeding depression and reduced ability to adapt to environmental changes.
The extinction vortex is a feedback loop where a small population size leads to inbreeding and genetic drift, which in turn cause a loss of genetic diversity. This loss reduces individual fitness (inbreeding depression) and the population's ability to adapt to change, leading to higher mortality and lower reproduction, which makes the population even smaller and accelerates the spiral.
Free Ecology Conservation and Restoration Ecology Questions and Answers 1
A conservation agency is debating whether to protect a single large, contiguous forest or several smaller forest patches of the same total area.
To maximize the long-term persistence of large, wide-ranging carnivore species, which ecological principle provides the strongest guidance?