Download Study Guide – Midterm #1 - Linn

Study Guide for Exam 1
General Biology 101, Winter 2006
Study Guide – Midterm #1
General Biology 101
60 point midterm
Exam Format:
Approximate Distribution
30 multiple choice
10 matching
5 graph interpretation
10 true/false (worth ½ pt each)
10 short answer (including calculations)
50 % lecture material – consult lecture guide
30 % lab related material - including prelabs
10 % readings from text & articles
10% In-class activities
Suggestions for preparing before the exam:
 Study a little bit every day (20-30 minutes per night) is much better than trying to cram 3-4 hours the night
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before the exam. Take frequent breaks from studying.
Complete reading of all chapters and notes first!
Complete the lecture guide questions, which serve as your first round of “study guide” type questions.
Read the summaries at the back of the chapters - a great way to review especially right before the test.
Answer all fill in the blank questions at the end of each chapter, many of the topics covered in those review
questions will actually be used on the exam. Answers can be found in the appendix at the back of the book,
(starting on pg 936) but only refer to these after you have first attempt the questions that correspond to the
assigned sections, just looking up the answers does not serve your learning goals.
Examine the labs & quiz preceding the test including the introductory material. Make sure that you
understand all questions and if you missed answering these – then understand why you missed them.
Nature of Science
Material from lecture, Chapter1
1. What is Science? What is biology? What do we mean by nature?
2.
a.
Terms: knowledge, observation, hypothesis, experiment, scientific theory, control
b.
Scientific method—what are the steps involved? What is critical thinking?
c.
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a scientific theory?
Know the different levels of the organization of matter on pg 3.
3. What is the principle of natural causality?
4. Know the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning.
5. How are species named? Be familiar with the Genus and species level.
6. What is an adaptation and can you give examples?
7. What is a biodiversity hotspot?
8. Know the different types of species (refer to the handout on this topic) e.g. endangered, threatened, keystone.
Population biology
Material from lecture, Chapter 26 & Survivorship lab
1. Population biology
b.
Know the factors that affect population size, density, and distribution
c.
Know about different population growth curves (e.g. J-shaped and S-shaped, predator-prey cycles)
d.
Be able to recognize/name density dependent and independent limits on population growth
e.
Compare/contrast zero population growth, biotic potential and carrying capacity.
Study Guide for Exam 1
General Biology 101, Winter 2006
f.
What is environmental resistance and can you name different types of selection pressures?
g.
Know the different types of survivorship curves and examples of species that exhibit each type.
Which kind are humans? fish? birds?
h.
Be familiar with demographics, what type of statistics are used to describe these?
i.
Be able to calculate b, d, r and how to use these calculations to make predictions about
populations.
j.
Know the different types of distribution patterns. Clumping, Random, Uniform
k.
Be able to recognize the different types of age-structure diagrams (See figure 26-19 and 26-20).
l.
Know the 3 different consequences of a population that exceeds carrying capacity i.e. what can
happen to the environment? i.e. level of damage. Are there natural examples of this?
2.
Terms: population, carrying capacity, biology, ecology, exponential growth, survivorship curve, agestructure diagrams, limiting factor, logistic growth, density dependent/independent, zero population
growth.
Community Ecology
Material from lecture, Chapter 27 & Allelopathy lab
1. Where do organisms live?
a. What is a habitat? A niche? What is the difference between the two?
b. What are some of the factors/elements necessary for habitat?
2. Be familiar with the different forms of species interaction i.e. symbiosis, how do the two species benefit or
are harmed in the interaction?
3. Community ecology
a.
How do species interact in a community?
b.
How can prey species defend themselves?
c.
What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?
d.
Understand the process of succession and how it affects species richness
e.
What are the characteristics of a successful invasive species?
4. Know the different aspects of competition
a. Interspecific vs. Intraspecific.
b. What is competitive exclusion? Be familiar with the Gause experiment that demonstrates this.
c. How can species with overlapping niches co-exist?
4. Terms: climax community, commensalism, community, competition, competitive exclusion, niche, habitat,
co-evolution, keystone species, symbiosis e.g. mutualism, parasitism, social parasites, pioneer species,
predation, resource partitioning, succession, competitive exclusion
Study Guide for Exam 1
General Biology 101, Winter 2006
Ecosystems
Material from lecture, Chapter 28 Community Structure and lab on Nutrient limitations
1. Energy pathways in ecosystems
a.
Energy flows through ecosystems in a one-way path
b.
Understand the path of energy through ecosystems
c.
How does photosynthesis work—what are the inputs and outputs?
d.
Understand trophic levels and how food webs are organized
e.
What is the difference between a community and an ecosystem?
2. Energy budget for ecosystems
a.
Gross primary productivity vs. net primary productivity
b.
What happens to available energy as it flows upward through the food chain?
c.
Understand the energy pyramid
3. Materials (e.g. carbon, nitrogen) cycle through ecosystems
a.
How does the carbon cycle work? Be able to follow a C atom through the cycle.
b.
What is global warming and how is it related to the carbon cycle?
c.
Understand the basics of the water, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles
4. Terms: autotrophs, carnivore, cellular respiration, consumers (primary, secondary, tertiary), decomposers,
detritivores, ecosystem, energy pyramid, eutrophication, herbivore, heterotrophs, omnivore, photosynthesis,
primary producers
Case Studies & Activities covered for Midterm #1
1) Western Snowy Plover
2) Zebra Mussels
3) Sea Star example of keystone species
4) British Squirrel dilemma
5) How does one construct a food chain or food web?