Ecology Final Review: PCB 3043C Exam
Questions And Answers
Define what is ecology. Emphasize in particular which relationships Ecology focuses on.
- answer The etymology of ecology is the study of home. Although the study of home was
necessary and still it, ecology has quite evolved from the time it got coined. It is now
better defined as the management of a home or the Economy of Nature. Ecology
focuses on the study of the relationships between the biotic and abiotic worlds.
Environmentalists vs. Ecologist - answer An ecologist judges environmental issues
based on scientific facts and not beliefs. Environmentalists often distort the information
as they advocate for nature and often gives an inexact picture of the scientific
information that fits her/his agenda.
Rank them in order:
global, population, region, ecosystem, individual organism, landscape :) - answer
individual organism -> population -> community -> Ecosystem -> Landscape -> Region ->
Global
A biome is characterized primarily by: - answer climate and predominate plant types
Earth's climatic variation is due to - answer Spherical shape of earth, earth's axial
rotation as it orbits the sun, uneven heating of earth's surface
This event generally happens around the 20th of the month of December in the southern
hemisphere - answer summer solstice
This climate diagram is for a location in the southern hemisphere (T/F) (diagram shows
all months with red highlight and the order of the months are J A S O N D J F M A M J) -
answer True
For a climate diagram, 10 degrees celsius of temperature "equates to" a change of
________ mm of rain within the 10-100mm precipitation range - answer 20
In this climate diagram, when do we have more evaporation than precipitation that
induces a hydric (water) stress for plants? The chart shows lower precipitation and
higher evaporation from November through April. (yellow section) - answer November
thru april
On this climate diagram, the location reflects a(n) ___________________ climate
The graph is showing all months above sub zero and a dry period between november
and april. - answer Mediterranean with winter rains and a quite long summer dry season
,Which of the following terrestrial biomes are maintained by fires - answer Tropical
savannas and temperate grasslands
All of the following statements are true EXCEPT: - answer Taigas have moderate
temperatures with occasional droughts
Name the only ocean current that goes uninterrupted around the globe - answer
Antarctic current
Which of the following biomes have fertile soils that contain large quantities of organic
matter? - answer both temperate forest and temperate grassland
What percentage of the Earth's water supply is freshwater in rivvers and lakes? -
answer <0.01%
The turnover time for ocean water is - answer Millenia (1000s of years)
When one considers the Hawaiian chain of islands above a hot spot rank the island
types from the oldest to the youngest volcano - answer atoll, barrier reef island, fringing
reef island
Tides truthful statements: - answer When there is one low tide on one side of the earth,
there is another on the other side of the earth
Tides occur in a glass of water
if a high tide happens at noon one day, the next day the same high tide will happen at
12:50 pm.
Semi-diurnal tides happen at the equator
The zone between the low low tide mark and the high high tide mark is the
____________________ zone: - answer The littoral
In the high tide zone, one can expect to find - answer Barnacles
Spring tides happen - answer During a full moon
during a new moon
When the sun, the earth, and the moon are in alignment
Oceanic upwellings bring cool nutrient rich oxygenated waters to the surface (t/f) -
answer True!!
What would tides be like on earth if the moon did not exist? - answer Since the Sun also
influences the tides, there would still be tides but the tidal range would be less
Spring tides occur, approximatley - answer twice a month
, At the poles, the cold temperatures - answer generate brine from surface saltwater
which sinks to the ocean's seafloor
freeze water in surface saltwater thus creating floating ice fields
A sudden change in oxygen in the ocean is named - answer oxycline
What is the average salinity of the oceans? You can express your results in either
percent, parts per thousands, or grams/L. - answer it is about 35 ppt or 35 g/L
what statement is incorrect:
A. kelp is found on the coasts below the yearly average isotherm 18-20 deg C
B. mangroves are found on gently sloping brackish shores within the tropics
C. salt marshes are found on gently sloping shores above the latitude 25 deg North or
South (or above the tropics)
D. Coral reefs are found in coastal waters above the yearly average isotherm 18-20 de C
E. All are correct - answer E. All are correct
Estuary waters are often stratified by salinity with _______ flowing over the top of
_______. - answer lower salinity river water
higher salinity ocean water
Estuaries are junctions between rivers and lakes.
(t/f) - answer False!!!
Typically a shallow eutrophic lake with large quantities of nutrients, high primary
productivity, and large phytoplankton populations is ____________ in color. - answer
deep green
Small head streams can be characterized by all of the following components except -
answer turbid water
Questions And Answers
Define what is ecology. Emphasize in particular which relationships Ecology focuses on.
- answer The etymology of ecology is the study of home. Although the study of home was
necessary and still it, ecology has quite evolved from the time it got coined. It is now
better defined as the management of a home or the Economy of Nature. Ecology
focuses on the study of the relationships between the biotic and abiotic worlds.
Environmentalists vs. Ecologist - answer An ecologist judges environmental issues
based on scientific facts and not beliefs. Environmentalists often distort the information
as they advocate for nature and often gives an inexact picture of the scientific
information that fits her/his agenda.
Rank them in order:
global, population, region, ecosystem, individual organism, landscape :) - answer
individual organism -> population -> community -> Ecosystem -> Landscape -> Region ->
Global
A biome is characterized primarily by: - answer climate and predominate plant types
Earth's climatic variation is due to - answer Spherical shape of earth, earth's axial
rotation as it orbits the sun, uneven heating of earth's surface
This event generally happens around the 20th of the month of December in the southern
hemisphere - answer summer solstice
This climate diagram is for a location in the southern hemisphere (T/F) (diagram shows
all months with red highlight and the order of the months are J A S O N D J F M A M J) -
answer True
For a climate diagram, 10 degrees celsius of temperature "equates to" a change of
________ mm of rain within the 10-100mm precipitation range - answer 20
In this climate diagram, when do we have more evaporation than precipitation that
induces a hydric (water) stress for plants? The chart shows lower precipitation and
higher evaporation from November through April. (yellow section) - answer November
thru april
On this climate diagram, the location reflects a(n) ___________________ climate
The graph is showing all months above sub zero and a dry period between november
and april. - answer Mediterranean with winter rains and a quite long summer dry season
,Which of the following terrestrial biomes are maintained by fires - answer Tropical
savannas and temperate grasslands
All of the following statements are true EXCEPT: - answer Taigas have moderate
temperatures with occasional droughts
Name the only ocean current that goes uninterrupted around the globe - answer
Antarctic current
Which of the following biomes have fertile soils that contain large quantities of organic
matter? - answer both temperate forest and temperate grassland
What percentage of the Earth's water supply is freshwater in rivvers and lakes? -
answer <0.01%
The turnover time for ocean water is - answer Millenia (1000s of years)
When one considers the Hawaiian chain of islands above a hot spot rank the island
types from the oldest to the youngest volcano - answer atoll, barrier reef island, fringing
reef island
Tides truthful statements: - answer When there is one low tide on one side of the earth,
there is another on the other side of the earth
Tides occur in a glass of water
if a high tide happens at noon one day, the next day the same high tide will happen at
12:50 pm.
Semi-diurnal tides happen at the equator
The zone between the low low tide mark and the high high tide mark is the
____________________ zone: - answer The littoral
In the high tide zone, one can expect to find - answer Barnacles
Spring tides happen - answer During a full moon
during a new moon
When the sun, the earth, and the moon are in alignment
Oceanic upwellings bring cool nutrient rich oxygenated waters to the surface (t/f) -
answer True!!
What would tides be like on earth if the moon did not exist? - answer Since the Sun also
influences the tides, there would still be tides but the tidal range would be less
Spring tides occur, approximatley - answer twice a month
, At the poles, the cold temperatures - answer generate brine from surface saltwater
which sinks to the ocean's seafloor
freeze water in surface saltwater thus creating floating ice fields
A sudden change in oxygen in the ocean is named - answer oxycline
What is the average salinity of the oceans? You can express your results in either
percent, parts per thousands, or grams/L. - answer it is about 35 ppt or 35 g/L
what statement is incorrect:
A. kelp is found on the coasts below the yearly average isotherm 18-20 deg C
B. mangroves are found on gently sloping brackish shores within the tropics
C. salt marshes are found on gently sloping shores above the latitude 25 deg North or
South (or above the tropics)
D. Coral reefs are found in coastal waters above the yearly average isotherm 18-20 de C
E. All are correct - answer E. All are correct
Estuary waters are often stratified by salinity with _______ flowing over the top of
_______. - answer lower salinity river water
higher salinity ocean water
Estuaries are junctions between rivers and lakes.
(t/f) - answer False!!!
Typically a shallow eutrophic lake with large quantities of nutrients, high primary
productivity, and large phytoplankton populations is ____________ in color. - answer
deep green
Small head streams can be characterized by all of the following components except -
answer turbid water
