Study Guide for Ecology Test (Chapters 15 & 16)

Populations - Understand basic population curves.

a. What is exponential growth?

b. What are three density-dependent limiting factors?

c. What are two density-independent limiting factors?

d. What is carrying capacity?

e. What is an abiotic factor?

Be able to define the following ecological terms: ecosystem, habitat, herbivore, omnivore and carnivore.

Energy flows through a food web. Can you understand a food pyramid/energy pyramid? What is on the bottom? Where does a secondary consumer fit into such a pyramid? What is the rule of 10%? Where does the 90% of the energy go?

Can you explain how the items within each of the following cycles link together?

a. Water Cycle: ocean, clouds, precipitation, runoff, evaporation.

b. Carbon cycle: plants, animals, fossils fuels/rocks, carbon dioxide

c. Nitrogen cycle: Nitrogen in air, living organisms, nitrogen fertilizer in soil.

What is the difference between primary and secondary succession? Can you provide an example of each?

Explain the ‘Greenhouse Effect.’ What are some possible effects of global warming?