Option C: Ecology and Conservation Review Questions

C1: Species and communities

  1. What are factors that affect the distribution of a species?
  2. Describe an example of plant and animal that shows limits of tolerance and zones of stress.
  3. Explain how a transect can be used to correlate distribution of species.
  4. Explain the significance of a keystone species.
  5. Define and give examples of a niche.
  6. Describe types of interactions between species (herbivory, predation, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism).
  7. Give an example of each of the above.
  8. Describe the symbiotic relationship between coral and zooxanthellae.
  9. Explain the concept of competitive exclusion.

C2: Communities and ecosystems

  1. Why do most species occupy different trophic levels and food chains?
  2. Define food web.
  3. Be able to draw and compare pyramids of energy.
  4. The percentage of ingested energy converted to biomass is dependent on the respiration rate. Explain this statement.
  5. Be able to explain food conversion ratios.
  6. What can be used to predict the type of stable ecosystem in an area?
  7. Be able to analyze a climograph.
  8. Be able to construct Gersmehl diagrams of taiga, desert and tropical rainforest.
  9. In a closed ecosystem, ______is exchanged with the surroundings, but not ______.
  10. Explain one example of how humans interfere with nutrient cycling.
  11. Differentiate between primary and secondary succession.
  12. Be able to analyze data showing primary succession: pioneer species and climax communities.
  13. Be able to describe an investigation that could be conducted on the effects of an environmental disturbance.

C3: Impacts of Humans on Ecosystems

  1. Outline impacts of invasive species on an ecosystem.
  2. Explain risks and benefits, and requirements for research, in using a biological control.
  3. Be able to evaluate use of biological control to reduce impact of alien species.
  4. Outline the effects of introducing the cane toad to Australia and the python or lion fish in Florida.
  5. Definebiomagnification.
  6. Discuss the causes and consequences of biomagnification.
  7. Discuss the trade-off between control of the malarial parasite and DDT pollution.
  8. What are some sources of microplastics and macroplastics?
  9. Describe the impacts of marine plastic debris on the Laysan albatross and leatherback turtle.

C4: Conservation of Biodiversity

  1. What is an indicator species?
  2. How is a biotic index calculated?
  3. Differentiate between in situ and ex situ conservation.
  4. Describe a case study of a captive breeding and reintroduction of an organism.
  5. How do biogeographic factors affect species diversity?
  6. Analyze the biodiversity of two ecosystems with Simpson’s index of diversity.
  7. Analyze the effects on diversity due to island size and edge effects.
  8. What are the two components of an ecosystem?

HL ONLY: C5: Population Ecology

  1. Describe two techniques to estimate population size.
  2. Why are random number generators important?
  3. What are ways to evaluate size of commercial marine resources?
  4. Analyze the effect of population size, age and reproductive status on sustainable fishing methods.
  5. Describe the use of capture-mark-release-recapture to estimate population sizes.
  6. What are the conditions necessary for exponential growth?
  7. Explain how you can model growth using yeast or Lemna.
  8. Describe significance of carrying capacity.
  9. Explain the sigmoid curve using natality, mortality, immigration and emigration.
  10. Discuss the effect of natality, mortality, immigration and emigration on population size.
  11. Describe top-down and bottom-up limiting factors.
  12. Outline bottom-up control of algal blooms by shortage of nutrients and top-down control by herbivory.

HL ONLY C6: the Nitrogen and Phosphorous Cycles

  1. Be able to draw and label the nitrogen cycle.
  2. What is the impact of water-logging on the nitrogen cycle?
  3. Describe the adaptations of insectivorous plants.
  4. What is the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria?
  5. Describe the mutual relationship of Rhizobium with roots.
  6. What is the role of denitrifying bacteria?
  7. How to fertilizers and crops affect the phosphorous cycle?
  8. Which has a lower rate of turnover, nitrogen or phosphorous cycle?
  9. Why might availability of phosphate become limiting to agriculture?
  10. Describe eutrophication and how it leads to biochemical oxygen demand.
  11. What are some solutions to disruptions in the phosphorous cycle?