Ecology: Theory and Applications -
Final
Exam Review
Gaytha A. Langlois,
Ph.D.
Site Map
Review
Session - Wednesday, December 12th, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Chapters
to be Included
Weeks 7 - 14
(includes chapters 14,15,17,19,20,22,23 and Appendix II &
III)
Selected information (chapters 8-12) - see terminology below
The
movie, "An Inconvenient Truth" is included
Reserve Readings #9,10 are included
See posted lecture notes for outlines
Team Research Presentations are included (see websites for Details)
http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/ecoteamprojects.htm
Review
Material
Definition of an
ecosystem (trophic structure; types of ecosystems such as terrestrial,
marine, aquatic, estuarine)
Biogeochemical cycles
(carbon,
nitrogen, phosphorus, and pollutants such as mercury or radionuclides)
Biomagnification of
chemicals
in the environment
(e.g.,
pesticides, mercury,
chlorinated hydrocarbons, radionuclides)
Biodiversity (species
diversity;
population interactions; keystone species, exotic species)
Hydrological Cycle
(role
of transpiration, precipitation, stormwater runoff, groundwater
aquifers)
Major Biome Types (deserts, tropical rainforests, mixed deciduous
forests,
tundra, grasslands, coral reefs)
Types of water
pollution (e.g., sewage, pathogens, nutrients, organic and inorganic
chemicals)
Organisms:
(why?) Pfeisteria piscicida, three-toed sloth, zebra mussels,
snakehead fish, snow leopard,
Baijy, Metasequoia,
peregrine falcons
New
Material
Methods of sewage
treatment
(primary, secondary & tertiary; Imhoff tanks or trickling filters
for
aeration;
types of sludge disposal methods; role of federal Clean Water
Act)
Water Quality Testing
(D.O., B.O.D., coliform tests, nitrates, phosphates, salinity,
chlorides,
specific toxics testing, e.g., mercury, lead, pesticides, etc.)
Types and examples of
drinking
water problems (insufficient supply; surface reservoirs vs. groundwater
aquifers;
public vs. private
supplies;
pollution episodes such as arsenic, MTBE, pesticides, etc.)
Land use issues
(wetlands protection, vernal pools, drinking water quality, building
practices, zoning issues,
drainage runoff,
eutrophication, infrastructure costs, sustainable practices, etc.)
Problems associated
with
toxic chemicals (hormone disrupters, carcinogens, teratogens, mutagens)
Chemical toxicants
(Pesticides,
PCBs, mercury, dioxins, chorinated hydrocarbons,
radionuclides--see "Trace of the Black Wind")
Bottled water problems (petroleum for plastic, energy for shipping,
etc.)
Global environmental
issues
(e.g., deforestation, toxic wastes, biodiversity losses, human overpopulation,
stratosphere
ozone depletion,
global warming, ocean pollution, toxic algae blooms,fishery decline,
etc.)
Waste management
problems (toxic waste disposal,, bioremediation of toxic
wastesites)
Organisms:
(why?) Vorticella
marina, lichens, mosses, zooxanthellae, Porpostoma, Condylostoma)
Important locations
(Chernobyl,
Ukraine; Minamata Bay, Japan; Love Canal, Niagara Falls, NY; Bhopal,
India, Matunuck, RI)
China's population
problems
(size of population compared to land mass; growth rate and doubling
time;
crowding and food
supply
issues; government intervention in controlling overpopulation)
China's energy
problems and
solutions (extensive coal consumption, leading to higher air pollution;
development
of hydropower, specifically the Three Gorges Dam; consequences of
impounding
the Yangtze River behind the dam
China's problems with
endangered
species (e.g., Baiji, giant panda and Metasequoia trees) and
the country's
attempts
to reverse these trends and to better manage rare and
endangered
species
Team Research Presentations (see web sites for details); available at:
http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/ecoteamprojects.htm
(Missing web
sites
and updates will be posted as soon as I receive them)
Coral Reef Problems (values of reefs, causes of damage, research
techniques, solutions)
Global warming issues (polar regions, equatorial regions, sea level,
climate change, rainfall patterns, etc.)
Major environmental laws in the U.S., Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act,
Safe Drinking Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA, TSCA, Oil Pollution Control Act)
Special
Questions
I: Choose ONE question; Prepare ahead of exam (5 points)
(Bring
a word-processed
copy of these questions with you to the exam)
(1)
Identify a common pesticide (by name); describe the pesticide and its
use; note any
hazards associated with its use; know at least one alternative to using
that
particular pesticide.
(2) What are some of
the
impacts of exposure to methyl mercury? How widespread is this problem
in
the U.S.?
(3) What are some
causes
of coral reef bleaching and other types of degradation?
(4) What are some of
the problems associated with nuclear weapons production at Hanford,
Washington?
(5) Describe some
factors related to the outbreaks of Pfiesteria
in east coast estuaries?
(6) What are some of the health problems directly attributable to the
Chernobyl nuclear accident in the Ukraine?
(7) Describe one of the more populous countries in the world and
discuss how that nation is dealing with overpopulation?
(8) Discuss any one of the types of renewable energy, noting especially
the applications for developing countries.
(9) Describe any one of the recent major oil spills (location, extent,
damage, cleanup techniques used, present status).
Specific
Terms: Know the term and its context
(Also see review terms listed on
the website lecture outlines)
Acid Deposition
Baijy
Belarus
Biodiversity
Biofuels
CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act) - Superfund Act
Chlorinated
Hydrocarbons
(e.g., pesticides, dioxins, PCB's)
Clean Air Act
Clean Water Act
Constructed Wetland
Coral bleaching
Deforestation
Ecological Footprint
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Endangered Species Act
Estuary
Exotic Species (e.g.
Aquatic Plants)
Fecal Coliform Test
Green Buildings
ISDS
Land Use Plan
LUST
Metasequoia protection programs
Methane
Methyl Mercury
MTBE
National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Nitrogen oxides
Oil Pollution Control Act
pH
RCRA (Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act)
Renewable Energy
RI-DEM
Sulfur dioxide
Sustainability
TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act)
USEPA
Vernal Pools
Watershed
Wind Turbines
copyright
Gaytha
A. Langlois, Ph.D., 1999
Bryant
College, Smithfield, RI 02917
E-mail:
langlois@bryant.edu
Last
Updated: December 2007