Nisha Bhandaru
Period 2
AP Biology Ecology Unit Worksheet #1 Answer Sheet
Interactive Question 50.4
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Aphotic—6
Abyssal—7
Benthic—8
Intertidal—1
Neritic—2
Oceanic—3
Pelagic—5
Photic—4
Interactive Question 50.5
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Desert
Temperate Grassland
Tropical Forest
Temperate Broadleaf Forest
Coniferous Forest
Arctic and Alpine Tundra
Interactive Question 50.6
a. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a regulator?
 An advantage of being a regulator is that their internal processes can help them
acclimate to external changes and conditions. Therefore, they can live in different
environments. A disadvantage of being a regulator is that they have to use more
energy to survive.
b. How does the principle of allocation relate to a conformer?
 A conformer is the opposite of a regulator—they do not use internal mechanisms to
adjust to external environments. Rather, they just conform to them. The principle of
allocation states that if an organism uses energy for one function, such as reproduction,
then it limits or reduces the amount of energy available for other bodily processes. This
principle relates to a conformer because they do not have to use as much energy as
they do not moderate internal change in the face of external fluctuation. This gives
them more energy to use for other functions.
c. What is acclimation
 Acclimation is adapting to a change in the environment, or to an altogether new
environment. This could be to a new temperature or a different location.
Nisha Bhandaru
Period 2
Structure Your Knowledge
1)
a. Define Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the
environment. The environment includes abiotic and biotic factors. The
interactions between the organisms and their environment determine their
distribution and abundance.
b. What methods are used to answer ecological questions?
Three common ecological questions are: Where do they live? Why do they live
there? and How many are there? Ecology is a rigorous experimental science
and ecologists tend to test their hypotheses through field experiments.
c. What theory guides the interpretation of data?
Statistics guides the interpretation of data.
2)
a. What are biomes?
Biomes are major types of ecological associations that occupy broad geographic
regions of land or water.
b. What accounts for the similarities in life forms found in the same type of biome in
geographically separated areas?
 Convergent evolution accounts for these similarities. The organisms have to
adapt to similar conditions and environments so they develop comparable
traits to each other.
Test Your Knowledge
1) Which level of ecology considers energy flow and chemical cycling? –
B. Ecosystem
2) Which of the following would be least true of a regulator?
C. Much of its energy budget can be allocated to reproduction
3) Ecologists use mathematical models and computer simulations because
D. these approaches allow them to study the interactions of multiple variables and
simulate large-scale experiments
4) In which of the following biomes is light most likely to be a limiting factor
E. Ocean pelagic zone
5) Acclimation
A. is a morphological response to a change in environmental conditions
6) Which of the following is incorrectly paired with its description
C. Littoral zone—area of open water
7) A conformer is most likely to be successful in a(n)
B. Coral Reef
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Period 2
8) Two communities have the same mean temperature and rainfall but very different compositions
and characteristics. The best explanation for this phenomenon is that the two
E. Have a different range of temperatures and pattern of rainfall throughout the year
9) Phytoplankton are the basis of the food chain in
`C. the oceanic photic zone
10) The ample rainfall of the tropics and the arid areas around 30o north and south latitudes are
caused by
B. the global circulation of air initiated by intense solar radiation near the equator
producing wet and warm air
11) The permafrost of the arctic tundra
E. both c and d
12) Many plant species have adaptations for dealing with the periodic fires typical of a
E. a, b, or c
13) Track athletes may train at high altitudes in order to
B. produce more red blood cells through acclimation
14) Upwellings in the ocean
D. bring nutrient-rich water to the surface
15) Why do the tropics and the windward side of mountains receive more rainfall than areas around
30o latitude or the leeward side of mountains?
A. rising air expands, cools, and drops its moisture
16) According to the principle of allocation, which type of organism would have the greatest amount
of energy to devote to reproduction
E. a conformer
Matching
1) Chaparral
C. evergreen shrubs, fire-adapted vegetation
2) Desert
H. widely scattered shrubs, cacti, succulents
3) Savanna
D. Tropical grasses and forbs
4) Taiga
E. coniferous forests
5) Temperate Forest
A. broad-leaved deciduous trees
6) Temperate Grassland
G. grasses in relatively cool regions
7) Tropical Rainforest
B. lush growth, vertical layers
8) Tundra
F. low shrubby or mat-like vegetation
Nisha Bhandaru
Period 2
Interactive Question 52.2
a. Type I Curve/Late Loss  ex: humans, elephants
b. Type II Curve/Constant Loss  ex: birds, lizards
c. Type III Curve/Early Loss  ex: fish
Interactive Question 52.3
Interactive Question 52.4
a. Exponential Growth ; there is no K for exponential growth
b. Logistic Growth ; K is at about 1500
Interactive Question 52.5
a. List some density-dependent factors that may limit population growth
- Density-dependent factors are factors that affect a population due to its density.
These can include: competition for resources, territoriality, predator-prey
relationships, health and disease, parasitism, and overcrowding.
b. List some density-independent factors that may limit growth
- A density-independent factor is a factor that can affect a population regardless
of its density. These can include: natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods,
and fires; temperature range; amount of sunlight; human impact and influence;
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Period 2
intrinsic characteristics of the organisms; and physical characteristics of the
organisms.
Test Your Knowledge—Multiple Choice
1) In a range with a heterogeneous distribution of suitable habitats, the dispersion pattern of a
population probably would be
E. random
2) The age structure of a population influences population growth because
A. younger females have more offspring than older females
3) A Type I Survivorship Curve is level at first, with a rapid increase in mortality in old age. This type
of curve is
B. typical of humans and other large mammals
4) The middle of the S growth curve in the logistic growth model
E. is the period when the population is increasing the fastest
5) A Type III Survivorship Curve would be more likely to be found in
A. a semelparous species that produces many offspring
6) A few members of a population have reached a favorable habitat with few predators and
unlimited resources, but their population growth rate is slower than that of the parent
population. What is a possible explanation for this situation?
D. a, b, and c may apply
7) The term (K-N)/K
C. is zero when population size equals carrying capacity
8) Density-independent factors
D. include climatic events and habitat disruptions
9) Which of the following is not a characteristic of a K-selected population?
A. usually one reproductive episode per lifetime with little parental care
10) Which of the following is not true? A population with a large rmax value
E. is most likely to have a large body size
11) The human population is growing at such an amazingly fast rate because
E. All of the above are true (technology has increased our carrying capacity and, thus,
density-dependent factors have not slowed reproduction; the death rate has slowed
since the Industrial Revolution; the age structure of many countries is highly skewed
toward younger ages; infant mortality has decreased)
12) As a population approaches its carrying capacity in a particular environment, which of the
following would be expected to occur?
E. exponential growth begins to slow
13) Which of the following would not be a density-dependent factor limiting a population’s growth?
D. a very early fall frost
14) The carrying capacity for a population is estimated at 500; the population size is currently 400;
and rmax is 0.01. What is the dN/dt?
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Period 2
B. 0.8
15) In order to maintain the largest sustainable fish harvest, fishing efforts should
D. maintain the population close to its carrying capacity
Test Your Knowledge—Questions 16-22
Use the following choices to indicate how these life history characteristics would be affected by
the described changes
a.
b.
c.
d.
Increase
Decrease
Stay the same
No relationship or unable to predict
16) How would rmax be expected to vary with an increase in generation time?
 C. stay the same
17) How would generation time be expected to vary with an increase in body size?
 A. Increase
18) For a population regulated by density-dependent factors, how much clutch of seed crop size
change with increased population density
 D. no relationship or unable to predict
19) How would the number of offspring per reproductive episode be expected to vary with a
decrease in size of eggs or offspring
 A. increase
20) For a population in a particular environment, how would K be expected to change with an
increase in N
 C. stay the same
21) In a population showing exponential growth, how would dN/dt be expected to change with an
increase in N?
 A. increase
22) How would generation time be expected to vary with an increase in K?
 A. increase
Nisha Bhandaru
Period 2
Interactive Question 54.1
Name and give examples of organisms for the trophic levels for this food chain. How does a
food chain differ from a food web?
d. Tertiary Consumers
ex: humans
c. Secondary Consumers
ex: snakes
e. Detritus
ex: dead organism
remains, fallen leaves
b. Primary Consumers
ex: deer, rabbits,
squirrels
a. Primary Producers
Ex: plants, algae
A food chain and a food web are similar in concept. However, a food chain follows a single path of
energy, while a food web shows how various different organisms interact with and are connected to
each other.
Interactive Question 54.2
a. List some ecosystems with high rates of productivity.
 Estuaries, coral reefs, tropical rainforests, temperate forests, and wetlands have high
rates of productivity.
b. List some ecosystems with low rates of productivity
 The tundra, open ocean, and deserts have low rates of productivity.
c. The open ocean has low net primary productivity yet contributes the greatest percentage of
Earth’s net primary productivity. Explain.
 The open ocean contributes the greatest percentage of Earth’s net primary productivity,
but this is only because of its very large size. However, the net primary production per
unit area is relatively low.
d. Antarctic seas are often more productive than most tropical seas, even though they are colder
and receive lower light intensity. Explain.
Nisha Bhandaru
Period 2
 Antarctic seas are often more productive because the largest areas of upwelling occur in
the Southern ocean—the Antarctic Ocean. Areas of upwelling, where nutrient-rich deep
waters circulate to the ocean surface, have exceptionally high primary production.
Interactive Question 54.4
Label the organisms and compounds indicated in the nitrogen cycle.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules of legumes
Nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria
Decomposers
Ammonification and Nitrification
Nitrifying bacteria
Nitrifying bacteria
Denitrifying bacteria
Interactive Question 55.6
Is the effective population size usually larger or smaller than the actual number of individuals in the
population?
 The effective population size is the number of individuals in a population who contribute
offspring to the next generation. It is usually smaller than the actual number of individuals in
the population because not all in a population can breed successfully.
-
Structure Your Knowledge
1) What is conservation science? List the many areas of human endeavors that intersect with this
field
- Conservation biology integrates ecology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, and
evolutionary biology to conserve biological diversity at all levels. Human activities such
as altering trophic structures, energy flow, chemical cycling, and natural disturbances
intersect with this field. By overharvesting and doing damage to the biosphere, humans
are pushing species into endangerment and extinction.
2) How does the loss of biodiversity threaten human welfare?
- One reason that it threatens human welfare is “biophilia”—the human connection to
nature. Also, many species that are threatened could potentially provide crops, fibers,
and medicines for human use. This makes biodiversity a crucial natural resource. The
loss of species could mean the loss of important genes. There are also ecosystem
services that the Earth provides for us. Some of the include purification of air and
water, detoxification and decomposition of wastes, dispersal of seeds, and pollination of
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Period 2
crops and natural vegetation. Basically, loss of biodiversity can greatly decrease the
human quality of life.
Test Your Knowledge
1) Why do migratory species present special preservation challenges?
B. their conservation may require international cooperation when they require habitats
in different countries
2) According to the concept of species-area relations,
A. the number of species in an area increases with the size of the area
3) Which of the following is the most serious threat to biodiversity?
C. habitat destruction
4) Some grassland and conifer forest preserves have effective fire prevention programs. What
might result from such programs?
D. no change in the composition of the preserved community
5) The increasing diversity of the benthic community with depth is an example of
B. a cline that may be related to increasing environmental stability
6) Which of the following is typical of biodiversity hot spots?
D. a large proportion of endemic species
7) According to the Endangered Species Act, what is the definition of a threatened species?
E. a species that is likely to become endangered
8) What are movement corridors?
A. strips or clumps of habitat that connect isolated habitats
9) What does it mean if a population’s effective population size (Ne) is the same its actual
population size?
C. All members of the population breed
10) Gap analysis may be used to
D. compare physical maps and species distribution to locate unprotected habitats of
endangered species