Geography 364
Study Guide for Midterm #2
Below is a brief listing of terms and sample questions designed to guide your studies for
the midterm exam. Please keep in mind that material I covered in class is the most likely
material to be on the exam. This list is not meant to be entirely comprehensive so there
may be material that is not on here that will be on the exam. However, if you keep up on
reading and come to lecture, you will do well on the exam.
Chapter 7:
Terminology
Milankovitch cycles
Orogeny
Plate tectonics
Theory of continental drift
Paleoclimate
Paleontology
Sea floor paleomagnetism
Mid-oceanic ridge
Ice age
Glaciation
Sample Questions:
What evidence do we have that supports continental drift?
What are the explanations for glaciations?
Describe the conditions (climatic and vegetation) of the earth’s biomes during the last
glaciation.
Chapter 8:
Terminology
Anemochores
Anemohydrochores
Anthropocore
Barrier
Colonization
Corridor
Diffusion
Dispersal
Exponential population growth
Filter
Hydrochore
Invasion
Irruption
Jump dispersal
Logistic growth
Propagule
Stepping stones
Supertramp
Zoochore
Sample Questions:
Give evidence indicating that all species, including humans, are influenced by
environmental change.
What is the difference between colonization and invasion?
What are the two primary forms of dispersal?
Chapter 9:
Terminology
Adaptive radiation
Allele
Allopatric speciation
Bottleneck
Chromosome
Coevolution
Convergent evolution
DNA
Evolution
Exticntion
Founder principle (effect)
Gene
Genetic drift
Genome
Genotypic variation
Heterozygous
Hybridization
Local extinction
Natural selection
Parapatric speciation
Phenotypic variation
Polymorphism
Speciation
Sympatric speciation
Trophic cascade
Sample Questions
What is the difference between sympatric and allopatric speciation?
What is adaptive radiation? Give an example of a situation where this might occur.
What is a trophic cascade? Why should this be of concern to humans?
What are the major extinctions that have occurred over geologic time?
Chapters 11 & 12
Terminology
Artificial selection
Bipedal
Blitzkrieg theory of Pleistocene overkill
Domestication
Fertile Crescent
Historic extinctions
Hominid
Out of Africa model
Out of Asia model
New World primates (general description, not species)
Old World primates (general description, not species)
Pentadactyl
Prehistoric extinction
Megafaunal extinction
Sample Questions:
How are humans different from other primate species?
What factors may have influenced the rise of bipedalism?
Give an example of prehistoric extinction?
Chapters 13/14
Terminology
Biodiversity
Equilibrium theories of biodiversity
Theory of island biogeography
Historical theories of biodiversity
Intermediate disturbance hypothesis
Peninsula effect
Species eveness
Species richness
Species turnover
Stability-time hypothesis
Endemic
Paleoendemic
Cosmopolitan
Pandemic
Relict
Sample questions:
What is biodiversity? Why is it important?
What are the two categories of theories on biodiversity?
Give an example of two equilibrium theories of biodiversity.
What is the intermediate disturbance hypothesis?
What is the significance of the theory of island biogeography?
* You should be able to reproduce the first (most basic graphic) of island biogeography
and be able to discuss it.
Wetlands Lecture:
Terminology
Wetland
NWI
Cowardin Classificaiton
Marine
Estuarine
Palustrine
Riverine
Lacustrine
Sample Questions:
How much wetland area has been lost in California?
What is the State Wetlands Conservation Policy?
What method does NWI use to classify wetlands?
Chapter 15\Conservation:
Conservation biology
Landscape ecology
Conservation biogeography
Endangered Species Act
International Union for Conservation of Nature
Convention on Trade in Endangered Species
Sample Questions:
What is the number one major cause of endangerment of global mammals and bird
species?
What habitat types are being the most impacted?
Why is global warming an important issue with regard to conservation and
biogeography?
What are the three goals of conservation biology?
Why has geography become an important discipline within the field of conservation?