PWS 350 Allphin Test 1 Questions With Complete
Answers 100% Solved
What is ecology? - ANSWER Ecology is the study of how organisms interact in and with the
natural world.
Why is ecological study important? - ANSWER Nothing in nature is static, everything in nature
exhibits variation. Ecological study is important to help us understand how everything around
us is tied together and we are interdependent upon each other. Everything has value, whether
its economic, intrinsic, etc..
Humans play large part in ecosystem: Ecosystem services, Food production, Medicine and
disease, Preservation of diversity, Stewardship
The variation has both temporal and spatial implications. Ecological scales are always
associated with time and space.
How are ecological studies performed? - ANSWER Performed by implementing the scientific
method
Based on experimental hypothesis testing.
OHPE - Observation, hypothesis, prediction, experimentation
What are the levels of organization in ecology (communities, populations, etc)? - ANSWER
Biosphere, ecosystem, community, population, organism.
,What is autecology? - ANSWER Autecology, individual organisms with their environment.
Compare and contrast the following terms: ecology, environmental science,
environmentalism, conservation. - ANSWER Ecology is a science or study of organisms
interacting with their environment.
Environmental science is an applied science or study of effects humans have (human focus).
Environmentalism is a social and political belief system (also human focus) they do NOT have
to be scientists. Conservation is preserving or protecting from human or other major events.
What constitutes the physical environment? - ANSWER Light, temperature, moisture,
nutrients.
What is light? Why is light an important part of the physical environment? - ANSWER Light is
solar radiation and terrestrial radiation. We only see the visible spectra.
It is important because it is an energy source for the whole biosphere which plants and
animals use, it affects activities, seasonal changes and plant/animal distribution. Regulates
temperature. Activates the plants to photosynthesize radiation into energy.
How does light affect photosynthesis? - ANSWER Most plants are green because they reflect
green light. They utilize chlorophyll and carotenoids. What they absorb is the frequency the
excites electrons in the photosystems.
Carotenoids absorb green and reflect back orange.
,Chlorophyll absorbs red/violet and reflects back green.
What is the fate of light in an aquatic environment? What is a photic or euphotic zone? -
ANSWER Some water reflects or scatters light. It cannot travel to the bottom of the water. It
creates zones. The photic zone is a layer of water that light can pass through. Euphotic is a
zone that is cannot pass through.
What is heat? What is temperature? Compare and contrast these terms. - ANSWER Heat is the
total amount of kinetic energy, depending on size and how much it can hold. Temperature
measures the intensity based on average kinetic energy. Temp expresses intensity to give up
heat.
What are the modes of thermal energy exchange? Why is the thermal environment
important? - ANSWER Radiation- heat absorbed and then emitted from an object,
conduction-heat transfer through physical contact,
convection-transfer through medium (ie air),
Evaporation- transfer through phase change. Organisms use it to keep out of balance with
physical environment to maintain homeostasis to keep themselves stable.
Who coined the term? - ANSWER Ernst Hackel - 1870
At what levels does an ecologist study? - ANSWER Organisms, Populations, Communities,
Ecosystems, Biosphere
, Human perception vs ecological studies? - ANSWER Human Perception - Balance in nature.
Nature is pristine without humans.
Eco Studies - Nature varies on its own. Humans influence ALL regions of nature
How do ecologists deal with ecological complexity in their studies? - ANSWER They
manipulate a single variable and they establish positive and negative controls. Replication.
They watch out for correlation and confounding variables.
Microcosm experiments
Mathematical Modeling - An abstract model which does require validation
What are microcosm experiments? - ANSWER Microcosm experiments are small modified
ecosystems where you can vary the things you want.
Mathematical models? - ANSWER Mathematical models is a way to explain patterns we find
mathematically by starting simple and adding complexity to see what changes.
Synecology? - ANSWER Synecology, interactions b/n organisms and their environments
(predator/ prey).
"Syn" - together
How does these differ from the other areas of ecological study? (autecology and Synecology)
- ANSWER Many other areas of ecology involve different organizational levels of ecology less
Answers 100% Solved
What is ecology? - ANSWER Ecology is the study of how organisms interact in and with the
natural world.
Why is ecological study important? - ANSWER Nothing in nature is static, everything in nature
exhibits variation. Ecological study is important to help us understand how everything around
us is tied together and we are interdependent upon each other. Everything has value, whether
its economic, intrinsic, etc..
Humans play large part in ecosystem: Ecosystem services, Food production, Medicine and
disease, Preservation of diversity, Stewardship
The variation has both temporal and spatial implications. Ecological scales are always
associated with time and space.
How are ecological studies performed? - ANSWER Performed by implementing the scientific
method
Based on experimental hypothesis testing.
OHPE - Observation, hypothesis, prediction, experimentation
What are the levels of organization in ecology (communities, populations, etc)? - ANSWER
Biosphere, ecosystem, community, population, organism.
,What is autecology? - ANSWER Autecology, individual organisms with their environment.
Compare and contrast the following terms: ecology, environmental science,
environmentalism, conservation. - ANSWER Ecology is a science or study of organisms
interacting with their environment.
Environmental science is an applied science or study of effects humans have (human focus).
Environmentalism is a social and political belief system (also human focus) they do NOT have
to be scientists. Conservation is preserving or protecting from human or other major events.
What constitutes the physical environment? - ANSWER Light, temperature, moisture,
nutrients.
What is light? Why is light an important part of the physical environment? - ANSWER Light is
solar radiation and terrestrial radiation. We only see the visible spectra.
It is important because it is an energy source for the whole biosphere which plants and
animals use, it affects activities, seasonal changes and plant/animal distribution. Regulates
temperature. Activates the plants to photosynthesize radiation into energy.
How does light affect photosynthesis? - ANSWER Most plants are green because they reflect
green light. They utilize chlorophyll and carotenoids. What they absorb is the frequency the
excites electrons in the photosystems.
Carotenoids absorb green and reflect back orange.
,Chlorophyll absorbs red/violet and reflects back green.
What is the fate of light in an aquatic environment? What is a photic or euphotic zone? -
ANSWER Some water reflects or scatters light. It cannot travel to the bottom of the water. It
creates zones. The photic zone is a layer of water that light can pass through. Euphotic is a
zone that is cannot pass through.
What is heat? What is temperature? Compare and contrast these terms. - ANSWER Heat is the
total amount of kinetic energy, depending on size and how much it can hold. Temperature
measures the intensity based on average kinetic energy. Temp expresses intensity to give up
heat.
What are the modes of thermal energy exchange? Why is the thermal environment
important? - ANSWER Radiation- heat absorbed and then emitted from an object,
conduction-heat transfer through physical contact,
convection-transfer through medium (ie air),
Evaporation- transfer through phase change. Organisms use it to keep out of balance with
physical environment to maintain homeostasis to keep themselves stable.
Who coined the term? - ANSWER Ernst Hackel - 1870
At what levels does an ecologist study? - ANSWER Organisms, Populations, Communities,
Ecosystems, Biosphere
, Human perception vs ecological studies? - ANSWER Human Perception - Balance in nature.
Nature is pristine without humans.
Eco Studies - Nature varies on its own. Humans influence ALL regions of nature
How do ecologists deal with ecological complexity in their studies? - ANSWER They
manipulate a single variable and they establish positive and negative controls. Replication.
They watch out for correlation and confounding variables.
Microcosm experiments
Mathematical Modeling - An abstract model which does require validation
What are microcosm experiments? - ANSWER Microcosm experiments are small modified
ecosystems where you can vary the things you want.
Mathematical models? - ANSWER Mathematical models is a way to explain patterns we find
mathematically by starting simple and adding complexity to see what changes.
Synecology? - ANSWER Synecology, interactions b/n organisms and their environments
(predator/ prey).
"Syn" - together
How does these differ from the other areas of ecological study? (autecology and Synecology)
- ANSWER Many other areas of ecology involve different organizational levels of ecology less
