ECOLOGY FINAL STUDY GUIDE
SEMESTER 2
UNIT 6 - Population
Vocab List
J-curve
Emigrants
Exponential growth
Density dependent factor
Density independent factor
Carrying capacity
s-curve
immigrants
1. Describe the main limiting factors for humans.
2. Study the following graph. Explain what is happening in EACH of the stages in the following areas:
birth rates, death rates, and overall population. What causes populations to move from stage 1 to stage
2? From stage 2 to stage 3?
3. Use the following chart to graph the following countries population curves. Explain what limiting
factors affect the shape of each curve.
Populations of several countries
Year
China
United States
Growth rate
1.9%
0.7%
0
100
100
10
121
107
20
146
115
30
176
123
40
212
132
50
256
142
60
309
152
70
373
163
80
451
175
90
544
187
100
657
201
South Africa
2.9%
100
133
177
236
314
418
556
740
985
1310
1744
UNIT 7 – Energy
Vocab List
Wind
Fission
Fossil fuels
Hydroelectricity
Biomass
Geothermal
Electric generator
Uranium
Combustion
Meltdown
Chernobyl
4. Describe three things that a coal-fired plant, a geothermal power plant, and a hydroelectric plant ALL
have in common. Explain three differences (besides the fuel source) between them.
5. Explain how you can be both energy efficient and energy conserving in your automobile.
UNIT 8- Waste
Vocab list:
Incineration
Sanitary landfill
Municipal waste
6. Discuss the roles of reduction, reuse, and recycling in the reduction of solid waste. Be sure that you
clearly indicate the differences between each of these goals. Which of the three is most beneficial to the
environment? Which of the three is most beneficial from an economic perspective? Justify your
answers.
Unit 9- Soil Pollution
Vocab list:
Erosion
Desertification
Dust Bowl
Organic fertilization
Shelter belts
Contour planting
Terracing
Strip cropping
Crop rotation
Salinization
Bedrock
7. Compare and contrast the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles including human impacts.
8. Discuss ways modern agriculture has positively and negatively impacted our environment. Include its
influence on human population growth and health, fossil fuel usage, and the quality of air, soil and
water.
UNIT 10 - Atmosphere & Air Pollution
Vocab List:
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
Carbon monoxide
Industrial smog
Photochemical smog
Acid rain
Primary pollutant
Secondary pollutant
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Scrubber
9. Explain why the temperature inside a greenhouse is warmer than outside (Be Specific). How is the Earth
like a greenhouse? What would happen if there was no greenhouse effect?
10. Describe the effects that each of the following pollutants have on the atmosphere: carbon dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, CFC’s, tropospheric ozone.
11. Describe four effects of air pollution on ecosystems. Be specific when describing the differences in your
answer as several of them are very similar.
UNIT 11 – Water
Vocab list:
Salinization
Thermal pollution
Eutrophication
Point pollution
Non-point pollution
Subsidence
Overdraft
Clean water act
12. Describe the problems that affect freshwater ecosystems- include eutrophication, thermal pollution and
salinization, flooding. For each, know the causes, effects and examples of each.
Overview of Semester:
13. What ways can you change your lifestyle to impact the environment less- include things you can do to
improve and protect yourself from energy consumption, air pollution, soil loss and water pollution.