ENV320 FINAL COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ ecological community.
Answer: a set of species living in a particular place at a particular time
◍ species richness.
Answer: number of species present
◍ Atoms.
Answer: The smallest unit of matter that retains chemical properties.
Composed of protons (+), neutrons (neutral), and electrons (-).
◍ Molecules.
Answer: Formed by chemical bonds between atoms. Examples include
hydrocarbons, which are energy-rich, and carbohydrates, which are essential
for life.
◍ evenness.
Answer: evenness of abundance across those species
◍ Isotopes.
Answer: Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of
neutrons. Some isotopes, like Carbon-14, are radioactive.
◍ Carbon.
Answer: A central element to life. Carbon atoms form the backbone of
complex macromolecules like proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates.
◍ Hydrocarbons.
Answer: Organic molecules made up of hydrogen and carbon, commonly
used as fuels due to their energy content.
,◍ diversity.
Answer: a combination of richness and evenness - more diverse = more
likely to pull multiple species out of a hat
◍ Carbohydrates.
Answer: Provide energy, such as glucose used in cellular respiration, and
structural support in living organisms.
◍ Proteins.
Answer: Perform a variety of functions, including enzymatic activity and
structural support. Made from amino acids.
◍ which community is more diverse?.
Answer: community 1
◍ Lipids.
Answer: Include fats, oils, and phospholipids, which are important for
energy storage and membrane structure.
◍ ecosystem services.
Answer: The process by which natural environments provide life-supporting
resources
◍ ecosystem function.
Answer: any ecosystem process (like nutrient cycling, production of plant
materials) that we think is important for the ecosystem to keep working and
provide services
◍ Nucleic Acids.
Answer: DNA and RNA, which store and transmit genetic information
necessary for protein synthesis.
◍ provisioning service.
Answer: the supply of tangible goods or products from ecosystems to
humans
◍ cultural ecosystem service.
Answer: any benefit provided by ecosystem to human cultures
, ◍ regulating service.
Answer: the benefit provided by ecosystem processes that moderate natural
phenomena
◍ supporting services.
Answer: the most basic natural cycles that nature needs to function
◍ productivity.
Answer: the rate of production of new biomass by an individual, population,
or community
◍ mechanism.
Answer: A specific processor set of processes that explain how a particular
ecological phenomenon or pattern occurs
◍ complementary resource use.
Answer: When species from different functional groups occur together, they
can exhibit complementary resource-use, meaning that they use different
resources or use the same resources at different times
◍ Cells.
Answer: The basic unit of life, containing organelles responsible for specific
functions.
◍ Populations.
Answer: Groups of organisms of the same species living in a specific area.
◍ dispersal.
Answer: who can get there
◍ Communities.
Answer: Associations of populations of different species in a defined area.
◍ environmental filtering.
Answer: what species can survive in a particular environment or habitat
◍ biotic filtering.
Answer: what species can coexist because they do not out-compete or eat
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ ecological community.
Answer: a set of species living in a particular place at a particular time
◍ species richness.
Answer: number of species present
◍ Atoms.
Answer: The smallest unit of matter that retains chemical properties.
Composed of protons (+), neutrons (neutral), and electrons (-).
◍ Molecules.
Answer: Formed by chemical bonds between atoms. Examples include
hydrocarbons, which are energy-rich, and carbohydrates, which are essential
for life.
◍ evenness.
Answer: evenness of abundance across those species
◍ Isotopes.
Answer: Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of
neutrons. Some isotopes, like Carbon-14, are radioactive.
◍ Carbon.
Answer: A central element to life. Carbon atoms form the backbone of
complex macromolecules like proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates.
◍ Hydrocarbons.
Answer: Organic molecules made up of hydrogen and carbon, commonly
used as fuels due to their energy content.
,◍ diversity.
Answer: a combination of richness and evenness - more diverse = more
likely to pull multiple species out of a hat
◍ Carbohydrates.
Answer: Provide energy, such as glucose used in cellular respiration, and
structural support in living organisms.
◍ Proteins.
Answer: Perform a variety of functions, including enzymatic activity and
structural support. Made from amino acids.
◍ which community is more diverse?.
Answer: community 1
◍ Lipids.
Answer: Include fats, oils, and phospholipids, which are important for
energy storage and membrane structure.
◍ ecosystem services.
Answer: The process by which natural environments provide life-supporting
resources
◍ ecosystem function.
Answer: any ecosystem process (like nutrient cycling, production of plant
materials) that we think is important for the ecosystem to keep working and
provide services
◍ Nucleic Acids.
Answer: DNA and RNA, which store and transmit genetic information
necessary for protein synthesis.
◍ provisioning service.
Answer: the supply of tangible goods or products from ecosystems to
humans
◍ cultural ecosystem service.
Answer: any benefit provided by ecosystem to human cultures
, ◍ regulating service.
Answer: the benefit provided by ecosystem processes that moderate natural
phenomena
◍ supporting services.
Answer: the most basic natural cycles that nature needs to function
◍ productivity.
Answer: the rate of production of new biomass by an individual, population,
or community
◍ mechanism.
Answer: A specific processor set of processes that explain how a particular
ecological phenomenon or pattern occurs
◍ complementary resource use.
Answer: When species from different functional groups occur together, they
can exhibit complementary resource-use, meaning that they use different
resources or use the same resources at different times
◍ Cells.
Answer: The basic unit of life, containing organelles responsible for specific
functions.
◍ Populations.
Answer: Groups of organisms of the same species living in a specific area.
◍ dispersal.
Answer: who can get there
◍ Communities.
Answer: Associations of populations of different species in a defined area.
◍ environmental filtering.
Answer: what species can survive in a particular environment or habitat
◍ biotic filtering.
Answer: what species can coexist because they do not out-compete or eat
