Ecology and Environmental Science Topics
Powerpoint lessons can be downloaded from left menu “Biology Lecture Topics”, then “Ecological
and Environmental Topics”, direct link here
http://www.ptbeach.com/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=444&ViewID=7b97f7ed
-8e5e-4120-848f-a8b4987d588f&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=350&PageID=907
From your textbook, define the following:
1. Ecosystem
2. Community
3. Population
4. Niche
5. Detrivore
6. Biodiversity
7. Species richness
Use the powerpoint lessons on Ms. Bridge’s website to answer the following questions:
1. Compare and contrast camouflage and mimicry. What is the difference? Similarity?
2. Give one specific example of an organism that uses mimicry. What is the evolutionary strategy
behind this?
3. Give one specific example of an organism that uses camouflage. What is the evolutionary
strategy behind this?
4. Compare are contrast mutualism and commensalism. What is the difference? Similarity?
5. What type of relationship is shared between a dog and a flea who lives on the dog?
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Ecology and Environmental Science Topics
6. List two characteristics of a consumer in the ecosystem.
7. List two characteristics of a producer in the ecosystem.
8. List two characteristics of a decomposer in the ecosystem.
9. What is meant by a “trophic level”?
10. If a certain group of producers in a community produces 1000 kcals of carbohydrate energy,
how many of those kcals is available to the 2nd-level consumers in that same community?
Why? Justify your answer.
11. Why is the total biomass of carnivores in a community usually much lower than the biomass of
the producers in the community? (hint: you can reference your answer above)
12. Why are invasive organisms considered to be undesirable in an ecosystem?
13. Name three invasive species.
14. What two nutrients (elements) are the main cause of eutrophication?
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Ecology and Environmental Science Topics
15. When nutrients leak into a body of water, it spurs an overabundance of a_____________ to
grow, which eventually die and sink to the bottom. The dead and dying matter provided
abundant food for b_________________ (which live in the bottom sediments). These well-fed
microorganisms have energy to divide rapidly, increasing their numbers greatly. Because
many of these decomposers are aerobic, they use up a substantial amount of the
o_____________ in the water. This ultimately lowers the levels of o_________________ in
the water, resulting in the d____________ of many of the macroorganisms (fish, crabs, etc).
16. List one source of nitrogen pollution and one source of phosphorus pollution that can run off
into a body of water.
17. Give one measure that can limit or stop eutrophication in the Barnegat Bay.
18. Define “biomagnification”.
19. What trophic level accumulates the greatest amount of pollutants over time?
20. What does “DDT” stand for, and why is it now banned for sale in the US?
21. NJ had restrictions on eating shellfish and crabs from certain rivers, because of the
bioaccumulation of mercury in the tissues of these organisms. How does mercury get into the
river water?
22. What is meant by a “greenhouse gas”? List four examples.
23. What does the term “anthropogenic” mean?
24. What is the largest source of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere?
25. What is the largest source of anthropogenic nitrous oxide in the earth’s atmosphere?
26. What are three sources of methane in the atmosphere?
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Ecology and Environmental Science Topics
27. What is the difference between global warming and climate change?
28. What are four of the long-term effects of warming on living organisms?
29. Do the data suggest that there is a correlation between increase in human population growth
and increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
30. List FIVE things that YOU can do to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.
31. In your opinion, what is the most alarming consequence of global warming?
32. Why is a layer of ozone in the earth’s upper atmosphere important? What does it do that
benefits life on earth?
33. What does “CFC” stand for?
34. Other than CFCs, list two other ozone-depleting substances. What products are these found
in?
35. What are three consequences of ozone depletion?
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Ecology and Environmental Science Topics
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