Unit 1 bio

Question 1

Definition of biology

Answer 1

the scientific study of life

Question 2

Definition of science

Answer 2

an approach to understanding the natural world based on inquiry

Question 3

Steps of scientific method

Answer 3

1. observation/exploration
2. ask qurestions
3. testing + peer review
4. Analyze + support/reject hypothesis
5. conclusions

Question 4

Hypothesis formula

Answer 4

if IV…then DV

Question 5

Indep variable

Answer 5

what the scientists change

Question 6

Depend variable

Answer 6

data that is being collected (quantitative/qualitative)

Question 7

Properties of life

Answer 7

1. order
2. cells
3. growth and development
4. energy processing
5. regulation
6. response to environment
7. reproduction
8. evolution

Question 8

theory def

Answer 8

widely accepted explanation of many observations

Question 9

fact def

Answer 9

considered objectively true based on all current evidence

Question 10

hypothesis def

Answer 10

proposed explanation from a set of observations

Question 11

psuedoscience

Answer 11

any field of science that is FALSELY presented as having a scientific basis

Question 12

anecdotal evidence

Answer 12

an assertion based on a single or a few examples that DO NOT suport a generalized conclusion

Question 13

Ecology def

Answer 13

study of interactions between organisms and their environments

Question 14

Biome

Answer 14

an area classified by the species, temperature and precipitation there

Question 15

savana

Answer 15

grasslands; warm year-round; dry and rainy season

Question 16

chaparral

Answer 16

meditteranean

Question 17

Taiga

Answer 17

type of coniferous forest; largest terrestrial biome; LONG winters

Question 18

greenhouse gases

Answer 18

CO2, methane, water vapor

Question 19

greenhouse effect

Answer 19

heating of atmosphere by gg; this is necessary for earth not to freeze, but excess gg = global warming

Question 20

C02 is removed from atmosphere by…

Answer 20

incorporating it into photosynthesis

Question 21

Effect of global warming on oceans

Answer 21

oceans are Co2 sponges, making them more acidic and killing essential marine life

Question 22

photic vs. aphotic (marine biomes)

Answer 22

light available for photosynthesis vs. too murky/deep light availabel

Question 23

pelagic realm

Answer 23

open water

Question 24

estuary

Answer 24

transitional area between river and ocean

Question 25

Nitrogen cycle steps

Answer 25

1. N2 in atmosphere
2. Bacteria ‘fix’ N2 in root nodes into usable form
3. bacteria in soil ‘fix’ it
4. nitrifying bacteria convert it into nitrites/nitrates
5. No-3 used by plants to make amino acids
6. animal eat plants and uses N to make amino acids
7. excrete N with waste
8. denitrifying bacteria creates N2 again

Question 26

Patterns of dispersion

Answer 26

clumped, random, uniform

Question 27

opportunistic life history

Answer 27

enables species to adapt quickly to disturbances; type 3 survivorship; makes successful invasive species

Question 28

equilibrial life history

Answer 28

type 1 survivorship;; does not adapt to changes as quickly

Question 29

Density-dependent factors

Answer 29

limiting factors whose intsntiy is related to population desnity

Question 30

Examples of Density-depend factors

Answer 30

intraspecific competition, space available, accumulation of toxic waste, disease

Question 31

Density-independent factors

Answer 31

limiting factor whose intensity is unrelated to pop. density

Question 32

Examples of density-indep factors

Answer 32

abiotic factors - fires, floods, storms

Question 33

Population cycle (predator and prey pop. depend on eachother) example

Answer 33

snowshoe hare + lynx

Question 34

Age structure

Answer 34

diagram that displays the distribution of people of various ages; can also indicate social conditions

Question 35

population momentum

Answer 35

increased proportion of childbearing age in a population (e.e percent of girls under 15 helps indicate future pop. growth)

Question 36

author of Silent Spring

Answer 36

Rachel Carson

Question 37

Biodiversity

Answer 37

the variety of living things; makes an ecosystem stronger against disturbances

Question 38

trophic structure

Answer 38

partitioning of biomass between tropic levels (think pyramid)

Question 39

biological control of pests

Answer 39

intentional release of natural enemy to attack a pest population (risk of enemy becoming invasive)

Question 40

integrated pest managment

Answer 40

a combo of biological, chemica, and cultural methods for sustainable control of pests

Question 41

human population growth

Answer 41

Advances in food, sanitation, and health care = death rate decreased; scientists feared Earth will reach cc and dd factors would cause a pop. decline with human suffering

Question 42

mutualism

Answer 42

(+, +)

Question 43

commensalism

Answer 43

(+, 0)

Question 44

parasitism/predation

Answer 44

(+, -)

Question 45

compeittion

Answer 45

(-, -)

Question 46

relative abundance (component of biodiversity)

Answer 46

measure of how common one species is compared to the others in an area

Question 47

keystone species

Answer 47

occupies an ecological niche that holds the rest of the community in place