GES 2613 - Exam 5 Review
Biodiversity - ansnumber of different species living in a specific area
Biogeography - ansstudy of the distribution of plants and animals in the biosphere
over space and time
Biomass - anstotal weight of the organic matter in an ecosystem
Commensalism - ansone benefits, the other is relatively unaffected
Community - ansA group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region
and interacting with each other
Denitrification - ansConversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas
Describe what a biome is - anslarge, stable ecosystems classified according to the
main vegetation type and the adaptations of its organisms to that environment
Desert biome - ans
Ecology - ansScientific study of interactions among organisms and between
organisms and their environment
Evolution - ansprocess in which the first single-celled organisms changed and
diversified over time, eventually producing the world's millions of species of
organisms
Forest biome - ans
Grassland biome - ans
Habitat - ansthe home of an organism
How do scientists account for this lower-than-expected atmospheric CO2
concentrations 150,000 years ago? - ansScientists interpret the lower-than-expected
CO2 level as resulting from the ocean's absorption of excessive atmospheric CO2
How do scientists use lake sediments to study past climates? - ansBy studying
pollen in lake and ice sediments, scientists can identify the species of plants from the
pollen, as well as the age of the pollen. By studying plant communities, scientists can
determine what the climate was like at a given time.
How does a food chain work? - ansEach organism in an ecosystem occupies a
specific trophic level or position in the food chain or web.
