Additional Summer Reading Questions
Climatographs are graphs of monthly average temperature and total precipitation.
Given a climatograph, you should be able to determine to which terrestrial biome
that graph refers. Climatographs have the 12 months on the x-axis, one y-axis for
temperature and a second, separate y-axis for precipitation. Temperate biomes will
have distinct seasons. Be sure to match the precipitation with the appropriate
season You Temperature trend should indicate whether the biome is in the northern
or southern hemisphere. Using a globe or world map, specify a location (identifying
region of the country) for each terrestrial biome. From the text descriptions of each
terrestrial biomes shown on pp. 1153-1156. Be sure that your climatographs
accurately reflect seasonal temperature, amount of precipitation, and location
within a hemisphere.
Chapter 53: Population Ecology
Assume that water lilies once introduced to a shallow pond will first completely
cover the pond in 30 days. Also assume that the water lilies double the area of their
coverage every day. When would water lilies cover only 1/100 of the pond?
Since the water lilies double per day, only the half of the pond would be filled
with the lilies on the 29th day (by dividing 100 by 2). This means that on the 28th,
27th, and 26th day, the area that the lilies are covering the pond would be 25/100,
12.5/100, and 6.25/100. By continuing this pattern, it is possible to know that on
the 24th and 23rd day, the area would be down to 1.5625/100 and eventually to
0.78125/100. Therefore, the water lilies would cover 1/100 of the pond between
23rd and 24th days after it has been introduced into that pond.
In history, what have been the two most important turning points in worldwide
human population growth?
The industrial revolution around the 1800s to 1900s was the time when new
inventions and technology was found to increase the life expectancy of people. The
human population began to grow rapidly (exponentially) from that point. However,
during the World War II, these advanced technology and inventions had caused
many deaths and shorten human life expectancy. Although the human population
began to recover after some time, it had been an important turning point for the
population history.
Chapter 54: Community Ecology
Specify three examples of animal defenses against predators and three examples of
plant defenses against herbivores. You may use local examples if you like.
The 3 examples of animal defenses against predators would include the
Green Parrot snake mimicking a poisonous snake with bright color to avoid being
targeted as prey by its predators (Batesian). Also, Cuckoo bees and Yellow Jackets
resemble themselves to increase their chance of survival (Mullerian). Moreover,
some non-toxic frog species mimic colorful poison frogs for their defense.
Chapter 55: Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology
Explain biomagnification and its relevance to you. What make some chemicals more
prone to biomagnification than other chemicals are?
Biomagnification is when the concentration of the toxins in an organism
increase as it goes up the trophic level. The concentration inside a predator rises
through consuming preys, which also has been consuming their own preys that are
also toxic. By the 10 percent law, organisms in higher trophic level have to consume
more in order to gain the same amount of energy. This eventually causes higher
trophic level consumers to consume more toxic organisms; and thus become very
toxic itself. This mechanism also applies to us, humans, since we are usually in the
top trophic level. To avoid the consequences of biomagnification, it is safer to
consume lower trophic level organisms such as primary producers. Chemicals that
cannot be metabolized at all/ are hard to metabolized are more prone to
biomagnification. Also, if the chemical is able to melt in lipids and stored in body fat,
it is also very prone to biomagnification.
You are a United Nations administrator who is responsible for sending personnel to
areas of the world experiencing famine. The small island of Caspiar is experiencing a
famine. In addition to sending food for relief until their agricultural output
increases, you have the option to send one of two agricultural specialists to teach
Caspiar citizens how to feed themselves. One specialist can teach them how to raise
goats and cows and the other can show them how to grow corn and wheat. Given no
other information, who should you send and why?
I would send them the specialist who can show them how to grow corn and
wheat because since corn and wheat are in the lower trophic level (primary
producer) than the cows and goats (herbivores), the people are able to gain energy
through consuming less-approximately 90% of the energy is lost at every trophic
level so consuming primary producer would allow a more efficient energy transfer.
Chapter 56: Conservation Biology and Global Change
Evolutionarily, it is most advantageous for a species to have a large number of
individuals and a diverse gene pool. Select an endangered species and explain what
has happened to its population size, what has happened to the diversity of its gene
pool, and what might be one to ensure the survival of the species. Be as specific as
possible.
Lions and tigers have no natural predators, and human hunting is not a significant
source of mortality. Explain why they are now considered threatened or endangered
species.