Free Response Questions for Ecology Unit Test

You will have two of the following questions to write on for the free response portion of the test on Monday:

1)  Using an example for each, discuss the following ecological concepts:
            a)  Succession
            b)  Energy flow between trophic levels
            c)  Limiting factors
            d)  Carrying capacity


2)  Many populations exhibit the logistic growth curve
            a)  Describe what is occurring during each phase of the
                 curve.
            b)  Discuss THREE factors that might cause fluctuations in
                 the curve
            c)  Organisms demonstrate exponential (r) or logistic growth
                 (K) reproductive strategies.  Explain these two
                 strategies and discuss how they affect population size
                 over time.

3)  Living organisms play an important role in the recycling of many
     elements within an ecosystem.  Discuss how various types of
     organisms and their geochemical reactions contribute to the
     recycling of either the carbon or the nitrogen in an ecosystem. 
     Include in your answer one way in which human activity has an
     important impact on the nutrient cycle you have chosen.

4)  Describe and give an example of each of the following.  Include in
     your discussion the selective advantage of each:
                a.  Pheromones
                b.  Mimicry
                c.  Stereotyped