Earth Systems and Resources
Identify the type of plate boundary that creates mid-ocean ridges and describe the geological feature it forms.
Divergent boundary; it forms rift valleys and mid-ocean ridges due to magma rising between plates.
What ecosystem has the highest net primary productivity and why?
Tropical rainforests; due to year-round sunlight, rainfall, and warm temperatures.
What does a Type III survivorship curve suggest about parental investment and offspring survival?
Low parental care; many offspring with low survival—typical of r-selected species like fish and insects.
How does overgrazing contribute to desertification in semi-arid climates?
Destroys vegetation, exposes soil to erosion, and reduces water infiltration.
Which greenhouse gas has the highest global warming potential (GWP), and what is its primary source?
Methane, and decaying organic matter
Describe ways the tilt of Earth's axis contribute to long-term climate patterns
Axial tilt affects seasonality, the northern and southern hemispheres are tilted towards and away from the sun during different seasons.
Explain the role of keystone species using a specific example.
Sea otters maintain kelp forest health by controlling sea urchin populations.
But will accept others.
Identify two density-dependent and two density-independent population limiting factors.
Density-dependent: competition, disease; density-independent: natural disasters, climate change
Evaluate the sustainability of clear-cutting versus selective cutting.
Clear-cutting is efficient but causes habitat loss and erosion; selective cutting maintains ecosystem structure but is costlier.
Explain the albedo effect and how melting Arctic ice affects global climate feedback loops.
Ice reflects sunlight (high albedo); melting exposes dark ocean, absorbing heat and accelerating warming.
Explain the process of soil salinization and its impact on agriculture in arid regions.
Salts build up in soil due to evaporation of irrigation water; reduces plant growth by limiting water uptake.
Describe two major biogeochemical consequences of deforestation in the Amazon.
Reduced carbon sequestration (carbon cycle) and disrupted nitrogen uptake (nitrogen cycle), leading to nutrient-poor soils.
Analyze the factors that affect a nation’s total fertility rate and explain why TFR is often lower in developed nations.
Education, access to contraception, urbanization, and women's rights lower TFR in developed countries.
Explain how concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) contribute to nutrient pollution and antimicrobial resistance.
Excess manure leads to runoff; widespread antibiotic use selects for resistant bacteria.
Define ocean acidification and its primary ecological impact.
CO₂ dissolves in seawater forming carbonic acid; harms calcifying organisms like coral and shellfish
Analyze how thermohaline circulation regulates global climate and what might happen if ice sheet melting disrupts it.
It distributes heat by moving warm and cold water; if disrupted, Europe may cool and tropical storms may intensify.
What are the impacts of habitat fragmentation on species richness and gene flow.
Decreases species richness by isolating populations; reduces gene flow, increasing inbreeding and extinction risk.
Describe two ecological consequences of overshooting a population’s carrying capacity.
Resource depletion leads to population crashes and ecosystem degradation (e.g., overgrazing)
Compare water efficiency between traditional flood irrigation and drip irrigation in terms of evaporation, runoff, and yield.
Drip irrigation has lower evaporation and runoff, and higher yield per unit water used.
Differentiate between point and nonpoint source pollution with examples.
Point: single, identifiable source (factory pipe); nonpoint: diffuse sources (runoff from fields)
Justify how volcanic eruptions can lead to both short-term cooling and long-term soil fertility.
Ash reflects solar radiation (short-term cooling); lava/ash adds minerals to soil (long-term fertility).
Compare and contrast primary and secondary succession, including climax communities and pioneer species.
Primary begins on bare rock (e.g., after lava); secondary occurs after disturbance with soil intact (e.g., after fire). Climax communities are stable endpoints; pioneer species (lichens, grasses) begin each process.
Describe the growth rate of an age structure diagram with a narrow base.
declining
Analyze the trade-offs of mining rare earth metals used in green technology.
You need to state and costs and benefits
Benefits: enables clean energy tech (batteries, wind turbines); Costs: habitat destruction, toxic waste, water use.
DAILY DOUBLE
Explain how ocean warming and ocean acidification together threaten coral reef ecosystems and the marine biodiversity they support.
Ocean warming causes coral bleaching; acidification impairs coral skeleton formation. Together, they weaken reefs and reduce habitat complexity, threatening marine species reliant on coral ecosystems.