1. Ecology Review #2

2. Define density-dependent limiting factor.
limiting factors that operate more strongly on large, dense populations

3. What are the density-dependent limiting factors?
competition, predation, parasitism, crowding, disease, herbivory

4. Define density-independent limiting factor.
population limiting factors that act on organisms regardless of the size of the population; caused by anything other than population of organisms present

5. What are the density-independent limiting factors?
earthquakes, wildfires, droughts, floods

6. What is carrying capacity?
the maximum number of individuals an environment can sustain over time

7. What does carrying capacity look like on a graph?
Draw an “S” growth curve for your answer.

8. If a disease kills most members of a predator population, what effect will this have on the prey population?
it will increase greatly

9. During exponential growth of a population, how does the rate of population growth increase?
rapidly

10. What are sources for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
automobile exhaust, deforestation, respiration, burning fossil fuels

11. Why are scientists so concerned with carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?
high carbon dioxide levels seem to coincide with high temperature which can lead to global warming; an enhanced greenhouse effect

12. How can we protect members of an endangered species in ecologically sound way?
protecting the habitats where these animals live from human development

13. What are fossil fuels? Give an example.
they were formed from the buried remains of plants and animals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. Ex> coal, petroleum, natural gas, and propane

14. What are renewable resources? Give an example.
they can be replenished by nature in a short period of time; Ex> solar, biomass, geothermal, wind, and hydropower energy

15. What is exponential growth? What factors lead to exponential growth?
the rapid growth of a population whose living conditions are ideal; conditions for exponential growth: adequate food supply, protection from predators, space, no disease

16. What does the exponential growth curve look like?
a “J” shaped curve

17. What is a biome?
a group of ecosystems that share similar climates an types of organisms

18. Which are some ways a population can decrease in size?
decreased birthrate and emigration

19. What are some ways a population can increase in size?
increased birth rate and immigration rate

20. Which biome has the most rainfall?
Tropical rain forest Least rainfall? desert

21. What are common animals in the desert? Grasslands?
Desert-road runner, jack rabbit, lizard, scorpion
Grasslands- bison, antelope, zebra

22. What are the two main types of aquatic biomes? Provide examples of each.
Marine and freshwater. Examples of marine biomes are open ocean(pelagic), intertidal zone, and coastal ocean (neritic), abyssal(deepest), and benthic(surface). Examples of freshwater biomes are lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, wetlands( bogs, swamps, marshes)
estuaries*** special case

23. What is permafrost? Which biome is it found in?
soil that is permanently frozen to a depth of about 100ft; tundra

24. Which biome has organisms that are nocturnal to avoid daytime temperatures?
desert

25. Based on the name “Tropical Rain Forest” what can you conclude about this biome?
it is hot and has a lot of precipitation

26. What are some types of producers you would find in a Rain Forest Biome?
fruit-bearing trees

27. Where is the continental shelf located
Where is the continental shelf located? How much aquatic life is found in the continental shelf?
the area from the shoreline to the edge of the continent; almost all life ( ~90%) in the ocean is found in the area of the continental shelf

28. The Savanna is another name for which biome?
tropical grassland

29. Which biome is being described by the following statement: This occurs in the higher latitudes such as northern America or Russia, has very cold winters and cool summers with moderate to low precipitation, mostly evergreen trees and a variety of animals in the summer.
taiga (also called
boreal or coniferous forest)

30. What are some disadvantages of burning fossil fuels for energy?
pollution
non-renewable

31. What are some energy sources that are alternatives to using fossil fuels?
solar, wind, water (hydroelectric)

32. What are some advantages of using this alternative energy source?
can be replenished rather quickly by nature, no pollution, “free to use”

33. What are some disadvantages of using alternative energy sources
What are some disadvantages of using alternative energy sources? Be specific.
costly to get up and running, not everyone will live in an area to utilize such a power resource