Biodiversity – Flashcards

When the comb jelly, Mnemiopsis leidyi, was introduced into the Black Sea, its population exploded to 500 comb jellies per cubic yard in 1988. The jellies devoured all the zooplankton and fish larvae, drastically reducing the numbers of the native fish populations. This situation demonstrates _______. a. the difference between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem. b. effects of local evolution or migration on an ecosystem. c. the impact of removing or adding organisms to an ecosystem. d. the types of interactions between organisms in an ecosystem. Please select the best answer from the choices provided

An increase in the biodiversity of an ecosystem leads to an increase in its productivity. Please select the best answer from the choices provided

How can an increase in biodiversity lead to an increase in ecosystem stability? a. A more biodiverse ecosystem is not subject to change. b. A more biodiverse ecosystem has a higher chance of adapting to species changes. c. A more biodiverse ecosystem has fewer species types to balance. d. A more biodiverse ecosystem is subject to fewer natural disasters. Please select the best answer from the choices provided

What happened to the greenish warbler birds as they migrated from the southern portion of their range up around the Tibetan Plateau? a. They evolved separately as they moved north and became two separate species. b. The original species died off, but the ones that were able to adapt to a northern climate evolved into a new species. c. As a whole the species was able to adapt to a colder climate, but no significant changes occurred. d. They were unable to adapt and evolve to ensure their survival and became extinct. Please select the best answer from the choices provided

Ecosystems with greater biodiversity have an increased stability. Please select the best answer from the choices provided

Organisms are dependent on each other for the energy they need to survive. Photos (left to right) by Mehmet Karatay, Jens Buurgaard Nielsen, Furryscaly, and Walter Siegmund What would occur if the snake population is removed from the ecosystem pictured above?

Consider the following food chain: Plants are eaten by grasshoppers, which are eaten by mice, which are eaten by snakes. What is likely to happen if a new organism that feeds off mice is introduced? a. The mice population will increase in response to the arrival of the new organism. b. The mice population, grasshopper population, and plant population will all increase. c. The new organism will compete with the snake population for resources. d. The populations of the existing organisms will remain unaffected. Please select the best answer from the choices provided

Consider the following food chain: Plants are eaten by grasshoppers, which are eaten by mice, which are eaten by snakes. In the short term, what will happen to the other members of the food chain if the mice were removed? a. the number of plants will decrease, the number of grasshoppers will increase, the number of snakes will decrease b. the number of plants will decrease, the number of grasshoppers will decrease, the number of snakes will decrease c. the number of plants will increase, the number of grasshoppers will increase, the number of snakes will decrease d. the number of plants will increase, the number of grasshoppers will increase, the number of snakes will increase Please select the best answer from the choices provided