Ecology/BioPark Introduction

Question 1

What four facilities make up the Albuquerque Biological Park?

Answer 1

Zoo
Aquarium
Botanic Gardens
Tingley Beach

Question 2

What is the mission of the BioPark?

Answer 2

To enrich the quality of life for all through education, recreation, conservation and research, by providing a comprehensive environental park consisting of the Aquarium, Botanic Garden, Zoo and Tingley Beach.

Question 3

Who owns and operates the BioPark?

Answer 3

City of Albuquerque

Question 4

What is the goal of BioPark Education?

Answer 4

The goal of BioPark Education is to promote conservation. We strive to teach diversity and interdependence of life and inspire a sense of stewardship for the earth.

On-grounds interpretation, on-site and off-site programming and education volunteers enable us to accomplish our mission as a team.

Question 5

The director of the BioPark is _____________.

Answer 5

Rick Janser

Question 6

How can combining all four facilities into the BioPark help us to teach about nature?

Answer 6

share knowledge, ideas and projects that empower people to take conservation action
Exploration, modeling, diversity and connection
Exhibit species from all over the world, life is interconnected and able to show it by exhibiting species from all over

Question 7

What is ecology?

Answer 7

study of relationships between organisms and their environment

Question 8

What are habitat requirements?

Answer 8

appropriate food, water, shelter and space

Question 9

Explain how range and habitat differ.

Answer 9

Range is large geographical area throughout which an organism might be found (shown on a map)
Habitat is its home, where it lives in a complex interrelationship with other organisms around it

Question 10

Why is habitat important?

Answer 10

an organism’s home, indicator of healthy environment or healthy population, provides a necessary home

Question 11

Name at least two habitats represented at the BioPark. (Name more if you can)

Answer 11

Dragon Fly Pond
Desert
Rain Forest Habitat
Poison Dart Frogs
Rainforest, Aquatic, Savannah, Bosque, Marshland, Wetland, Ocean

Question 12

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 12

self contained unit
biological environment consisting of community of plant and animals in a given habitat and the non-living components
interact and living

Question 13

What is a niche?

Answer 13

The specific role performed by a plant or animal in an ecosystem
What it eats and where it lives
example: pollinator and burrower

Question 14

Define adaptation.

Answer 14

a peculiarity of structure, physiology or behavior that makes an organism better suited to live and reproduce in its environment
something that helps an organism survive and reproduces

Question 15

Give an example of a behavioral adaptation.

Answer 15

Hagnose snakes - play dead
Peacock - display feathers as a mating call
Mimic Octopus - uses tentacles to look like coral snake
Hag Fish - ties (behavioral) himself in a knot (structural), to excrete more mucus (physiological),

Question 16

Give an example of a physiological adaptation.

Answer 16

Cactus - open at night
Skunk - spraying potential predators to avoid being eaten, mechanism to spray is physiological, spraying itself is a behavioral adaptation

Question 17

Give an example of a structural adaptation.

Answer 17

Eels - body shape

Leaf bug - body shape

Question 18

Define evolution.

Answer 18

CHANGE OVER TIME
the biological process by which living organisms have developed structural, physiological and certain behavioral characteristics
slow, slow process

Question 19

Discuss the role of adaptation in evolution.

Answer 19

more successful survival
mechanism within evolution
adaptation is a process
b/p/s changes that stay because of successful survival - natural selection
scientific change over time
without adaptation no evolution

natural selection

Question 20

Draw a food web. What do the arrows in your drawing represent?

Answer 20

arrow point where the energy is going

Question 21

How is a food web different from a food chain?

Answer 21

web shows complicated energy flow, species depend on multiple sources for food
more accurate

Chain shows transfer of food energy in a linear fashion
sun - cattail - snail - sunfish - heron

Question 22

Why is the classification system important?

Answer 22

to categorize and show relationships between species

common language

Question 23

Give the correct order of these terms, starting with the broadest category:
Class, Kingdom, Order, Genus, Species, Phylum, Family

Answer 23

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Question 24

What is biodiversity, and why is it important?

Answer 24

variety of life on all levels
genetic diversity - provides “raw material” for natural selection
important for preservation of useful resources
species diversity

Question 25

Is interdependence an important concept in teaching about conservation? Why?

Answer 25

conservation message:
makes world an enjoyable place
care about all different levels because all are connected
Example: natural fire with lightning strikes, other plants flourish, grass eaters eat new grass and reproduce better etc…