The Scope of Ecology |
1. |
Define ecology. Identify the two features of organisms studied by ecologists. |
2. |
Describe the relationship between ecology and evolutionary biology. |
3. |
Distinguish between abiotic and biotic components of the environment. |
4. |
Distinguish among organismal ecology, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and landscape ecology. |
5. |
Clarify the difference between ecology and environmentalism. |
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Interactions Between Organisms and the Environment Affect the Distribution of Species |
6. |
Define biogeography. |
7. |
Describe the questions that might be asked in a study addressing the limits of the geographic distribution of a particular species. |
8. |
Describe the problems caused by introduced species and illustrate with a specific example. |
9. |
Explain how habitat selection may limit distribution of a species within its range of suitable habitats. |
10. |
Describe, with examples, how biotic and abiotic factors may affect the distribution of organisms. |
11. |
List the four abiotic factors that are the most important components of climate. |
12. |
Distinguish between macroclimate and microclimate patterns. |
13. |
Provide an example of a microclimate. |
14. |
Explain, with examples, how a body of water and a mountain range might affect regional climatic conditions. |
15. |
Describe how an ecologist might predict the effect of global warming on distribution of a tree species. |
16. |
Name three ways in which marine biomes affect the biosphere. |
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Aquatic and Terrestrial Biomes |
17. |
Describe the characteristics of the major aquatic biomes: lakes, wetlands, streams, rivers, estuaries, intertidal biomes, oceanic pelagic biomes, coral reefs, and marine benthic biomes. |
18. |
Define the following characteristics of lakes: seasonal turnover, thermal stratification, thermocline, photic zone. |
19. |
Explain why the following statement is false: “All communities on Earth are based on primary producers that capture light energy by photosynthesis.” |
20. |
Describe the characteristics of the major terrestrial biomes: tropical forest, desert, savanna, chaparral, temperate grassland, coniferous forest, temperate broadleaf forest, and tundra. |
21. |
Give an example of a biome characterized by periodic disturbance. |
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