Part 1: Earth's climate influences the structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes
1. What are the different levels of ecology?
2. How does latitude affect light intensity?
3. What are the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem?
4. If it is spring in the United States, what season is it in Australia? Japan? Chile?
5. What is a biome? What are the major terrestrial biomes on Earth?
Part 2: Interactions between organisms and the environment limit the distribution of species
1. What is the distribution of a species?
2. What are the factors that limit the geographic distribution of a species?
3. Give examples of both biotic factors AND abiotic factors that limit the distribution of a species.
Part 3: Dynamic biological processes influence population density, dispersion, and demographics, NOTE: Please stop at Demographics
1. What is the density of a population? How do you calculate the density of a population?
2. What is the difference between immigration and emigration?
3. What is the dispersion pattern of a population?
4. What are the three types of dispersion patterns?
Part 4: Interactions within a community may help, harm, or have no effect on the species involved
1. What is a community? How is it different from a population?
2. What are different types of interspecific interactions? Give examples of each.
3. What do the symbols +, - , and 0 mean? How are they used to describe interactions between organisms?
4. Why can't two organisms that have the same habitat and resource requirements live in the same area?
5. What are three types of adaptations that help prey avoid being eaten?
6. What is symbiosis? Give examples of different types of symbiosis.
Part 5: Diversity and trophic structure characterize biological communities
1. What is biodiversity? What variables do we use to calculate biodiversity?
2. What is species richness? What is relative abundance? What is the Shannon diversity index?
3. How can we compare two different communities?
4. What is an invasive species? Why are they a concern for a community?
5. You should be able to construct a simple food chain and recognize the different trophic levels within your food chain.
6. What are species that have a large impact on a community? Give examples of each.
Part 6: Disturbance influences species diversity and composition
1. What is a disturbance? What happens to a community after a disturbance?
2. What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?
3. What are some human disturbances?
Part 7: Physical laws govern energy flow and chemical cycling in ecosystems
1. What is an ecosystem? How is it different from a community?
2. Why is biology subject to the laws of thermodynamics? What are the two laws of thermodynamics?
3. What is matter? Can you make new carbon atoms? Why or why not?
4. How do energy, mass, and trophic levels all interact?
Part 8: Energy and other limiting factors control primary production in ecosystems
1. What is primary production? What types of organisms are responsible for it?
2. What are limiting nutrients?
3. What is eutrophication? How can humans reduce eutrophication of lakes and oceans?
Part 9: Energy transfer between trophic levels is typically on 10% efficient
1. What is secondary production? Are you a part of primary or secondary production? How do you know?
2. In a food chain with four levels, how much energy would the fourth organism receive from the first?
Part 10: Biological and geochemical processes cycle nutrients and water in ecosystems
1. What is a biogeochemical cycle? Give examples.
2. Explain the water cycle. Why is it important? What forms of water are available to organisms? Where is water stored? What processes cycle water?
3. Explain the carbon cycle. Why is it important? What forms of carbon are available to organisms? Where is carbon stored? What processes cycle carbon?
4. Explain the nitrogen cycle. Why is it important? What forms of nitrogen are available to organisms? Where is nitrogen stored? What processes cycle nitrogen?
4. Explain the phosphorous cycle. Why is it important? What forms of phosphorous are available to organisms? Where is phosphorous stored? What processes cycle phosphorous?