Final Exam Study Guide - Scientific Skills
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Questions and Answers

What is the role of the independent variable in an experiment?

  • It is the factor that is manipulated to observe its effect. (correct)
  • It is the factor that is measured as an outcome.
  • It is the support for analyzing data trends.
  • It is the variable kept constant to ensure fair testing.

What does a low p-value, such as 0.03, suggest about the null hypothesis?

  • There is strong evidence against the null hypothesis. (correct)
  • It indicates a high probability of experimental error.
  • The results should be disregarded due to chance.
  • There is no relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

In a scientific experiment, controlled variables serve what purpose?

  • They help to ensure a fair test and accurate results. (correct)
  • They are changed to test the independent variable's effect.
  • They define the initial conditions for the experiment.
  • They measure the outcome of the experiment.

What does standard deviation indicate about the data from an experiment?

<p>It shows how closely the data points cluster around the mean. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do error bars represent in a graph of experimental data?

<p>The uncertainty or variability of the data measured. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How should one interpret a scenario where the p-value is 0.08?

<p>The results are likely due to chance with limited evidence. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When designing an experiment, what is a key first step?

<p>Identifying and defining the variables. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the dependent variable in an experiment?

<p>The outcome that is measured in response to the independent variable. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of energy is typically passed from secondary consumers to tertiary consumers?

<p>10% (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which process is primarily responsible for the majority of energy loss in an ecosystem?

<p>Heat Loss during Metabolism (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do detritivores and decomposers play in an ecosystem?

<p>They recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a food web, what happens to most of the energy consumed by an organism?

<p>It is lost as heat or used in metabolism. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason not all parts of an organism are consumed?

<p>Some components are not palatable. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What visual representation illustrates the energy available at each trophic level?

<p>Energy Pyramid (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of consumers primarily feed on primary consumers?

<p>Secondary Consumers (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main consequence of energy loss through incomplete assimilation?

<p>Energy is not fully utilized by the organism. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main role of salivary amylase in the digestive process?

<p>Breaking down starch into maltose (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following mechanisms contributes to speciation by preventing mating between different species?

<p>Temporal isolation by different mating seasons (A), Behavioral isolation due to mating calls (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In relation to predation, which type of selective pressure is most likely to encourage the development of predator-avoidance adaptations in a population?

<p>Increased predation on less adapted individuals (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes the process of natural selection?

<p>Environmental factors establish non-random survival and reproduction (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which class of animals is characterized by a body plan that includes bilateral symmetry and a complete digestive system?

<p>Annelida (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines allopatric speciation?

<p>Populations are geographically isolated from one another (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary function of the stomach during digestion?

<p>Mixing food with gastric juices to form chyme (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly differentiates sympatric and allopatric speciation?

<p>Sympatric speciation occurs without geographical separation, while allopatric does (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions most likely leads to exponential growth in a population?

<p>High birth rate and low death rate (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of energy in individuals according to the energy allocation model?

<p>Cell maintenance and growth (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which life history trait is typically associated with K-selected species?

<p>Long lifespan and substantial parental care (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What signifies the carrying capacity (K) in a population growth graph?

<p>The maximum number of individuals an environment can sustain (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of survivorship curve is characterized by high mortality in older individuals and low mortality in young?

<p>Type I (Convex) (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is considered a density-dependent limit on population growth?

<p>Predation and competition (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which phase of logistic growth do populations generally experience leveling-off?

<p>As a result of carrying capacity being reached (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of opportunistic (r-selected) life history strategies?

<p>Rapid maturity and low parental care (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the Central Nervous System (CNS)?

<p>Processing information and making decisions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which division of the Peripheral Nervous System is responsible for involuntary actions?

<p>Autonomic Nervous System (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In community ecology, what term describes the interaction where one species benefits at the expense of another?

<p>Predation (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does the Somatic Nervous System play within the Peripheral Nervous System?

<p>Controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following interactions in a community typically involves competition?

<p>Two species fighting for the same food source (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main responses associated with the Autonomic Nervous System?

<p>Fight or flight and rest and digest (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which component of a community ensures the transfer of energy through consumption?

<p>Predators (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What best defines a 'community' in ecological terms?

<p>A group of different species interacting in the same area (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of community interaction involves both species benefiting?

<p>Mutualism (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What describes the role of keystone species in their communities?

<p>They control the population of other species, maintaining ecological balance. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly distinguishes fundamental and realized niches?

<p>Fundamental niche represents the potential range of conditions; realized niche is the actual use due to limitations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a bottom-up control system, which factor primarily governs the population sizes of herbivores and predators?

<p>Nutrient availability and plant growth (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these examples is representative of commensalism?

<p>Barnacles attaching to whales (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What impact does the removal of a prey species typically have in a food web?

<p>Leads to a decrease in the predator population. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Top-down control in ecological systems is best exemplified by which scenario?

<p>Predation of herbivores by carnivores controlling plant populations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of a kelp forest ecosystem, what role do sea otters fulfill?

<p>They are keystone species that control sea urchin populations. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Independent Variable

The factor or variable that is changed or manipulated by the researcher in an experiment. It is the cause or input being tested.

Dependent Variable

The factor that is measured or observed in response to the change in the independent variable. It is the effect or output being studied.

Controlled Variable

Factors kept constant in an experiment to ensure a fair test and prevent other variables from influencing the results. They are held constant to isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Standard Deviation

A statistical measure of the spread or variability of data around the mean (average). A small standard deviation indicates data points are close to the mean, while a large standard deviation indicates data points are spread further apart.

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Role of Statistics in Experimentation

The use of mathematical methods and statistical analysis to collect, analyze, and interpret data in experimental studies. They help to determine the reliability and significance of experimental findings.

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P-value

A statistical value that reflects the probability of observing the results of an experiment if the null hypothesis is true (i.e., if there is no real effect). A low p-value indicates that the results are unlikely to have occurred by chance alone, suggesting evidence against the null hypothesis.

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Calcium Homeostasis

The process of regulating calcium levels in the blood.

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Nervous System Structure

The nervous system is divided into two main parts: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

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Central Nervous System (CNS)

The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system. It's the control center of the body.

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CNS Function

The CNS processes information it receives from the body and makes decisions. It controls body functions and coordinates responses to stimuli.

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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The peripheral nervous system consists of all the nerves that extend outside the CNS.

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PNS Function

The PNS connects the CNS to the rest of the body, carrying signals between the brain and spinal cord and organs, muscles, and skin.

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Somatic Nervous System

The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movements, like moving your arm.

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Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary actions, like your heartbeat and digestion.

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Natural Selection

The process where organisms with traits better suited to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully, passing on those advantageous traits to their offspring.

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Biological Species Concept

A distinct group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

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Reproductive Isolating Mechanisms

Mechanisms that prevent individuals of different species from interbreeding, leading to reproductive isolation and potentially speciation.

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Pre-zygotic Isolation

A mechanism that prevents mating or fertilization between individuals of different species, occurring before the formation of a zygote. Examples include habitat isolation, temporal isolation, behavioral isolation, mechanical isolation, and gametic isolation.

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Post-zygotic Isolation

A mechanism that prevents a hybrid zygote from developing into a viable and fertile offspring, occurring after the formation of a zygote. Examples include reduced hybrid viability, reduced hybrid fertility, and hybrid breakdown.

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Allopatric Speciation

The formation of new species from a geographically separated population, where gene flow is interrupted.

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Sympatric Speciation

The formation of new species within the same geographic area, where gene flow is reduced by factors such as reproductive isolation mechanisms or disruptive selection.

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Hybrid Zone

A geographic region where two species with incomplete reproductive isolation hybridize.

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Fundamental Niche

The full range of conditions and resources a species could theoretically use without competition or other limiting factors.

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Realized Niche

The actual conditions and resources a species uses due to competition, predation, or other constraints.

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Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its community structure, often by controlling the population of other species.

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Commensalism

A type of community interaction where one species benefits while the other is unaffected.

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Mutualism

A type of community interaction where both species benefit from their interaction.

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Predation

A type of community interaction where one species (the predator) benefits by consuming another species (the prey).

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Parasitism

A type of community interaction where one species (the parasite) benefits at the expense of another species (the host).

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Competition

A type of community interaction where both species are harmed as they compete for the same resources.

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Reservoirs in biogeochemical cycles

The large stores or compartments where a chemical element or compound is found in nature.

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Transformation in biogeochemical cycles

Processes that change the chemical form of an element or compound.

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Flux in biogeochemical cycles

The movement of a chemical element or compound through different parts of the Earth's systems.

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Nitrogen fixation

The process by which nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is converted into usable forms by certain microorganisms.

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Population growth

The process by which the population size of a species increases over time in a specific environment.

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Exponential population growth

A type of population growth where the size of the population increases exponentially over time.

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Logistic population growth

A type of population growth where the size of the population increases rapidly at first but eventually levels off as environmental carrying capacity is reached.

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Carrying capacity

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support.

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Secondary Consumers

Consumers that eat primary consumers (herbivores) for energy. They are carnivores, like foxes or wolves.

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Tertiary Consumers

Top predators that consume secondary consumers. They are also carnivores, like lions or eagles.

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Detritivores and Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead material from all trophic levels, like fungi, bacteria, and earthworms. They recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

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Heat Loss

Energy is lost as heat during metabolism. This is a major loss.

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Incomplete Consumption

Not all parts of an organism are consumed, like bones and roots. This is a smaller loss but still important.

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Incomplete Assimilation

Some energy in consumed food isn't digested and is released as waste. This is a smaller loss, but still significant.

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Energy Pyramid

A diagram that shows how energy flows through an ecosystem. It shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level. The base of the pyramid is the largest, representing the most energy.

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Energy Allocation

Organisms allocate energy taken in to support their needs for living, growing, and reproducing.

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Study Notes

Final Exam Study Guide

  • The final exam is worth 100 points and will have 50 questions.
  • The exam will focus on main concepts from the semester, including details that make the concepts meaningful.
  • Scores on the final exam will count toward the course grade.
  • If a final exam score is higher than a regular exam score, the lower regular exam score will be boosted to match the final exam score.

Scientific Skills

  • Define independent, dependent, and controlled variables in a scientific experiment.
    • Independent variable: The factor changed or manipulated.
    • Dependent variable: The factor measured or observed.
    • Controlled variable: Factors kept constant to ensure a fair test.
  • Design a simple experiment to study a specific question or explored in module labs.
  • Interpret graphs, including error bars (e.g., using Excel). Error bars show the range of possible values and variability in data.
  • Define "standard deviation" and explain its relevance to experimental data. (Standard deviation measures the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values around a mean.)
  • Explain the role of statistics in experimentation.
  • Interpret p-values.
    • Low p-value (e.g., <0.05): Strong evidence against the null hypothesis.
    • High p-value (e.g., >0.05): Weak evidence against the null hypothesis. The results may be due to chance.

Plant Diversity

  • Key characteristics for plant groups (Mosses, Liverworts, Hornworts, Ferns, Horsetails, Club mosses, Conifers, Cycads, Ginkgo, Flowering Plants)
  • Alternation of Generations
  • Adaptations (e.g., vascular tissue and seeds)

Plant Structure and Function

  • Plant organ systems
    • Roots: Anchor, absorb water and minerals, store nutrients.
    • Stems: Support, hold leaves up, transport water and nutrients.
    • Leaves: Photosynthesis, gas exchange.
  • Plant tissues
    • Dermal: Outer protective layer.
    • Ground: Photosynthesis, storage, support.
    • Vascular: Transportation (xylem, phloem).
  • Growth
    • Primary Growth: Growth at the tips of roots and shoots.
    • Secondary Growth: Growth in thickness.
  • Plant Nutrition
    • Essential elements (like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) and how plants and animals acquire these elements.

Animal Diversity

  • Identify animals based on key traits.
  • Animal systems: digestive and nutritional
  • Digestion and nutrient absorption
  • Processes along the digestive tract
    • Identify locations (e.g., mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus).
    • Enzymes and functions
    • Nutrient absorption (water and electrolytes).

Animal Physiology

  • Surface area to volume ratio
  • Cellular transport
  • Gas exchange
  • Circulation of gases and nutrients.
  • Basic circulatory system (heart, blood vessels).
  • How/where gases and nutrients move during exchange
  • Basic action potentials and ion gradients

Animal Reproduction and Ecology

  • Animal diversity: different traits/characteristics of animals
  • Hormones controlling blood sugar and calcium
  • Understanding the role of ions and their influence on processes like nerve signaling, muscle contraction, osmoregulation, and reproduction.

Plant Transport

  • Explore the dynamics of transpiration (water transport).
  • Sugar (food) movement within the phloem.
  • Trade-offs associated with opening and closing stomata (needed for gas exchange).

Evolution

  • Natural Selection: Explain the pressures driving adaptation and outcome of selection.
  • Origin of Species: Explain and apply the biological species concept, prezygotic and postzygotic isolation mechanisms.
  • Phylogeny: interpret a phylogenetic tree.

Community Ecology

  • Species interactions (e.g., competition, predation, symbiosis).
  • Role of keystone species (e.g., within kelp forests, rocky intertidal, or Yellowstone).
  • Niche (fundamental vs. realized niche).
  • Community structure and stability
  • Interdependence (e.g., species interactions and how these interactions shape community structure)

Biological Principles

  • Counter-current exchange
  • Biological processes involving ions (Na+, K+, and Ca2+)

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BIOL 106 Final Exam Study Guide Fall 2024 PDF

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Prepare for your final exam with this comprehensive study guide focused on scientific skills. You'll learn how to identify variables in experiments, design effective studies, and interpret data through graphs and standard deviation. Master these key concepts to excel in your course!

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