Midterm Study Guide: Wednesday, Dec. 16 @ 8:30am (F Block in C-2 & G Block in C-4)
Chapter 1 (p. 5-24) – Case Studies: Exponential Age (p. 5); Affluent China (p. 15); Aldo Leopold (p. 22)
1. Define/understand concept of sustainability & natural capital (natural resources & ecosystem services)
2. Differentiate between developing & developed countries; know which countries are which
3. Describe renewable vs. nonrenewable resources (strategies for sustainability & examples)
4. Discuss Hardin’s idea of ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ & possible solutions
5. Discuss sustainable strategies for nonrenewable resources
6. Define ecological footprint & point/nonpoint pollution source (examples)
7. Describe input vs. output pollution control; which is better & why
8. Discuss contributions of Aldo Leopold, Gifford Pinchot, & John Muir
9. Know the four scientific principles of sustainability; importance of each
10. Be able to do math calculations using scientific notation (NO CALCULATORS)
Chapter 2 (p. 28-47 & S39-S43) – Case Studies: Controlled Experiment (p. 28); Global Warming (p. 33)
11. Be able to design a controlled experiment (hypothesis, experiment w/ variables, control)
12. Define matter, elements, compounds; know tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
13. Define atom, atomic number, mass number, isotope, ion, subatomic particles (predict #s from periodic table)
14. Understand pH, how adding acid/base will affect pH & [H+]
15. Describe function/characteristics of organic compounds (hydrocarbons, simple/complex carbs, proteins,
nucleic acids)
16. Define cell, gene, trait, chromosome
17. Discuss law of conservation of matter, 1st & 2nd laws of thermodynamics
18. Understand changes in matter (physical/phase changes, chemical, 3 types of nuclear)
19. Define energy & energy efficiency, potential & kinetic energies, convection, conduction
20. Define/recognize positive/negative feedback loops, tipping point & synergy
Chapter 3 (p. 50-72) – Case Studies: Tropical Rain Forest (p. 50)
21. Define ecology, know difference between eukaryotic/prokaryotic cells; common structures to all cells
22. Recognize/understand different levels of ecology (population, community, etc.)
23. Know Earths 4 life-support systems & define/recognize abiotic & biotic factors, limiting factors
24. Describe different trophic levels; know producers, consumers, decomposers, omnivore, herbivore, carnivore
25. Describe photosynthesis, aerobic/anaerobic respiration, chemosynthesis
26. Define/understand food chain, food web, ecological efficiency, biomass, GPP, NPP
27. For biogeochemical cycles (hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur) know:
a. major reservoirs; what form is nutrient in (e.g. carbon is CO2 in atmosphere)
b. major processes that move nutrient
c. what nutrient is needed or used for
d. how humans are disrupting cycle
28. Describe process of eutrophication (nitrate, phosphate) leading to dead zones
Chapter 4 (p. 77-97) – Case Studies: Alligator (p. 77); Amphibians (p. 93-95)
29. Describe importance of alligators; problems in Lake Apopka
30. Define levels of biodiversity; know 6 kingdoms & whether prokaryotic/eukaryotic
31. Describe steps to evolution: mutation, natural selection, evolution & know 3 types of natural selection
32. Define/understand 2 types of speciation, adaptive radiation, artificial selection, endemic species
33. Define/recognize species richness (its importance to productivity & sustainability) & relative abundance
34. Discuss theory of island biogeography
35. Define/understand ecological niche (fundamental & realized); generalist & specialist species (examples)
36. Describe different specie’s role in community: native, nonnative, indicator, dominant, keystone, foundation
Chapter 5 (p. 100-119) – Case Studies: Sea Otters (p. 100, 104, 110)
37. Define intraspecific & interspecific competition, competitive exclusion, resource partitioning
38. Describe/recognize parasitism, mutualism, & commensalism, predation & understand predator feeding
adaptations & prey defense, coevolution
39. Discuss different dispersion patterns; reasons for each; most/least common
40. Discuss factors affecting population size; find size using mark-recapture
41. Define environmental resistance & carrying capacity; recognize logistic (S) versus exponential (J) growth
42. Discuss characteristics of K & r-selected species & survivorship curves (1,2,3)
43. Discuss/describe the processes of primary & secondary succession (land & water); describe stages (early,
mid, late/climax stage) & plant types or characteristics of each
Chapter 6 (p. 122-137) – Case Studies: Too Many of Us (p. 122); China 1 Child (p. 135); India Pop. (p. 136)
44. Calculate population change rate; know/use ‘Rule of 70’
45. Understand concept of total fertility rate (TFR) & replacement-level fertility (know rates)
46. Describe various factors that can affect a nation’s TFR/birth rates & death/mortality rate
47. Be able to read age structure pyramids/sex ratio; predict future population size & potential problems of
shrinking populations
48. Discuss ‘demographic transition model’; know 4 stages - birth rate, death rate, growth – reasons for each
49. Describe effects of HIV/AIDS on populations (life expectancy & potential problems)
Chapter 7 (p. 140-159 & S47-52) – Case Studies: Blowing in the Wind (p. 140)
50. Define weather & climate; know characteristics of troposphere
51. Describe uneven heating of Earth’s surface by the sun; define convection & albedo (what has highest value)
52. Describe greenhouse effect (know gases) & cause of seasons (where Earth is at different times)
53. Understand convection circulation; describe effects of global convection cells (Hadley, Ferrel, & Polar)
54. Describe the Coriolis Effect, surface winds, thermal inversions, rain shadow effect, El Niño (ENSO)
55. Discuss characteristics (climate, temp, rainfall, species, soil, human impact ) of land biomes
a. Deserts (Tropical, Temperate, Cold)
b. Grasslands (Savanna, Temperate Grassland, Arctic Tundra)
c. Chaparral
d. Forests (Tropical Rain Forest, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Coniferous Forest/Boreal/Taiga)
Chapter 8 (p. 162-180) – Case Studies: Coral Reefs (p. 162)
56. Describe mutualistic relationship b/w coral & zooxanthellae; benefits of reefs; problems of reefs
57. Discuss/recognize generalized aquatic life (phytoplankton, zooplankton, nekton, benthos, decomposer)
58. Know ecological & economic services of marine & freshwater ecosystems (p. 165 & 174)
59. Describe characteristics of aquatic biomes (location, structure, species, benefits, human impact)
a. Marine Environments – littoral (coastal), pelagic, benthic zones
i.
Estuaries (salt marsh & mangrove forest)
ii.
Intertidal Zone (rocky & sandy shore)
iii. Coral Reefs (refer to study guide #2)
iv.
Open Ocean (euphotic, bathyal, abyssal, & benthic zones)
b. Freshwater Environments
i.
Lakes (oligotrophic, eutrophic; littoral, limnetic, profundal, & benthic zones)
ii.
Rivers (watershed/basin, floodplain, riparian, tributary)
iii. Wetlands (marsh, swamp, bog)
Chapter 9 (p. 183-211) – Case Studies: Pass. Pigeon (p. 183), ESA (p. 207), Cali. Condor (p. 210)
60. Define background extinction rate & mass extinction, 3 types of extinctions (local, ecological, biological)
61. Define endangered & threatened species; Red List; give examples of endangered species (fig. 9-4; p.187)
62. Describe characteristics of species that make them prone to extinction (fig. 9-5; p. 188)
63. Discuss causes, in order, of possible human-caused 6th mass extinction (HIPPCO)
64. Discuss invasive species (characteristics, why they’re successful, prevention/control strategies)
65. Define/understand bioaccumulation, biomagnification, & precautionary principle
66. Discuss answers to biodiversity loss (CITES, CBD, ESA, habitat conservation plan)
Chapter 10 (p. 214-245) – Case Studies: Gray Wolves (p. 214 & 235), Wangari Maathai (p. 230)
67. Describe forest types (old growth, second growth, tree plantation) & ecological/economic services
68. Discuss problems forests face & their effects (roads; logging – selective, clear-cut, strip; fires – surface,
crown; invasive insects; disease; deforestation)
69. Discuss solutions to forest destruction; Healthy Forest Restoration Act (aka Healthy Forest Initiative)
70. Discuss grasslands (ecosystem services; problems it faces – effects of overgrazing; solutions)
71. Define habitat corridor & buffer zone in nature reserves
72. Discuss Wilderness Act of 1964 (what a wilderness area/preserve is) & other safe areas (wildlife refuge,
national park, national forest, gene bank, botanical garden, zoo, aquarium)
73. Define biodiversity hotspot & explain why it’s good idea to protect them
74. Define ecological restoration, rehabilitation, creation, & reconciliation
Chapter 11 (p. 249-272) – Case Studies: Lake Victoria (p. 249), Industrial Harvesting Methods (p. 256-257),
Whales (p.257-58), Florida Everglades (p. 267-68), Great Lakes (p. 269-70), Columbia River Salmon (p. 270)
75. Discuss threats to aquatic biodiversity (HIPPCO); define bycatch
76. Discuss protective laws (ESA, CITES, CBD, Treaty on Migratory Species, MMPA, Whale Cons. & Prot. Act)
77. Discuss solutions to saving marine fisheries; know what marine protected areas are & marine reserves
78. Discuss ecosystem services of wetlands, mitigation banking
79. Read Section 11-6; summary of saving global biodiversity (p. 271-72)
Chapter 12 (p. 275-310) – Case Study: Golden Rice (p. 275), Soil erosion in U.S. (p. 303-305)
80. Define/recognize macro- & micronutrients, undernutrition, malnutrition (examples), & overnutrition
81. Define/understand traditional (subsistence, intensive, polyculture, slash & burn) & industrialized agriculture
82. Discuss Green Revolution; characteristics & purpose
83. Describe GMOs, feedlots (CAFO’s), aquaculture (what they are, pros & cons, sustainable solutions)
84. Know soil makeup (3 particles, humus, horizons), how it’s formed
85. Define desertification, salinization, & waterlogging; causes & ways to prevent or fix
86. Discuss natural & human causes of soil erosion; describe 6 farming techniques to slow erosion
87. Discuss crop rotation & fertilizers (inorganic & organic; know what they are)
88. Describe organic farming & benefits
89. Define pest & pesticides (insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, rodenticide); discuss general history (1st & 2nd
generation, DDT, broad-spectrum, narrow-spectrum, persistence)
90. Discuss pros/cons of pesticides, FIFRA, & integrated pest management (know steps involved; biocontrol)
Short Answer Topics
1. Meat Production
a. Calculate per capita production
b. Discuss Grain vs Meat production (land & energy use)
c. Environmental consequences of meat production
d. Advantages/Disadvantages of meat consumption on human health
2. Human Population
a. Plot a graph given a data table
b. Discuss trends in TFR
c. Compare differences in TFR for developed and developing nations
d. Discuss Human activities and biodiversity trends