Biodiversity Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. Removing a particular sea star causes mussels to dominate a shore and several other species to decline. The sea star is best described as what?
An invasive species
A flagship species
A keystone species
A pioneer species
2. A genetically uniform crop is devastated when a new pathogen arrives, while a crop population with varied inherited resistance suffers less damage. What best explains the difference?
The uniform crop had lower ecosystem diversity
The varied crop necessarily contained more crop species
The varied crop had greater genetic diversity
The uniform crop had greater habitat fragmentation
3. Two grasslands experience the same severe drought. One contains many plant species with different rooting depths and drought responses; the other contains only a few similar species. What is the best ecological prediction?
The less diverse grassland will recover faster because its species respond alike
Both grasslands must respond identically because rainfall is the same
The more diverse grassland is more likely to maintain some ecosystem functions
The more diverse grassland cannot be affected by drought
4. Two ponds each contain six species. In Pond A, one species makes up 90% of all individuals; in Pond B, individuals are distributed more evenly. Which statement is most accurate?
Pond A has greater species richness because one species is abundant
Pond A has greater diversity because dominance increases variety
Both ponds have identical diversity because only species count matters
Pond B has greater species diversity because richness is equal but evenness is higher
5. A wetland's amphibian population declines soon after pollution appears, before broader changes are easy to observe. In this context, the amphibians are functioning primarily as what?
An umbrella species
An indicator species
A foundation species
A flagship species
6. Two reefs contain the same number of species. One reef has species performing a wider range of feeding, shelter-building, and nutrient-cycling roles. Which type of diversity is greater there?
Taxonomic naming diversity
Landscape diversity
Functional diversity
Seasonal diversity
7. A crop variety contains many inherited traits for drought tolerance, disease resistance, and growth timing. Which aspect of biodiversity does this illustrate most directly?
Ecosystem diversity
Genetic diversity
Species richness
Habitat connectivity
8. A damaged native woodland is being restored. Which planting plan is most likely to support biodiversity over time?
Use a locally appropriate mixture of native species with varied structures and ecological roles
Plant one productive native tree species at uniform spacing
Choose any rapidly growing species that creates canopy cover quickly
Exclude understory plants until all canopy trees reach maturity
9. Why can an introduced species sometimes reduce native biodiversity?
Every introduced species immediately changes the local climate
It may spread rapidly and compete with, prey on, or transmit disease to native species
Introduced species always have lower genetic diversity than native species
Native species stop reproducing whenever a new species arrives
10. Which example most clearly represents ecosystem diversity?
A region containing forests, wetlands, grasslands, and rivers
Many bird species nesting in the same woodland
Different feeding roles performed by fish in one lake
Several color patterns within one butterfly species
11. A lizard species disappears from one island after habitat loss but continues to live on several other islands. What has occurred on the first island?
Global extinction
Ecological succession
Speciation
Local extinction, also called extirpation
12. Ecologists compare two nearby forests and ask how much their species composition differs. Which measure addresses this question?
Genetic variation
Alpha diversity
Population density
Beta diversity
13. A highway splits a forest and restricts animal movement between the remaining patches. Which action most directly improves connectivity?
Moving all edge-dwelling species into the largest patch
Planting one fast-growing tree species inside each patch
Increasing artificial lighting along the forest edges
Creating vegetated wildlife crossings between the patches
14. Researchers collect river water and identify fish species without catching or seeing the fish. What are they most likely analyzing?
Fossil pollen preserved in the riverbed
Environmental DNA shed into the water
Radio signals from tagged animals
The mineral composition of suspended sediment
15. Which description best captures the meaning of biodiversity?
The variety of life at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels
The total number of organisms living in one location
The amount of untouched wilderness in a region
The number of rare species protected by law
16. Bees carrying pollen between flowers provide which type of ecosystem service most directly?
A regulating service that supports plant reproduction
A provisioning service that directly produces mineral resources
A cultural service based mainly on recreation
A supporting process that creates new genetic mutations