Final Exam Study Terms and Concepts
Clayton- GENERAL BIOLOGY
Ecology UNITChapter 151. What is a population?
Consists of ALL of the individuals of ONE species that live together in ONE place at ONE time
2. What is population density?
# of individuals that live in a given area
3. What is “dispersion”?
The way individuals are arranged in a given area
4. Compare and contrast exponential and logistic growth.
Exponential growth is “J” shaped and the population size increases steadily---- Logistic growth is the “S”
shape and the population reaches carrying capacity.
5. Explain density dependent and independent.
Density dependent factors depends upon the population density - things like disease and predation---Density independent factors are limited by their environmental conditions like weather.
6. When is a population at carrying capacity?
When no more life can be sustained.
7. What are mutations?
They are the source of variation, which makes evolution possible
8. What are POLYgenic traits?
A trait that is influenced by SEVERAL or MANY genes (Examples- human height or hair color)
Chapter 169. Define the following terms from Chapter 1610.
EcologyThe study of the interactions of living organisms with one another with their physical environment( soil,
water, climate)
11. Ecosystemconsists of a community and all the physical aspects of its habitat
12. HabitatThe physical location of an ecosystem in which a given species lives
13. CommunityA group of organisms of different species living together in a particular place
14. Abiotic FactorsThe physical aspects of a habitat- sun, water, weather Biotic Factors- The organisms in a
habitat- plants, bird, turtle
15. Pioneer SpeciesThe first organisms to live in a new habitat are small, fast-growing plants
16. ProducersOrganisms that first capture solar energy..include plants, some kinds of bacteria, and algae
Consumers-are those organisms that consume plants or other organisms to obtain the energy
necessary to build their molecules.
17. DecomposersBacteria and fungi are known as decomposers because they cause decay.
18. Herbivore- plant eater Carnivore- meat eater Omnivore- meat and plant eater Detrivoreare organisms that obtain their energy from the organic wastes and dead bodies that are
produced at all trophic levels.
19. Food Webinterconnected group of food chains
20. Food Chainthe path of energy through the trophic levels of an ecosystem
21. Secondary Succession-
Final Exam Study Terms and Concepts
Clayton- GENERAL BIOLOGY
succession where there HAS been previous growth
22. Carbon CycleINCLUDES- Respiration-the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between living cells and
their environment Combustion- burning- and another way that carbon is returned to the
atmosphere Erosion- erosion is the process by which the surface of the earth gets worn down
23. Nitrogen CycleINCLUDES- Assimilation- the absorption and incorporation of nitrogen into organic
compounds by plants Ammonification- the production of ammonia by bacteria during the
decay of organic matter Denitrification- the conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas Nitrogen
fixation- the process of combining nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonia
24. Water Cyclemade up of the following parts: evaporation, condensation, precipitation (rain, sleet, snow) and
collection.
25. What are 3 examples of fossil fuels?
Coal, oil, gas
26. What is ground water?
Water retained beneath the surface of the earth
27. What is erosion?
The process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earth's surface
28. What is nitrogen fixation?
The process of combining nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonia.
Chapter 1729. Coevolutionback and forth evolutionary adjustments between interacting members of a community.
30. Predationthe act of one organism killing another for food. Ex- Cheetah and Gazelle
31. Parasitismone organism feeds on and usually lives on or in another organism. Typically larger. THEY
DEPEND UPON THE HOST FOR FOOD AND A PLACE TO LIVE. EX- A tick feeding on a
human
32. Mutualismis a symbiotic relationship in which both participating species benefit. EX-The relationship
between plants and the bees that pollinate them
33. Commensalisma symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor
helped- EX- Clown Fish and Sea Anemone and The relationship between a whale and barnacles
growing on its skin
34. CompetitionWhen two species use the same resource, they participate in a biological interaction EX- Wolf
and Coyote compete for a rabbit
35. NicheThe functional role of a particular species in an ecosystem (It’s like its job!)
36. Biodiversitymeasure of both the number of different species in a community (species richness) and the
relative numbers of each of the species (species diversity)
37. BiomeA major biological community that occurs over a large area of land
38. Tundrathe coldest of all the biomes, low diversity of plant life because of the climate
39. Taiga-
Final Exam Study Terms and Concepts
Clayton- GENERAL BIOLOGY
evergreen trees are seen in this biome as well as moose, bears, and lynx.
Evolution UNITChapter 1340.
Darwin took his voyage on the HMS BEAGLE around the world.
41.
Darwin ended his voyage on the GALAPOGOS Islands.
What is survival of the fittest? The ability to survive and reproduce in its specific
environment.
42.
NATURAL SELECTION says that organisms with traits well suited to their environment survive and
reproduce at a greater rate than less adapted organisms.
43.
What was the name of the book Darwin wrote about NATURAL SELECTION? “The Origin of
Species”
44.
Evolution is CHANGE over time.
45.
What animals did Darwin study? The finch, tortoises, and even iguanas.
46.
When Darwin was studying the finch, he specifically looked at their BEAKS.
47.
In order to fit into the habitat an organism inhabits it must ADAPT.
48.
What was the name of the book Charles Darwin wrote on natural selection? “The Origin of Species”
49.
According to Darwin, evolution occurs by _______. (chance or rapidly)
50.
What is natural selection? It includes the following- variation, inheritance, and population growth
51.
Who was Charles Darwin? A biologist that published a book “On the Origin of Species” and
talked about evolution and natural selection
52.
Who influenced Charles Darwin? One person was Charles Lyell- he influenced how Darwin came
up with evolution being “change over time”
53.
How do fossils show the evolution of a species? They show what has been in the past
Never Cry Wolf” by Farley Mowat –
QUESTIONS AND IDEAS YOU NEED TO KNOW 
54.
Questions from the book we have been reading may include the following topics:
55.
What made Farley Mowat choose to go into the field of biology? He was fascinated with the topiche found this out as a child
56.
Where did Mowat travel to?
57.
What animal was he studying? The wolf
58.
Why was he sent there to study them? Because of the caribou population- (they were declining)
59.
What is the name of the Eskimo he meets first? Mike( he was an Eskimo)
60.
How does he scare him away? He starts to show him all of his science equipment for research.
This scares Mike away.
61.
When he comes back, who does he bring back with him? Ootek
62.
Ootek was great assistance to Mowat. Why? He was good with the wolves- he claimed to be able to
understand what they were thinking and when they communicated with each other.
63.
What did Mowat start eating to show he was “one with the wolves”? He started eating mice, just like
the wolves did.
64.
Who was “Uncle Albert”? He was a wolf that was “uncle” to the pups of Angeline and
George(also wolves)
65.
Explain the setting for Mowat’s camp. He set up camp near the wolves so he could lay in his tent
and watch them. He wanted to be near, but also to blend in with their surroundings so he didn’t disturb
them.
66.
In chapter 23, Mowat prepares to leave. Why is it important he leaves in late October? Because it
would begin to be winter and the wolves would be moving to another location.