Biogeography: The Study of Plant and Animal Distribution

Question 1

What is the main factor that determines the distribution of species within a biogeographic region?

Accepted Answer

Climate

Answer

Political borders

Answer

Cultural practices

Answer

Economic development

Question 2

Which of the following is not considered a major terrestrial biome?

Accepted Answer

Urban Environment

Answer

Tundra

Answer

Temperate Grassland

Answer

Tropical Rainforest

Question 3

Which of the following species is an example of a keystone predator?

Accepted Answer

Sea otter

Answer

Bacteria

Answer

Plankton

Answer

Termites

Question 4

The process by which new and distinct species arise over generations is known as:

Accepted Answer

Speciation

Answer

Adaptation

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Mutation

Question 5

The study of the distribution of animals across Earth is known as:

Accepted Answer

Zoogeography

Answer

Biogeography

Answer

Ecology

Answer

Ethology

Question 6

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of a climax community?

Accepted Answer

Stable species composition and structure

Answer

High species diversity

Answer

Rapid rate of biomass accumulation

Answer

Abundant dead organic matter

Question 7

The _____________ hypothesis posits that species occupying similar ecological niches will exhibit convergent adaptations.

Accepted Answer

Convergence

Answer

Competition

Answer

Niche partitioning

Answer

Dispersal

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a mutualistic relationship?

Accepted Answer

Plant-pollinator

Answer

Predator-prey

Answer

Parasite-host

Answer

Commensalism

Question 9

Identify two unique features of the Australasian biogeographic realm.

Accepted Answer

High diversity of marsupial species

Accepted Answer

Absence of native placental mammals

Answer

Dominance of tropical rainforests

Answer

High concentration of venomous snakes

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a recognized major biome classification system?

Accepted Answer

World Wildlife Fund Global 200

Answer

Holdridge Life Zones

Answer

Bailey's Ecoregions

Answer

Köppen Climate Classification

Question 11

Which of the following factors has NO significant influence on the distribution of plants?

Accepted Answer

Cultural practices

Answer

Temperature

Answer

Precipitation

Answer

Soil pH

Question 12

The term 'endemic' refers to species that are:

Accepted Answer

Found exclusively in a particular geographic region

Answer

Extinct in the wild

Answer

Currently being reintroduced to their historical habitats

Answer

Highly adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a biogeographic realm?

Accepted Answer

Nearctic

Answer

Appalachian Mountains

Answer

Amazon Rainforest

Answer

Great Barrier Reef

Question 14

The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their surroundings is known as:

Accepted Answer

Ecology

Answer

Biogeography

Answer

Conservation Biology

Answer

Environmental Science

Question 15

Which of the following organisms is a primary producer in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Plants

Answer

Animals

Answer

Fungi

Answer

Bacteria

Question 16

The process by which plants convert radiant energy into chemical energy is known as:

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Glycolysis

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a major threat to biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Sustainable agriculture

Answer

Habitat loss

Answer

Pollution

Answer

Climate change

Question 18

The concept of species range refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Geographic area occupied by a species

Answer

Number of individuals in a population

Answer

Tolerance of a species to environmental conditions

Answer

Genetic diversity of a species

Question 19

How does the distribution of species impact the development and dynamics of ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

The availability of resources and interactions between species are influenced by their distribution, shaping ecosystem structure and dynamics.

Answer

Ecosystem dynamics do not affect species distribution.

Answer

Ecosystem dynamics solely determine species distribution.

Answer

Species distribution is independent of habitat conditions.

Question 20

How do human activities like clearing forests and building cities impact the variety of life and natural habitats?

Accepted Answer

They lead to fewer species and damaged ecosystems.

Answer

They help species adjust to new surroundings.

Answer

They speed up the creation of new species.

Question 21

Which of the following factors **does not** influence the distribution of plants and animals?

Accepted Answer

Political boundaries

Answer

Climate

Answer

Competition

Answer

Soil type

Question 22

A species that is restricted to a specific geographic area and is not found anywhere else is known as:

Accepted Answer

Endemic

Answer

Migratory

Answer

Cosmopolitan

Answer

Introduced

Question 23

Which of the following is a major biome characterized by dense vegetation, tall trees, and abundant rainfall?

Accepted Answer

Tropical rainforest

Answer

Grassland

Answer

Desert

Answer

Tundra

Question 24

The theory that proposes that the geographic distribution of species is shaped by the dispersal of organisms from a common ancestral area is known as:

Accepted Answer

Dispersal theory

Answer

Vicariance theory

Answer

Adaptive radiation theory

Answer

Endemism theory

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a technique used to study the past distribution of species?

Accepted Answer

Ecological modeling

Answer

GIS

Answer

Paleontology

Answer

Remote sensing

Question 26

An organism that is adapted to live in extreme environments, such as high temperatures or acidic conditions, is known as a:

Accepted Answer

Extremophile

Answer

Cosmopolitan species

Answer

Indicator species

Answer

Endophyte

Question 27

The study of the interactions between living organisms and their physical and biological environment is known as:

Accepted Answer

Ecology

Answer

Geology

Answer

Biogeography

Answer

Meteorology

Question 28

Which of the following is a human-induced factor that can alter biogeographic patterns?

Accepted Answer

Climate change

Answer

Earthquakes

Answer

Volcanic eruptions

Answer

Tsunamis

Question 29

The scientific classification of organisms into groups based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships is known as:

Accepted Answer

Taxonomy

Answer

Phylogeny

Answer

Biogeography

Answer

Ecology

Question 30

Which factor is the most influential in shaping the distribution of species across the globe?

Accepted Answer

Climate

Answer

Topography

Answer

Soil type

Answer

Human activities

Question 31

A biome is best defined as a

Accepted Answer

Large-scale ecosystem with specific climate conditions and characteristic plant life

Answer

Small-scale ecosystem with unique flora and fauna

Answer

Transition zone between two distinct biomes

Question 32

The formation of new species from existing ones is termed:

Accepted Answer

Speciation

Answer

Adaptation

Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Evolution

Question 33

Which pattern of species distribution involves a gradual change in species composition over a distance?

Accepted Answer

Clinal distribution

Answer

Uniform distribution

Answer

Disjunct distribution

Answer

Random distribution

Question 34

The theory of island biogeography primarily explains:

Accepted Answer

The relationship between island size and species diversity

Answer

The influence of climate on species distribution

Answer

The competition and coexistence of species

Question 35

The field of study that examines the distribution of living organisms in relation to their environment is known as:

Accepted Answer

Biogeography

Answer

Ecology

Answer

Zoology

Question 36

Which technique is commonly employed in biogeographic research?

Accepted Answer

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Answer

Electron microscopy

Answer

Spectrophotometry

Question 37

The concept of niche in ecology refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Ecological function and role of a species within its ecosystem

Answer

Physical habitat occupied by a species

Answer

Physiological adaptations of a species

Answer

Geographic range and distribution of a species

Question 38

The biome characterized by warm temperatures, abundant rainfall, and a diverse array of plant and animal life is the:

Accepted Answer

Tropical rainforest

Answer

Tundra

Answer

Desert

Answer

Savanna

Question 39

Biogeography primarily focuses on:

Accepted Answer

The distribution and interactions of organisms and their environments

Answer

The cultural and political characteristics of different regions

Answer

The economic activities of human societies

Answer

The physical features and processes of the Earth's surface

Question 40

The term 'endemic distribution' refers to species that:

Accepted Answer

Are restricted to a specific geographic region

Answer

Are found in all major biomes

Answer

Are only found on islands

Answer

Have a cosmopolitan distribution

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT a measure of biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Number of endangered species

Answer

Simpson diversity index

Answer

Evenness

Answer

Species richness

Question 42

The genetic drift phenomenon is most likely to occur when:

Accepted Answer

A small population experiences a major event, such as a natural disaster

Answer

Natural selection favors certain traits in a population

Answer

Two populations of the same species come into contact and interbreed

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a factor influencing species distribution?

Accepted Answer

Human population density

Answer

Availability of resources

Answer

Geographic barriers

Answer

Climate

Question 44

The term 'ecoregion' refers to:

Accepted Answer

A large geographic area with similar climate, vegetation, and animal communities.

Answer

A single species of plant or animal

Answer

A group of organisms that share a common ancestor

Question 45

Which of the following is an example of an allopatric speciation event?

Accepted Answer

Isolation of a population due to a geographic barrier

Answer

Adaptation of a species to a changing environment

Answer

Migration of a species to a new habitat

Answer

Hybridization of two distinct species

Question 46

What is the term for the study of the distribution of living organisms?

Accepted Answer

Biogeography

Answer

Evolutionary biology

Answer

Ecology

Answer

Paleontology

Question 47

The primary factor determining the geographic range of a species is:

Accepted Answer

Its adaptations and the availability of suitable habitats.

Answer

The size of its population.

Answer

The presence of predators.

Question 48

Which biogeographic realm is characterized by a high diversity of marsupials?

Accepted Answer

Australasia

Answer

Nearctic

Answer

Palearctic

Question 49

The process by which new species arise and diversify is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Speciation

Answer

Adaptation

Answer

Competition

Answer

Extinction

Question 50

The study of the historical changes in the distribution of species is known as:

Accepted Answer

Paleobiogeography

Answer

Biogeography

Answer

Phylogeography

Answer

Zoogeography

Question 51

A criticism of the theory of continental drift is that:

Accepted Answer

It does not fully explain the mechanism of plate movement.

Answer

It is based on insufficient evidence.

Answer

It contradicts the theory of plate tectonics.

Question 52

Biogeography has significant implications for:

Accepted Answer

Conservation and environmental management.

Answer

Medicine

Answer

Engineering

Answer

None of the above