Unit 1 Review

Unit 1 Review

What is an ecosystem?

• a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

List the levels of ecological organization from smallest to largest.

• Orgamism

• Population

• Community

• Ecosystem

• Biosphere

What is a karyotype?

• the number and visual appearance of the chromosomes in the cell nuclei of an organism or species.

What is a karyotype used for?

• test to examine chromosomes in a sample of cells

• this test can help identify genetic problems as the cause of a disorder or disease

Can a karyotype be used to determine lion parentage?

• No, all lion chromosomes would be similar in size and shape.

List the four macromolecules, identify the function of each macromolecule and give at least one example of each one

• Carbohydrates; energy storage and structure; starch

• Lipids; energy storage, insulate and cushion organs, cell membranes, fats, oil, and waxes.

• Proteins; energy, hormones, growth and development, immunity; insulin and muscles

• Nucleic Acids; used to store and transmit genetic information; DNA and RNA

What happens during the process of nitrogen fixation?

• Atmospheric nitrogen (N2 gas, which is inorganic) is converted into a usable (and organic) form of nitrogen (usually ammonia or NO2)

Multiple Choice

What happens during the process of nitrogen fixation?

• Bacteria change ammonium into nitrate.

• Bacteria grow on nodules on plant roots.

• Bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen into ammonia.

• Bacteria absorb ammonia and excrete ammonium.

Why are bacteria important in the nitrogen cycle?

• They are responsible for aiding in the process of nitrogen fixation.

Multiple Choice

Bacteria are important in the nitrogen cycle because they __________.

• produce sugars that plants can use

• decay and eventually form fossil fuels

• respire, returning carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

• help convert nitrogen into a form that organisms can use

Approximately how much energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next?

• Approximately 10%

Multiple Choice

At each trophic level, the energy stored in the organisms in that level is about __________.

• B. 10% of the energy in the level below it

• A. 10% of the energy in the level above it

• C. 50% of the energy in the level below it

• D. 100% of the energy in the level below it

Define the terms BIOTIC and ABIOTIC.

• BIOTIC--describes a living component of an ecosystem

• ABIOTIC-- non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment which affect ecosystems. 

What is a limiting factor?

• an abiotic or biotic factor that restricts the number of individuals in a population.

List the 6 limiting factors, briefly describe each one, and state if the limiting factor is biotic or abiotic.  

• Competition--biotic

• Disease/Parasites--biotic

• Weather--abiotic

• Fires--abiotic

• Available habitat--both (depends on cause of habitat loss)

• Predators--biotic

When looking at an electrophoresis gel, how can you determine if the marker is homozygous or heterozygous?

• A marker that is homozyous will only contain one band

• A marker that is heterozygous will contain two different bands

A sea otter weighs approximately 25 kg and needs to consume 275 kcal/kg of body weight each day to survive.  How many kcals must a sea otter consume each day to maintain its body weight?  (Show your work!)

• 275 x 25 = 6, 875 kg

• 
  

If a sea otter at 35 urchins, 15 mussels, and 5 crabs, would it obtain enough energy to maintain its body weight?

• 35 urchins x 126 (kcals/urchin) = 4, 410

• 15 mussels x 40 (kcals/mussel) = 600

• 5 crabs x 80 (kcals/crab) = 400

• Total = 5410

• The sea otter needed 6, 875 kcals/day, so would not get enough energy from these prey items.

Is it better for female lions to hunt alone or in a group?

• It is better to hunt in a group...gives you a greater chance to catch larger prey using less energy and lowers your chances of getting hurt

Using the food chain: flower--->mouse--->snake--->hawk....

If the flower has 550, 000 kcals of energy, how much would the snake have?

• 5,500

Where do producers get there energy from?

• The sun

Multiple Choice

Which provides most of the energy in ecosystems?

• carnivores

• producers

• generalists

• keystone species

Why does each level in a food chain have less energy than the one below it?

• Some of the energy is used by the organism itself and some of the energy is lost to the environment as heat.

Multiple Choice

Each level in a food chain contains less energy than the one below it because some energy is __________.

• lost as heat

• added to the system

• consumed by carnivores

• consumed by carnivores

Multiple Choice

What does a pyramid of numbers represent?

• a chain of feeding relationships

• a network of feeding relationships

• the amount of biomass in an ecosystem

• the number of organisms in an ecosystem

Herbivore

• animal that only eats plants

• Elephant, giraffe, cow

Omnivore

• animal that eats both plants and animals

• warthog, fox, humans

carnivore

• animals that only eats other animals

• Lions and Tigers

Detritivore

• an animal which feeds on dead organic material, especially plant detritus.

  
  

• worms and millipedes