PBIO 1000 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
biosphere - Answers - total area on Earth where living things are found / sum total of all
ecosystems
biome - Answers - a portion of the biosphere characterized by a distinct climate and a
particular assemblage of plants and animals adapted to it
ecosystem - Answers - a specific portion of a biome consisting of biotic and abiotic
environmental components that interact
community - Answers - all the populations living and interacting in an area / living
portion of the ecosystem
population - Answers - a group of individuals of the same species living and interacting
in the same region
hierarchy of organization - Answers - biosphere => biome => ecosystem => community
=> population => individual
habitat - Answers - the physical environment in which individuals of a particular species
can be found
niche - Answers - the role a species plays in its community, including how it gets its
energy and nutrients, its habitat requirements, and what it interacts with
difference in movement of energy and matter in ecosystems - Answers - matter cycles
but energy flows in a one-way trip (energy flow v. nutrient (matter) cycle)
categories of biomes (3) - Answers - terrestrial, marine, and freshwater
Biosphere 1 v. Biosphere 2 - Answers - Biosphere 1 = the Earth / Biosphere 2 = a
science experiment to see if we can create an artificial biosphere to live on other planets
biodiversity - Answers - the genetic diversity within its species, variety of species, and
variety of ecosystems
levels of biodiversity - Answers - genetic, species, ecosystem
why should biodiversity be protected - Answers - it is an investment in our future to
ensure healthy ecosystems for the survival of our own species
, describe the types of evidence used to understand the history of Easter Island -
Answers - scientists excavated sediments from the bottom of the island's lakes and
remains from charcoal fires aged by radiocarbon dating
what can we learn from Easter Island - Answers - teaches us that we cannot abuse the
nature around us because we need It to survive but it does not need us
composition of solar radiation - Answers - 45% light while the rest of ultraviolet radiation
or heat / less than one percent (0.01-0.03) of the total energy reaching the Earth is
actually captured through photosynthesis by living organisms
First Law of Thermodynamics - Answers - during a physical or chemical change, energy
is neither created nor destroyed
Second Law of Thermodynamics - Answers - with each change in form, some energy is
degraded to a less useful form and given off to the surroundings, usually as low-quality
heat
abiotic components - Answers - non-living / energy, matter, and other factors such as
temperature and water
biotic components - Answers - living / two broad categories: producers and consumers
producer - Answers - self nourishing organisms / given water, nutrients, and a source of
energy, they can produce the compounds necessary for survival
photoautotrophs - Answers - most producers, including green plants and algae, that
contain chlorophyll, a green pigment that absorbs light energy from the sun
photosynthesis - Answers - phototrophs use the sun's light energy to convert carbon
dioxide and water into complex chemical bonds forming simple carbs (glucose +
fructose)
phytoplankton - Answers - microscopic floating plants and algae, function as the major
producers in aquatic systems
difference in how producers and consumers get energy - Answers - producers create
energy through photosynthesis while consumers eat producers or things that eat
producers to obtain energy
role of decomposers in the cycling of matter in ecosystems - Answers - reduce complex
organic material to inorganic matter and returning nutrients and necessary chemicals to
the physical environment in a form that can be used by producers
biosphere - Answers - total area on Earth where living things are found / sum total of all
ecosystems
biome - Answers - a portion of the biosphere characterized by a distinct climate and a
particular assemblage of plants and animals adapted to it
ecosystem - Answers - a specific portion of a biome consisting of biotic and abiotic
environmental components that interact
community - Answers - all the populations living and interacting in an area / living
portion of the ecosystem
population - Answers - a group of individuals of the same species living and interacting
in the same region
hierarchy of organization - Answers - biosphere => biome => ecosystem => community
=> population => individual
habitat - Answers - the physical environment in which individuals of a particular species
can be found
niche - Answers - the role a species plays in its community, including how it gets its
energy and nutrients, its habitat requirements, and what it interacts with
difference in movement of energy and matter in ecosystems - Answers - matter cycles
but energy flows in a one-way trip (energy flow v. nutrient (matter) cycle)
categories of biomes (3) - Answers - terrestrial, marine, and freshwater
Biosphere 1 v. Biosphere 2 - Answers - Biosphere 1 = the Earth / Biosphere 2 = a
science experiment to see if we can create an artificial biosphere to live on other planets
biodiversity - Answers - the genetic diversity within its species, variety of species, and
variety of ecosystems
levels of biodiversity - Answers - genetic, species, ecosystem
why should biodiversity be protected - Answers - it is an investment in our future to
ensure healthy ecosystems for the survival of our own species
, describe the types of evidence used to understand the history of Easter Island -
Answers - scientists excavated sediments from the bottom of the island's lakes and
remains from charcoal fires aged by radiocarbon dating
what can we learn from Easter Island - Answers - teaches us that we cannot abuse the
nature around us because we need It to survive but it does not need us
composition of solar radiation - Answers - 45% light while the rest of ultraviolet radiation
or heat / less than one percent (0.01-0.03) of the total energy reaching the Earth is
actually captured through photosynthesis by living organisms
First Law of Thermodynamics - Answers - during a physical or chemical change, energy
is neither created nor destroyed
Second Law of Thermodynamics - Answers - with each change in form, some energy is
degraded to a less useful form and given off to the surroundings, usually as low-quality
heat
abiotic components - Answers - non-living / energy, matter, and other factors such as
temperature and water
biotic components - Answers - living / two broad categories: producers and consumers
producer - Answers - self nourishing organisms / given water, nutrients, and a source of
energy, they can produce the compounds necessary for survival
photoautotrophs - Answers - most producers, including green plants and algae, that
contain chlorophyll, a green pigment that absorbs light energy from the sun
photosynthesis - Answers - phototrophs use the sun's light energy to convert carbon
dioxide and water into complex chemical bonds forming simple carbs (glucose +
fructose)
phytoplankton - Answers - microscopic floating plants and algae, function as the major
producers in aquatic systems
difference in how producers and consumers get energy - Answers - producers create
energy through photosynthesis while consumers eat producers or things that eat
producers to obtain energy
role of decomposers in the cycling of matter in ecosystems - Answers - reduce complex
organic material to inorganic matter and returning nutrients and necessary chemicals to
the physical environment in a form that can be used by producers
