APES Study Guide
Unit 3: Life on Earth II (Ecosystems & Evolution)
This unit will begin our study of basic ecology.
Textbook Reference:
Botkin, Keller, Environmental Science, 6th edition: Chapters 6-7 and part of 8.
Please note that the majority of this information is review from biology. You are expected to read and review this information on your own and ASK questions
if you do not understand something. Review sessions will take place every Tuesday during conference based on student needs.
Outside Reading:
T.C. Boyle, Top of the Food Chain
Gonick, and Outwater, The Cartoon Guide to the Environment Chapter 03 & 06
Other Sources:
Movie: Strange Days on Planet Earth, "Invaders",
Vocabulary
adaptive radiation
autotroph
biogeography
biological diversity or biodiversity
biological evolution
biome
biotic province
carnivore
chaparral
competition
competitive exclusion principle
commensalism
community-level interactions
convergent evolution
detritus
decomposer
divergent evolution
ecological community
ecological island
ecological niche
endemic species
extinction
food chain
food web
freshwaters gene
gene pool
genetic diversity
genetic drift habitat
herbivore
heterotroph
indicator species
indigenous species
island biogeography
keystone species
migration
mutation
mutualism
natural selection
nonnative, exotic, introduced
or alien species
omnivore
open ocean
parasitism
predation
phytoplankton
primary consumer
producer
realms
secondary consumer
species
symbiont
symbiosis
taxa
tertiary consumer
trophic level
watershed
zooplankton
Study Guide Questions (SGQs):
1. Draw and label a food web for the “The Acorn
Connection” on pp 102-103 of the textbook. Identify the
trophic level of each organism in the food web.
6. Explain how mutations, natural selection, geographic
isolation, genetic drift, and migration contribute to
biological evolution.
2. List and describe three basic characteristics of an
ecosystem.
7. Describe the conditions that lead to the apparent color
change of peppered moths in England during the
industrial revolution.
3. Describe the two different definitions of an ecological
community. Compare the strengths and weaknesses of
each of the two definitions.
4. Explain why artificial ecosystems are difficult to create.
5. Explain how sea otters influence the abundance of kelp,
when they neither, feed on kelp, or interact directly with
kelp plants in any way.
8. Construct a hypothetical case study for an endangered
species likely to become extinct through genetic drift.
9. Summarize and explain the theory of island
biogeography.
10. Biological diversity is one of the most important
indicators of the health of an ecosystem. List and
describe several environmental factors that affect
diversity, and state whether each factor tends to increase
or decrease biological diversity.
APES Calendar
Monday
September 20
Due:
 Chapter 3
Outline
 Ecocolumn
Supplies
In Class:
 Select invasive
species for
Wanted Poster
 Build
Ecocolumns
Tuesday
September 21
Wednesday
September 22
Thursday
September 23
LATE IN
NO CLASS
BLOCK DAY
AFTER SCHOOL
REVIEW
Due:
 Owl Pellet Lab
In Class:
 Unit 2 Review
Conference
Period
MANDATORY
if you scored
below a B on the
Unit 2 Exam or
come to the
after school
review
In Class:
 Top of the Food
Chain
 Food Chains /
Webs & Energy
flow through
ecosystems
Handout:
 Top of The Food
Chain
In Class:
 Evolution Notes
Due:
 Owl Pre-Lab
In Class:
 Owl Pellet Lab
HW:
 10 vocabulary
 Finish Owl Pellet
Lab
Handout:
 Owl Pellet Lab
 Wanted Poster
HW:
 10 vocabulary
 Read Cartoon
Guide chapter 03
HW:
 Owl Pellet PreLab - copy into
lab notebook.
Monday
September 27
Senior Assembly
No Class for Seniors
HW:
 Finish Outline ch
6
 Wear comfy
clothes on
Tuesday!
Monday
October 4
NO CLASS SENIORS
ASSEMBLY
Due:
 Peppered Moths
 Drop off before
assembly
HW:
 pre-lab Species
Diversity
 You need a
calculator that
can do natural
logs for Tues.
Tuesday
September 28
Due:
 ch 6 outline
In Class:
 Evolutionary
TimelineActivity
 Oh Deer!
HW:
 SGQ 1-6
 Study for Essay
In Class:
 Species Diversity
Lab
HW:
 Species Diversity
Lab
Handout:
 Species Diversity
Lab
HW:
 Chapter 6
Outline
HW:
 10 vocabulary
 Owl Pellet Lab
Wednesday
September 29
Thursday
September 30
Friday
October 1
CONFERENCE
DATA DAY!
In-Class Essay
NO CLASS
ASSEMBLY
Due:
 SGQs 1-6
Due:
 Wanted Poster
 Drop off before
assembly
Conference:
 Take ecocolumn
data & add fish
In Class:
 In-Class Essay
 Peppered Moths
HW:
 Study for Essay
 Finish SGQs 1-6
Handout:
 Peppered Moths
Wednesday
October 6
Thursday
October 7
Friday
October 8
CONFERENCE
DATA DAY!
Due:
 Species Diversity
Lab
UNIT EXAM!
Tuesday
October 5
Due:
 Ch 8 Outline
 Calculator
Friday
September 24
Conference:
 Take ecocolumn
data
 Unit Review
Conference
Period
HW:
Prepare for Test
HW:
 Finish all reading
and vocabulary
 Start SGQs 7-10
In Class:
 Unit Wrap Up
 Q&A
HW:
 STUDY!
HW:
 Read Cartoon
Guide Ch. 06
 SGQs 7-10
 Finish Moths
Due:
 Unit 3
Vocabulary List
 SGQs 1-10
In Class:
 Unit 03 Test
HW:
 Read 10
 10 vocabulary
(ch. 8 biomes)
