Ecology- Chapter 1

Question 1

The word Ecology
was coined in …. by
…..

Answer 1

1866- Ernst Haeckel

Question 2

Who is Ernst Haeckel?

Answer 2

1834-1919)
German biologist,
naturalist, philosopher,
physician, professor,
marine biologist, and
artist.

Question 3

How did Haeckel define Ecology?

Answer 3

He defined ecology as “the entire science of
the relations of the organism to the surrounding exterior
world, to which relations we can count in the broader
sense all the conditions of existence.”

Question 4

T/F: Ecology is, and always has been, of direct
relevance for human societies

Answer 4

True

Question 5

T/F: Early hunters and gatherers had to know about the
ecology of their food.

Answer 5

True

Question 6

T/F: the early agriculture could lead to manmade
ecological disasters.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

How did agriculture in Mesopotamia affect ecology?

Answer 7

Wheat cultivation started in Mesopotamia thousands of years
ago. Ecological mismanagement led to salinisation and
to the collapse of the culture.

Question 8

How would native Americans use Prairie ecology?

Answer 8

using fire to clear the land for
agriculture, improve grazing and forage for game species, or direct
game migration. Prescribed burning is today a tool for conservation.

Question 9

…. is a natural elements of prairie ecology

Answer 9

Fire

Question 10

Which of the following is an agricultural pet?
1. Ladybugs
2. Wheat stem sawfly larvae
3. Army cutworms
4. Colorado beetle larvae

Answer 10

4. Colorado beetle larvae

Question 11

How would Spraying the forest with the herbicide glyphosate affect ecosystem?

Answer 11

• Reduces competition by unwanted aspen* (intention).
• Reduces food availability for
  animals, such as moose.
• Increases risk of forest fires.
• Affects people who live off the land.
• May be carcinogenic.
• It may last in the environment for years

Question 12

What is Glyphosate?

Answer 12

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide preventing synthesis of some amino-
acids. Hence, it kills actively growing plants. Due to differences in phenology,
depending of the time of the year it may selectively kill broadleaf trees but not
conifers.

Question 13

Who is Theophrastus?

Answer 13

Theophrastus (c. 371 – c. 287 BC)
* A Greek philosopher
* He described interrelationships among animals and between animals and their environment as early as the 4th century BC

Question 14

name a Germán naturalist who is sometimes called “ Father of ecology”

Answer 14

Alexander Von Humboldt ( 1769-1859)

Question 15

Who is Alexander Von Humboldt?

Answer 15

German naturalist, and explorer.
Understood the interconnectedness of climate,
geography, nature, and human societies.
Sometimes called the “father of ecology”. One of the first scientists to empirically observe
and describe links between vegetation and
abiotic environmental conditions

Question 16

What did Humboldt discover during his trip to Mount Chimborazo?

Answer 16

Climbing Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, Alexander von Humboldt
understood the importance of latitudinal AND elevational climatic
gradients for vegetation forms and organisms in general

Question 17

T/f: “Without von Humboldt there would
have been no Darwin.”

Answer 17

True / quote by Andrea Wulf 2015

Question 18

Who is the primary popularizer of ecology in the US?

Answer 18

Henry Chandler Cowles

Question 19

Who is Henry Chandler Cowles?

Answer 19

1869 – 1939
American Botanist and ecological pioneer.

Question 20

Which one of the following statements is correct?
1.British Ecological Society was founded in 1960s, when general interest in environmental issues increased.
2. British Ecological Society was founded in 1913, when the number of scientists dealing with ecological questions was increasing
3. British Ecological Society was founded in 1875, just 6 years after Darwin’s”Origin of species”, that served as inspiration for the interest in Ecology..

Answer 20

3. British Ecological Society was founded in 1875, just 6 years after Darwin’s”Origin of species”, that served as inspiration for the interest in Ecology..

Question 21

British Ecological Society was formed in ….

Answer 21

1913

Question 22

Ecological Society of America is formed in ….

Answer 22

1915

Question 23

T/F: Ecology became a household word during the rise of
environmental awareness in the 1960s and 70s

Answer 23

True

Question 24

Name fields of ecology that are concerned with manmade environmental problems

Answer 24

1. Environmental Science /Studies
2. Anthropology
3. Archeology

Question 25

What are the things that ecologists do in terms of scientific methods?

Answer 25

1. conduct field measurements
2. Conduct experiments
3. use computer models as tools
4. Use molecular tools

Question 26

What is RAPD?

Answer 26

Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA: can be used to investigate genetic
variation

Question 27

What technique is used to study the genetic variation among Pinus
monticola and Pinus strobus?

Answer 27

RAPD, Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA

Question 28

T/F: Male squirrels have more parasites than female squirrels because they do not distance socially

Answer 28

True

Question 29

Among Eurasian red squirrels, what is the male behaviour related to the probability of infection in the population?

Answer 29

Males more territorial and aggressive,
physical contact even at low densities

Question 30

T/F : Nitrogen fertilizer applied by a California farmer can be found in Sudbury area lakes, such as Kelly Lake.

Answer 30

True

Question 31

T/F: Microplastics from environmental pollution have been found in human blood

Answer 31

True

Question 32

T/F: Characteristics of organisms reflect their biotic and
abiotic environments. All organisms are parts of
ecosystems and the biosphere

Answer 32

True

Question 33

Name a factor that makes organisms adapt to their environment.

Answer 33

Evolution

Question 34

What is one example of organisms adapting to changes caused by humans?

Answer 34

Racoon( Proycon lotor)