Untitled Document PDF - Biology Past Paper

​ In terms of the tree of life, which of the following statements are scientifically supported? All organisms on Earth share a single common ancestor, and have descended from other species. It is no longer considered possible that all the living organisms on...

​ In terms of the tree of life, which of the following statements are scientifically supported? All organisms on Earth share a single common ancestor, and have descended from other species. It is no longer considered possible that all the living organisms on the planet share a single common ancestor. Insects are no longer considered to be animals, and scientists are questioning whether lower organisms, such as fish, deserve animal status. Humans evolved from animals, but are not technically considered animals because we have the ability to reason. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 2 ​ Which of the following statements about the origin of life are NOT part of our current scientific understanding of life's origins? Life had a supernatural creator as its designer. It has been demonstrated that organic molecules can originate from abiotic sources. All forms of life on Earth share a single common ancestor, though that common ancestor was not the first form of life on the planet.  Certain molecular precursors of life, or even early living things, may have fallen to Earth early in its origins, due to impacts on other planets in the solar system or other proto systems in the same planetary nebula. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 3 ​ Which form of speciation involves a geographic barrier? Allopatric speciation. Sympatric speciation. Hybridogenesis. Polyploidy. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 4 ​ Which of the following statements about human population growth, worldwide, are accurate? Over human history, the human carrying capacity has characteristically been set by available farmland and agricultural practices. Declining birth rates are likely to push humans to the brink of extinction by the mid 20th century.  Historically, the key solution to overpopulation has been warfare. The worl population of humans is currently growing exponentially, with no sign of slowing down. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 5 ​ The total amount of biomass or energy fixed by producers in an ecosystem, per unit area and time, is called which of the following? quantum energy density net primary productivity standing crop biomass gross primary productivity 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 6 ​ From your reading of Chapter 1 of the textbook, which statement about the long necks of giraffes is supported? The food competition hypothesis for the origin of long necks is not supported by field studies by Simmons et al. Most foraging is done at shoulder height. Male giraffes fight for access to females using their long necks, suggesting sexual selection plays a major role in their evolution, currently.  Field studies have confirmed that only adults with the longest necks are able to feed during the dry season, confirming Darwin's view of giraffe necks. Like many structures in nature, giraffe necks are an example of a structure without any particular purpose in nature. Giraffes in Africa have been observed to stretch their necks to feed. Offspring of these giraffes have been observed to have longer necks than their relatives that did not stretch their necks. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 7 ​ Which formula would you use to describe the biological diversity of a population? rt N(t)=N0e y=mx+b N(t+1)=rmax(K-N)/K * N(t) 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 8 ​ What would be the function of Rhizobium bacteria in an ecosystem?  to return Carbon Dioxide to the atmosphere to remove excess Nitrogen from the soil To fix atmospheric Carbon Dioxide into a form plants can use To fix atmospheric Nitrogen into a form plants can use as nutrients. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 9 ​ Japan has exhibited a negative rate of population growth, r, since 2009. Based on this, which of the following would you predict to be accurate regarding the age distribution of its non-immigrant population? Its population will soon fall below the critical threshold to support life. Its age distribution will stay the same. The median age of its population is getting older. The median age of its population is getting younger. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 10 ​ In mollies, the silver color is recessive to the dominant, green, color. Two pure breeding lines are established, one with silver fish and one with green fish. A silver male is mated to a green female. All of the resulting F1 offspring are green. ​ What proportion of the sperm from a MALE F1 have the allele for silver color?  9/1 6 3/1 6 1.0.50 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 11 ​ Which of the following statements about the evolutionary relationship between humans and cattle is accurate and supported by scientific evidence? Humans have a parasitic relationship with cattle. Humans and cattle have a coevolutionary relationship. Humans have caused cattle to evolve, by selective breeding, which is not evolution. Raising of cattle by humans is a sign that humans deserve to be naturally selected. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 12 ​ Which of the following relationships defines an ecological commensalism?  Two species live in close assocaition. One species benefits from this relationship, the other is unaffected. Two species live in close assocaition. One species benefits from this relationship, the other is harmed. Two species live in close assocaition. Both are harmed by the association. Two species live in close assocaition. Both species benefit. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 13 ​ In terms of global climate, which is the most important reservoir for carbon? the atmosphere carbonate minerals rivers and lakes ocean sediments 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 14 ​ Which scientific species concept defines species based on their purporse, with respect to serving humans?  Ecological species concept. There is no current scientific species concept based on purpose for humans or utility to humans. Ecological species concept. Phylogenetic species concept. Biological species concept. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 15 ​ Which statement about folk belief, compared to scientific information, is valid? Folk beliefs are not rigorously tested, and incorrect ideas can proliferatre by folk belief for centuries. Scientific beliefs are tested, and can be falsified. Folk beliefs never transmit useful information. All scientific ideas can be considered true. Folk belief and science are two different, equal, ways of knowing and folk beliefs should be considered valid in scientific journals. Science is an exclusively "white" enterprise whose purpose is to replace traditional ways of knowing with Eurocentric ways of knowing. Folk belief is morally superior because it does not represent colonialism.  2 points (Extra Credit) Question 16 ​ ​ Examine the figure above. It is a simple schematic of Joseph Connel’s barnacle experiments. Which of the following statements are both accurate and relevant to the figure? (btw, Balanus is the old name for the species Connel used, now renamed Semibalanus) ​ No meaningful conclusion can be drawn from Connel's experiments because ecology is unscientific. Cthalamus is competitively excluded from the upper intertidal by Balanus (Semibalanus) Semibalanus is competitively exculuded by Cthalamus from its whole range Cthalamus has a fundamental niche that includes the whole intertidal, but its realized niche is smaller due to competition with Balanus (Semibalanus). 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 17 ​ Compare to the mid-Paleocene, 55 million years ago, how warm is the Earth? the Earth is a great deal cooler than it was during the Paleocene This question is impossible to answer because this material was not covered in class. The Earth is about the same temperature now as then - the climate of the Earth does not fluctuate. the Earth is much warmer than the Paleocene - the wamest it has ever been 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 18 ​ Which of the following statements about genes, and allelic variation, are technically accurate? Every trait is coded for by a single gene. The more genes an organism has, the more traits. Some traits are determined by nature, ie, genes, others by nurture, ie, environment. In organisms such as plants, molluscs, and fungi, there is no "nurture", so everything is coded for by genes. All humans have different genes but our alleles are the same. Excepting sex chromosomes, and unsual noncoding repeated sequences, all humans have the same genes. It is allelic variation that makes us different from each other.  2 points (Extra Credit) Question 19 ​ From your reading of the Predicting the Next Pandemic Zoonosis paper, which was an important conclusion of the paper? Most potential pandemic zoonoses have already been identified. The next pandemic zoonosis will likely be created in a government laboratory. Wildlife is generally a bad thing because it causes disease outbreaks. Pandemic zoonoses are particularly likely to originate in places where high densities of humans encroach on areas of wildlife habitat that harbor high diversity of certain mammals, particularly bats. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 20 ​ Which of the following statements about fire, as an agent of disturbance, are accurate and supported by evidence? Fire effectively sterilizes communities, causing primary succession in its wake. Fire is good for the balance of nature, because it gives other species a chance to grow Fire is an important agent of disturbance in grasslands, the chaparral, and some forests  Fire is a major cause of extinction of species. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 21 ​ Interpreting the pyramid of biomass above, what statements are accurate? This is a fairly typical pyramid of biomass for an aquatic ecosystem, with progressively smaller biomass at increasing trophic levels. There is too much biomass of producers in this ecosystem to be stable. based on the biomass of secondary consumers, it is clear that tropic transfer to the higher trophic levels is transporting matter, but not energy the lack of predatory birds on this food web creates an ecological inbalance, with too many fish and not enough snails. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 22 ​ Which of the following planetary boundaries is the Earth presently stepping back from? Global biodiversity loss. Ocan acidification. Stratospheric ozone depletion. Anthropogenic climate change. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 23 ​ Typically, when do human females experience their peak fecundity years? In their 30s and 40s. In their mid to late teens. Technology has made it so that human females can have children whenever they want. There are no peak fecundity years. In their 20's 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 24 ​ From the demography lab, what conclusion can you draw regarding the fecundity of the group of human women (or at least the women who gave birth to students who enrolled in Bios 120)?  Their fecundity peaks in their late 30s. Their fecundity is greatest in the mid 20's, tapering off in their 30s. Their fecundity is uniformly distributed from 14 years old till 45 years old. No meaningful conclusions could be drawn from the data the class collected. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 25 ​ A population of organisms is measured to have an instantaneous exponential growth parameter, r, of.93. Which of the following statements are reasonable, given this infomation? the population will exhibit exponential decay, shrinking over time. The population will increase arithmetically, rather than geometrically, over time. The population will increase over time. the population will stay the same over time, and neither grow nor shrink. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 26 ​  Examine the map above. Based on this map, and what you know about vegetation biomes, which region has the highest net primary productivity, and why? Western Australia, because of high rainfall. The American Midwest, because of good soil and high biodiversity. The tropical forests of the Amazon, because of the long growing season, high rainfall, and other factors that promote photosynthesis. The Siberian Taiga, because of its large number of tall trees 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 27 ​ Examine the figure above. Which conclusions can be reasonably drawn from it? Increasing CO2 levels are probably due to a natural cycle in the environment, and will decrease naturally. Big corporations need to do somethinga about climate change.  The Mauna Loa volcano is the principal source of Carbon Dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide concentrations have increased dramatically last century, based on a comparison of direct measurements from the Mauna Loa site and indirect measurements from ice core data. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 28 ​ In the Maquis and Whelan exclosure experiment, what was expected if birds were NOT important agents controlling insect herbivores? Smaller densities of herbivorous insects, and less leaf damage, in group where birds had access to the trees. No difference in insect density or leaf damage between the two groups. No predation in either group. More cases of birds eating insects in treatment where birds were allowed access. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 29 ​ What is the biological function of Meiosis?  to produce haploid “daughter” cells (usually four) from a diploid progenitor cell, all of which have the same genetic information as the progenitor and the same genetic information as each other. to duplicate the genome of a diploid cell to produce diploid cells (usually four) from a haploid progenitor to produce haploid “daughter” cells (usually four) from a diploid progenitor cell, all of which have, half the DNA, and different genetic information than the progenitor and from each other 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 30 ​ Which of the following statements about aquatic biomes/habitats is accurate? Freshwater habitats harbor low biodiversity unless artificially "stocked" by humans. The open ocean is so vast, it is not influenced by human impacts. Water depth, water flow, salinity, and nutrient availability are important features of aquatic biomes. When nutrients sink to the bottom, they are permanently unavailable to organisms in the habitat. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 31 ​ Which of the following nutrient cycles is driven by erosion of minerals from uplifted mountains?  the water cycle no biogeochemical cycle is influenced by erosion the nitrogen cycle the phosphorous cycle 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 32 ​ During the Carboniferous period, plant growth and productivity were high, but rates of decomposition were low. This resulted in the accumulation of biomass, which fossilized and formed coal deposits. Another result was that atmospheric oxygen concentrations increased and carbon dioxide concentrations decreased. Based upon this, what can you predict about the climate of the late Carboniferous period? It is impossible to make a prediction based on climate events that occured so long ago. Increased rates of photosynthesis due to high oxygen levels stabilized the climate. Warming temperatures resulting in a stratified, "hothouse", ocean. Cooling temperatures resulting in a major ice age. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 33 ​ The process of naming the brances of the tree of life is called which of the following?  Zoology. Taxonom y. Ecology. Genomics. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 34 ​ Under what cicrcumstances would you expect a population to have a uniform distribution? Individuals cluster in certain microhabitats. The distribution of individuals results from random dispersal of seeds. Individuals in a population are territorial, experience competition for resources, or have been planted to minimize competition. Individuals have the highest fitness when they associate in groups. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 35 ​ Birds and Mammals, among other organisms, exhibit a latitudinal gradient in species diversity. Based on this, and from your reading of chapter 53 of the textbook and from the lecture, which of the statements are good conclusions?  Both these groups have their highest diversity near the equator. Both these groups have their highest diversity in the Southern Hemisphere. Both these groups exhibit their highest diversity near the poles. Competition with mammals is a reason for bird decline in the tropics. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 36 ​ Which of the following anthropogenic distrubances causes radiative forcing that makes the planet COOLER? Methane emissions. Carbon Dioxide emissions. Aerosol and soot, emissions. All anthropogenic disturbances warm the planet. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 37 ​ Within the context of terrestrial ecosystems, both matter and energy recycle continuously. ​ True ​ False  2 points (Extra Credit) Question 38 ​ Which survivorship curve would be typical of large-bodied mammal with extended parental care? Type II Type III Type 4 Type I 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 39 ​ In terms of community eclogy, which of the following statements about fire, as an agent of disturbance, are accurate? Since fire contributes carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, its influence on the biosphere is generally considered to be unnatural and destructive. As an agent of disturbance, fire is essential to the maintenence of certain communities, such as grasslands. Fire is a destructive force in nature, eliminating biomes and destroying life.  Fire has a roughly equal impact on all biological communities. 2 points (Extra Credit) Question 40 ​ Which of the following species concepts defines species as collections of actually or potentially interbreeding organisms that can mate and produce fertile offspring with each other but not with members of other such groups? Phylogenetic species concept. Ecological species concept. Biological species concept. Morphological species concept.