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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through The Song of the Indri.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Where does Quammen say isolates can occur?
(a) Only on islands.
(b) On islands and on land.
(c) Only in areas separated by steep mountains or deserts.
(d) In the bottoms of lakes.

2. Where is Krakatau?
(a) Italy.
(b) Tunisia.
(c) Malay Archipelago.
(d) Japan.

3. What is a minimum viable population?
(a) The minimum number of offspring that need to be born in each brood to sustain the population.
(b) The number of individuals necessary to sustain a population.
(c) The minimum rate of increase to preserve the genetic health of a population.
(d) The minimum number of acres necessary to preserve a population.

4. What assertion did Frank Preston make based on his data?
(a) That the earth itself is a single ecosystem, and it cannot be broken down into constituent parts without losing sight of the whole.
(b) That a national park that wanted to be a microcosm of wild species would need a large buffer zone to encourage diversity.
(c) That a national park could contain a microcosm of the wild species.
(d) That a national park 'microcosm' would not be representative of wild species.

5. What condition would help a species breed out harmful genes?
(a) Isolation.
(b) Inbreeding.
(c) Widespread breeding.
(d) Exposure to many similar species.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Quammen say lizards probably arrived at Krakatau?

2. How long after the eruption did it take for 271 species to be counted at Krakatau?

3. What were the first plants to arrive after the eruption of Krakatau?

4. What surprising dispersal ability does Quammen say elephants have?

5. Whose reactions does Quammen record, in relation to Bedo's death?

(see the answer key)

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