KEY
1.
a. Define biotic. living, once living, or organic component that came from something living b.
Define abiotic. non-living c.
Classify the following factors as either biotic or abiotic. Write B for biotic and A for abiotic.
__ B __ bacteria
__ B __ fungus
__
_ B
A __ rock
___ chicken
__ A __ sunlight __ B __ grass __ B __ worm
__ B __ dead leaves __ A __ nitrogen __ A __ water
__ A __ temperature __ B __ feces __ A __ wind __ B __ moss __ B __ feathers
2.
Write the levels of organization of the biosphere from the least complex to the most complex. organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere
3.
Classify the following according the ecological level of organization described. Write O for organism, P for population, C for community, or E for ecosystem.
__ E __ E. coli & C. difficile bacteria on a petri dish __ C __ monarch butterflies and aphids on a milkweed
__ P __ a herd of elephants __ E __giraffes, zebras, and elephants at a watering hole in the African savanna
__ O __ one goldfish __ P __a school of goldfish __ C __ a school of goldfish, an algae eater, & aquatic plants
__ E __ a school of goldfish, an algae eater, aquatic plants, and the aquarium full of water in which they live
__ C __ egrets, herons, marsh crabs, and cordgrass, but not the water or rocks in a salt marsh
4.
a. Define habitat. the physical area in which an organism lives (e.g., Where does it live?) b.
Define niche. the role an organism plays in its environment (e.g., What does it do?) c.
List a possible habitat of a fungus. _____ log _______ What is the niche of the fungus? ___ decomposer _________ d.
List a possible habitat for a turkey vulture. __ forest or field_ ___________________________________________
What is the niche of the vulture? __ scavenger ______________________________________________________ e.
List a possible habitat for phytoplankton. ___ ocean or pond ____________________________________________
What is the niche of the phytoplankton? __ producer (base of the food chain) _____________________________
5.
Organisms in an ecosystem are linked together by ___ food _______________ _______ webs_ ___________ which map feeding connections and show the direction of the flow of _________ energy _________ between trophic levels.
6.
What will happen if you remove the shrimp from the following food chain? algae  shrimp  codfish  seal  polar bear codfish through polar bear population will decrease

7.
a. Place the following terms on the energy pyramid: 1 st trophic level, 2 nd trophic level, 3 rd trophic level, 4 th trophic level, 5 th trophic level, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, quaternary consumer,
producer, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, autotroph, heterotroph. (Some words may be used more than once.) b.
Suppose 10,000 kCal of energy are available at the producer level. Write the amounts of energy available to each trophic level on the pyramid. c.
Place a
*
to identify the trophic level with the LEAST amount of energy.
*
1 kCal
10 kCal
4 th
5 th trophic level
trophic level quaternary consumer carnivore carnivore heterotroph heterotroph tertiary consumer omnivore (possible)
100 kCal carnivore heterotroph
2 nd
3 rd trophic level
1,000 kCal
trophic level
1 st
10,000 kCal
trophic level
8.
Define the following ecological relationships: herbivore heterotroph autotroph secondary consumer primary consumer producer omnivore (possible) omnivore (possible) a.
Symbiosis interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association i.
Mutualism both organisms benefit from the relationship ii.
Commensalism one organism benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped iii.
Parasitism one organism benefits while the other is harmed b.
Predation one organism eats another for food/energy c.
Competition two or more organisms need to access the same resource at the same time (compete for food, water, shelter, etc.)
9.
Define carrying capacity. the maximum number of individuals that the environment can support, given the food, habitat, water and other necessities available in the environment

10.
On the following graph, circle the times when the population size was at the carrying capacity for that environment.
Hint: You should have 5 circles.
11.
According to the following graph, what is the carrying capacity of the Tasmanian sheep population? about 1625
12.
On the axes below, draw curves to represent the two patterns of population growth. Identify the shape of the curve beneath the graph.
Exponential Growth Logistic Growth
__ J ___ - curve __ S ___ - curve

13.
Water Cycle a.
List and define the two processes that put water into the atmosphere.
1.
Evaporation – water changes state from a liquid to a gas
2.
Transpiration – water evaporates from plant leaves b.
List and define the process that creates clouds . Condensation – water changes state from a gas to a liquid c.
What do you call precipitation that does not infiltrate the ground? Run-off d.
By what process does water seep deeply into the soil to become groundwater? percolation
14.
Carbon Cycle a.
List three processes that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
1.
combustion
2.
cellular respiration
3.
decomposition b.
List one process that takes carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. photosynthesis
15.
Nitrogen Cycle a.
Why is nitrogen an essential element for life? It is needed to make amino acids and nucleic acids in all living things b.
What is the niche of bacteria living within the root nodules of legumes (e.g., soybean plants)? Change atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be taken up in plant roots and used by the plant
16.
Phosphorus Cycle a.
Why is phosphorus an essential element for life? Needed to make nucleic acids, phospholipids (in cell membranes), and bones and teeth b.
Where is phosphorus stored for the long-term portion of the cycle? In sedimentary rock c.
How does phosphorus get out of long-term storage to enter the short-term phosphorus cycle? erosion
17.
Which two major abiotic factors determine climate and, therefore, affect the distribution of terrestrial biomes in different regions of our planet? temperature and precipitation

18.
Biomes: Write the name of the biome in the blank. tundra
________________________ a.
coldest biome; has no trees; dominated by ground vegetation (short grasses, lichens, and herbs); located primarily north of the Arctic Circle; receives less than
25 cm of precipitation per year; characterized by a short growing season, poor soil,
Temperate and permafrost deciduous forest
________________________ b.
biome found in eastern North America (including Georgia), northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe; receives 75 to 150 cm precipitation a year; characterized by four distinct seasons, fertile soil, and a moderate climate; dominated by broadleaf trees that lose their leaves in winter
Tropical rainforest
________________________ c.
the biome with the most biodiversity; receives heavy rains (200 to 450 cm of rainfall a year) and high temperatures throughout the year; very humid grassland
________________________ d.
biome dominated by grasses with very few trees; characterized by small amounts of rainfall, periodic droughts, hot summers and cold winters; includes the US Great
Plains desert
________________________ e.
driest biome; receives less than 25 cm of precipitation a year and has little or no vegetation; vegetation may include cacti and succulents taiga
________________________ f.
the largest terrestrial biome; northern coniferous forest (spruce, fir, pine) that stretches in a broad band across the Northern Hemisphere just below the Arctic
Circle (including Canada, Alaska, and Russia); characterized by long, cold winters and small amounts of precipitation (40-100 cm per year) marine
________________________ g.
the largest aquatic biome; covers approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface; characterized by a high salt concentration (about 3%) freshwater
________________________ h.
aquatic biome with salt concentrations of 1% or less; may include flowing and still water