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Total Categories: 6
A native species is defined as an organism indigenous to a particular region, whose presence is solely attributable to local natural evolution throughout historical time. This designation is synonymous with indigenous or autochthonous species.
Answer: True
The statement accurately reflects the biogeographical definition of a native species, emphasizing its natural origin and evolution within a specific region.
Introduced species are organisms whose presence in a region is the result of anthropogenic dispersal, rather than natural dispersal mechanisms over geological time.
Answer: True
This statement correctly defines introduced species as those whose presence is due to human activity (anthropogenic dispersal), distinguishing them from species that arrive via natural processes over geological timescales.
An introduced species is classified as invasive only when it causes significant ecological, environmental, or economic damage.
Answer: True
The classification of an introduced species as invasive is contingent upon its capacity to cause substantial ecological, environmental, or economic harm within the recipient ecosystem.
An endemic species is native to a region and is found exclusively in that particular geographic location.
Answer: True
This statement accurately defines an endemic species as one that is native to a specific region and occurs nowhere else on Earth.
Native species engage in complex biological interactions with other specific flora, fauna, fungi, and organisms within their native ecosystems.
Answer: True
Native species form intricate ecological communities and engage in complex interactions, such as mutualistic relationships, that are vital for ecosystem function.
Native species exhibit a range of adaptations, with some specialized for harsh conditions and others capable of thriving in diverse environments.
Answer: True
Native species demonstrate diverse adaptive strategies, ranging from specialization to extreme environments to broad tolerance across varied conditions.
The Bicolored frog (*Clinotarsus curtipes*) is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.
Answer: True
The Bicolored frog (*Clinotarsus curtipes*) is indeed endemic to the Western Ghats region of India, meaning it is native and found exclusively there.
The term 'autochthonous' is used to describe species that have been introduced to a region by humans.
Answer: False
The term 'autochthonous' is synonymous with native or indigenous, referring to species that have naturally evolved in a particular region, not those introduced by humans.
Mutualistic interactions between native species, like plant-pollinator relationships, are unimportant for ecosystem function.
Answer: False
Mutualistic interactions between native species are fundamentally important for ecosystem function, often forming critical dependencies for reproduction and survival.
Which term describes a species that is indigenous to a region due to local natural evolution throughout history?
Answer: Native species
The term 'native species' refers to organisms indigenous to a particular region, whose presence is the result of natural evolution within that area.
How is an introduced species defined in biogeography?
Answer: A wild organism brought into a region by human intervention.
In biogeography, an introduced species is defined as a wild organism whose presence in a region is the result of human activity, distinguishing it from naturally occurring native species.
Under what condition is an introduced species specifically classified as invasive?
Answer: If it causes significant ecological, environmental, or economic damage.
An introduced species is classified as invasive when it demonstrates the capacity to cause significant harm to the ecosystem, environment, or economy of the region it has invaded.
What does the term 'autochthonous' mean in the context of species?
Answer: Naturally evolved in the region; synonymous with native.
The term 'autochthonous' is a synonym for native or indigenous, indicating that a species naturally evolved within the region where it is found.
What does the text imply about the relationship between native species and biodiversity?
Answer: Native species are the foundational components of biodiversity within a region.
Native species are fundamental to the biodiversity of a region, forming the ecological basis upon which ecosystem complexity and resilience are built.
The terms 'native' and 'endemic' strictly imply that the organism first originated or evolved in the specific location where it is currently found.
Answer: False
The terms 'native' and 'endemic' refer to the natural occurrence of a species in a region, not necessarily its evolutionary origin point. Their presence is defined by natural occurrence, not necessarily the precise location of initial evolution.
What distinguishes an endemic species from a native species?
Answer: Endemic species are exclusively found in one particular geographic location.
While both are native, endemic species are characterized by their restriction to a single, specific geographic area, whereas native species may occur across a broader range.
Natural climate change and tectonic plate movement can alter species distributions over long geological periods.
Answer: True
Indeed, natural geological processes like tectonic shifts and long-term climate fluctuations significantly influence habitability and alter species distributions over extended geological epochs.
Natural barriers such as mountains and deserts have historically played a significant role in separating bioregions and fostering species diversity.
Answer: True
Geographical barriers like mountains and deserts have historically isolated populations, promoting independent evolutionary trajectories and contributing significantly to the planet's biodiversity.
Humans have primarily impacted species distribution by altering their natural habitats, rather than by actively moving them to new locations.
Answer: False
While habitat alteration is a significant human impact, the introduction of species to new locations at an unprecedented rate is also a primary mechanism by which humans have profoundly altered species distribution.
How do natural geological and climatic changes influence species distribution over long periods?
Answer: They alter habitability and affect species through shifts in environmental factors and resources.
Natural geological and climatic changes fundamentally alter environmental conditions, impacting habitability and resource availability, thereby influencing species distribution over evolutionary timescales.
Which of the following is an example of a natural barrier that historically separated bioregions?
Answer: Deserts
Deserts, along with mountains, oceans, and large rivers, have historically served as significant natural barriers that isolated populations and contributed to the diversification of species.
What is the primary way humans have significantly impacted the natural distribution of species?
Answer: By introducing species to new locations at an unprecedented rate.
Human activity has dramatically altered species distribution primarily through the rapid and widespread introduction of species into non-native environments.
The primary concern regarding the human introduction of species is the potential for them to become invasive and cause substantial damage.
Answer: True
The introduction of species by humans carries a significant risk of those species becoming invasive, leading to substantial ecological, environmental, and economic damage.
Invasive species can affect only the ecological structure of an ecosystem, not its economic aspects.
Answer: False
Invasive species can have far-reaching impacts, affecting not only the ecological structure and function of an ecosystem but also causing negative consequences for agriculture, infrastructure, and cultural assets.
The incorrect landscaping at LAX negatively impacted the El Segundo blue butterfly because it relies on dune buckwheat.
Answer: True
The displacement of the native dune buckwheat, the host plant for the El Segundo blue butterfly, by incorrect landscaping at LAX contributed to the butterfly's endangered status.
What is the main ecological risk associated with the human introduction of species?
Answer: The species may become invasive and cause substantial damage.
The most significant ecological risk posed by introduced species is their potential to become invasive, disrupting native ecosystems and causing considerable damage.
Besides ecological damage, what other impacts can invasive species have?
Answer: Negative impacts on agriculture, infrastructure, and cultural assets.
Invasive species can exert detrimental effects that extend beyond ecological disruption, negatively impacting agricultural productivity, infrastructure integrity, and cultural resources.
The El Segundo blue butterfly is endangered partly because its primary host plant, dune buckwheat, was displaced by which plant?
Answer: California buckwheat
The displacement of native dune buckwheat by invasive California buckwheat due to inappropriate landscaping practices significantly impacted the El Segundo blue butterfly population.
Organizations such as the Society for Ecological Restoration primarily focus on promoting the use of non-native ornamental plants.
Answer: False
Organizations dedicated to ecological restoration and native plant advocacy, such as the Society for Ecological Restoration, focus on promoting the use and preservation of native species, not non-native ornamentals.
There is a consensus among native plant advocates regarding the ecological benefits of using cultivars derived from native species.
Answer: False
The use of cultivars derived from native species is a point of contention among native plant advocates, indicating a lack of universal consensus on their ecological benefits compared to wild-type native plants.
Ecological restoration projects benefit from ignoring the historical distribution of native species to allow for adaptation to modern conditions.
Answer: False
Ecological restoration projects rely heavily on understanding and adhering to the historical distribution of native species to ensure the accurate and effective restoration of original ecological systems.
In 1975, landscaping at LAX used a seed mix that correctly represented the native dune scrub community.
Answer: False
The landscaping at LAX in 1975 utilized a seed mix representing coastal sage scrub, which was incorrect for the native dune scrub community present in that area.
The El Segundo blue butterfly population began to recover after invasive California buckwheat was removed, allowing dune buckwheat to grow.
Answer: True
Restoration efforts involving the removal of invasive California buckwheat allowed the native dune buckwheat to flourish, facilitating the recovery of the El Segundo blue butterfly population.
Ecotype accuracy in restoration means using the correct genetic variety of a native species adapted to local conditions.
Answer: True
Ecotype accuracy in ecological restoration involves selecting native plant materials that are genetically adapted to the specific local environment, ensuring the restoration's ecological integrity.
Overlooking ecotype accuracy in restoration can lead to projects that fail to restore the original ecological system.
Answer: True
Failure to consider ecotype accuracy can result in restoration projects that are ecologically incomplete or inaccurate, potentially failing to re-establish the intended native ecosystem.
Native plant organizations primarily aim to preserve local remnant natural areas.
Answer: True
Native plant organizations often focus on identifying and preserving existing natural areas as a foundation for promoting the use and restoration of native flora.
Which organization is mentioned as advocating for the use of native plants?
Answer: The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is cited as an organization that advocates for and promotes the use of native plants in ecological contexts.
What is a point of contention among native plant advocates?
Answer: The ecological implications of using cultivars derived from native species.
A significant debate among native plant advocates concerns the ecological consequences and appropriateness of utilizing cultivars, which are selectively bred varieties of native species.
Why is historical distribution important in ecological restoration?
Answer: To accurately restore the original ecological system.
Understanding the historical distribution of native species is critical for ecological restoration to ensure the project accurately reconstructs the intended native ecosystem and its functions.
What was the landscaping error at Los Angeles International Airport in 1975?
Answer: Using a seed mix representing coastal sage scrub instead of native dune scrub.
The landscaping error at LAX involved the use of a seed mix appropriate for coastal sage scrub, rather than the native dune scrub community that should have been established.
What is the potential consequence of overlooking 'ecotype accuracy' in ecological restoration?
Answer: The project may fail to restore the original ecological system.
Overlooking ecotype accuracy can lead to restoration projects that are ecologically flawed, potentially failing to re-establish the intended native ecosystem and its functions.
The concept of nativity is considered straightforward and is not influenced by factors like time or political boundaries.
Answer: False
The concept of nativity is complex and influenced by factors such as geological time scales and human-defined political boundaries, which can complicate strict definitions.
The definition of native species, when strictly tied to historical local occurrence, has faced criticism for lacking perspective.
Answer: True
The strict historical definition of native species has been critiqued for its lack of long-term perspective and for not adequately accounting for natural processes that alter distributions over geological time.
The large-leaved lupine (*Lupinus polyphyllus*) is native only to Europe and has become invasive worldwide.
Answer: False
The large-leaved lupine (*Lupinus polyphyllus*) is native to western North America, not Europe. It has, however, become invasive in various regions globally.
Political boundaries are irrelevant to the concept of species nativity, as species distributions naturally ignore them.
Answer: False
While species distributions do not adhere to political boundaries, these boundaries can influence how nativity is defined and managed in practice, making the concept complex rather than entirely irrelevant.
The term 'anthropogenically introduced' means a species was introduced naturally through wind or water dispersal.
Answer: False
'Anthropogenically introduced' signifies that the introduction of a species was caused by human activity, contrasting with natural dispersal mechanisms.
What factors are cited as contributing to the complexity and blurred nature of the concept of nativity?
Answer: Time (geological periods) and political boundaries.
The concept of nativity is complicated by the vastness of geological time, during which species distributions naturally shift, and by human-defined political boundaries, which do not align with ecological realities.
What criticism has been leveled against the strict historical definition of native species?
Answer: It lacks perspective and doesn't consider long-term changes.
The strict historical definition of native species has been criticized for its limited perspective, failing to adequately incorporate the dynamic nature of ecosystems and species distributions over geological time.
What is the scientific name of the El Segundo blue butterfly?
Answer: Euphilotes allyni
The scientific nomenclature for the El Segundo blue butterfly is *Euphilotes allyni*.
The large-leaved lupine (*Lupinus polyphyllus*) is native to which region?
Answer: Western North America
The large-leaved lupine (*Lupinus polyphyllus*) is indigenous to the region of Western North America.
Where is the Bicolored frog (*Clinotarsus curtipes*) native to?
Answer: Western Ghats of India
The Bicolored frog (*Clinotarsus curtipes*) is native to the Western Ghats of India.
The 'Anthropocene' is relevant to species nativity because it signifies:
Answer: The geological epoch characterized by significant human impact on Earth's systems.
The Anthropocene denotes the current geological epoch marked by profound human influence on planetary systems, necessitating a re-evaluation of traditional concepts like species nativity.
How does the concept of 'graded categorizations' apply to native species?
Answer: It involves moving beyond a simple native/non-native binary classification for a more nuanced view.
Graded categorizations suggest a more nuanced approach to classifying species status, moving beyond a strict native/non-native dichotomy to acknowledge complexities in their history and ecological role.