Question 1

Which of the following best describes a disturbance in an ecological community?

Accepted Answer

An abiotic event that kills or removes individuals, creating space for other organisms.

Question 2

A volcanic eruption that covers an area with lava, destroying all living organisms and soil, is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Primary succession

Question 3

Which of the following is a characteristic of pioneer species in succession?

Accepted Answer

They are tolerant of harsh conditions and reproduce rapidly.

Question 4

According to the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis, when is community diversity expected to be highest?

Accepted Answer

At intermediate levels of disturbance

Question 5

Which model of succession suggests that early species make the environment less suitable for later species?

Accepted Answer

Inhibition

Question 6

A forest fire burns through a woodland, but some trees and soil remain. What type of succession will follow?

Accepted Answer

Secondary succession

Question 7

Which of the following statements about climax communities is supported by modern ecological understanding?

Accepted Answer

Climax communities can change over time and are not always the best for all species.

Question 8

Which historical ecologist described plant communities as a 'superorganism' with a life cycle ending in a climax stage?

Accepted Answer

Frederic Clements

Question 9

What is the main idea behind the 'space for time substitution' method in studying succession?

Accepted Answer

Using different sites at various successional stages to infer temporal changes.

Question 10

Which of the following best describes an alternative stable state in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Multiple stable communities can exist under similar conditions.

Question 11

In the tolerance model of succession, what is the relationship between early and late successional species?

Accepted Answer

Early species do not affect later species; later species tolerate the conditions and eventually dominate.

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of a primary succession event?

Accepted Answer

Vegetation colonizing newly formed volcanic rock.

Question 13

Which of the following best explains hysteresis in ecological succession?

Accepted Answer

Restoring original conditions does not always result in the original community returning.

Question 14

Which of the following is a key feature of the Framework Species Method in tropical forest restoration?

Accepted Answer

Including pioneer, intermediate, and climax species to attract seed dispersers and pollinators.

Question 15

Which of the following equations best represents the relationship between species richness ($$S) $$and disturbance frequency ($$D) $$according to the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

$$S = aD^2$ + bD + c$$, where $$a \u003c 0$$

Question 16

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the facilitation model of succession?

Accepted Answer

Early colonizing plants improve soil fertility, allowing later species to establish.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a likely outcome of a severe disturbance that removes all soil and living organisms?

Accepted Answer

Immediate return to climax community

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the difference between Clements' and Gleason's views on succession?

Accepted Answer

Clements saw communities as superorganisms with predictable climax stages, while Gleason saw communities as individualistic and shaped by environmental conditions.

Question 19

Which of the following is a real-world example of secondary succession?

Accepted Answer

Forest regrowth after a wildfire where soil remains.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about ecosystem services and climax communities is supported by current ecological understanding?

Accepted Answer

Some ecosystem services may be higher in early successional stages.

8.2 Ecological Succession: Disturbance, Recovery, and Community Dynamics

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