[UCSB] EEMB 2 - Midterm 1 Exam 2026
Questions and Answers
What is ecology? - Correct answer-The distribution and abundance of organisms
and WHY (what factors, interactions, etc.)
What book did Aristotle write that contributed to ecology? What did he contribute?
- Correct answer-Historia Animalium; he was able to explain 'divine' events with
natural processes
What book triggered the environmental movement of the 60's, and the first time
ecology was seen as rigorous and serious? - Correct answer-Silent Spring by
Rachel Carson
Any environment is made up of its ________________ and ________________
components. - Correct answer-Biotic and abiotic
What are abiotic components? Give examples. - Correct answer-Nonliving
components of an environment, e.g. temperature, soil composition, etc.
What are biotic components? Give examples. - Correct answer-Living components
of an environment, e.g. competition, predation, etc.
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,We learn less and less as we move (lower/higher) on the biological scales. -
Correct answer-Higher
What is a population? - Correct answer-Two or more individuals of the same
species in a defined geographical location
What is a community? - Correct answer-Two or more populations of two or more
different species living in a defined geographical location
What is an ecosystem? - Correct answer-A collection of communities and their
physical environment
What 3 'spheres' make up the biosphere? - Correct answer-Lithosphere,
hydrosphere, and atmosphere
We gain _________ but lose ___________ when making experiments to study
ecology (rather than studying ecology out as it is naturally) - Correct answer-We
gain accuracy but lose authenticity
What is the purpose of ecology? - Correct answer-To predict, manage, and control
the environment
How do we use statistics to estimate the size of a population? - Correct answer-By
taking a random sample to act as a small representative subset and basing our
estimate off of that
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, P-value - Correct answer-The probability value; how much 'confidence' we have in
our conclusions (if less than 5%, generally acceptable)
What do we use frequency distribution for? - Correct answer-To find probability
Is biological data generally distributed in a 'normal' curve? - Correct answer-Yes
What does the Z-test in statistics tell us? - Correct answer-How much above or
below the mean something is
What is Graunt the father of? - Correct answer-Demography (1662)
What kind of growth was Leeuwenhoek interested in? - Correct answer-Population
growth (ie, insects) (1687)
What did Malthus believe? Was he right or wrong? - Correct answer-That
populations grow exponentially but food grows linearly, this was wrong (1798)
What did Quetelet believe? - Correct answer-That growth (population, food, etc.) is
somehow controlled by the environment (logistic growth)
What did Verhulst do? - Correct answer-Came up with an equation (describes the
logistic growth of populations) to prove Quetelet's theory of logistic growth
What is Farr's rule? - Correct answer-As population density increases, so do
mortality rates
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
Questions and Answers
What is ecology? - Correct answer-The distribution and abundance of organisms
and WHY (what factors, interactions, etc.)
What book did Aristotle write that contributed to ecology? What did he contribute?
- Correct answer-Historia Animalium; he was able to explain 'divine' events with
natural processes
What book triggered the environmental movement of the 60's, and the first time
ecology was seen as rigorous and serious? - Correct answer-Silent Spring by
Rachel Carson
Any environment is made up of its ________________ and ________________
components. - Correct answer-Biotic and abiotic
What are abiotic components? Give examples. - Correct answer-Nonliving
components of an environment, e.g. temperature, soil composition, etc.
What are biotic components? Give examples. - Correct answer-Living components
of an environment, e.g. competition, predation, etc.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,We learn less and less as we move (lower/higher) on the biological scales. -
Correct answer-Higher
What is a population? - Correct answer-Two or more individuals of the same
species in a defined geographical location
What is a community? - Correct answer-Two or more populations of two or more
different species living in a defined geographical location
What is an ecosystem? - Correct answer-A collection of communities and their
physical environment
What 3 'spheres' make up the biosphere? - Correct answer-Lithosphere,
hydrosphere, and atmosphere
We gain _________ but lose ___________ when making experiments to study
ecology (rather than studying ecology out as it is naturally) - Correct answer-We
gain accuracy but lose authenticity
What is the purpose of ecology? - Correct answer-To predict, manage, and control
the environment
How do we use statistics to estimate the size of a population? - Correct answer-By
taking a random sample to act as a small representative subset and basing our
estimate off of that
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, P-value - Correct answer-The probability value; how much 'confidence' we have in
our conclusions (if less than 5%, generally acceptable)
What do we use frequency distribution for? - Correct answer-To find probability
Is biological data generally distributed in a 'normal' curve? - Correct answer-Yes
What does the Z-test in statistics tell us? - Correct answer-How much above or
below the mean something is
What is Graunt the father of? - Correct answer-Demography (1662)
What kind of growth was Leeuwenhoek interested in? - Correct answer-Population
growth (ie, insects) (1687)
What did Malthus believe? Was he right or wrong? - Correct answer-That
populations grow exponentially but food grows linearly, this was wrong (1798)
What did Quetelet believe? - Correct answer-That growth (population, food, etc.) is
somehow controlled by the environment (logistic growth)
What did Verhulst do? - Correct answer-Came up with an equation (describes the
logistic growth of populations) to prove Quetelet's theory of logistic growth
What is Farr's rule? - Correct answer-As population density increases, so do
mortality rates
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
