BIO 182 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS (RATED A+)
ecology; what is it's purpose? - ANSWER-study of how organisms interact with their
environment
-to understand the distribution and abundance of organisms
population - ANSWERgroup of individuals of the same species living in the same
area, at the same time
Ecosystem - ANSWERmultiple communites of organisms that live in an area along
with abiotic components
primary producer (autotroph) - ANSWERan organism that can synthesize its own
food from inorganic sources
Gross primary productivity (GPP) - ANSWERtotal amount of chemical energy
produced in a given area and time period
Net primary productivity (NPP) - ANSWERgrowth and reproduction, use of remaining
energy
Consumers - ANSWEReat living organisms
Primary consumer - ANSWEREat primary producers
secondary consumer - ANSWEREat primary consumers
tertiary consumers - ANSWEReat secondary consumers
community - ANSWERconsists of species that interact with one another within a
particular area
ecosystem - ANSWERconsists of all organisms in a particular region, along with
non-living components
abiotic components - ANSWERair, water, and non-living parts of soil
range - ANSWERgeographical distribution; abiotic & biotic determine range
biomes - ANSWERmajor groupings of plant and animal communities defined by a
dominant vegetation type
climate - ANSWERthe prevailing, long-term weather conditions found in an area
, tropical wet forests (rain forests) - ANSWERfound in equator regions where
temperatures are high and annual temperature is very low; produce abundant plant
growth, lead to high above-ground biomass
boreal forest (taiga) - ANSWERforms on subarctic lands, dominated by highly cold-
tolerant conifers; productivity is low, above-ground biomass is high because slow-
growing tree species may be long-lived and become big
tundra - ANSWERfound throughout the arctic regions; low productivity and low
above-ground biomass and its treeless
permafrost - ANSWERsoils are in a permanently frozen state; limits both the release
and uptake of nutrients
simulation studies - ANSWERare based on computer models of weather patterns in
local regions
observational studies - ANSWERbased on long-term monitoring at fixed site
historical studies - ANSWERexamine the relationship b/w CO2 levels, climate
change, & the distribution and abundance of organisms based on events millions of
years ago
experiments - ANSWERdesigned to simulate changed climate conditions and to
record responses by the organisms present
behavior - ANSWERan action or response to a stimulus
behavioral biology - ANSWERstudy of how organisms respond to particular stimuli
from those environments
proximate causation (mechanistic) - ANSWERexplains how actions occur
ultimate causation (evolutionary) - ANSWERexplains why actions occur
fixed action patterns (FAP's) - ANSWERhighly inflexible stereotypical behavior
patterns
innate behaviors - ANSWERbehavior that is inherited and shows little variation
based on learning or the individuals condition
cost benefit analysis - ANSWERanimals appear to weigh the costs and benefits of
responding to a particular situation in various ways
foraging - ANSWERwhen animals seek food
piloting - ANSWERuse of familiar landmarks
compass orientation - ANSWERmovement oriented in a specific direction
ANSWERS (RATED A+)
ecology; what is it's purpose? - ANSWER-study of how organisms interact with their
environment
-to understand the distribution and abundance of organisms
population - ANSWERgroup of individuals of the same species living in the same
area, at the same time
Ecosystem - ANSWERmultiple communites of organisms that live in an area along
with abiotic components
primary producer (autotroph) - ANSWERan organism that can synthesize its own
food from inorganic sources
Gross primary productivity (GPP) - ANSWERtotal amount of chemical energy
produced in a given area and time period
Net primary productivity (NPP) - ANSWERgrowth and reproduction, use of remaining
energy
Consumers - ANSWEReat living organisms
Primary consumer - ANSWEREat primary producers
secondary consumer - ANSWEREat primary consumers
tertiary consumers - ANSWEReat secondary consumers
community - ANSWERconsists of species that interact with one another within a
particular area
ecosystem - ANSWERconsists of all organisms in a particular region, along with
non-living components
abiotic components - ANSWERair, water, and non-living parts of soil
range - ANSWERgeographical distribution; abiotic & biotic determine range
biomes - ANSWERmajor groupings of plant and animal communities defined by a
dominant vegetation type
climate - ANSWERthe prevailing, long-term weather conditions found in an area
, tropical wet forests (rain forests) - ANSWERfound in equator regions where
temperatures are high and annual temperature is very low; produce abundant plant
growth, lead to high above-ground biomass
boreal forest (taiga) - ANSWERforms on subarctic lands, dominated by highly cold-
tolerant conifers; productivity is low, above-ground biomass is high because slow-
growing tree species may be long-lived and become big
tundra - ANSWERfound throughout the arctic regions; low productivity and low
above-ground biomass and its treeless
permafrost - ANSWERsoils are in a permanently frozen state; limits both the release
and uptake of nutrients
simulation studies - ANSWERare based on computer models of weather patterns in
local regions
observational studies - ANSWERbased on long-term monitoring at fixed site
historical studies - ANSWERexamine the relationship b/w CO2 levels, climate
change, & the distribution and abundance of organisms based on events millions of
years ago
experiments - ANSWERdesigned to simulate changed climate conditions and to
record responses by the organisms present
behavior - ANSWERan action or response to a stimulus
behavioral biology - ANSWERstudy of how organisms respond to particular stimuli
from those environments
proximate causation (mechanistic) - ANSWERexplains how actions occur
ultimate causation (evolutionary) - ANSWERexplains why actions occur
fixed action patterns (FAP's) - ANSWERhighly inflexible stereotypical behavior
patterns
innate behaviors - ANSWERbehavior that is inherited and shows little variation
based on learning or the individuals condition
cost benefit analysis - ANSWERanimals appear to weigh the costs and benefits of
responding to a particular situation in various ways
foraging - ANSWERwhen animals seek food
piloting - ANSWERuse of familiar landmarks
compass orientation - ANSWERmovement oriented in a specific direction
