Bishop Kearney High Schoolmrs. Greanier

Name______Ecology II Review

Bishop Kearney High SchoolMrs. Greanier

1. List and explain 3 examples of habitat degradation.

Global warmingincreased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere trap heat near the Earth’s surface, increasing global temperatures

Acid rain air pollution rich in nitrogen and sulfur dissolves in water vapor and

accumulates in the soil and bodies of water, destroying life

Land fillssolid wastes are dumped in a hole in the ground where they decay,

polluting the land and possible nearby groundwater

1. What is migration? How does it affect local populations? The world population?

Migrationmovement of individuals into or out of a population

Local  immigration increases; emigration decreases

World  no affect

1. Explain the difference between organisms that exhibit a rapid life history and those that have slow life histories.

Rapid  small body size, rapid growth, early reproduction; unstable environments

Slow  larger body size, slower growth, later reproduction; stable environments

1. What is the difference between and S-shaped growth curve and a J-shaped curve?

J-shaped  shows exponential population growth in ideal conditions

S-shaped  shows exponential population growth with limiting factors; exhibits

a carrying capacity; more realistic

1. Explain density dependent and independent factors.

Dependent  have a greater affect as the population increases (ex  disease)

Independent  population size has no affect (ex  drought)

1. What are the characteristics of demographics?

Growth rate

Age structure

Distribution

1. How can the problems of habitat fragmentation be solved?

Habitat corridors can be used to connect smaller areas of land (“islands”)

to make one large habitat, increasing biodiversity

1. Why aren’t reintroduction programs perfect?

They are expensive to maintain, and don’t always work as some animals can

become domesticated and lose their natural instincts

1. What is the goal of conservation biology? How does it accomplish this goal?

Goal  preserve biodiversity

Enacting laws, creating national parks, reintroduction programs, preserving

organisms in captivity

1. Define the following terms:
2. Biodiversity: the variety of life in an area

1. Abiotic: nonliving factors

1. Biotic: living factors

1. Limiting factor: restricts population numbers

1. Carrying capacity: maximum number of individuals of the same species

that can be supported by an environment

1. Extinction: species that are no longer present in living forms

1. Demography: study of population growth rates

1. Edge effect: habitat fragmentation results in a decrease of interior organisms and an increase in those along the edge

1. Endangered species: species whose numbers have declined rapidly and are at risk of extinction