Unit #4 Introductory Questions Ecology: Ch. 50, 52-55

Introductory Questions #1 1)Ecology involves analyzing biotic and abiotic factors. Give three examples of an abiotic factor. 2)Describe the environment that red kangaroos are typically found in? Give some reasons why they are found in these areas. (see pg. 1081) 3)How is a population different from a community? What do we focus on when studying ecosystems? 4)What was Rachel Carson warning us about in her book “Silent Spring” written in 1962? 5)Give three factors that limit a species distribution? Name the five biogeographic realms that have been identified by ecologists. 6)On pg read the inquiry and based on Fletcher’s data collected name the two factors that led to the greatest increase in seaweed cover. What was the conclusion drawn from this study? 7)Climate plays a major role on species distribution. Name the four major abiotic factors that must be considered. 8)What causes the seasons to occur on the Earth? What are the key factors that create the precipitation patterns on the Earth? 9)What affect do mountains have on rainfall and species distribution? 10)What seasons are lakes thermally stratified? (see pgs ) Why is this turnover important to the organisms that live in the lake?

Introductory Questions #2 1)How would you define a population? What factors do you need to consider when analyzing a population? 2)What are the (3) characteristic patterns usually observed when studying a population? 3)Name three factors that can affect the growth rate of a population. 4)How are density dependent factors different from density independent factors? What do these factors do to a population? 5)How is an r-selected species different from a k-selected species. Give an example for each. 6)Explain how a type II survivorship is different from a type III. Give an example of a type II organism. 7)What year is thought to be the time at which the world population reached 1 billion? 2 billion? And 3 billion? 8)Which country has an age structure that appears to have potential problems in the future? 9)What has been the primary cause for the population growth rate to increase so rapidly in the last 100 years?

Introductory Questions #3 1)How is a community different from a population? What factors are different when analyzing a community? 2)Name the FOUR key interspecific types of competition observed in communities. 3)Briefly explain Gause’s idea of competitive exclusion. What organisms did he work with to discover this interaction? (see pg. 1160) 4)How do ecologists define a “niche”? 5)Why are keystone species so important to a community? Name the TWO examples of a keystone predator mentioned on pgs & )When two species have identical niches and one is not forced into extinction, how could this occur? (see pg. 1161) 7)The feeding relationships observed in a community as food is transferred along the various food chains move along various levels called defining a ___________ __________ in that community. (see pg. 1166) 8)Transitional changes observed in a community following a disturbance is called ____________ _____________. (pg. 1173)

Introductory Questions #4 (Ch. 53) 1)How is interspecific competition different from intraspecific competition? Give an example for each. 2)What is meant by competitive exclusion? Explain how are the fundamental and realized niches for Cthamalus and Balanus different? (pg. 1160) 3)Does the competition between different species having identical niches typically lead one of them toward extinction? Explain. 4)Give an example of character displacement. (see pg. 1159) 5)What is the difference between Mullerian and Batesian mimicry? Give an example for each type of mimicry. 6)Why is a keystone predator important in a community? What do they do? Give an example presented from the text and video (Life in the Balance).

Introductory Questions #5 9)The first type of community to establish itself following a disturbance is called a(n). Name the types of organisms present. 10)How is primary succession different from secondary succession? 11)Place these in the correct sequence: grasses, pine trees, shrubs, lichens, hardwood trees 12)How is primary productivity in a community determined? 13) What is a terrarium and how would you set one up? 14)What are the five steps to the nitrogen cycle?