BIOL 170 Exploring Biology
Ecology Unit
Homework Questions
1. Give two significant differences between a temperate grassland and a savanna.
2. a. What biome has the most diverse group of species of any terrestrial biome on
earth?
b. Such diversity affects the size of the population of each species how?
3. Why did the middle U.S. biome change to grassland after the uplift of the Rocky
Mountains?
4. Why does the air temperature change so greatly from heat of the day to the cool of
the night in a desert biome?
5. Why does the deciduous forest so dominate the eastern United States while the
conifer forest biome’s southern boarder is limited to Canada, northern boarder
states of US and higher elevations of mountains?
6. Why is it often colder during winter in northern Minnesota than it is in many parts
of Norway?
7. What is the most unique function of the producers (1st trophic level) in an
ecosystem?
8. Humans are examples of omnivores. Explain why this term is appropriate for
humans.
9. There is no waste in an ecosystem. What class of consumers deal with the
organic waste normally produced in a natural ecosystem?
10. Why does it take so much biomass at the lower trophic level to support biomass at
a higher trophic level?
11. Why is it more likely that a biome or ecosystem can support large numbers of
herbivores but not large numbers of carnivores?
12. Identify the type of organism interaction for each of the following:
A.
B.
C.
D.
rabbit and fox
vine on basswood tree
moss on a tree
flower and a bee
13. Where is most of the carbon dioxide found on the earth?
14. What is the most common gas in the earth’s atmosphere?
15. What is the energy source that drives the water cycle?
16. What is the difference between the pioneer stage and the climax stage in
ecosystem development?
17. Why is it hot in the July and cold in January each year in Moorhead, MN?
18. Where on the earth is the sun directly overhead at noon on March 21st and
September 23rd?
19. Define the following terms:
a. Trophic level
b. Niche
c. Habitat
d. First order consumer
e. Second order consumer
f. Third order consumer