Landscape Ecology Sample Questions (Circle the most
appropriate answer to each question)
[Note: The questions are based on lectures and
required readings. The correct answers are found at
the bottom of this page.]
1. Landscape ecology is the __ and __
of studying and influencing the relationship between __ and
__ on a range of __.
a.
... science ... technology ...
spatial pattern ... ecological processes ... topics
b.
... science ... practice ... spatial
pattern ... physical processes ... scales
c.
... science ... art ... spatial pattern
... physical processes ... scales
d.
... science ... art ... spatial pattern
... ecological processes ... scales
2. The most salient criterion for
defining a landscape is __ of a geographic area.
a.
the spatial extent
b.
the spatial heterogeneity
c.
the connectedness
d.
the degree of human dominance
3. Which of the following statements
is false?
a.
In general, the more complex
landscape metrics are, the more ecologically meaningful they
are.
b.
Landscape metrics may mean little if
they are not related to processes of interest.
c.
Landscape metrics are quite useful
for quantifying spatial patterns.
d.
Spatial statistics deals with, not
avoids, the problem of spatial autoccorelation.
4. The 3 types of problems in
landscape pattern analysis (LPA) (as per Li and Wu 2004) are
__.
a.
conceptual flaws in LPA, improper use
of metrics, and misuse of GPS
b.
conceptual flaws in LPA, improper use
of metrics, and inherent limitations of indices
c.
improper use of indices, inherent
limitations of landscape indices, and misuse of GIS
d. conceptual flaws
in LPA, computational bottlenecks, and lack of remote
sensing data
5. The term, landscape ecology, was
coined __.
a.
by Richard Forman in 1981
b.
by Richard Forman in 1939
c.
by Arthur Tansley
in 1935
d.
by Carl Troll in 1939
6. The two dominant perspectives on
landscape ecology are __.
a.
Australian and European approaches
b.
European and North American
approaches
c.
German and British approaches
d.
Western and eastern approaches
7. The patch-corridor-matrix model
was developed by __.
a.
Carl Troll
b.
Zev Naveh
c.
Richard Forman and Michel Godron
d.
Monica Turner
8. Which of the following statements
is false?
a.
Landscape ecology has sometimes been
considered as a holistic and transdisciplinary
science of land resources, appraisal, history, planning and
management, conservation, and restoration.
b.
Landscape ecology has been widely
viewed as the study of the relationship between spatial
pattern and ecological processes on a range of scales.
c.
Landscape ecology now has developed a
unified scientific core, and as an indication of its
maturity, different perspectives have been completely
reconciled.
d.
The heterogeneity-centered view in
landscape ecology is also relevant and important to
landscape sustainability research.
9. In general, the shape complexity
of individual patches is ___ in agricultural landscapes than
(as) in natural landscapes.
a.
higher
b.
lower
c.
the same
d.
about 10 times higher
10. As landscapes become more
fragmented, the number of patches tends to ___ and edge
density tends to ___.
a.
increase ... decrease
b.
decrease ... decrease
c.
increase ... increase
d.
decrease ... increase
11. Which of the following statements
best characterizes modern landscape ecology?
a.
Landscape ecology is a subdiscipline of ecology because it
is after all an "ecology".
b.
Landscape ecology is a subdiscipline of geography because
it has much to do with pattern, scale, GIS, and remote
sensing.
c.
Landscape ecology is a mixture of
many disciplines, which has no identifiable purpose.
d.
Landscape ecology is a highly
interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary
field that studies the relationship between spatial pattern
and ecological processes and its relevance to
sustainability.
12. In a 2-dimensional percolation lattice
(4-neighbor rule), the critical probability or density (Pc)
at which a spanning cluster occurs is __.
a. Pc = 0.5928
b. Pc = 0.9528
c. Pc = 0.2859
d. Pc = 0.9285
13. Neutral landscape models ___ effects due to
topography, contagion, disturbance history, and related
ecological processes.
a. take account of
b. do not consider
c. explicitly consider
d. consider most
14. A landscape approach to ecosystem dynamics is
characterized by the explicit consideration of the effects
of ___ on the pools and fluxes of energy and matter within
an ecosystem and across the landscape.
a. spatial heterogeneity, lateral
flows, and scale
b. spatial heterogeneity, vertical
flows, and space
c. space, time, and hierarchy
d. space, time, and scale
a. is always positive, with no
controversy
b. may be positive or negative,
depending on the species, landscape setting, and
conservation goals under consideration
c. has little to do with their
structures
d. is primarily determined by their
length
16. Behavioral landscape ecology focuses on ___.
a. the study of the behavior of
landscape metrics
b. the dynamics of landscape pattern
c. the study of the interactions
between landscape pattern and animal behavior
d. the study of animal behavior in an
isolated landscape element (e.g., a patch)
17. The three basic scaling operations are __.
a. changing extent, changing grain,
and changing coverage
b. changing extent, changing grain,
and changing resolution
c. changing extent, changing grain,
and changing models
d. changing resolution, changing grain
size, and changing coverage
18. Broad-range species usually are ___, while
narrow-range species are ___.
a. habitat generalists _ habitat
specialists
b. habitat specialists _ habitat
generalists
c. fine-grained _ coarse-grained
d. animals _ plants
19. The term, metapopulation,
was coined by ___.
a. Richard Levins
in 1939
b. Richard Levins
in 1970
c. Simon A. Levin in 1974
d. Carl Troll in 1939
20. Which of the following is incorrect?
a. Landscape ecology is a transdisciplinary field of research.
b. Landscape ecology considers both
terrestrial and aquatic environments.
c. Landscape ecology does not deal
with water, of course.