The Ecological Connections Project
(80 pts Q/E/SP)
The goal of this project is to help you develop a fundamental conceptual understanding of major ecological concepts and processes
that you have read about in chapters 50, 52, 53, 54 and 55.
When answering the questions below about the ecology of populations, communities and ecosystems draw upon examples of
individual species, communities and ecosystems found in your local watershed - the Snoqualmie Watershed (see map in classroom for
specific area boundaries). Each element should be answered completely for full credit.
Collaboration is encouraged, but keep in mind that individual answers are expected to be authentic and unique. The final product will
be a Word document and is to be submitted to "Turnitin.com"- To easily transfer this framework of questions to your own document I
have posted this file on my AP Biology SharePoint site (under "announcements" heading. Your ecological adventure awaits you!
Interactions Between Organisms and the Environment Affect the Distribution of Species. (Ch 50)
1. What might be some of the questions that might be asked by an ecologist whom is studying limits of the geographic distribution
(range) of a particular species in your local watershed?
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2. What are three examples of introduced species in your local watershed? Why are introduced species of concern to us and what are
the impacts of these species on the structure and function of biological communities and ecosystems within the Snoqualmie
watershed?
3. Describe, how three biotic and four abiotic factors may affect the distribution of organisms, provide examples to illustrate your
points.
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4. What physical abiotic factors are the most important components of climate? Elaborate on how each of these factors might affect
the communities of life within this watershed.
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5. Distinguish between macroclimate and microclimate patterns. Provide examples. What causes seasonality in your watershed?
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6. Explain, with examples, how a body of water such as Lake Washington or the Puget Sound and the Cascades might affect your
regional climatic conditions.
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7. What do you think might be the effects of global climate changes affect the distribution and abundance of species in the Snoqualmie
watershed or surrounding watersheds? How might this impact you?
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8. Summarize a scientific study that is researching the impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems in the Pacific
Northwest. (need some great sources? - UW Climate Impacts Group: http://cses.washington.edu/cig/ or USGS:
http://nccwsc.usgs.gov/2009RFP-projects.html or US Fish and Wildlife Service:
http://www.fws.gov/pacific/climatechange/meetings/coastal.cfm).
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9. Name several ways in which the Puget Sound marine biome affect the Snoqualmie watershed.
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Aquatic and Terrestrial Biomes
10. Where would you find these major aquatic biomes in your watershed?
lakes
wetlands
streams
rivers
estuaries
intertidal
11. Explain the following characteristics or processes and why they are important to local aquatic biomes in your watershed:
seasonal turnover
thermal stratification
thermocline
photic zone.
12. Where would you find these major aquatic biomes in Washington state?
desert
chaparral
temperate grassland
coniferous forest
temperate broadleaf forest
tundra.
Population Growth and Limiting Factors (Chapter 52)
13. Provide examples of the three dispersal patterns in your watershed.
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14. Give an example of an animal that exhibits territoriality. What might be some proximate and ultimate reasons for doing this?
15. What is the mark-recapture method? Provide an example of how this method might apply to studying a hypothetical population in
your watershed. What might be some strengths and weaknesses of this method?
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16. Why might it be important to understand the demography of human populations in your community or watershed? On a national
scale? On a global scale?
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17. In respects to a life table: what is meant by the term cohort: Give an example drawing from the current population of students at
MSHS.
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18. In respects to their life history provide an example of populations in the local watershed that exhibit a type I, type II and type III
curve (other than the examples given in the text )
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19. What is a reproductive table? Why might the interpretation of this type of table be of importance to a conservation biologist?
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20. What is the difference between the terms immigration and emigration as they relate to changes in population? give an example.
21. What is an organism (other than a salmon) that exhibits a "big bang" (semelparity) reproduction pattern? What is an organism
that exhibits a "repeated" (iteroparity) reproduction pattern? What is the trade-off between these two contrasting life history
reproduction patterns?
22. What is meant by the ecological concept known as carrying capacity? Demonstrate your understanding of this concept with an
example from a population in your local watershed.
23. What is meant by zero population growth? Give an example for a population in your watershed.
24. Describe "r"- and "K"- life history strategies for two appropriate populations in your watershed. Describe the likely population
growth curve and limiting factor for each strategy. .
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25. What is the difference between a density dependent and a density independent factor as it relates to a population? Give an example
of each factor as it might relate to a local population.
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26. Explain, with several examples, how biotic and abiotic factors may work together to control a population’s growth in your local
watershed.
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Interspecific Interactions and Community Structure (Chapter 53)
27. Define and provide an example illustrating the following community interactions in your local watershed:
o predation
o parasitism
o herbivor
o mutualism
o commensalism
o
parasitism
28. Define what is meant by coevolution and provide an example of this important concept for two organisms in your watershed.
29. Explain how cryptic (i.e. camouflage) coloration and warning coloration may aid an animal in avoiding predators. Provide a
specific example of each.
30. What is aposematic coloration? Give an example of an animal that lives in your local watershed that exhibits this warning
coloration.
31. Distinguish between Batesian mimicry and Müllerian mimicry. Give an example that illustrates each type of mimicry.
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32. What is the difference between an organism's niche and its habit?- Give an example.
33. Explain the competitive exclusion principle using the niche concept- give an example of two or more local species that
demonstrates your understanding of this ecological concept.
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34. Give specific examples of adaptations that two predators and prey species have in your area.
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35. Explain the relationship between species richness and relative abundance and explain how both contribute to species diversity in
your local area.
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36. Give an example of a food chain and a food web for your local watershed.
37. Explain why food chains are relatively short.
38. what is the difference between a keystone species and a dominant species?. Give an example of each (yes, for your local
community:).
Disturbance and Community Structure
39. Define stability and disturbance in respects to a biologic community. Give an example of an area in your watershed that is
characterized by periodic disturbance. Identify three natural disturbances in your watershed. How might these disturbances increase
or decrease species diversity?
40. Give four examples of three human disturbances in your watershed. What direct impact do these disturbances have on other
species?
41. Distinguish between primary and secondary succession. Provide an example of secondary succession in your watershed .
42. Describe how species that arrive early in succession may facilitate, inhibit, or tolerate later arrivals. Give an example.
*43. Explain why species richness declines along an equatorial-polar gradient.
.
Biogeographic Factors Affect Community Biodiversity
44. What general pattern does a species-area curve show?
45. Does species richness on islands varies according to island size and distance from the mainland? Explain.
Ecosystems, Energy, and Matter (Chapter 54)
46. Describe the fundamental relationship between autotrophs and heterotrophs in an ecosystem. Give an example.
47. Explain how the first and second laws of thermodynamics apply to an ecosystem in your local watershed.
48. Explain how decomposition connects all trophic levels in an ecosystem. What are examples of decomposers found in your
watershed?
Primary Production in Ecosystems
49. Explain why the amount of energy used in photosynthesis is so much less than the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth.
50. Define and compare gross primary production and net primary production for a local ecosystem. Give an example from your local
watershed.
51. Define and compare net primary production and standing crop for a local ecosystem.
52. Which terrestrial and aquatic biomes in your watershed are the most productive?
Secondary Production in Ecosystems
53. Does energy flow or cycle within an ecosystem. Explain.
54. Does molecules and atoms flow or cycle within an ecosystem? Explain.
55. Explain what factors may limit production in aquatic ecosystems (such as Lake Washington or lake Sammamish).
*56. Describe an experiment that provides evidence that iron availability limits oceanic primary production in some regions. Explain
how iron availability is related to nitrogen availability in marine systems such as the Puget Sound. Why is this importanct?
57. Explain why areas of upwelling in the ocean have exceptionally high levels of primary production.
58. Distinguish between each of the following pairs of terms in your own words:
a. primary and secondary production
59. what is the difference between pyramids of biomass, and pyramids of numbers? Give an example for your watershed.
60. Explain why worldwide agriculture could feed more people if all humans consumed only plant material.
The Cycling of Chemical Elements in Ecosystems
61. Come up with three well thought out questions that you have about each of the following biogeochemical cycles:
 water
 carbon
 nitrogen
 phosphorus
Human Impact on Ecosystems and the Biosphere
62. Describe how agricultural practices can interfere with nitrogen cycling. Give an example for our area.
63. Explain how “cultural eutrophication” can alter freshwater ecosystems. What are some point and non point sources on our
waterways? What is the difference between a point and non-point source?
64. Describe the causes and consequences of acid precipitation in our area. Please include the chemical formula for this process.
65. Explain why toxic compounds usually have the greatest effect on top-level carnivores. Provide a hypothetical example of
biological magnification for a specific community in your local watershed. (3 points e.c. find and summarize a newspaper article
about this process).
66. Describe how increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide could affect the community that you live in. Be specific.
Use examples from research conducted in our region. (UW has some great studies!).
67. Describe the causes and consequences of ozone depletion on biological communities in your watershed.
68. Distinguish between conservation biology and restoration biology. Give an example to illustrate your point.
69. When conserving biodiversity biologists look at three levels of biological diversity?. What are the three levels?
70. Provide three examples that illustrates why biodiversity at all levels is vital to human welfare.
71. List the four major threats to biodiversity and give an example of each. Go further, identify some of the key treats to biodiversity
in your local watershed.
Conservation at the Population and Species Levels
72. Describe the conflicting demands that accompany species conservation.
Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology- Chapter 55
73. What is conservation biology. How might this area of study be used in the Snoqualmie Watershed.
+3e.c.--> find a specific study in this watershed that related to this field- cite your source.
74. Explain how edges and corridors can strongly influence landscape biodiversity. How are conservation practices in your region
applying this understanding to conserve wildlife?
*75. Define biodiversity hot spots and explain why they are important.
76. Define restoration ecology and describe its goals. Provide an example of how restoration is being applied as a conservation
strategy in your local watershed.
77. Give an example of 6 ecosystem services provided by natural occurring ecosystems in your local watershed.
78. When we talk about "sustainable development", what do we mean?. Identify one example in your local community that takes this
important concept into consideration.
*79. What are the goals of the Sustainable Biosphere Initiative?
80. What does E.O. Wilson mean by the term "biophilia" .