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Name:________________________
Date:____________
Period:_____
Unit 1: Scientific Method and Ecology Study Guide
Things to study:
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What is a hypothesis
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What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory
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What’s the definition of a theory
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What is a controlled experiment
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What are the steps of the scientific method
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Definitions of species, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere
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How does Earth/all living things get their energy?
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Know how to read a food web and a food chain
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What are producers and consumers
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What are autotrophs and heterotrophs
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Know the difference between herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers and detritevores
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Three types of symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalisms, parasitism
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Know how to read an energy pyramid
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How much energy is transferred between each trophic level
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Carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle
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Water cycle
1. The biosphere contains ___________________________________________.
2. The study of interactions among organisms and between organisms is called _______________.
3. One rabbit is an example of a ___________ (species/population/community).
4. A group of the same rabbits living in the same area is called ______________
(species/population/community).
5. A species makes up a ____________ (population/community). A group of different populations makes up
a _________ (biome/community).
6. The source for all living things is the ___________.
7. Autotrophs are also known as ___________ (producers/consumers) because they make their own food.
Heterotrophs are also known as __________ (producers/consumers) because they have to find their
food.
8. What are the two ways autotrophs make their food? _______________ and _________________
9. A herbivore is a consumer that only eats ______________.
10. A carnivore is a consumer that only eats ______________.
11. An omnivore is a consumer that eats ________________.
12. A decomposer is a consumer that _____________________.
13. Plants are known as ______________ (producers/consumers)
14. Algae found at the bottom of the ocean is a ________________ (producer/consumer)
15. An organism that uses energy from the environment to produce it’s own food is called a(an)
___________ (heterotroph/autotroph).
16. Define a primary consumer. What do they normally eat?
___________________________________________.
17. A snake that eats a mouse that has eaten a bug that fed on grass is know as what type of consumer
__________________________ (primary/secondary/tertiary).
18. How much energy is passed on or transferred at each trophic level of an energy pyramid?
_________________
19. What happens to the rest of the
energy?______________________________________________________
20. What to plants and animals use their energy for? ____________________________________________
21. The repeated movement between water and Earth’s surface and atmosphere is called the _____________
cycle.
22. Define transpiration. ______________________________________________.
23. Define evaporation. ________________________________________________
24. Define condensation __________________________________________________
25. Define precipitation ____________________________________________________
26. How is carbon stored in the atmosphere? _____________________________
27. What are the key players in the nitrogen cycle? ________________________
28. Define commensalism and give one example. _______________________________________________
29. Define mutualism and give one example. __________________________________________________
30. Define parasitism and give one example
_________________________________________________________
31. You suggest that leaving your trashcan outside might cause maggots to appear. This is a
_______________ (conclusion/hypothesis/procedure/result)
32. A hypothesis is always _________________________ (correct/wrong/testable)
33. Define a controlled experiment. ______________________________________
34. Define a theory ________________________________________________________
35. How is a theory different from a hypothesis?
____________________________________________________
36. What are 3 abiotic factors in an ecosystem?
_____________________________________________________
37. What are 3 biotic factors in an
ecosystem?_______________________________________________________
38. If an animal leaves its usual habitat to find food because of sudden rainfall, this would be a result of a(an)
___________________ (abiotic/biotic) factor.
39. An animal leaves its usual habitat because its home has been invaded by another species. This is a result
of a(an) _______________ (abiotic/biotic) factor.