Chapter 7: Geographical Ecology, Climate, and Biomes

Chapter 5: Biodiversity, Species Interactions, and Population Control Reading Guide, 16th edition

Directions: Identify the following. Be as specific as possible, and include names, dates, and relevant facts as appropriate. Be sure to explain the significance of the term. Use your own words. Each question/identification word should have a minimum of three sentences describing it. Core Case Study: Southern Sea Otters Question 1: Why should we care about the Southern Sea Otter? Besides the reasons mentioned, what ecological role do sea otters play and why is this important?

5.1 How do Species Interact? a) Competitive Exclusion Principle b) Predator-Prey Relationships c) Parasitism vs Mutualism vs Commensalism

Question 2: Looking at the food chain to the right, describe how different trophic levels would be affected by the removal of the snake. Make sure to describe all effects seen in the trophic cascade that would result.

Science Focus: Kelp Forest (Pg 104) Question 3: What are three ways to protect giant kelp forests and southern sea otters?

5.2 How Can Natural Selection Reduce Competition between Species? d) Resource partitioning

Go to Chapter 7 Page 141

7-1 What Factors Influence Climate? e) Weather vs Climate f) Currents g) Rain shadow Effect

Question 4: Why is Death Valley in California a desert? Explain using the idea of the rain shadow effect.

**END OF HOMEWORK**

5.3 Desert Biomes c) Adaptations of organisms to the desert biome

Question 3: My brother loves to ride his motorcycle in the deserts of California. He feels that destruction of the deserts is okay because not many organisms live there and it is hot and dry. Make an economic and environmental case to my brother for preserving the deserts.

5.4 Grassland and Chaparral Biomes d) Tropical Grasslands vs. Temperate Grasslands e) Chaparral/Mediterranean Question 4: List a limiting factor for the a) desert, b) arctic tundra, and c) grasslands. Describe how this limiting factor affects organisms in that biome.

5.5 Forest Biomes f) Tropical Rain Forest: Large leaves g) Taiga

Question 5: You are in love with the tropical rainforest of Brazil. You decide to move down to Brazil, and you build a house in the middle of the rainforest. You begin to plant crops for food (corn, wheat, tomotoes), but soon realize your crops are not growing. Why not? Explain (Use pg 119 for help).

5.6 Mountain Biomes h) Islands of Biodiversity

5.7 Human Impacts on Terrestrial Biomes i) Unsustainability vs Sustainability

Question 6: Figure 5-27 to 5-29 show the numerous ways we are destroying our biomes. What is the root of all of this destruction (don’t just say people…go further)?

Question 7: Should emphasis remain on increasing food production regardless of the method, or should agriculture be more concerned about the impact of food production on the environment and work towards sustainable agriculture?