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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Message From Aru.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does Quammen say islands are sometimes formed?
(a) Rise in sea level.
(b) Earthquakes.
(c) Volcanic activity.
(d) Seismic upthrust.

2. How did Wallace put Darwin in a tough spot, according to Quammen?
(a) By publishing his theory first.
(b) By telling him about his work.
(c) By having used some of Darwin's observations in his own work.
(d) By having looked at Darwin's theories before he published his own.

3. What was the previous theory that governed speciation on islands?
(a) That there was too little data and too much inconsistency to formulate a rule.
(b) That more remote islands required more specialized traits for survival.
(c) That greater distance reduced the number of species.
(d) That islands closer to land were more prone to extinctions, which sometimes reduced the variety of species.

4. What did Frank Preston say made up the majority of species in any ecosystem?
(a) A large number of small animals that served as food for a number of larger animals.
(b) A few very common species.
(c) A large number of fairly common species.
(d) A few very rare species.

5. How was the case of the muriqui different from the case of the Mauritius kestrel?
(a) The muriqui was a mammal, and did not reach sexual maturity until its third year.
(b) The muriqui was not an island species.
(c) The muriqui lived in forests that were valuable for their hardwoods.
(d) The muriqui had much smaller batches of offspring.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Quammen say typically collected insects?

2. What did Wilson show Quammen when the two men visited?

3. What population does Quammen compare with the thylacine population?

4. How many Mauritius kestrels were still in existence at the species' lowest point?

5. When did the Mauritius kestrel population begin to decline?

(see the answer key)

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