Ecology Problem Drill 18: Competition in Ecology Question No. 1 of 10 Question 1. The concept of allelopathy focuses on which of the following: (A) Carrying capacity (B) Limiting resource (C) Law of the minimum (D) Interference competition Question #01 Carrying capacity is the number of individuals an environment can support, not allelopathy. Therefore this answer is incorrect. Although limiting resource does relate to competition, it does not refer to allelopathy. Therefore this answer is incorrect. Although the law of the minimum relates to plants, it does not relate to allelopathy. Therefore this answer is incorrect. D. Correct! Allelopathy is a form of interference competition in plants. Therefore this answer is correct. Allelopathy is the production of chemicals in one plant to depress the growth of neighboring plants. This is a form of interference competition. Therefore answer is D is the correct answer.
Question No. 2 of 10 Question 2. When a population of plants decreases due to the presence of another plant species consuming the same resource this phenomenon is termed as: Question #02 (A) Realized niche (B) Exploitation competition (C) Renewable resource (D) Resource partitioning Realized niche is the actual niche occupied by a species and does not relate to the decrease in plant populations. Therefore answer A is incorrect. B. Correct! Exploitation competition relates to the competition between individuals for the same resource. Therefore answer B is correct. Renewable resource is a resource that can be renewed or recovered. It does not relate to a decrease in plant populations. Therefore answer C is incorrect. Resource partitioning refers to the subdivision of a niche that minimizes competition between similar species. This does not relate directly to the decrease plant populations due to presence of other plant populations. Therefore answer D is incorrect. Exploitation competition relates to the competition between individuals for the same resource. This competition reduces the populations of competing plant species that is termed exploitation competition. Therefore answer B is correct.
Question No. 3 of 10 Question 3. A species whose removal from an ecosystem profoundly changes that ecosystem is an example of a species. Question #03 (A) Resource limited (B) Niche (C) Carnivorous (D) Keystone The removal of a species which is resource limited would not profoundly change that ecosystem. Therefore answer A is incorrect. Niche refers to how a species supports itself in its environment, not to the effect its removal would have on the ecosystem. Therefore answer B is incorrect. A carnivorous species feeds on prey for food. Its removal may or may not have a profound impact on its ecosystem. Therefore answer C is incorrect. D. Correct! By definition a keystone species is a species whose removal will have a profound impact on its environment. Therefore answer D is correct. The definition of a keystone species is a species whose removal would have a profound effect on its ecosystem. Therefore answer D is correct.
Question No. 4 of 10 Question 4. Which of the following are forms of competition in an area: Question #04 (A) Intraspecific (B) Interspecific (C) Interference (D) Exploitation (E) All of the above Although intraspecific competition is a form of competition, the other answers also are examples of competition in nature. Therefore answer A is incorrect. Although interspecific competition is a form of competition, the other answers also are examples of competition in nature. Therefore answer B is incorrect. Although interference competition is a form of competition, the other answers also are examples of competition in nature. Therefore answer C is incorrect. Although exploitation competition is a form of competition, the other answers also are examples of competition in nature. Therefore answer D is incorrect. E. Correct! Interference, intraspecific, interspecific and exploitation competition are all forms of competition in nature. Therefore answer E is correct. Interference, intraspecific, interspecific and exploitation competition are all forms of competition in nature. Therefore answer E is correct
Question No. 5 of 10 Question 5. The Law of the Minimum was first proposed by: Question #05 (A) Liebeg (B) Gause (C) Darwin (D) Wallace A. Correct! German chemist Justus von Liebeg first promulgated the Law of the Minimum. Therefore answer A is correct. Gause promulgated the concept of competitive exclusion. Therefore answer B is incorrect. Darwin developed the concept of natural selection in his work The Origin of Species. Therefore answer C is incorrect. Wallace, along with Darwin, was one of the developers of the concept of natural selection. Therefore answer D must be incorrect. German chemist Justus von Liebeg first promulgated the Law of the Minimum. Therefore answer A is correct.
Question No. 6 of 10 Question 6. refers to any natural resource that once consumed cannot be remade, re-grown or regenerated. Question #06 (A) Renewable resource (B) Density independence (C) Non-renewable resource (D) Carrying capacity A renewable resource is a resource that can be remade, re-grown or regenerated. Hence answer A is incorrect. Density independence refers to the effect of population density has on the size of that population, not to a natural resource. Hence answer B is incorrect. C. Correct! A non-renewable resource is a resource that cannot be remade, re-grown or regenerated, not to a resource. Hence answer C is correct. Carrying capacity is the numbers of individuals an environment can support, not to a resource. Therefore answer D is incorrect. A non-renewable resource is a resource that cannot be remade, re-grown or regenerated, not to a resource. Hence answer C is correct.
Question No. 7 of 10 Question 7. Fundamental niche refers to which of the following: Question #07 (A) Species that compete in the same environment. (B) The total range of conditions in which a species can survive. (C) Competition between individuals of the same species. (D) Place where a particular species lives. (A). Incorrect! Species that compete in the same environment is an example of interspecific competition, not to niche. Therefore answer A is incorrect. B. Correct! By definition the fundamental niche is the total range of conditions in which a species can survive. Therefore answer B is correct. Competition between individuals of the same species is an example of interspecific competition, not to the concept of fundamental niche. Therefore answer C is incorrect. The place where a species lives is termed its habitat, not its fundamental niche. Therefore answer D is incorrect. By definition the fundamental niche is the total range of conditions in which a species can survive. Of the four answers given only answer B is correct.
Question No. 8 of 10 Question 8. Niche is the sharing of a niche by two or more species: Question #08 (A) Realized (B) Fundamental (C) Resource (D) A and B (E) Overlap Realized niche refers to the actual niche occupied by a species, not to the sharing of a niche by two or more species Therefore answer A is incorrect. Fundamental niche refers to the total range of conditions under which a species can survive, not to the sharing of a niche by two or more species. Therefore answer B is incorrect. The concept of a resource refers to a substance or factor needed by an organism to survive, not to the sharing of a niche by two or more species. Therefore answer C is incorrect. Realized and fundamental niches refer to the role of an individual organism in its environment, not to the sharing of a niche by two or more species. Therefore answer D is incorrect. E. Correct! By definition a niche overlap refers to the sharing of a niche by two or more species. By definition a niche overlap refers to the sharing of a niche by two or more species. Therefore only answer E is correct.
Question No. 9 of 10 Question 5. competition refers to the type of indirect competition that occurs when both species are preyed upon by the same predator. Question #09 (A) Exploitation (B) Interference (C) Apparent (D) None of the above (E) All of the above Apparent competition refers to indirect competition that occurs between two species when both species are preyed upon by the same predator. Therefore answer A is incorrect. Apparent competition refers to indirect competition that occurs between two species when both species are preyed upon by the same predator. Therefore answer B is incorrect. C. Correct! Apparent competition refers to indirect competition that occurs between two species when both species are preyed upon by the same predator. Therefore answer C is correct. There is indeed one correct answer above. There is only one correct answer above. Apparent competition refers to indirect competition that occurs between two species when both species are preyed upon by the same predator. Only answer C fits this definition so it must be correct.
Question No. 10 of 10 Question 10. Two species competing for the same resource in the same environment cannot coexist indefinitely. This principle is known as the principle. Question #10 (A) Competitive exclusion (B) Natural Selection (C) Law of the minimum (D) Succession A. Correct! The Competitive Exclusion principle states that two species using the same resource cannot coexist in the same environment indefinitely. Therefore answer A is correct. Darwin s Law of Natural Selection refers to the evolution of populations over time due to mutation, natural variation and selection. It does not refer to the interaction of two species using the same resource. Therefore answer B is incorrect. The Law of the Minimum refers to the limitation in the size of plant populations caused by the limited availability of a particular essential nutrient. Therefore answer C is incorrect. Succession refers to the replacement of populations of plants and animals over time by other populations in a particular environment. Although it is related to the competitive exclusion principle, it is not the same. Therefore answer D is incorrect. The Competitive Exclusion principle states that two species using the same resource cannot coexist in the same environment indefinitely. Only answer A fits this definition so it must be correct.