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BASIC CONCEPTS IN ECOLOGY Topic: Ecology

Vocabulary/Notes:

Date: This worksheet accompanies the interactive PowerPoint Show “Basic Concepts and Terminology in Ecology”. 1. Describe the topic area ecology investigates.

2. Describe and explain what the scientific terms shown in the illustration below refer to and how they relate to one

another.

3. Match both groups of environmental factors with their correct description, and name examples for both of them.

abiotic environmental factors biotic environmental factors

explanation:

factors of the animate

environment

explanation:

factors of the

inanimate environment

examples: examples:

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BASIC CONCEPTS IN ECOLOGY Topic: Ecology

Vocabulary/Notes:

Environmental Factor Temperature 4. Using the graph shown below, explain the general influence temperature has on organisms.

5. Fill in the missing information in the table below.

Homoiothermic Animals Poikilothermic Animals explanation:

advantage:

disadvantage:

6. State the zoogeographical rules named and illustrated below, and explain their biological causation.

Bergmann’s Rule

side length 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Ao 6 24 54 96 150 216 294 384

V 1 8 27 64 125 216 343 512

Ao/V 6 3 2 3/2 6/5 1 6/7 3/4

rate

of

met

abol

ism

[re

lati

ve u

nits

]

temperature [relative units]

rate of reaction-temperature-correlation

temperature tolerance

number of operative enzymes

Galapagos Penguin

L: 49 cm

Emperor Penguin

L: 122 cm

© Samuel Blanc Source: http://commons.

wikimedia.org/wiki/ Aptenodytes_forsteri#/media/ File:Emperor_Penguin_ Manchot_empereur.jpg

License: CC BY-SA 3.0

© putneymark Source: http://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Galapagos_penguin_%28 Spheniscus_mendiculus%29.jpg

License: CC BY-SA 2.0

© 2019 www.noworriesbiology.com All rights reserved.

BASIC CONCEPTS IN ECOLOGY Topic: Ecology

Vocabulary/Notes:

Allen’s Rule

Environmental Factor Water 7. Add the missing terms of the water cycle in the sketch below.

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_cycle_blank.svg © Ingwik License: CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)

Arctic Fox

L: 68 cm

Desert Fox

L: 41 cm Source:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/Alopex_lagopus#/

media/File:ArcticFoxesLyd.jpg

public domain

{{PD-US-expired}}

© 2019 www.noworriesbiology.com All rights reserved.

BASIC CONCEPTS IN ECOLOGY Topic: Ecology

Vocabulary/Notes:

Environmental Factor Light

8. Using the sketch below as guidance, explain the influence of light on ecosystems.

Environmental Factor Salt

9. Describe the processes of diffusion and osmosis.

Diffusion:

Osmosis:

rate

of p

hoto

synt

hesis

[r

elat

ive

units

]

light intensity [relative units]

© 2019 www.noworriesbiology.com All rights reserved.

BASIC CONCEPTS IN ECOLOGY Topic: Ecology

Vocabulary/Notes:

* organisms not depicted in proportion Picture altered from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Food_chain.png

public domain {{PD-US-expired}}

Food Chains 10. Using the terminology of ecology, name the links of a food chain. Explain why food chains are usually strongly

simplified representations of feeding relationships in nature.

consumer

Picture altered from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category: Food_chain#/media/File:Naringspyramid.jpg

public domain