Monash University

Semester One Examinations 2003 Faculty of Science

EXAM CODES $"$%E OF &A&E' EXAM DU'A$"O) 'EAD")* $"ME !"O20## Ecolo(y 90 minutes writing time 10 minutes

THIS PAPER IS FOR STUDENTS STUDYING AT MONASH UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA Candidates are reminded that they should have no material on their desks unless their use has been specifically permitted by the following instructions. AU$+O'"SED MA$E'"A%S CA%CU%A$O'S O&E) !OO,ES )O

S&EC"F"CA%%, &E'M"$$ED "$EMS )O .'"$E A%% A)S.E'S ") $+"S !OO-%E$ MA-E SU'E ,OU' "D )UM!E' "S A$ $+E $O& OF EAC+ &A*E

$O$A% MA'-S /0
STU !"T # $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ !S% "U&'!( $$ $$ $$ $$

SU(")&! ...........................................................................S#*")TU(!.............................................. +T,!( ")&!S -in full. ..................................................................................................................................

MC0 $1F

120 120

# "U&'!( $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ SA $otal Section 24 $rue1false 5uestions 620 mar7s 8 #9 minutes recommen:e:; 1. 'elow are shown the response of predators -bay/breasted warblers. to changes in density of their prey -larvae of the spruce budworm.. A ! 120 1/0

Functional 'es<onse

)umerical 'es<onse

)nswer True -T. or 0alse -0. in the bo1 to the right of each of the following statements -2 marks.3 %ecture #0 &re:ation T or 0 a. 0igure ) shows a clear numerical response to increasing prey density. F b. 0igure ' shows that predation by warblers can control the abundance $ of budworms c. "either 0igure ) or 0igure ' indicate a functional response to F increasing prey density. d. The combination of 0igures ) and ' suggest that the percent mortality $ of budworms due to predation was greater at low rather than high prey densities. 4. True5false 6uestions a 7 p -1 mark each. a. b. c. d. #n terrestrial environments8 the clima1 community is always forest. #n succession8 the general direction of change in community structure is very unpredictable. The establishment of a pioneer community of grasses in a clear felled forest is an e1ample of secondary succession. The temperature in the tropical rain forest varies little from one month to another. T or 0 $ F F F

# "U&'!( $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ e. f. g. h. i. ;. Temperatures in deserts are always high during the day 0or a given area of available habitat8 the farther away an island is from a potential source of colonists8 the fewer the number of bird species. (educing island area decreases the number of species. 9ocal patterns of species richness can be increased by decreasing spatial heterogeneity $ $ $ F T or 0 F F F $ $ $ $ F

0ood webs typically have 10 or more levels -9ecture 1:. <hosphorus is a micronutrient with relatively large soil reserves =&hos<horus is a macronutrient k. "itrogen -". has relatively restricted transport through atmospheric and biospheric processes l. )t a global scale8 annual fi1ation of nitrogen by plants and micro/ organisms is balanced by denitrification processes -i.e. conversion of nitrates to "4 gas. m. C+4 emissions by humans -vegetation clearance5fossil fuel burning. are important in atmospheric terms because these emissions are the biggest components of global carbon flu1es n. <redation reduces diversity if prey is competitive or dominant. o. "o rabbit has ever reproduced after being outrun by a fo1. -9ecture 10. p. ) lignotuber is an adaptation of eucalypt trees to cope with high salinity soil

Section 34 Short8ans>er 5uestions 620 mar7s ? 90 minutes recommen:e:; ,ou may ans>er the 5uestions in <oint form4 @4 DescriAe the "nterme:iate DisturAance +y<othesis4 62 mar7s; %ecture 20 DisturAance Suggested that disturbance intensity controls local species diversity 9ow level of disturbance allows superior competitors to eliminate other species o There will be species interactions as more competitive organisms will push subordinate species to e1tinction and dominate the ecosystem. 0ew species are capable of dealing with high levels of disturbance

# "U&'!( $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ o ue to physiological stress including fre6uent forest fires or human impacts like deforestation8 all species are at risk of going e1tinct.

)t intermediate levels of disturbance8 superior competitors cannot dominate and more species can deal with disturbances o iversity is thus ma1imi>ed because both competitive %/selected and opportunistic r/selected species can coe1ist.

#04 *ive exam<les of four resources for >hich <lants mi(ht com<ete 62 mar7s; %ecture / "ntras<ecific Com<etition "utrients Space to grow ?ater Sunlight )nimal dispersal agents for seeds and pollen ##4 .hat >oul: ha<<en to an ecosystem if it containe: only <ro:ucers an: consumersB 62 mar7s; The ecosystem would be filled with plant and animal waste8 and there would be no decomposition of waste material. "o organic nutrient for producers to produce food for consumers

#24 DescriAe three :ifferent >ays in >hich <lants try to :eter <re:ators4 63 mar7s; "utritional efenses <hysical efenses 2

# "U&'!( $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Chemical efenses

#34 .hy is assimilation efficiency hi(her in carnivores than herAivores or :etritivoresB 62 mar7s; Carnivores have higher assimilation efficiency than herbivores or detritivores because their food is more easily digested. ,erbivores or detritivores3 depending on their physiology and which part of food they eat

#24 $oxic secon:ary com<oun:s are common in unri<e fruits Aut are usually aAsent from the <ul< of ri<e fruits4 .hyB 62 mar7s;

#94

Distin(uish Aet>een intras<ecific com<etition an: inters<ecific com<etition an: (ive exam<les of each4 63 mar7s;
intras<ecific com<etition inters<ecific com<etition

two individuals are conspecifics -same species. compete for the same resource in an ecosystem leads to logistic population growth

two individuals are of different species compete for the same resource in an ecosystem difficult to demonstrate in action8 although field e1periments are best

!1ample3

!1ample3

density dependent fecundity in terns competition for space in barnacles salt marsh plants self/thinning in plants

hyenas and vultures with a lions@ kill *allium

E)D OF EXAM