MCU2 Lesson 2 Quiz

The graph shows the population of a group of rabbits in a restricted area studied over a period of five years. Which statement might explain why the population leveled off as shown in the graph?

• The resources in the area ran out.

• The rabbits encountered a new disease.

• Predators were introduced into the area.

• Competition for resources limited the rabbit population.

Which of these events would lead to an increase in the size of a population of squirrels?

• More squirrels are born than die.

• Some squirrels emigrate in search of food.

• New predators are added to the ecosystem.

• A large number of squirrels die because of a forest fire.

Which of these is the most likely reason that a population in an ecosystem could have a sharp decline?

• The number of prey suddenly increases.

• The number of predators suddenly decreases.

• The competition for the same resource suddenly drops.

• The abiotic resources in the environment suddenly drops.

A student is making a graph the size of an animal population over time. He plots the size of the population on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis. How will the shape of the graph looks if it shows the logistic growth of the animal population in the ecosystem?

• It will be a vertical line.

• It will be an essentially flat, horizontal line

• It will be straight line that slants sharply upward.

• It will be straight line that slants sharply downward.

Without other changes to a population, which of these will cause a population to increase in size?

• The birth rate equals the death rate.

• The birth rate is less than the death rate.

• The birth rate is greater than the death rate.

• The birth rate and the death rate both equal zero.

How would a drought most likely affect the population of grasshoppers living in the grassland ecosystems?

• The insects adapted to eat other available foods instead of grass.

• Populations increase because other insects were eliminated from the environment.

• Populations decreased because the resources the grasshoppers needed were not available,

• Populations of grasshoppers were not affected because the size of the population cannot change over time.

How does a drought most likely affect the carrying capacity(the amount of organisms an ecosystem can support) for populations of farm animals?

• The populations increased at first and then decreased as time went on.

• The populations decreased because the environment no longer had enough resources.

• The populations stayed the same because they depended on biotic factors, not abiotic factors.

• The populations increased because there was more room for animals once the plants were gone from the environment.

How might an abundance of food resources affect a population of caribou?

• The population would increase in size.

• The population would decrease in size.

• The caribou would start to eat other types of food.

• There would be more competition between the caribou for food.

How would a shortage of water affect a population of caribou?

• The population size would increase.

• The population would decrease in size.

• The growth of individual caribou would increase.

• The growth of individual caribou wouldn't change.

Which of the following is most likely to happen if a bird can't find a nesting site?

• The birds will wait until a tree becomes available.

• The birds move to another area with more shelter resources.

• The birds build a different kind of shelter instead of a nest.