Ecology:
Theory and Applications Gaytha A. Langlois,
Ph.D.
Site Map
Ecology - Exam I Review Updated:
February 28, 2008 Overall Strategy
Read assigned chapters
in Raven, Berg & Johnson, for Weeks 1-6 (Chaps. 1,2,3,4,5,17,25)
Read assigned Reserve
Readings (#1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 4C, 5, 6a, 6b)
Become familiar with
terms associated with each week's general lecture outline (Weeks 1-6)
Be able to discuss
Focus Questions for each week (Weeks 1-6)
(see "Course Notes"
on Site Map on this page)
Structure of the
Exam
Mixture of
different
types of questions (multiple choice, matching, T/F,
short answer
discussion
questions, IDs)
Approximately 70
objective
questions; about 8-10 short-answer questions
Coverage of Material
Emphasis on
understanding
concepts and applying examples
Even coverage of all
topics (no particular emphasis)
About 1/2 from
textbook and readings; 1/2 from classroom/website) Study Session
Review/question
session
with Professor (Wednesday, 4:00-5:00 p.m. before exam)
(Room 344 or
Laboratory 376)
Special
Topics of Emphasis
Complexity of
Environmental Decision Making
Systems Theory and
Application to Ecosystem Analysis
(including effects
of entropy and energy needs for systems)
Levels of Biological
Organization
Ecosystem Dynamics
(food webs, trophic interactions, photosynthesis, respiration)
Biogeochemical Cycles
(carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, mercury)
Hydrological Cycle
Biodiversity &
Ecological Sustainability
Infrastructure
Management (resource issues, stakeholders, short-term vs. long-term
benefits, etc.)
Natural
Capitalism (financial, infrastructure, human and natural capital)
Global Pollution
Problems
Major Environmental
Issues in China & Belarus
Ecology Issues in the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Region (e.g., post-Katrina
effects)
Additional
Terms (not already listed on the Course Web site)
Ambush Predators
Baijy (Yangtze River
dolphins)
Belarus (Energy needs,
government structure, Chernobyl)
Camouflage
Carbon
fixation
Chernobyl
Coral bleaching
Deductive
vs. Inductive Reasoning
Detritovores
Dualism/Relativism
Ecological Footprint
Ecological
Succession
Energy Needs of Systems
Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS)
Eutrophication
Exotic
Species (Invasive Species)
Frontier Mentality
Greenhouse
Gases
Highly Developed Countries (HDC) and Less Developed Countries (LDC)
Impacts of Population Growth on the Earth's Resources
IPAT Model
Infrastructure (focus on
U.S.)
Keystone Species
Kyoto Accords
Limits of Tolerance
Materials
Exchanges
Methyl Mercury
Metasequoia National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Nigerian
Crude Oil (why important to U.S.)
Organic Compound
Pioneer Organisms
POET Model
Polar Bears (threatened species)
Radionuclides
Scientific Method and Scientific Journal Publication Process Silent Spring (Rachel Carson)
- Importance of book?
Stratospheric
Ozone
Depletion
Sustainability
Three
Gorges Dam Tragedy of the Commons
(Garrett Hardin) - Importance of book?
Vernal Pools