DYNAMICS OF ECOSYSTEMS UNIT TEST REVIEW

UNIT TEST DATE: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014

The following questions cover the material weve covered from November 10 up until December 10.
Completing the questions alone will help you review the content that will be tested, but you should also
be reviewing all the notes, journals, and assignments completed during the unit.
The test will consist of a mix of multiple choice and short answer questions. There will be some diagrams
similar to the quiz, as well as a question with graphs. Lunch study sessions can be scheduled for
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for anyone who needs some extra help, or who needs to complete
outstanding assignments.
Biogeochemical Cycles / Nutrient Cycling
1. What are the products and reactants of photosynthesis?
2. What types of organisms perform photosynthesis?
3. What are the products and reactants of cellular respiration?
4. What types of organisms perform cellular respiration?
5. What are some ways to reduce your carbon footprint?
6. Identify and describe the three main processes of the nitrogen cycle.
7. What organisms are needed for the nitrogen cycle to continue?
8. How do humans add excess nitrogen to an ecosystem?
9. What is eutrophication? How does it affect an aquatic ecosystem?
Bioaccumulation and Energy Flow
1. Describe each: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers.
2. What is the source of energy for all living things? How does this energy enter a food chain?
3. What are detritivores and decomposers?
4. What is the 10% rule? How does this affect energy transfer in an ecosystem?
5. What is a pyramid of numbers? Draw an example.
6. What is a pyramid of biomass? Draw an example.
7. What is a pyramid of energy flow? Draw an example.
8. What is a persistent organic pollutant (POP)?
9. What is bioaccumulation?
10. What is biomagnification?
11. What does a pyramid of a biomagnified toxic substance like DDT look like? What does this say about how
persistent toxins move up the food chain?
Population Dynamics
1. What is a population?
2. What is a habitat? What is a niche?
3. What does carrying capacity mean? Name the four main factors that affect carrying capacity.
4. Describe the difference between density-dependent and density-independent factors.
5. Describe the difference between interspecific competition and intraspecific competition.
6. What does a J-Curve graph tell us?
7. What does an S-Curve graph tell us?
8. What does a delayed density dependence graph tell us?
Nutrient cycling, the flow of energy and toxins, and population dynamics all impact the BIODIVERSITY of an
ecosystem, the variety of life in a given ecosystem.