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Continental Drift and Species Distribution
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Continental Drift and Species Distribution

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Questions and Answers

What phenomenon describes the separation of a once continuous landmass into continents and islands?

  • Oceanic expansion
  • Continental drift (correct)
  • Plate tectonics
  • Geographical dispersion

    • Which of the following methods of dispersal involves actively moving under one’s own power?

  • Emigration
  • Passive rafting
  • Active movement (correct)
  • Hitching rides on animals

    • What is the primary difference between dispersal and seasonal migrations?

  • Dispersal occurs only over short distances, while migrations can be long-distance.
  • Dispersal follows predictable patterns, while migrations do not.
  • Dispersal is only for freshwater species, while migrations involve terrestrial species.
  • Dispersal is a one-way movement, while migrations are periodic. (correct)

    • What did the theory of plate tectonics explain about the Earth's surface?

    <p>The breakup of Pangaea into smaller landmasses.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What major supercontinent existed before the fragmentation that led to today's continents?

    <p>Pangaea</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which continents were formed from the breakup of Laurasia?

    <p>North America, most of Eurasia, and Greenland</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes how animal species expanded their geographic distributions after the last ice age?

    <p>By dispersing into new habitats as they became available.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the separation of animal species occur during continental drift?

    <p>By fragmentation into isolated populations on different landmasses.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What impact did North American carnivores have on South American mammals?

    <p>They introduced competition, leading to the extinction of many South American mammals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'niche' refer to in an ecological context?

    <p>The unique multidimensional relationship of a species with its environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor is NOT a property of populations studied in ecology?

    <p>Individual animal behaviors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term describes the complex associations of populations of different species?

    <p>Communities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a factor that comprises an animal's environment?

    <p>Reproductive strategy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main benefit predators receive from their interactions within a community?

    <p>Energy and nutrients</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the niche of a species change over time?

    <p>It undergoes evolutionary changes due to natural selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes a group of animals of a single species that can reproduce and interact with one another?

    <p>Population</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly describes the concept of species diversity within a community?

    <p>The number of different species that coexist</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is ecology considered a hierarchical study?

    <p>It looks at interactions from organisms to ecosystems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term is used to describe the study of age structure, sex ratio, and growth rate in populations?

    <p>Demography</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor can be considered a resource directly utilized by animals in their environment?

    <p>Food</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of relationship is described when two species compete for the same resources?

    <p>Competition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between generalist and specialist species?

    <p>Generalists have a wider range of food sources while specialists have a narrow diet</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What concept refers to the limitations on the number of individuals that can occupy a particular area?

    <p>Carrying capacity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines the physical space where an animal lives, emphasizing its activity rather than arbitrary boundaries?

    <p>Habitat</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main feature of asexual reproduction in modular animals?

    <p>Cloning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a consequence of animal populations containing multiple cohorts?

    <p>Exhibiting age structure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about parthenogenetic species is true?

    <p>They consist only of females.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is necessary for a population to maintain a constant size over generations?

    <p>Each adult female must replace herself with one surviving daughter.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What typically characterizes populations that exhibit exponential growth?

    <p>Rapid reproduction rates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do many insects reproduce before winter and die shortly after?

    <p>To lay eggs that will hatch in spring</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group of animals is known for laying thousands of eggs each year?

    <p>Codfish</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What limits the unrestricted growth of animal populations in nature?

    <p>Space limitations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What provides evidence for the theory of continental drift?

    <p>Airborne paleomagnetic surveys</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did marsupials spread during the middle Cretaceous period?

    <p>They migrated through South America to Australia.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the effect of the separation of Australia from Antarctica on marsupials?

    <p>It led to their diversification due to isolation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which mammal group faced extinction in North America due to competition?

    <p>Marsupials</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What geographic feature connected Asia and North America in the past?

    <p>A land bridge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which epoch were North and South America completely separated by water?

    <p>Mid Eocene epoch to end of Pliocene epoch</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a consequence of the continental break-up mentioned in the content?

    <p>Distinctive evolution of major mammal groups</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was significant about the presence of mid-ocean ridges in the context of continental drift?

    <p>They indicate where tectonic plates arise.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Continental Drift

    • Continental drift is a significant geological process where a once continuous landmass breaks into separate continents and islands.
    • This fragmentation caused terrestrial and freshwater species to become isolated, leading to diverse evolutionary trajectories.
    • Dispersal involves animals moving from one region to another, contrasting with periodic movements like seasonal migrations.
    • Dispersal methods include active locomotion by the animal itself or passive transport by wind, water, or hitching rides on other species.

    Impact of Ice Ages on Species Distribution

    • The end of the last ice age allowed temperate species to expand into newly available habitats previously covered by glaciers.
    • Dispersal explains geographic distribution patterns as adjacent habitats become accessible, leading to continuous ranges.

    Theory of Plate Tectonics

    • The Earth's surface consists of six to ten tectonic plates, shifting on a malleable layer beneath.
    • Pangaea, a supercontinent that existed around 200 million years ago, split into Laurasia (northern) and Gondwana (southern).
    • Major fragmentation occurred at the end of the Jurassic period, with continents like North America, South America, Africa, and Australia forming distinct landmasses.

    Support for Continental Drift Theory

    • Evidence includes the fit of continents, paleomagnetic data, seismographic studies, and biological similarities between distant lands, such as invertebrate fossils in Africa and South America.
    • Despite the long separation during the Cenozoic and Mesozoic eras, this theory provides insight into historical ecological interconnections.

    Example: Marsupial Distribution

    • Marsupials likely originated in South America about 100 million years ago and spread to Australia via Antarctica.
    • Interaction with placental mammals in North America led to marsupials’ extinction in that region, while their isolation in Australia allowed diversification.

    Land Bridges and Mammalian Movement

    • Land bridges, like the Bering Strait, facilitated migration of species, such as placental mammals into North America.
    • The Isthmus of Panama connected North and South America, allowing intercontinental species movement after periods of separation.

    Ecology Overview

    • Ecology examines interactions within biological systems, starting from individual organisms to entire ecosystems.
    • Populations, consisting of individuals of the same species, exhibit characteristics like genetic variability and growth over time.

    Community Interactions

    • Species interact within communities through predation, parasitism, and competition for resources.
    • Ecological complexity results from these simultaneous interactions, influencing community dynamics.

    Ecosystem Dynamics

    • An ecosystem encompasses all populations and their physical environments, focusing on energy flow and material cycling.

    Environment and Niche

    • An animal’s environment includes abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors affecting survival.
    • The niche defines a species’ role within its environment, influenced by adaptability to conditions and resources.

    Population Dynamics and Demography

    • Populations are characterized by age structure, sex ratios, and growth rates, analyzed through demography.
    • Modular animals, like sponges, present challenges in determining population metrics due to their colony structures.

    Reproductive Strategies and Population Growth

    • Most animal populations rely on stable reproductive rates to maintain numbers, with many species reproducing only once before death.
    • Certain species, such as Pacific salmon, exemplify this single reproductive event followed by mortality.
    • Potential growth rates are high, as illustrated by species capable of producing large numbers of offspring; however, resource limitations curb exponential growth.

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    Description

    Explore the profound effects of continental drift and ice ages on species distribution through geological time. Understand how tectonic movements and environmental changes have shaped the evolution and dispersal patterns of various species. This quiz will test your knowledge of these essential processes.

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