ECOL111 (2025) Actual Exam Questions
and Answers A+ Graded
Benthic .Zone .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Ecological .region .at .the .lowest .level .of .a
.body .of .water
Benthic-pelagic .coupling .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Process .that .connects .both
.zones .through .an .exchange .of .energy, .mass, .or .nutrients
Nutrient .Dynamics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .change .in .nutrient .availability
.over .time .(involves .how .nutrients .are .taken .up, .retained, .transferred .and
.cycled)
Bioturbation .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Reworking .of .soils .and .sediments .by .plants
.or .animals
Nutrient .Pollution .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Too .many .nutrients .added .to .a .body
.of .water
Eutrophication .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Increase .in .nutrients .in .aquatic .system
.causing .a .dense .growth .in .plant .life .(e.g. .algae)
Diatom .Blooms .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-When .a .single .celled .photosynthetic
.organism .is .able .to .exploit .both .abiotic .and .biotic .factors .(after .an .increase .in
.nutrients) .to .become .dominant
Recruitment .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .process .by .which .new .individuals .are
.added .to .a .population, .whether .by .birth .and .maturation .or .by .immigration
What .are .the .6 .bivalve .case .studies? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-New .York .- .Oyster
.crash .
Dutch .Wadden .Sea .- .Cockle, .mussel, .eider .duck .crash .
Fiordland .- .Dumping .of .freshwater, .cockle .crash, .rock .lobster .adaption .
Blueskin .Bay .- .Harvested .cockles .
Gulf .of .California .- .Bivalve .decline, .hoover .dam .
Antarctic .Clam .Shells .- .trace .metals .determine .chemical .dynamics .of .changing
.sea .ice
,Ecosystem .Services .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .process .by .which .natural
.environments .provide .life-supporting .resources .for .humans
What .5 .ecosystem .services .do .bivalves .supply? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Food,
.filter .water .increasing .the .quality .and .decreasing .the .turbidity, .benthic-pelagic
.coupling, .biodeposition, .bioturbation
Fecundity .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Individuals' .reproductive .capacity .(usually .the
.female)
Biotic .Variables .that .Effect .Cockles .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Competition,
.Predation, .Allee .effect
Intertidal .Zone .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .area .between .the .highest .tide .marks
.and .lowest .tide .marks .(highly .variable)
Abiotic .Variables .that .Effect .Cockles .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Salinity, .Light,
.Temperature, .Food .Availability, .Disturbance .(Tides), .Gradients
Relationship .between .Stressors .and .Success .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Managing
.stress .uses .energy. .More .stress .= .less .energy .for .reproduction .= .less .success
Cockle .fecundity .increases .with... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Size .and .age
Cockles .reproduce .through... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Broadcast-spawning
Anthropocentrism .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .belief .that .humans .are .the .center
.most .important .entity .in .the .universe
Morphological .Characteristics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Outwards .appearance .of
.an .organism .as .well .as .the .form .and .structure .of .internal .parts
Physiological .Characteristics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Physical .and .biochemical
.characteristics .of .an .organism .that .are .involved .in .its .biological .functions .and
.processes
Phenological .Characteristics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .timing .of .biological
.events
Coastal .Geomorphology .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Area .influenced .by .the .coast
Gradient .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-A .change .in .parameter .or .group .of .parameters
.over .space .and .time
Response .Function .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Organism .diversity .and .distribution
.vary .spatially .and .temporally .across .gradients
, Gradients .on .scales .(and .examples) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Global .(elevation),
.Regional .(substrate .type), .Regional-local .(tidal .cycle), .Local .(water .potential .in
.plants)
Ecosystem .Function .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-What .organisms .do .to .move .carbon
.from .place .or .form .to .another
Functional .Group .(and .example) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Based .on .how
.organisms .carry .out .their .ecosystem .functions .(herbivorous .fish .= .functional
.group .has .a .specific .function .(how .they .feed .determines .what .they .influence))
Functional .Traits .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Traits .of .an .organism .that .determines
.their .performance
The .3 .functional .trait .categories .are... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Morphological,
.Physiological, .Phenological
Examples .of .Functional .Traits .in .an .Organism .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Tree:
.Morphological .(leaf .shape, .height), .Physiological .(nutrient .uptake),
.Phenological .(seed .mass)
What .are .the .two .scales? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Time .and .Space
Example .of .meso .and .microscale .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Meso .= .perching
.plants .on .Kahikatea. .Micro .= .mites .on .coprosma .leaf
Time .scales .in .relation .to .ecology .of .organisms .(and .example) .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER .-Annual .= .Migration, .Seasonal .= .Rainfall, .Daily .= .Light
Whakapapa .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Line .of .descent
Kaitiakitanga .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Guardianship
Mauri .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .quality .or .vitality .of .a .being .or .even .an
.ecosystem
Estuary .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Junction .of .a .river .with .an .ocean .defined .by .its
.salinity .gradient
Importance .of .Estuaries .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Shelter, .food, .transport, .food,
.gas .exchange, .nutrient .recycling
The .niche .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-All .parts .of .a .variables .range .where .the
.organisms .performance .is .good .enough .it .survives
Ecological .Niche .(modern .def) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-What .an .organism .needs
.from .its .environment .and .how .the .organisms .activities .shape .that .environment
and Answers A+ Graded
Benthic .Zone .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Ecological .region .at .the .lowest .level .of .a
.body .of .water
Benthic-pelagic .coupling .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Process .that .connects .both
.zones .through .an .exchange .of .energy, .mass, .or .nutrients
Nutrient .Dynamics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .change .in .nutrient .availability
.over .time .(involves .how .nutrients .are .taken .up, .retained, .transferred .and
.cycled)
Bioturbation .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Reworking .of .soils .and .sediments .by .plants
.or .animals
Nutrient .Pollution .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Too .many .nutrients .added .to .a .body
.of .water
Eutrophication .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Increase .in .nutrients .in .aquatic .system
.causing .a .dense .growth .in .plant .life .(e.g. .algae)
Diatom .Blooms .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-When .a .single .celled .photosynthetic
.organism .is .able .to .exploit .both .abiotic .and .biotic .factors .(after .an .increase .in
.nutrients) .to .become .dominant
Recruitment .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .process .by .which .new .individuals .are
.added .to .a .population, .whether .by .birth .and .maturation .or .by .immigration
What .are .the .6 .bivalve .case .studies? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-New .York .- .Oyster
.crash .
Dutch .Wadden .Sea .- .Cockle, .mussel, .eider .duck .crash .
Fiordland .- .Dumping .of .freshwater, .cockle .crash, .rock .lobster .adaption .
Blueskin .Bay .- .Harvested .cockles .
Gulf .of .California .- .Bivalve .decline, .hoover .dam .
Antarctic .Clam .Shells .- .trace .metals .determine .chemical .dynamics .of .changing
.sea .ice
,Ecosystem .Services .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .process .by .which .natural
.environments .provide .life-supporting .resources .for .humans
What .5 .ecosystem .services .do .bivalves .supply? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Food,
.filter .water .increasing .the .quality .and .decreasing .the .turbidity, .benthic-pelagic
.coupling, .biodeposition, .bioturbation
Fecundity .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Individuals' .reproductive .capacity .(usually .the
.female)
Biotic .Variables .that .Effect .Cockles .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Competition,
.Predation, .Allee .effect
Intertidal .Zone .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .area .between .the .highest .tide .marks
.and .lowest .tide .marks .(highly .variable)
Abiotic .Variables .that .Effect .Cockles .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Salinity, .Light,
.Temperature, .Food .Availability, .Disturbance .(Tides), .Gradients
Relationship .between .Stressors .and .Success .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Managing
.stress .uses .energy. .More .stress .= .less .energy .for .reproduction .= .less .success
Cockle .fecundity .increases .with... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Size .and .age
Cockles .reproduce .through... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Broadcast-spawning
Anthropocentrism .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .belief .that .humans .are .the .center
.most .important .entity .in .the .universe
Morphological .Characteristics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Outwards .appearance .of
.an .organism .as .well .as .the .form .and .structure .of .internal .parts
Physiological .Characteristics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Physical .and .biochemical
.characteristics .of .an .organism .that .are .involved .in .its .biological .functions .and
.processes
Phenological .Characteristics .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .timing .of .biological
.events
Coastal .Geomorphology .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Area .influenced .by .the .coast
Gradient .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-A .change .in .parameter .or .group .of .parameters
.over .space .and .time
Response .Function .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Organism .diversity .and .distribution
.vary .spatially .and .temporally .across .gradients
, Gradients .on .scales .(and .examples) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Global .(elevation),
.Regional .(substrate .type), .Regional-local .(tidal .cycle), .Local .(water .potential .in
.plants)
Ecosystem .Function .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-What .organisms .do .to .move .carbon
.from .place .or .form .to .another
Functional .Group .(and .example) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Based .on .how
.organisms .carry .out .their .ecosystem .functions .(herbivorous .fish .= .functional
.group .has .a .specific .function .(how .they .feed .determines .what .they .influence))
Functional .Traits .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Traits .of .an .organism .that .determines
.their .performance
The .3 .functional .trait .categories .are... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Morphological,
.Physiological, .Phenological
Examples .of .Functional .Traits .in .an .Organism .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Tree:
.Morphological .(leaf .shape, .height), .Physiological .(nutrient .uptake),
.Phenological .(seed .mass)
What .are .the .two .scales? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Time .and .Space
Example .of .meso .and .microscale .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Meso .= .perching
.plants .on .Kahikatea. .Micro .= .mites .on .coprosma .leaf
Time .scales .in .relation .to .ecology .of .organisms .(and .example) .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER .-Annual .= .Migration, .Seasonal .= .Rainfall, .Daily .= .Light
Whakapapa .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Line .of .descent
Kaitiakitanga .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Guardianship
Mauri .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-The .quality .or .vitality .of .a .being .or .even .an
.ecosystem
Estuary .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Junction .of .a .river .with .an .ocean .defined .by .its
.salinity .gradient
Importance .of .Estuaries .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-Shelter, .food, .transport, .food,
.gas .exchange, .nutrient .recycling
The .niche .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-All .parts .of .a .variables .range .where .the
.organisms .performance .is .good .enough .it .survives
Ecological .Niche .(modern .def) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER .-What .an .organism .needs
.from .its .environment .and .how .the .organisms .activities .shape .that .environment
