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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Wynne-Edwards say happens when other animals communicate to the species that there is overpopulation?
(a) The animals have fewer young.
(b) The animals claim larger territories.
(c) The animals attack others' young.
(d) The animals store extra food.

2. How common are genes that cause altruistic behaviors in nature?
(a) They are nonexistent.
(b) They are extremely rare.
(c) They are pretty common.
(d) They are vast majority of genes.

3. In the example that Dawkins gives, what do pigs sometimes do to the runt of the litter?
(a) Refuse to feed it.
(b) Eat it.
(c) Allow the other piglets to attack it.
(d) Kick it away.

4. What does Dawkins believe about the tension between survival of different generations?
(a) The parents are the primary benefactor because they control resources, and children only get the minimum of what they need.
(b) A compromise evolves where different generations get reasonable amounts of resources.
(c) The children are always benefited, even at costs to older generations.
(d) Children begin at a disadvantage, at the mercy of parents, and later begin to control the resources.

5. What does Dawkins point out about different species' attitude toward offspring?
(a) Different species all care for offspring equally, if environment is accounted for.
(b) Different species treat offspring differently.
(c) Different species fall into two categories of caring for offspring.
(d) Different species care for offspring similarly, but there is great variety between individuals within species.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Wynne-Edwards suggest that animals do to communicate overpopulation?

2. What factors are part of Dawkins' net benefit score?

3. In the ant colonies studied by Trivers and Hare, what do the ants do with eggs stolen from other colonies?

4. What happens to female mice as the population rises to unacceptable limits?

5. What does Wynne-Edwards teach?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Dawkins, what selfish behavior might birds that have fewer eggs because of overpopulation exhibit?

2. What possible explanation for viruses does Dawkins give?

3. What explanation does Zahavi propose for stotting?

4. How does Dawkins describe female cells versus male cells?

5. What two possible explanations for the behavior of the baby swallow observed by the Spanish researchers does Dawkins present?

6. Describe Trivers' observations of striped cleaner fish.

7. When and why are gulls' offspring in danger?

8. Explain the conflict between Wynne-Edwards and Dawkins over territory behavior.

9. What may happen to guillemot eggs, and what is the adaptation of guillemots to deal with this?

10. What does Dawkins substitute for survival of a species?

(see the answer keys)

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