Principles of Ecology Exam 1 (Ch. 1-8) UPDATED ACTUAL Questions
and CORRECT Answers
Question: Ecology
Correct Answer: Relationship between organisms and the environment
Question: non-living vs living environment/ecosystem
Correct Answer: non-living: physical conditions (ABIOTIC) living: biological conditions (BIOTIC)
Question: Cornerstone of ecology?
Correct Answer: Darwin's theory of natural selection
Question: List Ecological Systems from smallest to largest
Correct Answer: Individual Population Community Ecosystem (adds abiotic portion) Landscape Biome
Biosphere
Question: Population
Correct Answer: a group of individuals of the SAME SPECIES that occupy the same area
Question: Community
Correct Answer: Populations that live and interact within an ecosystem
Question: 3 types of ecological studies
Correct Answer: Conservation Restoration Evolutionary
Question: Gaia hypothesis
Correct Answer: Every organism is linked to another through this biosphere (linking of ecosystems)
Question: 4 critical ecological areas
Correct Answer: Human population Biological diversity Sustainability Global climate change
Question: Steps of the scientific method
Correct Answer: Make observation Form question Form hypothesis to answer question Make prediction
based on hypothesis Test hypothesis (if correct-- repeat, if incorrect-- form new hypothesis)
Question: Field study
Correct Answer: Ecologist examines natural patterns across the landscape
Question: experiment vs. field experiment
Correct Answer: field experiment is in natural setting rather than lab setting (less control but more
accurate results)
Question: Climate
Correct Answer: long term average pattern of weather (local, regional, global)
Question: Weather
Correct Answer: the combination of factors at a specific place and time (temp, humidity, precipitation,
wind, etc.)
, Question: Solar radiation
Correct Answer: electromagnetic energy or stream of photons produced by the sun
Question: What causes prevailing ocean currents?
Correct Answer: Thermal patterns Earth's rotation Movement around the sun
Question: How is a current of air created?
Correct Answer: warm air rises, moves in a N or S direction then cools and falls
Question: What affects vegetation types?
Correct Answer: Amount of rainfall
Question: Greenhouse effect
Correct Answer: Intercepted solar radiation varies with latitude
Question: 2 influencing factors of greenhouse effect
Correct Answer: The radiation hits Earth's surface at a greater angle, spreading over large area Travels
through atmosphere, or a deeper layer of air
Question: What causes seasonal variations in temperature and length of day?
Correct Answer: The tilt of the earth
Question: Tilt of Earth with respect to the Sun?
Correct Answer: 23.5 degrees
Question: Summer solstice
Correct Answer: June 20th
Question: Winter solstice
Correct Answer: December 21st
Question: Seasonality of temp. variation/day length ________ with latitude
Correct Answer: increases
Question: As air reaches a higher altitude it becomes _______________
Correct Answer: less dense
Question: Why does temp. get cooler with altitude?
Correct Answer: Decreased atmospheric pressure Fewer collision of air molecules Lower temp.
Question: What is the rotation of Earth?
Correct Answer: West- East
Question: Circulation of air masses-- where is air warmer/colder?
Correct Answer: circulates globally warmest air at equator cools, becomes heavier as it moves north and
south (from equator) to the poles coldest air in Arctic/Antarctic regions
Question: What forms prevailing winds?
Correct Answer: Coriolis effect
and CORRECT Answers
Question: Ecology
Correct Answer: Relationship between organisms and the environment
Question: non-living vs living environment/ecosystem
Correct Answer: non-living: physical conditions (ABIOTIC) living: biological conditions (BIOTIC)
Question: Cornerstone of ecology?
Correct Answer: Darwin's theory of natural selection
Question: List Ecological Systems from smallest to largest
Correct Answer: Individual Population Community Ecosystem (adds abiotic portion) Landscape Biome
Biosphere
Question: Population
Correct Answer: a group of individuals of the SAME SPECIES that occupy the same area
Question: Community
Correct Answer: Populations that live and interact within an ecosystem
Question: 3 types of ecological studies
Correct Answer: Conservation Restoration Evolutionary
Question: Gaia hypothesis
Correct Answer: Every organism is linked to another through this biosphere (linking of ecosystems)
Question: 4 critical ecological areas
Correct Answer: Human population Biological diversity Sustainability Global climate change
Question: Steps of the scientific method
Correct Answer: Make observation Form question Form hypothesis to answer question Make prediction
based on hypothesis Test hypothesis (if correct-- repeat, if incorrect-- form new hypothesis)
Question: Field study
Correct Answer: Ecologist examines natural patterns across the landscape
Question: experiment vs. field experiment
Correct Answer: field experiment is in natural setting rather than lab setting (less control but more
accurate results)
Question: Climate
Correct Answer: long term average pattern of weather (local, regional, global)
Question: Weather
Correct Answer: the combination of factors at a specific place and time (temp, humidity, precipitation,
wind, etc.)
, Question: Solar radiation
Correct Answer: electromagnetic energy or stream of photons produced by the sun
Question: What causes prevailing ocean currents?
Correct Answer: Thermal patterns Earth's rotation Movement around the sun
Question: How is a current of air created?
Correct Answer: warm air rises, moves in a N or S direction then cools and falls
Question: What affects vegetation types?
Correct Answer: Amount of rainfall
Question: Greenhouse effect
Correct Answer: Intercepted solar radiation varies with latitude
Question: 2 influencing factors of greenhouse effect
Correct Answer: The radiation hits Earth's surface at a greater angle, spreading over large area Travels
through atmosphere, or a deeper layer of air
Question: What causes seasonal variations in temperature and length of day?
Correct Answer: The tilt of the earth
Question: Tilt of Earth with respect to the Sun?
Correct Answer: 23.5 degrees
Question: Summer solstice
Correct Answer: June 20th
Question: Winter solstice
Correct Answer: December 21st
Question: Seasonality of temp. variation/day length ________ with latitude
Correct Answer: increases
Question: As air reaches a higher altitude it becomes _______________
Correct Answer: less dense
Question: Why does temp. get cooler with altitude?
Correct Answer: Decreased atmospheric pressure Fewer collision of air molecules Lower temp.
Question: What is the rotation of Earth?
Correct Answer: West- East
Question: Circulation of air masses-- where is air warmer/colder?
Correct Answer: circulates globally warmest air at equator cools, becomes heavier as it moves north and
south (from equator) to the poles coldest air in Arctic/Antarctic regions
Question: What forms prevailing winds?
Correct Answer: Coriolis effect
