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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following groups of insects uses kin recognition similar to ants?

2. Which of the following elements was brought by ants to the Amazon rainforest?

3. Of all the landscapes explored in the opening of this novel, which landscape has the highest density of ants per hectare?

4. What happens to the offspring of a queen when she is forced into a polygyny society?

5. Which of the following is NOT a method of foraging discussed in this novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the caste system within a given ant colony change according to the demographic?

2. What is a "super colonial" ant colony?

3. What study was performed on fire ants leading to the understanding the foragers will respond to the nutritional needs of their colony?

4. How have leafcutter ants altered the landscape in which they live?

5. Why are male ants typically neglected in taxonomic studies?

6. How does Wilson argue the Paleozoic Era changed insects?

7. What realization did scientists make about the Myrmica ants ability to differentiate larvae from eggs?

8. How do male ants function within the colony caste system?

9. How is the workload divided between major and minor workers?

10. What happens during the founding stage of an ant colony?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One interesting way that ant colonies choose to expand is by becoming polygynus. Define a polygynus society. Explain the different ways colonies adopt a new queen and become polygynus. Finally, explain how the power within a polygynus society is affected as it grows? How that dispersed power affects organization within the colony.

Essay Topic 2

There is a long process involved with identifying ant species throughout the world. Explain the steps to proper identification of a new ant species. Explain why it is so difficult for scientists to identify new ant species. How many ant species are believed to be unidentified throughout the scientific world?

Essay Topic 3

Each ant colony goes through three distinct phases of the life cycle. Explain what happens during the founding stages of an ant colony. Explain what happens during the ergonomic stages. Finally, explain what happens during the reproductive phase. How do all three of these phases work together as a life cycle?

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