BIOL 1102 AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS | STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
Provide a definition of sustainable development - ✔✔development that meets present needs without
compromising the needs of future generations
Define anthropogenic - ✔✔caused by humans
What is a hypothesis? What would be an example hypothesis to address the spread of COVID-19
with respect to adherence to mask and/or social distancing mandates/recommendations? - ✔✔a
testable statement that explains a phenomenon or set of observations; Do masks actually reduce the
spread of COVID 19? is social distancing actually effective in reducing the spread of the virus?
What is the sequence of five steps in the scientific method, as outlined in lecture? - ✔✔Observation>
develop hypothesis> experiment/test hypothesis> data collection/ analysis > communication
What is the difference between experimental and observational studies? - ✔✔experimental-
manipulate conditions, compare response in test group to response in group.
Observational- individuals are observed or certain outcomes are measured.
What is the purpose of the control group in scientific studies? - ✔✔remains unchanged, independent
variable is not changed, used to monitor changes to the experimental group. Made to study one variable
at a time.
Define ecology - ✔✔The study of interactions between organisms and their environment
Distinguish biotic vs. abiotic. Define habitat - ✔✔biotic- living parts of the environment
abiotic-nonliving parts of the environment
habitat- physical environment in which organisms live.
Understand the varying levels in the hierarchy of life - individual, population and species,
community, ecosystem, biosphere - ✔✔individuals-population-community-ecosystem- biome-
biosphere
Which two abiotic factors can characterize terrestrial biomes on Earth? - ✔✔temperature and
precipitation
Briefly describe the process of photosynthesis, including the chemicals reacting and the chemical
products. Why is photosynthesis a critical process for most ecosystems? - ✔✔co2+H2O = C6H1206+O2
carbon dioxide, water, sugar, oxygen
What are key components in the carbon cycle? What is the major way humans have altered it? - ✔✔cell
respiration, photosynthesis, decomposers.
humans affect the carbon cycle by burning fossil fuels, cars, energy sources, deforestation, land use,
transforming limestone into concrete.
, What are exponential and logistic growth, and how do they differ in long-term sustainability? -
✔✔exponential growth- J shape curve, continues without cutting off; logistic growth- s shape curve,
levels off at carrying capacity, this shows long time growth/sustainability of a population.
Food web; In constructing a trophic pyramid, where would primary producers be located? - ✔✔primary
producers are located at the bottom of the trophic pyramid
What is a keystone species? What is an example in the southeastern U.S.? - ✔✔KSS- species that
impacts its community more than its abundance would predict; often altering ecosystem structure//
gopher tortiose
What is a gene? What is selective pressure, in the context of organisms? - ✔✔gene- specific physical
location on chromosomes
selective pressures- natural selection/factors that contribute to selection which variations will provide an
individual with increasing chance of surviving.
Define evolution - ✔✔A change in a species over time
In the evolution and natural selection context, what is fitness? - ✔✔fitness- the ability to survive and
reproduce
List four key postulates in Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection - ✔✔1. individual organisms
in a population vary in traits
2. some trait differences are heritable
3. more offspring in given generation produced than can survive
4. individuals with heritable traits more likely to survive/reproduce
Concerning the levels in the hierarchy of life (third bullet in Chapter 2 section above), at which level
does natural selection operate? At which level does evolution operate? - ✔✔natural selection-
individual level
evolution- population/species
Briefly explain how the theory of evolution by natural selection would be applicable to mouse
populations living on lighter and darker soil/rock in the desert southwest - ✔✔the environment
changes and turns the soil darker, meaning darker mice which evolved through a mutation are more
likely to survive and reproduce, passing that darker fur trait to their offspring, more likely than the lighter
fur mice
What is artificial selection? An example? - ✔✔process where humans determine breeding in attempt to
produce more desirable traits. Humans breeding plants to provide bigger and more fruitful plants.
What is biodiversity? What are three components of biodiversity? - ✔✔variety of life on earth
1. genetic
2. species
3. ecosystem
AND ANSWERS | STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
Provide a definition of sustainable development - ✔✔development that meets present needs without
compromising the needs of future generations
Define anthropogenic - ✔✔caused by humans
What is a hypothesis? What would be an example hypothesis to address the spread of COVID-19
with respect to adherence to mask and/or social distancing mandates/recommendations? - ✔✔a
testable statement that explains a phenomenon or set of observations; Do masks actually reduce the
spread of COVID 19? is social distancing actually effective in reducing the spread of the virus?
What is the sequence of five steps in the scientific method, as outlined in lecture? - ✔✔Observation>
develop hypothesis> experiment/test hypothesis> data collection/ analysis > communication
What is the difference between experimental and observational studies? - ✔✔experimental-
manipulate conditions, compare response in test group to response in group.
Observational- individuals are observed or certain outcomes are measured.
What is the purpose of the control group in scientific studies? - ✔✔remains unchanged, independent
variable is not changed, used to monitor changes to the experimental group. Made to study one variable
at a time.
Define ecology - ✔✔The study of interactions between organisms and their environment
Distinguish biotic vs. abiotic. Define habitat - ✔✔biotic- living parts of the environment
abiotic-nonliving parts of the environment
habitat- physical environment in which organisms live.
Understand the varying levels in the hierarchy of life - individual, population and species,
community, ecosystem, biosphere - ✔✔individuals-population-community-ecosystem- biome-
biosphere
Which two abiotic factors can characterize terrestrial biomes on Earth? - ✔✔temperature and
precipitation
Briefly describe the process of photosynthesis, including the chemicals reacting and the chemical
products. Why is photosynthesis a critical process for most ecosystems? - ✔✔co2+H2O = C6H1206+O2
carbon dioxide, water, sugar, oxygen
What are key components in the carbon cycle? What is the major way humans have altered it? - ✔✔cell
respiration, photosynthesis, decomposers.
humans affect the carbon cycle by burning fossil fuels, cars, energy sources, deforestation, land use,
transforming limestone into concrete.
, What are exponential and logistic growth, and how do they differ in long-term sustainability? -
✔✔exponential growth- J shape curve, continues without cutting off; logistic growth- s shape curve,
levels off at carrying capacity, this shows long time growth/sustainability of a population.
Food web; In constructing a trophic pyramid, where would primary producers be located? - ✔✔primary
producers are located at the bottom of the trophic pyramid
What is a keystone species? What is an example in the southeastern U.S.? - ✔✔KSS- species that
impacts its community more than its abundance would predict; often altering ecosystem structure//
gopher tortiose
What is a gene? What is selective pressure, in the context of organisms? - ✔✔gene- specific physical
location on chromosomes
selective pressures- natural selection/factors that contribute to selection which variations will provide an
individual with increasing chance of surviving.
Define evolution - ✔✔A change in a species over time
In the evolution and natural selection context, what is fitness? - ✔✔fitness- the ability to survive and
reproduce
List four key postulates in Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection - ✔✔1. individual organisms
in a population vary in traits
2. some trait differences are heritable
3. more offspring in given generation produced than can survive
4. individuals with heritable traits more likely to survive/reproduce
Concerning the levels in the hierarchy of life (third bullet in Chapter 2 section above), at which level
does natural selection operate? At which level does evolution operate? - ✔✔natural selection-
individual level
evolution- population/species
Briefly explain how the theory of evolution by natural selection would be applicable to mouse
populations living on lighter and darker soil/rock in the desert southwest - ✔✔the environment
changes and turns the soil darker, meaning darker mice which evolved through a mutation are more
likely to survive and reproduce, passing that darker fur trait to their offspring, more likely than the lighter
fur mice
What is artificial selection? An example? - ✔✔process where humans determine breeding in attempt to
produce more desirable traits. Humans breeding plants to provide bigger and more fruitful plants.
What is biodiversity? What are three components of biodiversity? - ✔✔variety of life on earth
1. genetic
2. species
3. ecosystem
