🧠 Critical Thinking & Method
Define inductive reasoning and give an example.
Inductive reasoning makes generalizations based on observations. Example: All swans observed so far are white, so all swans must be white.
What causes Earth's seasons?
The tilt of Earth's axis (23.5°) as it orbits the sun causes seasonal variation in solar intensity.
What limits a species' geographic range?
Abiotic factors (climate, geography) and biotic factors (competition, predation).
Define mutualism and give an example.
Mutualism is an interaction where both species benefit. Example: Bees pollinating flowers.
What is the 10% Rule in energy transfer?
Only ~10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next; the rest is lost as heat.
Explain a step-by-step use of the scientific method.
1) Ask a question, 2) Form a hypothesis, 3) Conduct experiment, 4) Analyze data, 5) Draw conclusions, 6) Share results.
How does the tilt of Earth impact biome distribution?
Tilt causes variation in sunlight and temperature with latitude, affecting vegetation and climate.
Draw and label an exponential growth curve.
A J-shaped curve showing rapid, unchecked growth; population doubles over time.
What is the role of a keystone species?
A species with disproportionate influence on ecosystem structure (e.g., sea otters controlling sea urchin populations).
Identify one greenhouse gas and its effect.
CO₂ traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
Compare inductive vs. deductive reasoning
Inductive: specific to general. Deductive: general to specific. Example: Deductive – All mammals have lungs → A dog is a mammal → A dog has lungs.
Explain the rainshadow effect and apply it to Washington State.
Moist air rises over mountains, cools, and drops rain. Eastern WA is dry due to descending dry air.
Describe logistic growth. How does it differ from exponential growth?
logistic: S-shaped curve with carrying capacity. Growth slows as resources become limited.
Define and distinguish between fundamental and realized niches
Fundamental: where a species can live. Realized: where it does live, limited by competition.
Interpret a diagram of the nitrogen cycle.
Nitrogen is fixed by bacteria, taken up by plants, eaten by animals, and returned by decomposition.
Give an example of an emergent property at the ecosystem level.
Nutrient cycling or energy flow — properties not found in individual organisms.
How does solar radiation affect air circulation and biome placement?
Warm air rises at equator, cools, drops moisture → forms tropical forests. Dry air descends → deserts.
How do intra- and interspecific interactions affect dispersion patterns?
Competition can cause uniform spacing (intraspecific), while clumped patterns may result from resource distribution or social groups.
Predict effects of removing a top predator from a food web.
Trophic cascade: prey populations increase, altering ecosystem balance (e.g., overgrazing).
Explain how dead zones form and name one consequence.
Excess nutrients → algal blooms → oxygen depletion → marine life dies.
Evaluate the quality of an experiment and identify flaws in its design.
Look for lack of control group, small sample size, uncontrolled variables, or bias.
Predict the effect of increasing Hadley Cell size on biome locations.
Tropical and desert zones could shift poleward, changing biome distributions.
Predict how a high adult survival rate affects reproductive strategy.
Species may reproduce later, have fewer offspring, and invest more in each one (K-strategy).
Describe ecological succession and give an example of facilitation.
Succession is change in species over time. Facilitation: early species (e.g., mosses) make conditions better for later ones.
Propose one solution from restoration ecology and explain its mechanism.
Replanting native species restores habitat, stabilizes soil, and promotes biodiversity.