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Questions and Answers
What does the independent variable represent in an experimental design?
What does the independent variable represent in an experimental design?
Which hypothesis indicates that there will be an effect observed in an experiment?
Which hypothesis indicates that there will be an effect observed in an experiment?
What is meant by population density?
What is meant by population density?
Which of the following is NOT a biotic factor affecting an ecosystem?
Which of the following is NOT a biotic factor affecting an ecosystem?
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How do large bodies of water typically influence local climate?
How do large bodies of water typically influence local climate?
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What is the primary effect of deforestation on the water cycle?
What is the primary effect of deforestation on the water cycle?
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Which of these factors primarily contributes to climate change?
Which of these factors primarily contributes to climate change?
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Which of the following describes the term 'evapotranspiration'?
Which of the following describes the term 'evapotranspiration'?
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What does a survivorship curve illustrate?
What does a survivorship curve illustrate?
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Which type of growth is represented by a J-curve?
Which type of growth is represented by a J-curve?
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What defines the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
What defines the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?
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Which ecosystem is considered the most productive?
Which ecosystem is considered the most productive?
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What is eutrophication?
What is eutrophication?
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What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
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Which of the following best describes primary productivity?
Which of the following best describes primary productivity?
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What is a major factor that affects an individual's ecological footprint?
What is a major factor that affects an individual's ecological footprint?
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Study Notes
Scientific Method
- Understand experimental design: Identify independent variables (manipulated) and dependent variables (measured).
- Control group represents the normal situation for comparison.
- Null hypothesis states there is no effect; alternative hypothesis predicts an effect.
- Familiarize yourself with the steps of the scientific method.
Ecology
- Vocabulary: Distinguish between population, biotic and abiotic factors.
- Know the four climate criteria and global climate patterns, including rising versus falling air.
- Light intensity peaks at the equator; ocean temperature varies with latitude.
- Large water bodies significantly affect local climate and weather patterns.
- Different weather on either side of mountains exemplifies the rain shadow effect.
- Forests impact temperature and precipitation through processes like evapotranspiration, where evaporating water cools the area.
- Deforestation disrupts the water cycle, leading to climate change.
- Key causes of climate change include greenhouse gas emissions; common examples include CO2 and methane.
- Climate change affects organisms by altering their geographic ranges, posing ecological challenges.
Population Ecology
- Population ecology studies factors influencing population size and density.
- Two factors that increase population size: birth rate and immigration; two that decrease: death rate and emigration.
- Understand key concepts: population density, patterns of dispersion (clumped, uniform, random), and demography.
- Know how to interpret life tables, focusing on survivorship rates and reproductive output.
- Recognize three types of survivorship curves, their meanings, and examples.
- Differentiate between exponential growth (steady increase) and logistic growth (limited by resources), noted as J-curve and S-curve respectively.
- Understand carrying capacity, human population growth trends, and factors affecting human reproductive rates.
- Assess uneven resource distribution and identify regions with high human population growth.
- Population pyramids illustrate relative growth: increasing, stable, or decreasing.
Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology
- Grasp energy flow and nutrient cycling principles; energy flows from producers (autotrophs) to consumers (heterotrophs).
- Photoautotrophs use sunlight for energy, while chemoautotrophs derive energy from chemicals.
- Familiarize with thermodynamics and matter principles relevant to energy flow in ecosystems.
- In food chains/webs, understand roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers; arrows indicate energy transfer direction.
- Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient; only about 10% of energy transfers to the next level, remainder lost as heat.
- Primary productivity concepts: GPP (Gross Primary Productivity), NPP (Net Primary Productivity), and NEP (Net Ecosystem Productivity) – no calculations required but understanding is essential.
- Recognize limiting nutrients and processes like eutrophication and upwelling.
- Identify productive ecosystems and understand secondary production.
- Learn to interpret energy pyramids and biogeochemical cycles.
- Understand reservoirs, normal cycles, and human impact on cycles, especially concerning water use and availability.
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Description
Prepare for Exam 1 in BIOL 1020 with this comprehensive study guide. Focus areas include the Scientific Method, Ecology, Population Ecology, and Ecosystem Restoration. Review diagrams, photos, and graphs to excel in various question formats.
