Download The Lesson of the Kaibab

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Vocab #8
ECO-LOGY
BIO-SPHERAORGPOPULAUTOHETERODETRIGEOMOLE-CULE
MACROMICROHYDRCONIFDECIDINTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY NOTES
 Ecology- ____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 Biosphere-___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 Ecosystem- __________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 Niche- ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
There are two types of things present in an ecosystem:
1.Living things are called ________________________________ factors.
Examples: _____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.Nonliving things are called __________________________________ factors.
Examples: ____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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 Biotic and abiotic factors __________________________ each other. Organisms change their
___________________________ and the environment changes the ______________________.
 All organisms depend in some way on other living things and non living things in the
environment.
 No organism is isolated! The survival of all organisms depends on their interactions with
_________________________ _______________________ in their surroundings and the
_______________________________ _____________________ of their environment.
 Any disturbance in one aspect of an ecosystem affects __________________
_____________________ ______________________.
Write-Up
From the Ecology Circle-Sit activity I learned that
____________________________________________________
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Question: What will happen when a population of bears the size of our class hunts for food in
their environment? How does the population size and the size of the environment affect the
animal?
1. Hypothesis: _________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What will happen to the blind bear, the injured bear, and the mother with the young cubs?
How will their impairments affect the hunt for food?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. As a bear, what do you think some of the obstacles will be in your quest for finding food?
____________________________________________________
4. Total # of kilograms your bear ate: ________________ kg
Fill in the data table below:
Food
# of
Kilograms
Percentage
Nuts
Data Table 1—Amount of Food
Berries
Insects
Meat
Plants
An actual bear’s diet will vary between areas, seasons, and years. For example, a bear in Alaska
would more likely eat more meat (fish) and fewer nuts than a bear in Arizona. One similarity
among black bears everywhere is that the majority of their diet is normally made up of a
vegetative material. The following are estimates of total pounds of food one bear in 10 days:
Berries and fruits
Nuts
Insects
Meat
Plants
20 kg =
20 kg =
12 kg =
8 kg =
20 kg =
25%
25%
15%
10%
25%
5. Now that you know what a “healthy” bear diet consists of, explain how healthy you think
your bear will be. Which foods were abundant in your bear’s diet? Which foods were
deficient? __________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
6. What is the term that ecologists use to describe things in the environment that limit the
number of individuals that can live there? ______________________________________
7. How many bears survived? _________
8. Divide the total number of kilograms eaten by the 80 kg needed for an individual bear to
survive a 10-day period: _______________ / 80 = ______________
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9. How many bears could the habitat support? ______________
10. What is the term that ecologists use to describe the maximum number of individuals an
environment can support? __________________________________________________
11. Was there a discrepancy between the number of bears that survived and the number of bears
the habitat could support? ______________________________________________
12. Explain why there might be a difference between the number of bears that survived and the
number of bears the habitat could support even if it did not occur in this situation.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
13. How will limiting the size of the bear population affect the hunt for food for the bears that
hunt? _______________________________________________________________
14. Based on this information, why do you think wildlife managers permit hunting? Can hunting
benefit some populations? Explain. ______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
15. What do you think will happen if only half the class hunted with the same amount of food
available?__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
16. Conclusion: Write a paragraph answering the following questions:
 What will happen when a population of bears the size of our class hunts for food in
their environment?
 How did the population size and the size of the environment affect the animal?
 Include the following terms in your answer: competition, population, carrying
capacity and limiting factor. (Underline each term.)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
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NOTES
Population: ____________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULATIONS
Population density: ______________________________________________________________
High Population Density Pic A
Describe:
Low Population Density Pic A
Describe:
High Population Density Pic B
Describe:
Low Population Density Pic B
Describe:
-5–
Ecology Packet
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Island Hopping Worksheet
(from http://www.sitesalive.com/ml/tg/private/mltgwkhop.pdf)
Read the paragraph below, then scan the map and table. Answer the questions that follow.
The Turks and Caicos Islands consist of about 30 islands, eight of which are inhabited. They lie in the
North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas, and are split into two main groups, the Caicos Islands
and the Turks Islands, separated by the Columbus Channel. The islands feature spectacular coral reefs,
beaches, and historical sites, but are relatively
undeveloped. The main businesses are tourism, offshore
financial services, fishing, and construction. Lobster and
conch are the main exports. The economy grew at a rate
of 13.9 percent in 1998 and 8.7 percent in 1999. Much of
the land is arid; only about 2 percent of the land is useful
for agriculture. Most items need to be imported, resulting
in a fairly high cost-of-living. Tourism is centered in
Providenciales; many islanders are moving there from
other islands. The territory’s only hospital is located on
Grand Turk. The table below provides information on the
size and population of each of the major islands. Use this
information to answer the questions below.
1. Calculate the population density (number of
people per square mile) of each island and fill in
that column of the table.
Island
Grand Turk
East Caicos
Middle Caicos
North Caicos
Providenciales
Salt Cay
South Caicos
West Caicos
Approximate
Population
6,000
0
275
1,500
8,000
200
1,200
0
Area
(square miles)
7
18
48
41
30
1
8
9
Population Density
(people/square mile)
2. (a) Which island has the largest population? _______________________________________
(b) The smallest? ____________________________________________________________
3. What percentage of the eight major islands are inhabited? ____________________________
4. The islands’ capital, Cockburn Town, is located on Grand Turk. It has a population of about
3,800. What fraction of the population of the people living on Grand Turk live in Cockburn
Town? _____________________________________________________________________
5. What is the total population of the eight major islands?______________________________
6. Which island is the largest? ____________________________________________________
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7. How much larger is it than the second largest island? _______________________________
8. What is the total area of the eight major Islands? ___________________________________
9. Which island has the highest population density? ___________________________________
10. Which island has the lowest population density? ___________________________________
11. The total population of all of the Turks and Caicos Islands, including two small inhabited
islands not listed in the above table, was estimated at 17,502 in 2000. The total area of all the
islands is approximately 166 square miles. Estimate the total population, total area, and
average population density of the 22 islands not listed in the table. Explain your calculations.
Total population = ____________________
Total area = __________________________
Avg Pop Density = ____________________
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POPULATION GROWTH
Things that affect population growth:
 Natality (Birth rate)
 Mortality (Death rate )
Question: What happens to the population when natality is greater than mortality?
Answer: ____________________________________________________________________
Question: What happens to the population when mortality is greater than natality?
Answer: ____________________________________________________________________
 Immigration: moving ___________ an area (hint:
 Emigration: ___________________ an area (hint:
)
)
CARRYING CAPACITY AND LIMITING FACTORS
Carrying capacity:_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
 Here is what a graph looks like when a population has reached carrying capacity:
 Limiting factor: ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
TWO TYPES OF POPULATION GROWTH
1. Exponential: _____________________________________________________________
 AKA: ____________________________________________________________
 Here is an exponential curve graph:
 This graph means that: _________________________________
____________________________________________________
2. Logistic: ________________________________________________________________
 AKA: ____________________________________________________________
 Here is a logistic curve graph:
 This graph means that: _________________________________
____________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
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A student grew a yeast culture on sterilized nutrient medium in a closed dish for 5 days. Each day, she
took the same size sample from the dish and placed it on a special slide used for counting
microorganisms. She examined the samples under a microscope and drew the following illustrations of
her observations over the course of the investigation. Each dot represents 10 yeast cells.
1. Why did the student use sterilized medium and keep the dish closed? _________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. What problem was this student investigating? ____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. During which two-day period was population growth most rapid? ____________________________
4. At what point did the population reach the carrying capacity of the culture dish? _________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
5. What factors probably limited the growth of the yeast population? ____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
6. How could the student change the investigation so that the carrying capacity of the yeast’s
environment is increased? ____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
7. What steps could the student take to ensure the accuracy of her results? ________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
8. Which graph best illustrates the growth of the student’s yeast population?
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Ecology Packet
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Deer: Predation or Starvation
Introduction: In 1970 the deer population of an island forest
reserve about 518 square kilometers in size was about 2000
animals. Although the island had excellent vegetation for
feeding, the food supply obviously had limits. Thus the
forest management personnel feared that overgrazing might
lead to mass starvation. Since the area was too remote for hunters, the wildlife
seervice decided to bring in natural predators to control the deer population. It was
hoped that natural predation would keep the deer population from becoming too
large and also increase the deer quality (or health), as predators often eliminate the
weaker members of the herd. In 1971, ten wolves were flown into the island.
The results of this program are shown in the following table. The Population
Change is the number of deer born minus the number of deer that died during that
year. Fill out the last column for each year (the first has been calculated for you).
Year
Wolf
Deer
Deer
Population Population Offspring
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
10
12
16
22
28
24
21
18
19
19
2,000
2,300
2,500
2.360
2,224
2,094
1,968
1,916
1,962
1,982
800
920
1,000
944
996
836
788
766
780
790
Deer
Predation Starvation Population
Change
400
100
+300
480
240
640
500
880
180
1,120
26
960
2
840
0
720
0
760
0
760
0
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Ecology Packet
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Graph the deer and wolf populations on the graph below. Use one color to show deer
populations and another color to show wolf populations.
Analysis
1. Describe what happened to the deer and wolf populations between 1971 and 1980.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What do you think would have happened to the deer on the island had wolves NOT been
introduced? _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
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The Lesson of the Kaibab
Introduction: The environment may be altered by forces within the
biotic community, as well as by relationships between organisms and
the physical environment. The carrying capacity of an ecosystem is
the maximum number of organisms that an area can support on a
sustained basis. The density of a population may produce such
profound changes in the environment that the environment becomes unsuitable for the survival
of that species. For instance, overgrazing of land may make the land unable to support the
grazing of animals that lived there.
Background:
Before 1905, the deer on the Kaibab Plateau were estimated to number about 4000. The average
carrying capacity of the range was then estimated to be about 30,000 deer. On November 28th,
1906, President Theodore Roosevelt created the Grand Canyon National Game Preserve to
protect the “finest deer herd in America.”
Unfortunately, by this time the Kaibab forest area had already been overgrazed by sheep, cattle,
and horses. Most of the tall grasses had been eliminated. The first step to protect the deer was to
ban all hunting. In addition, in 1907, The Forest Service tried to exterminate the predators of the
deer. Between 1907 and 1939, 816 mountain lions, 20 wolves, 7388 coyotes and more than 500
bobcats were killed.
Signs that the deer population was out of control began to appear as early as 1920 – the range
was beginning to deteriorate rapidly. The Forest Service reduced the number of livestock grazing
permits. By 1923, the deer were reported to be on the verge of starvation and the range
conditions were described as “deplorable.”
The Kaibab Deer Investigating Committee recommended that all livestock not owned by local
residents be removed immediately from the range and that the number of deer be cut in half as
quickly as possible. Hunting was reopened, and during the fall of 1924, 675 deer were killed by
hunters. However, these deer represented only one-tenth the number of deer that had been born
that spring. Over the next two winters, it is estimated that 60,000 deer starved to death.
Today, the Arizona Game Commission carefully manages the Kaibab area with regulations
geared to specific local needs. Hunting permits are issued to keep the deer in balance with their
range. Predators are protected to help keep herds in balance with food supplies. Tragic winter
losses can be checked by keeping the number of deer near the carrying capacity of the range.
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Ecology Packet
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Graph the deer population data.
Deer Population Per Year
1905
1910
1915
1920
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1935
1939
4,000
9,000
25,000
65,000
100,000
60,000
40,000
37,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
18,000
10,000
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1. During 1906 and 1907, what two methods did the Forest Service use to protect the Kaibab
deer? ___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Were these methods successful? Use the data from your graph to support your answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do you suppose the population of deer declined in 1925, although the elimination of
predators occurred? __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Why do you think the deer population size in 1900 was 4,000 when it is estimated that the
plateau has a carrying capacity of 30,000? ________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Based on these lessons, suggest what YOU would have done in the following years to manage
deer herds.
5. 1915: _____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
6. 1923: _____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
7. It is a criticism of many population ecologists that the pattern of population increase and
subsequent crash of the deer population would have occurred even if the bounty had not been
placed on the predators. Do you agree or disagree with this statement. Explain your
reasoning. __________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
8. What future management plans would you suggest for the Kaibab deer herd? _____________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
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Define symbiosis: _________________________________________________________
Definition:
Examples:
PREDATION
Definition:
PARASITISM
Examples:
COMPETITION
Definition:
Definition:
Definition:
Examples:
Examples:
Examples:
MUTUALISM
COMMENSALISM
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Ecology Packet
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WHATAVORES?
All organisms require energy to survive. The major source of energy on Earth
comes from the ______________.
Humans and other animals cannot stand out in the sun in order to gain energy.
So how do we get energy?
Plants are adapted to turn energy from the sun into a food source. Through
the process of _________________, plants use energy from the sun to make
_______________. These sugars are then stored inside of the plant.
Then an organism, such as a cow eats the plant. Organisms that eat plants are
called _____________. When the herbivore eats the grass, it eats the stored
sugars that provide energy.
The herbivore is later eaten by another organism (a human eating a cow, for
instance). Organisms that eat meat are called _____________. When the
carnivore eats another organism, it gains the sugars that provide energy.
Organisms that eat both plants and animals are called ______________.
THE CHAIN GANG
Producer
Consumer
Autotroph
Heterotroph
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→
_______________
Primary
consumer
→
_________________
Secondary
Consumer
Hour
→
_______________
Tertiary
Consumer
Detrivores (scavengers)
________________
Quaternary
Consumer
Decomposers
Torrens River Food Web
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Ecology Packet
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Torrens River Food Web
The Torrens River starts in the Adelaide hills as several small creeks which join to form one
larger creek. As it winds its way down the hills to the city, more and more water is added. It
generally only flows in winter when the rainfall is sufficient, and it dries up into small
waterholes during the summer. A weir is used to hold water permanently in the city. It is
surprising how many organisms rely on the river for their existence.
Algae can be observed growing in the water, as well as water ribbons (Triglochin procerum). On
the water edge, fluffy topped reeds such as the common reed (Phragmites australis) and the
bulrush (Typhus sp.) grow. Water boatman observed swimming in the water. They are eating
the algae and reeds. Mosquito larvae also eat the algae while the fresh water snail eats both the
algae and water ribbons. A long necked tortoise pokes its nostrils above the water. The tortoise
eats the algae too, as well as feeding on snails, boatman and yabbies. The water boatman
provides food for many species including fish, frogs, diving beetles and dragonfly larvae. The
yabbies are scavengers, feeding on rotting plant and animal matter, while bacteria also help break
down this dead material by digesting it and recycling nutrients in the food web. The mosquito
larvae are considered a delicacy for frogs (such as the common froglet) and several varieties of
fish (such as the big-headed gudgeon or the congolli).
Birds are in abundance along the waterway. Pacific black ducks are feeding on fish, dragonfly
larvae and diving beetles, while the occasional visiting pelican feeds on fish, frogs, and
dragonfly larvae. Black swans make a beautiful sight, bending their elegant necks to forage
under the water grazing on the water ribbons, snails and an occasional fish. The white-faced
heron makes a meal of the fish and frogs. The purple swamp hen runs quickly from the
bulrushes where it feeds on the tender growth of the bulrushes and also makes its nest. On the
bank a blue-tongue lizard is sunning itself in a warm rock. It snaps at the dragonflies and diving
beetle and beware the unwary frog, the lizard will sometimes eat them too.
1. Divide the organisms into the following categories:
Producers
1st Order Consumer
2nd Order Consumer (and higher)
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Ecology Packet
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2. Now complete your food web
It is best to start with the producers and build up. Complete the arrows to show the flow of
energy. You may need to read through parts of the text again.
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3. Which of the organisms contain chlorophyll? Are they producers or consumers? How do you
know? _____________________________________________________________________
4. Which organisms feed on algae? ________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Which organisms feed on fish? _________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
6. Find a food chain from your web with at least 4 organisms. Place them in the pyramid with
the producer at the bottom and the highest order consumer at the peak. Estimate numbers of
organisms for each level (their population) in that habitat. It should decrease as it goes
higher. Infer or explain why this happens.
7. What organisms are decomposers? Where do they live? What do they do? Indicate where
they fit in your food web. _____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
8. Predict what would happen to the organisms if (choose one):
 An oil spill occurred nearby
 All the fish were killed
 Several house owners nearby fertilized their lawns followed by a big rain
 The weather is warmer than usual and less rain falls
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
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Use the food web below to answer the following
questions:
1. What would happen to the population of rabbits
if a forest fire killed all of the trees?
_________________________________________
2. What would happen to the population of
grasshoppers if the frog population decreased?
_________________________________________
3. What would happen to the frog population if
grasshoppers became extinct?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
4. What would happen to the fox population if the
plant population decreased?
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
5. What would happen to the snake population if the grasshopper population increased?
______________________________________________________________________________
6. What would happen to the owl population if the squirrel population decreased?
______________________________________________________________________________
7. What would happen to the frog population if the rabbit population increased?
______________________________________________________________________________
8. What would happen to the tree population if the snake population decreased?
______________________________________________________________________________
9. What would happen to the mouse population if the frog population increased?
______________________________________________________________________________
10. What would happen to the squirrel population if the grasshopper population increased?
______________________________________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
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Number
Energy
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Biomass
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The food web below shows the relationship among some of the organisms found in a desert environment.
1. According to the food web, which of these organisms is an herbivore?
A) lizard
C) hawk
B) snake
D) grasshopper
2. Which of these shows the relationship between the lizard and the grasshopper?
A) parasite-host
C) mutualism
B) predator-prey
D) commensalism
3. Decomposers benefit an ecosystem by
A) manufacturing energy
B) returning nutrients to the soil
C) controlling the population
D) removing toxic substances
4. Which of the following organisms from the African savannah would you expect to be the least
abundant?
A) grass
C) zebra
B) lion
D) grasshopper
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Ecology Packet
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Hawks
Snakes
Rodents
Rodents
Green Plants
5. The greatest amount of energy present in this pyramid is found at the level of the
A) Hawks
B) Snakes
C) Rodents
D) Green Plants
E) Decomposers
6. The pyramid implies that, in order to live and grow, 1000 pounds of snakes would require
A) less than 1000 lbs. of green plants
D) no rodents
B) 1000 lbs. of rodents
E) more than 1000 lbs. of hawks
C) more than 1000 lbs. of rodents
7. Which of the following represents the food chain shown in the pyramid?
A) green plant, rodent, snake, hawk
D) hawk, green plant, rodent, snake
B) rodent, green plant, snake, hawk
E) green plant, snake, hawk, rodent
C) snake, green plant, rodent, hawk
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Ecology Packet
Name
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Tree
Hour
Bird
Hawk
Grasshopper
Rabbit
Fox
Snake
Mouse
Lizard
Grass
8. Examine the diagram of the food web above. How do you think the food web would be affected if
the grass and the shrub were both eliminated? Explain your answer. __________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
9. Examine the diagram of the food web above. Suppose you remove the rabbits, grasshoppers, birds,
mice from this food web. Which organisms would be affected and how?_______________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
10. Why is a food web a more complete picture of the feeding relationships in an ecosystem than food
chain is? _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
11. Explain the difference between the terms decomposer and detrivore. _________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
12. How does the transfer of energy in an ecosystem differ from the transfer of nutrients? ____________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
13. Explain why the same area of land can support more herbivores than carnivores.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
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BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES NOTES
•
•
•
•
•
“Bio” means ___________
“Geo” means _____________
Chemical
A cycle is _______________________
Therefore, biogeochemical cycles are processes in which substances move between living and
nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Biogeochemical Cycles ___________________________!
The substances that are being recycled are _______________________________!
THEY LAST ___________________
These are the cycles that never end… Yes they go on and on my friend. Some chemicals started
cycling not knowing what it was, now they’ll continue doing it forever just because these are the
cycles that never end…
3 Very Important Biogeochemical Cycles in Biology:
1. ___________ Cycle
2. ____________ Cycle
3. ______________ Cycle
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Ecology Packet
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1. What three major steps make up the water cycle?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
2. What are two ways that moisture returns to the air?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
3. Name two ways in which water
returns to the oceans from the land.
____________________________
____________________________
4. Name the main reservoir for water
on Earth.
____________________________
5. Describe the important role of plants
in the cycling of water through
ecosystems.
_____________________________
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CARBON CYCLE NOTES
Carbon is an __________________.
It is also an ______________________.
Carbon atoms are special because they can bond with up to __________ other atoms. It can also form
long __________________.
Therefore, molecules containing carbon can be very ____________________!
Large molecules are called ____________________________________.
(“macro” is the opposite of “micro” and means _______________________)
There are 4 classes, or types, of macromolecules that are important in Biology:
1. ______________________________ (sugars, starches)
2. _______________________ (fats)
3. _______________________ (meat, beans, nuts)
4. _______________________________________ (DNA, RNA)
Living things need all 4 of those classes. We need sugars and fats for ____________________, DNA to
guide our cells to perform ____________________________, and _________________ to actually
carry out those jobs.
Since all living things (or organisms) must have those biomolecules, and because those biomolecules are
made of carbon, any molecule that contains carbon is called _____________________.
(ORGANIC-ORGANISM)
So how does the carbon cycle work?
Plants breathe in _________________________________ and breathe out _________________
(__________________________________). Animals breathe in _____________________ and breathe
out ______________________________________ (____________________________).
The carbon that makes up living things is returned to the soil when an organism dies and decomposes.
Plants absorb carbon in the soil with their roots.
Burning (a process called ______________________) _________________________________ emits
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
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1. What is the process by which plants convert carbon dioxide into sugar? _________________
2. Explain what can happen over millions of years to the carbon compounds in organisms that die and
decompose. __________________________________________________________
3. What processes releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? _________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
4. How do plants and animals help to maintain a balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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Date
Hour
Like materials such as water and nitrogen, carbon cycles through ecosystems. Carbon is necessary for
life processes. As shown in the drawing, carbon is released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon
dioxide by many processes. Among the natural processes that release carbon dioxide are respiration of
plants and animals. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, also release carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.
Plants use carbon dioxide in the process of photosynthesis. In geologic processes, carbon dioxide
absorbed in water or soil combines with metals such as calcium to form compounds called carbonates.
Calcium carbonate, CaCO3, is an example. Carbonates and decaying organic matter are deposited as
sediment in bodies of water. Over long periods of time, the sediments can form rock and fossil fuels.
1. What are some other natural processes that produce carbon dioxide? ___________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. What are some human activities that are the source of carbon dioxide? __________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What atmospheric gas is necessary for respiration? _________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Hour
NITROGEN CYCLE NOTES
Why is nitrogen important?
1. Needed to make _________________________
2. Needed to make ______________________________ (like DNA)
Nitrogen cycles between different aspects of the environment and is never used up… (It will keep cycling
forever!)
___________% of the atmosphere (air) is made of nitrogen. This might seem handy for organisms who need it to
make proteins and nucleic acids, but…
Most living things can use nitrogen (N) in the form of _______________________ (NH3). This is NOT the same
type of nitrogen that is in the air!
So living things can’t just pull the nitrogen out of the air and use it. The nitrogen in the air must be
“__________________________” so that it can be used
Nitrogen Fixation:
Bacteria change nitrogen gas from the air into ammonia
The bacteria that “fix” nitrogen gas and turn it into ammonia are called nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria live in the _________________________ and in the _______________ of some plants
like beans, peas, clover, and alfalfa
Plants absorb _______________________ through their roots to make proteins and amino acids.
Organisms called ____________________________ are required to decompose dead organisms.
When decomposers break organisms down, they release the nitrogen-containing ammonia that made up the
organism’s proteins and nucleic acids. This process is called ________________________________.
__________________ and ____________________ contain nitrogen. When an organism urinates or defecates,
nitrogen in the form of ammonia enters the soil.
When ammonia enters the soil, another type of bacteria, called nitrifying bacteria, turn the ammonia into
compounds called nitrates and nitrites. This process is called ______________________________.
Plants use nitrates to make ___________________________. Proteins are chains of amino acids.
There’s one more group of bacteria that are important in the nitrogen cycle: _________________ bacteria. They
break down nitrates and release nitrogen back into the atmosphere. This is called denitrification.
So how do animals get nitrogen?
They have to ____________ plants, or they must eat _______________ that have eaten plants.
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Name
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Hour
1. What percent of the air consists of nitrogen gas?
______________________
2. Bacteria in root nodules change nitrogen gas into
what form? _________________
3. What is the role of decomposers in the nitrogen
cycle? _____________________
_________________________
4. How do plants obtain the nitrogen they need?
____________________________
5. How do herbivores obtain the nitrogen they need?
________________________
6. How do other animals obtain the nitrogen they
need? ________________________
_________________________
7. According to the diagram at left, how is nitrogen
returned to the atmosphere?
_________________________
8. What would be the impact on the nitrogen cycle
if there were a decrease in decomposition in a
given ecosystem?
_________________________
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Name
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Hour
1. What important material is needed by living things to make proteins?
_______________________________________________________
2. What is nitrogen fixation? Why is it necessary? ________________
_______________________________________________________
3. Trace the transfer of nitrogen in the nitrogen cycle, beginning in the
atmosphere. ____________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
1. Describe five instances in the
nitrogen cycle where bacterial
action is important:
(a)__________________
_____________________
(b)__________________
_____________________
(c)__________________
_____________________
(d)__________________
_____________________
(e)__________________
_____________________
2. State the form in which nitrogen is available to
most plants. ____________________________
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Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Hour
A biome is an area with one of the main types of climate, with its own distinguishable vegetation and
animal life. In each type of climate, characteristic vegetation tends to develop and maintain itself. This
characteristic vegetation provides habitats for characteristic animal life.
The distribution of different biomes all over the earth depends primarily on factors such as temperature,
precipitation, solar radiation, wind, soil, latitude, and altitude. Biomes are also affected by seasons,
which are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis. Ecologists use climatograms—graphs of temperature and
precipitation—to attempt to relate climate to patterns of life.
Materials: You will need three different colored pencils and paper.
1. Examine the six identified climatograms in Figure 1.
2. For each of these six biomes, write in Data Table 1 a brief statement about the annual patterns of
temperature and precipitation. A statement about the first biome (tundra) has been provided as an
example.
3. Table A has four sets of temperature and precipitation data for four locations. Plot these data (a, b, c,
d) on the blank climatograms in Figure 2. Use one colored pencil for the temperature line and
another colored pencil for the temperature line and another colored pencil to shade the bars for
precipitation.
4. Examine the data in Table B for six “unknown” climatograms (e, f, g, h, i, j). Identify the type of
biome for each “unknown” climatogram by writing the name of the biome in the space provided. For
the location, write “southern hemisphere”, “northern hemisphere”, or “equatorial zone”.
DATA TABLE 1: BIOMES OF SELECTED LOCATIONS
ANNUAL CLIMATE PATTERN
Biome
Precipitation
Temperature
Tundra
Very little overall,
mostly in summer
Distinct seasons; rises above freezing only
during the summer
Taiga
Mid-latitude
grassland
Mid-latitude
desert
Mid-latitude
deciduous forest
Tropical rain
forest
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Name
Date
- 35 –
Ecology Packet
Hour
Name
Date
Hour
TABLE A: MONTHLY TMERPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION FOR FOUR LOCATIONS
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
a. Tropical Deciduous Forest: Cuiaba, Brazil
T
27.2
27.2
27.2
26.7
25.6
23.9
24.4
25.6
27.8
27.8
27.8
27.2
P
24.9
21.1
21.1
10.2
5.3
0.8
0.5
2.8
5.1
11.4
15.0
20.6
b. Chaparral: Santa Monica, California
T
11.7
11.7
12.8
14.4
15.6
17.2
18.9
18.3
18.3
16.7
14.4
12.8
P
8.9
7.6
1.3
1.3
1.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3
1.5
3.6
5.8
c. Savanna: Moshi, Tanzania
T
23.2
23.2
22.2
21.2
19.8
18.3
17.9
18.4
19.8
21.4
22.0
22.4
P
3.6
6.1
9.2
30.1
30.2
5.1
5.1
2.5
2.0
3.0
8.1
6.4
d. Tropical Desert: Aden, Aden
T
24.6
25.1
26.4
28.5
30.6
31.9
31.1
30.3
31.1
28.8
26.5
25.1
P
0.8
0.5
1.3
0.5
0.3
0.3
0.0
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
NOTE: T=temperature, C
P=precipitation, cm
(a) biome:
(b)biome:
(c) biome:
(d)biome:
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Name
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Hour
TABLE B: MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPIATATION FOR SIX “UNKNOWN” LOCATIONS
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
e. T
1.1
1.7
6.1
12.2
17.8
22.2
25.0
23.3
20.0
13.9
7.8
2.2
P
8.1
7.6
8.9
8.4
9.2
9.9
11.2
10.2
7.9
7.9
6.4
7.9
T
10.6
11.1
12.2
14.4
15.6
19.4
21.1
21.7
20.0
16.7
13.9
11.1
P
9.1
8.9
8.6
6.6
5.1
2.0
0.5
0.5
3.6
8.4
10.9
10.4
g. T
25.6
25.6
24.4
25.0
24.4
23.3
23.3
24.4
24.4
25.0
25.6
25.6
P
25.8
24.9
31.0
16.5
25.4
18.8
16.8
11.7
22.1
18.3
21.3
29.2
h. T
12.8
15.0
18.3
21.1
25.0
29.4
32.8
32.2
28.9
22.2
16.1
13.3
f.
i.
j.
P
1.0
1.3
1.0
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.3
1.3
0.5
0.5
0.8
1.0
T
-3.9
-2.2
1.7
8.9
15.0
20.0
22.8
21.7
16.7
11.1
5.0
-0.6
P
2.3
1.8
2.8
2.8
3.2
5.8
5.3
3.0
3.6
2.8
4.1
3.3
T
19.4
18.9
18.3
16.1
15.0
13.3
12.8
13.3
14.4
15.0
16.7
17.8
P
0.0
0.0
1.5
0.5
8.9
14.7
12.2
8.1
2.0
1.0
0.3
0.8
FIGURE 3: CLATOGRAMS FOR TABLE B
(e) biome:
(f)biome:
(g) biome:
(h) biome:
(j) biome:
(i)biome:
- 37 –
Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Hour
Questions
1. Define a biome in your own words.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Which biome has the most evenly occuring, high amount of rainfall?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Which biomes have 25 cm or less of rainfall per year?
________________________________________________________________________
4. Which biome has the least fluctiations in annual temperatures?
________________________________________________________________________
Analyses and Conclusions
1. Summarize the rainfall pattern for each of the six biomes shown in Fig 1.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Summarize the temperature pattern for each of the six biomes shown in Fig 1.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Explain how you decided the identity of the biomes in Table B.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Most civilizations developed in a very few of the world’s major biomes. Identify one of
these biomes and infer reasons for the historical pattern of development of civilization in the
biome.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
DEVELOP A HYPOTHESIS
Based on the results of this lab, develop a hypothesis about the location of the biome with the
greatest number of certain kind of animals, such as amphibians, reptiles, or mammals.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Hour
Where am I?
Use the following excerpts from student’s letters to determine in which biome each student is living. Write the
name of the biome in the space provided. You will write the manes of some biomes twice.
1. “Much of the northern part of the northern hemisphere is like it is here – treeless. Soon, the short
growing season will be over. I tried to dig in the frozen ground a few days ago, but I could only dig a few
centimeters down. While I was digging, I saw and arctic fox.”
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. “I live near the equator. We get a lot of rain here – last year we had about 450 centimeters of rain.
There are many kinds of plains here. We have many trees that are about 45 meters tall. We have ferns
and climbing plants. There are also many animals. Every day I see many kinds of birds, reptiles, and
insects.”
______________________________________________________________________________
3. “All I can see for miles and miles is grass. There are only a few small trees and some shrubs to break the
monotony. There really aren’t too many different kinds of plants. But we have some interesting animals
that live here, for example, zebras and elephants. Last year during the dry season, we had several small
fires.”
______________________________________________________________________________
4. “It rained yesterday. We get more rain during some times of the year than others. Last evening I heard
a meadowlark sing. This morning I tried to dig in the ground to see how long the roots of the sod are.
Would you believe that the roots are about one to two meters long? I couldn’t dig that deep!”
______________________________________________________________________________
5. “We live between the tropic of Cancer and the equator. There is usually a wide range of temperature
between day and night. The soil is very sandy and there are few plants. It’s hard to grow many plants
here, since we get very little rain. I see many reptiles though. Most of them are nocturnal.”
______________________________________________________________________________
6. “We have four seasons. It is warm during the summer and cold during the winter. Most of the trees lose
their leaves in the fall. Many birds migrate to a warmer climate just before winter comes. I like to be
outside, though, and watch the animals. I like watching squirrels, raccoons, and deer the best.”
______________________________________________________________________________
7. “Our house is between 50N and 60N latitude. The winters are very cold. Sometimes it is as cold as -
70C! For this reason, most of the precipitation that we get is snow. The trees are shaped like cones, so
the snow falls off them and does not damage them. I like the summer. Too bad it’s so short.”
8.
______________________________________________________________________________
“The plants here are quite different from those I am familiar with. Leaf surfaces are small, some are only
spines. The stems and branches are thick in order to store water. The roots of the plants spread over a
large area and do not grow deep into the soil. After a rainfall, areas that were barren suddenly are
covered with flowering plants.”
__________________________________________________________________________________
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Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Vocab 9
Competition
Limiting
factor
Carrying
capacity
Population
Population
density
Mortality
Natality
Immigration
Emigration
Exponential
growth
J-shaped
curve
Logistic
growth
S-shaped
curve
Symbiosis
Parasitism
Host
Parasite
Predation
Predator
Prey
Mutualism
- 40 –
Ecology Packet
Hour
Name
Date
Hour
Commensalism
Autotroph
Heterotroph
Primary
consumer
Secondary
consumer
Tertiary
consumer
Quaternary
consumer
Detrivore
(AKA first-order consumer)
(AKA second-order consumer)
(AKA third-order consumer)
(AKA fourth-order consumer)
Decomposer
Ecological
pyramid
Rule of 10%
Biomass
Biogeochemical
cycle
Macromolecule
Organic
Nitrogen
fixation
Biome
Colonization
To migrate and settle in as a group
Communalism
A group of individuals of the same species who live and work together in
order to ensure the survival of the group
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Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Hour
ECOLOGY PROBLEMS
Green plants carry out the process of photosynthesis.
Glucose, a sugar, is the food product made during
this process. Glucose production can be used as a
means for measuring the rate at which photosynthesis
is occurring.
Examine the following graph of a plant called
saltbush (Atriplex). The graph shows how the plant’s
glucose (food) production is affected by temperature.
1. What is the abiotic factor affecting photosynthesis?
2. According to the graph, how does this factor affect photosynthesis?
3. Compare and give several examples of biotic and abiotic factors in a forest ecosystem.
4. Which of the following is an abiotic factor for a polar bear?
a) floating ice b) live prey c) large body size d) paws with thick hair
5. Describe an ecosystem in and around your home. List all the biotic and abiotic factors interacting
there and explain how you think they affect each other.
6. All of the biotic and abiotic factors in a small forest form a (n) ___________________.
a) population b) community c) ecosystem d) biosphere
7. Why is a jar of pond water an ecosystem?
8. Which of the following is a biotic factor in an ecosystem?
a) number of predators
c) amount of light received
b) average precipitation
d) average temperature
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Hour
9. Describe how a specific abiotic factor AND a specific biotic factor could affect the life of a deer.
10. Explain how temperature is a limiting factor for cactus in the desert.
11. Plan an investigation by writing two questions that would test temperature as a limiting factor for an
organism in an ecosystem.
12. Explain how the long-term survival of a species depends on resources that may be limited from time
to time.
13. A bacterial species was grown at different temperatures
represented in the graph below by cultures 1 through 4. From
the graph, identify the culture for which temperature was the
greatest limiting factor.
14. Which culture shows the greatest growth rate?
15. What does the dotted line in the graph to the right represent?
16. The solid line on the graph from point A to point B indicates that:
a) More deer are dying than are being born
b) More deer are being born than are dying
c) There are not enough predators
d) No limiting factors are at work
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Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Hour
17. A small group of mice invaded a new habitat with unlimited resources and their population grew
rapidly. A flood then swept through the habitat and three quarters of the mice were lost. Two months
later, the population was increasing again. What role did the flood play for the mouse population?
Draw a graph depicting the population history of this group.
The total world population and the
which it is growing are predicted to
change in the next 50 years. Plotting
information on a graph can provide a
that tells you how it is predicted to
change. This table contains figures
the U.S. Census Bureau and the
Nations Population Bureau that
world population change through
rate at
this
visual
from
United
predict
2050.
18. Graph the data.
19. Study your graph (from #16) and choose the term that best describes the trend that the graph
illustrates: Rising, leveling off, and declining. Explain your choice.
20. Based on the data in the table (see previous page), what can you infer happened to the population
growth rate after 1985?
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Ecology Packet
Name
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Hour
21. Based on the data predicted from 2010 through 2050, how would you describe the world
population? Growing, declining, stable? Explain your choice.
22. How do mortality and natality affect the growth rate of a population?
23. Explain the relationship between a growing population and the environment.
24. Construct a bar graph for the age structure of Kenya using the following data: Age 0-14=42%, age
15-44=39%, age 45+= 19%.
25. Describe what is happening to the growth of the
population shown at interval three in this graph.
26. When plotted on a graph, a population of field mice over time shows a J-shaped curve. This
indicates that __________________.
a) the population is decreasing
c) predators of the mice are decreasing
b) there may be no predators
d) food supply is low
27. A population of animals shows a sudden decline then recovers. Using ecological principles, discuss
two reasons this might occur.
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Ecology Packet
Name
Date
Hour
28. When populations increase, resource depletion may bring about _________________.
a) exponential growth
c) straight-line growth
b) increased competition
d) decreased competition
29. What is the relationship between a population and a species?
30. Water hyacinth populations double in 6 to 18 days. Introduced in the 1880s, populations of this plant
have clogged major waterways in several states. No predators exist for it in U.S. Does this species
have a J-shaped or S-shaped growth pattern? Explain your choice.
This graph compares the growth rates of two organisms when grown together and grown separately.
31. When grown separately, how would you best describe
what happened to organism 2 during week 3?
a) It reached carrying capacity.
b) The population died out.
c) It became threatened.
d) It began to grow exponentially.
32. When the organisms were grown together, what was
the approximate rate of growth between weeks 2 and
6?
33. Is this relationship an example of commensalism, parasitism, or mutualism?
34. What eventually happens to a population that is currently experiencing exponential growth? Explain.
35. The three-toed sloth often is camouflaged by algae. Which type of symbiosis does this represent and
why?
36. Why do autotrophs always occupy the lowest level in an ecological pyramid?
37. Explain the interactions between organisms in an ecological pyramid.
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Ecology Packet
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Hour
38. Draw and label an ecological pyramid that includes: deer, cougar, grass.
39. In the pyramid to the right, why is less energy available
in the second level?
40. The amount of energy in each level is about
__________% of what it was in the level below it.
41. Give two examples of how nitrogen cycles from the
abiotic portion of the environment into living things and back.
42. Which of the following would most decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the air?
a) a growing maple tree
c) a running dog
b) a person driving the car
d) a burning forest
43. Which of the following describes energy and matter in ecosystems?
a) Both energy and matter are completely recycled.
b) Matter recycles, but some energy is transferred.
c) Energy is recycled, but most matter is lost.
d) Both matter and energy are completely lost.
44. Describe three variations you would observe as you travel south from a taiga into a temperate forest.
45. Compare the biodiversity of the temperate forest biome with the tropical forest biome.
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Hour
46. In reading before a family trip, George found that the area they were traveling to was cold in winter,
hot in summer, and most of the land was planted in fields of wheat. Infer which biome George’s
family would visit. Explain your choice.
47. Make a table to show the climate, plant adaptations, and animal adaptations for the biomes presented
in this packet.
48. The forests in Washington State get 300 cm of rainfall per year, and the average temperature is 15º
C. What type of forest is this?
49. According to the graph, which biome would be
expected when rainfall ranges between 150200 cm/year?
a) Tropical rain forest
b) Grassland
c) Tropical seasonal forest
d) Savanna
50. Which biome extends over the largest
temperature variation?
51. Which biomes have the least productivity per
square meter per year?
52. Which biome occupies the smallest percent of
Earth’s surface?
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Ecology Packet