Climate Change
Restoration Ecology
Biodiversity
Freshwater Ecosystems
Mixed Bag (+ everything else)
100
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate describes long-term weather patterns over decades or longer.
100
True or False: Restoration ecology means preserving an ecosystem exactly as it once existed.
False.
Restoration ecology is the scientific study of repairing and managing disturbed ecosystems.
100
What is the latitudinal gradient of biodiversity?
Biodiversity is highest near the equator and generally decreases toward the poles.
100
What is a riparian zone?
The vegetated area directly adjacent to a stream, river, or lake.
100
What is the difference between bioaccumulation and biomagnification?
Bioaccumulation occurs when chemicals build up within an organism over time. Biomagnification occurs when chemical concentrations increase at higher levels of a food chain.
200
Name two major greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
Carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), or water vapor.
200
Question: What is the difference between restoration ecology and ecological restoration?
Answer: Restoration ecology is the science; ecological restoration is the practical application of that science.
200
According to island biogeography theory, which island would be expected to have the highest biodiversity: a large island close to the mainland or a small island far from the mainland?
A large island close to the mainland.
Larger islands have lower extinction rates and islands closer to the mainland receive more immigrants.
200
Name one important ecological function of a riparian zone.
Filtering pollutants, reducing erosion, providing shade, supplying organic matter, or creating habitat.
200
True or False: Eutrophic lakes are often carbon sinks.
True.
High nutrient levels support plant growth, and some of the resulting organic matter becomes buried in sediments, storing carbon.
300
The majority of Earth's carbon is stored in which of the following: forests or oceans?
Oceans.
Oceans store far more carbon than forests, both dissolved in seawater and in marine sediments.
300
True or False: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is heavily utilized in restoration ecology and in IPM they use pesticides first and then, as a last resort, other pest control methods
False.IPM prioritizes lower-impact solutions first and uses pesticides only as a last resort.
300
This is a fundamental or Realised Niche?
Fundamental Niche (No competition etc)
The fundamental niche of a species is the full range of environmental conditions and resources it could potentially use if there were no limiting factors from other organisms
Hint: know what a realised niche looks like!!
300
Which type of lake is nutrient-poor and generally has clear water?
An oligotrophic lake.
300
True or False: Because tropical forests contain about 60% of Earth's biodiversity, they also cover about 60% of Earth's land surface.
False.
Tropical forests contain roughly 60% of biodiversity but occupy only about 7% of Earth's land area.
400
Hypoxia causes dead zones in the ocean. What is hypoxia, and how does it occur?
Hypoxia is a condition where water has very low dissolved oxygen levels. It occurs when excess nutrients (often from runoff like fertilizers) cause algal blooms. When the algae die, decomposition by bacteria uses up oxygen, creating low-oxygen zones where most marine life cannot survive.Ocean warming also contributes to hypoxia
400
What are threshold dynamics?
Points where ecosystems undergo major changes and may become difficult or impossible to restore to their previous condition.
400
True or False:Keytsone species are those whose presence, absence, or condition reflects the health of the environment or a specific environmental process. They act as “barometers” for ecosystem integrity, often being the first to show effects of pollution, habitat loss, or climate change. Examples include lichens for air quality or trout for water quality
False: That's an indicator Species.
Keystone species shape ecosystem structure and function; indicator species signal environmental health.Keystone species’ loss can alter or collapse ecosystems; indicator species’ decline signals environmental stress.Keystone species are about ecosystem engineering or trophic control; indicator species are about monitoring environmental conditions.
400
Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands improve water quality, reduce flooding, store carbon, and provide habitat for wildlife.
400
What are ecosystem services?
The benefits humans receive from ecosystems, such as food production, water purification, climate regulation, and pollination.
500
Rank the following actions from greatest to least reduction in carbon emissions: upgrading light bulbs
living car-free
adopting a plant-based diet
recycling
hanging clothes to dry.
Answer:
- Living car-free ( eliminates emissions from personal transportation)
- Adopting a plant-based diet (reduces emissions from livestock production)
- Recycling/hanging clothes to dry ( reduce energy demand)
- Upgrading light bulbs (Efficient light bulbs help, but their impact is relatively small compared to transportation and diet)
500
Name two major causes of ecological degradation.
Habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, climate change, or overharvesting.
500
What are some effects of habitat fragmentation on populations and biodiversity?
Fragmentation generally reduces population sizes and species richness. However, some species may thrive and increase in abundance, while overall biodiversity often declines.
500
What is the difference between a linear resource-use system and a circular resource-use system?
A linear system follows a "take-make-dispose" model, while a circular system emphasizes reuse, recycling, and waste reduction.
500
A forest contained four species with equal populations in 1965. By 2015, six species were present, but nearly all individuals belonged to a single species. What happened to species richness and effective species number?
Species richness increased, but effective species number decreased dramatically because one species became overwhelmingly dominant.
Hint: Know formulas!!!