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Biology 31 – Midterm 2 Study Sheet
This is NOT an exhaustive list of all potential topics or questions, just a guide to many of
the more important concepts and terms we have covered. I will pull questions and terms
preferentially from our lectures and activities.
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What are biomes and how are they defined?
Be able to list the main biomes.
Describe the world-wide distribution of forests and their many uses.
What are some of the forest harvest methods and why are some often criticized?
What are some of the environmental problems with rangelands.
List some problems and threats from inside and outside national parks and
preserves.
7. Describe the main uses and purposes of wildlife refuges and marine protected
areas.
8. How many people in the world are chronically undernourished, and where do they
live?
9. Define malnutrition and obesity. How many Americans are considered
overweight?
10. How have recommendations for a balanced diet changed over the years?
11. What do we mean by the "green revolution?" What were some of the pro and
cons of this?
12. Explain some of the negative aspects of the raising of commercial beef as
opposed to other meat.
13. What is the 10% rule? How much energy is lost in three steps?
14. What is soil and what are some of its threats?
15. What is genetic engineering, or biotechnology, and how might it help or hurt
agriculture?
16. What is the idea of sustainable agriculture?
17. What are some of the arguments for and against organic food?
18. Define the terms disease and health.
19. Be prepared to explain the details on 2 or 3 major disease that we talked about in
class.
20. What were some of the most serious diseases in the world in 1990? How is this
list expected to change in the next 20 years?
21. How do bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance? What might we do about this?
22. What is the difference between toxic and hazardous? Give some examples of
materials in each category.
23. What is LD50?
24. How do the physical and chemical characteristics of materials affect their
movement, persistence, distribution, and fate in the environment?
25. What is the difference between acute and chronic toxicity?
26. Define carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and neurotoxic.
27. Define and explain Biomagnification.
28. What forms the local climate?
29. What causes the winds?
30. What are greenhouse gases (GHG) and what is the greenhouse effect?
31. Where are most of the GHG coming from?
32. What is the link and evidence between GHG and global climate change?
33. Explain the formation of Ozone in both the upper and lower atmosphere. Where
is it good, where is it bad, and what are its threats?
34. Describe the path a molecule of water might follow through the hydrologic cycle
from the ocean to land and back again.
35. Define aquifer. How does water get into an aquifer?
36. What fraction of the world’s water is fresh and where is it found?
37. What are the largest users of the world’s water?
38. What are some methods of increasing water availability and what are some of
there problems?
39. Describe some problems associated with dam building and water diversion
projects.
40. Define main types of water pollution, including infectious agents.
41. Describe primary, secondary, and tertiary processes for sewage treatment. What is
the quality of the effluent from each of these processes?