Midterm Exam

Date Due: Tuesday March 23rd


1 (25 points) Answer only ONE of the following. Maximum length one side of a page single spaced.

A) Discuss the characteristics of (i) species and (ii) communities that allow species to invade new communities.

B) Discuss the trade-offs that are required to allow disturbance-mediated and coexistence-mediated coexistence.

2. (25 points). Maximum length one side of a page single spaced.

Pretend that your roommate, best friend, or significant other not particularly concerned about the damage that humans are currently doing to the environment. Explain the many ecosystem services that biodiversity supplies in an attempt to convince them that they should care.

3. (10 points) Fun with Graphs.

A)


Explain how the future value (measured in dollars) vary over time for both simple and compound interest

B) Draw the graph that shows how (a) the distance travelled varies over time and (b) the speed travelled varies over time for the following scenario.

You leave your house and slowly accellerate to the maximum speed limit. Once you reach the maximum speed limit you continue at that speed for some time. You slowly accellerate in order to pass a car and you crash into an immovable object (of course, your airbag deploys correctly so you aren't hurt and you insurance buys you a new car).

4. (10 points)

Compare the species diversity between the following two communities using at least three metrics.

Community A
Species 1- 5 individuals
Species 2- 4 individuals
Species 3- 6 individuals

Community B
Species 1- 1 individuals
Species 2- 10 individuals
Species 3- 3 individuals
Species 4- 1 individuals
1

5. (15 points)

Lubbock, TX is located about 33 degrees North latitude in the Southern High Plains. Use your knowledge of the factors that influence to explain why Lubbock has the climate it does.

6. (15 points) Maximunm length one side of a single page.

I prefer to study organisms so I find ecosystem ecology to be a bit less interesting than many other areas of ecology. Choose a topic of ecosystem ecology and convince me that it is indeed important for students of ecology to learn about ecosystem ecology.