Global Change Ecology Final Exam Study Guide 2024 PDF

Global Change Ecology Final exam initial study guide (8 December, 2024) The exam will be a multiple choice test with approximately 80-85 questions. No short answer questions this time. The majority of questions will come from the PowerPoints; others questions will be drawn from readings, class qui...

Global Change Ecology Final exam initial study guide (8 December, 2024) The exam will be a multiple choice test with approximately 80-85 questions. No short answer questions this time. The majority of questions will come from the PowerPoints; others questions will be drawn from readings, class quizzes, previous exams, assigned videos and content from class visitors. The questions will emphasize the first 4 course lectures and 7 lectures since the last midterm. Roughly 4-5 questions will come from each of these 11 lectures. We will include graphs and other images from the individual PowerPoint slides, emphasizing those that easily understood and or of obvious importance. There may be one or two new graphs that you will have to interpret. Typically, the slides that represent "the environment-in-the-news" or student-presented slides are for our mutual edification \-- and will not be tested on this exam. **Some key lecture foci, concepts, and terms** (this list is in no way meant to be exhaustive): \* four components of biodiversity Genetic, species, ecosystem, and functional diversity \* why population sizes matter Small populations are at greater risk of inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity, and extinction. \* eutrophication Nutrient runoff (N, P) causes algal blooms, depleting oxygen in water bodies \* nitrogen and phosphorus cycles (major pieces) Nitrogen is fixed from the atmosphere; phosphorus comes from rock weathering. Both cycle through organisms and ecosystems \* major greenhouse gases and their something about their properties, relative abundance, etc. CO2, CH4, N2O, and H2O vapor differ in warming potential and abundance \* function of ozone layer Blocks harmful UV radiation, protecting life on Earth \* principle drivers of biodiversity loss Habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species, and climate change \* coral reef decline Bleaching from warming oceans, acidification, and pollution \* ocean acidification CO2 absorption lowers pH, harming marine life \* sustainable harvesting Harvesting resources without depleting them for future generations \* Maximum Sustained Yield (MSY) The largest yield a resource can sustain over time \* Tragedy of the Commons Overuse of shared resources leads to depletion \* lobster fishing in New England Regulated to prevent overharvesting; includes trap limits and size restrictions \* shifting baseline phenomenon Lowering expectations for ecosystem health over generations \* megafaunal extinctions Large animals extinct due to overhunting and habitat loss \* bushmeat hunting Unsustainable hunting for food, threatening biodiversity \* desertification Land degradation in arid areas from overuse, deforestation, and climate change \* exotic and invasive species Thrive due to lack of predators, high reproduction, and adaptability \* biotic homogenization Loss of unique species, ecosystems become similar \* strategies for raising crop yields GMOs, better irrigation, crop rotation, and reduced waste. \* greenhouse gas emissions from food production, storage, and transport Largest from livestock, land-use change, and transport \* food wastage Reducing waste saves resources and cuts emissions \* dietary transition Shift to resource-intensive diets (e.g., meat) \* three-fold challenge of feeding the global human population Feed all, reduce waste, and limit environmental damage \* environmental costs of beef High water, land use, and methane emissions \* biological control Use natural predators to manage pests \* integrated pest management Combines methods to minimize pest damage sustainably \* economic injury level Pest damage level where control cost equals loss cost \* keystone species Crucial to ecosystem function; their loss disrupts balance \* re-wilding Restoring ecosystems with native species \* in-situ and ex-situ conservation Protecting species in their habitat (in-situ) or outside (ex-situ) **Know these people:** \* Greta Thunberg \* Elizabeth Kolbert \* Gene Likens \* Margaret Meade \* James Porter \* Doug Tallamy **Emphasize these readings:** \* Death by a Thousand Cuts (Wagner) \* Greenland (Kolbert) **Visit/watch/review class video and other content links:** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJsdgTPJpU]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJsdgTPJpU) [[https://sdg-tracker.org]](https://sdg-tracker.org/) [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A) **Some sample questions** Boundary limits as discussed Rockstrom are thought to be a\. levels that invariably result in ecological catastrophe b\. limits that once exceeded will fundamentally change the earth's ecology c\. defined limited that if exceeded will lower the quality of life for humans d\. levels that cannot be exceeded due to geochemical laws e\. Internationally ratified environmental amounts that are not to be exceeded by countries under the most recent Global Climate Accord. Major drivers of the planet's mass extinctions include all but one of the following: a\. Meteor strikes b\. Marine anoxia c\. Ecological dominance of a single species d\. Periods of elevated planetary CO~2~ levels e\. Periods of elevated volcanic activity Which of these would you expect to have the highest albedo? a\. lava flow b\. deep lake c\. golf course fairway d\. glacier e\. desert Extinction risk varies across the tree of life. Large animals require large home ranges which puts them at risk. Which of the species attributes below is NOT associated with greater extinction risk? a\. long generation times b\. high trophic position (level) in food web c\. limited migratory or dispersal ability d\. species with high fertility e\. narrow niche breadth Adaptation to climate change by a species requires: a\. variable dispersal rates b\. new legislation c\. appropriate plastic responses to changing climatic conditions. d\. that a species develop new symbiotic relationships e\. pre-existing genetic variation What is NOT an example of a regulation that prevents the tragedy of the commons? a\. regulations that maintain maximum sustainable yields b\. allowing harvesters to act rationally in their own self-interest c\. slot limits in fisheries (i.e., limits that determine which sized fish can be kept) d\. Limited entry harvests If we could scale up carbon capture on a global scale to remove GHG from the atmosphere, which of the following environmental woes is believed to be the most irreversible on large scales in near time? a\. sea-level rise b\. formation/loss of glaciers c\. soil losses due to desertification d\. deforestation e\. groundwater depletion due to overexploitation Which of the following provides the most opportunities for sustainably feeding the world? a\. Increasing the area of land used for producing food. b\. Genetically modifying crops to have higher yields. c\. Making cheaper fertilizers. d\. Proving pesticides to the Global South. Integrated Pest Management refers to a system of crop management where a\. only organic pesticides are used to control pests. b\. a range of science-based pest control measures are adopted to reduce losses. c\. different crops are planted in the same fields to maximize yields. d\. natural enemies of pest species are released to reduce pest populations. The most extreme temperature changes caused by global warming will be felt a\. at the equator. b\. within the oceans. c\. at the poles. d\. over the largest urban areas. e\. across New England. Which of the following elements of food production makes the largest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions? a\. Land-use change c. Livestock and fisheries b\. Crop production d. Supply chain