Terrestrial Ecology – Reading Guide
Chapter 3.
1.
What three factors sustain life on Earth: a._________________________ b._________________________ c._________________________
2. Examine figure 3- 8 and draw in the space provided below. Briefly summarize what happens to solar energy reaching the Earth. What % if the suns solar radiation actually reaches the Earth?________. What keeps the Earth warm or causes the natural greenhouse effect?______________________
3. Many people still debate and refute the fact that there is global change occurring due to the anthropogenic effects. On page 57 what specific things are Human activities doing that have caused the greenhouse effect?
4. Each population in an ecosystem has its own range of tolerance to variations in its physical and chemical environment. Describe what this means and give an example(p57-
8)
5. On pages 58-59 Review the definitions in bold print and know them for the test.
6. Read the Science Focus on p61: Describe three ways in which microbes are beneficial to the Earth.
7. What is biomass ?
8. What is the difference between GPP and NPP and explain their importance.
_________________(GPP) = ___________________________________
_________________(NPP)=____________________________________
9.List six unique properties of water :
1.____________________ 2.______________________
3.____________________ 4.______________________
5.____________________ 6.______________________
10.What is a biogeochemical cycle? Give five examples of these cycles below:
1.__________________ 2.______________________
4.____________________ 5.______________________
3.________________

Chapter 4 Terrestrial Ecology Reading Guide
1.
Differentiate between the following:
Biodiversity
Species Diversity
Genetic Diversity
Ecological Diversity
Functional Diversity
2.
After reading the core case study on alligators pate 77 what three ways does the
Am Alligator support one or more of the four components of biodiversity within its environment?
3.
How is the Earths biodiversity part of our natural capital?p80
4.
What three futures does a population of a species have to face when the environmental conditions change?p83 a.
____________________ b._______________________ c._____________________
5. What are the three adaptations that Evolutionary Biologists feel that have attributed to the success of Homo sapiens?
6. Define the following: a. speciation b. geographic isolation c. reproductive isolation d. artificial selection e. extinction f. endemic species g. species diversity h. species richness i. specialist species j. generalist species k native species l. nonnative species m. indicator species n. keystone species o. foundation species
7 . List four reasons why amphibians may be disappearing?
8. Why should we protect sharks?

Chapter 5 Terrestrial Reading Guide:
1.
Give the five ways in which species interact: a.
____________________ b.
____________________ c.
_____________________ d.
______________________ e.
_________________________
2.
What is an ecological niche?
3.
What is ecological succession?
4.
Distinguish between primary and secondary succession and give an example for each.:
5.
Explain how the sea otter is a keystone species and how it illustrates the prinicipal of population control?
6.
Be able to define and give an example of the three types of symbiosis: a.
Parasitism b.
Mutualism c.
Commensalism
Chapter 7 Reading Guide Terrestrial Ecology
1.
What are the three major types of Deserts and briefly describe each:
2. Give the three major types of grasslands and describe each:
3.Give the three major types of forest and briefly describe each:

5.
What roles do mountains play in ecosystems?
6. List the four major ways humans have impacted or disturbed terrestrial ecosystems.