1. PRACTICE EXAM 1

2. Lecture 1: Environmental science/scientific method.
a. Define and explain the differences between science,
technology, and belief.
b. Define ecology and environmental science.
c. Describe and apply the scientific method.
d. Compare a hypothesis to a theory, law and principle.
e. Define control and experimental variable.

3. Lecture 2: Environmental Ethics
a. Define ethics and explain how they are related to
a person’s worldview and values.
b. Examine the history of conservation and preservation
c. Compare renewable to nonrenewable resources.
d. Describe the Tragedy of the Commons and give examples.
e. Define sustainability.
f. Describe Aldo Leopold’s land ethic
g. Explain what is meant by deep ecology, environmental
justice, ecofeminism.

4. Lecture 3: Matter and Energy
a. Define matter and energy.
b. State and explain the laws of matter and energy.
c. List and describe the levels of organization of matter. Explain
why higher levels depend on lower levels.
d. Describe physical, chemical, and nuclear properties of matter
and changes in properties.
e. Describe radiant energy and the electromagnetic spectrum.

5. Lecture 4; Communities: Energy Flow, Trophic Levels
a. Describe the processes of photosynthesis and cellular
respiration. Explain how they are linked together.
b. Define trophic level, food chain, and food web.
c. Construct food chains and determine the trophic level of
each organism. Define autotroph, heterotroph, producer,
consumer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore,decomposer.
d. Define energy efficiency, biomass, and biological
amplification.
e. Explain why a short food chain loses less usable energy.

6. Lecture 5: Communities: Interactions between
Organisms, Succession
a. Describe ways in which organisms interact with each
other.
b. Define competition, commensalism, mutualism,
predation, and parasitism. Give examples of each type of
interaction.
c. Define keystone species, habitat and niche.
d. Describe the competitive exclusion principle.
e. Compare intraspecific and interspecific competition. f. Define succession.
g. Compare primary and secondary succession. Give
examples of each.
h. Define species diversity, monoculture, stability, pioneer
species,and climax communities.

7. Lecture 6: Environmental Systems
a. Define homeostasis and describe positive and negative
feedback.
b. Compare open to closed systems.
c. Define abiotic factor, range of tolerance, and limiting
factor,list abiotic factors that affect organisms.
d. List elements and organic molecules essential for life.
e. Diagram carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and hydrologic
cycles
Lecture 7: Biomes
a. Define biome and describe earth’s major terrestrial
biomes.
b. Explain how biomes are affected by climate zones.

8. List the 5 steps of the scientific method.
Explain how ecology differs from environmental science.
In an experiment, the characteristic being tested is the ______.
a. hypothesis b. control c. experimental variable

9. List the 5 steps of the scientific method.
Question, Hypothesis, Test, Analysis, Conclusion
Explain how ecology differs from environmental science.
Ecology = study of interactions between organism + environment. Environmental science = study of HUMAN interactions with environment. It includes ecology, but many other fields as well.
In an experiment, the characteristic being tested is the ______ a. hypothesis b. control c. experimental variable

10. a. anthropocentric b. biocentric c. ecocentric
The idea that other organisms have value based on their value to humans is _______
a. anthropocentric b. biocentric c. ecocentric
The “father of conservation” who helped establish the first national parks was ___.
a. Aldo Leopold b. John Muir c. Paul Erlich
___ relies on technological fixes like recycling, hybrid cars, monoculture organic agriculture.
a. deep ecology b. shallow ecology c. social ecology

11. a. anthropocentric b. biocentric c. ecocentric
The idea that other organisms have value based on their value to humans is _______
a. anthropocentric b. biocentric c. ecocentric
The “father of conservation” who helped establish the first national parks was ___.
a. Aldo Leopold b. John Muir c. Paul Erlich
___ relies on technological fixes like recycling, hybrid cars, monoculture organic agriculture.
a. deep ecology b. shallow ecology c. social ecology

12. Burning a piece of paper is a ____ change.
A(n) _____ is all living things in an area plus abiotic factors.
____ occurs when organisms of the same species try to get the same resource
intraspecific competition
b. interspecific competition
c. commensalism
d. mutualism

13. Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change.
A(n) ecosystem is all living things in an area plus abiotic factors.
_____occurs when organisms of the same species try to get the same resource
intraspecific competition
b. interspecific competition
c. commensalism
d. mutualism

14. Which law or principle explains each example?
Law of Conservation of Matter (Mass)
1st Law of Energy
c. 2nd Law of Energy
d. Gause’s competitive exclusion principle
There is little energy left for top carnivores The number of atoms doesn’t change during photosynthesis Exotic (introduced) species often push out native species

15. Which law or principle explains each example?
Law of Conservation of Matter (Mass)
1st Law of Energy
c. 2nd Law of Energy
d. Gause’s competitive exclusion principle
c There is little energy left for top carnivores a The number of atoms doesn’t change during photosynthesis d Exotic (introduced) species often push out native species

16. In the food chain below, which organism is an autotroph?
Sun---->plant---->mouse---->hawk heat heat heat
Sugar + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water + ATP energy is ___.
photosynthesis
cellular respiration
performed only by plants
all of the above

17. In the food chain below, which organism is an autotroph?
Sun---->plant---->mouse---->hawk heat heat heat
Sugar + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water + ATP energy is ___.
photosynthesis
cellular respiration
performed only by plants
all of the above

18. _____succession occurs where there is NO soil

19. Primary succession occurs where there is NO soil

20. MATCHING: a. abiotic factor b. biome c. biosphere
non-living --physical or chemical aspects of an environment
condition in which a system’s internal environment remains fairly constant
large geographic area with similar ecosystems
increase in a poison (toxin) as it passes through a food chain
a. abiotic factor
b. biome
c. biosphere
d. biological amplification
e. homeostasis
f. range of tolerance
g. limiting factor

21. MATCHING: a. abiotic factor b. biome c. biosphere
non-living --physical or chemical aspects of an environment abiotic factor
condition in which a system’s internal environment remains fairly constant homeostasis
large geographic area with similar ecosystems biome
increase in a poison (toxin) as it passes through a food chain
biological amplification
a. abiotic factor
b. biome
c. biosphere
d. biological amplification
e. homeostasis
f. range of tolerance
g. limiting factor

22. MATCHING BIOMES: permafrost, lichens and mosses hot, 200+inches of
rain/year
Mediterranean
climate, plants
designed to burn
a. tundra
b. taiga
c. deciduous forest
d. chaparral
e. grassland
f. savannah
g. tropical rain forest
h. desert

23. MATCHING BIOMES: a permafrost, lichens and mosses g hot, 200+inches of
rain/year
d Mediterranean
climate, plants
designed to burn
a. tundra
b. taiga
c. deciduous forest
d. chaparral
e. grassland
f. savannah
g. tropical rain forest
h. desert

24. What is the definition of “sustainable development”?
Using resources to benefit future generations, even if it means lower availability now
Letting future generations figure out their own problems
Letting each country decide what is its best interest
Using resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability
Answer: d

25. What is the definition of “sustainable development”?
Using resources to benefit future generations, even if it means lower availability now
Letting future generations figure out their own problems
Letting each country decide what is its best interest
Using resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability
Answer: d

26. Which of the following organisms is an autotroph?
Worm
Horse
Pine tree
Human
None of these
Answer: c
Copyright C Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

27. Which of the following organisms is an autotroph?
Worm
Horse
Pine tree
Human
None of these
Answer: c
Copyright C Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings