EXAM QUICK-REFERENCE: Key Lists & Mnemonics

Levels of Ecological Organization (Small → Large)

Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem → Biosphere | Mnemonic: "Only Pretty Cats Enter Biospheres"

Symbiotic Relationships

Mutualism (+/+) = BOTH benefit | Commensalism (+/0) = one benefits, other unaffected | Parasitism (+/−) = one benefits, one harmed

Succession: Primary vs. Secondary

Primary = starts on BARE ROCK, no soil (volcano/glacier) | Secondary = soil exists, disturbance occurred (fire/flood) | Both end at a CLIMAX COMMUNITY (stable, mature ecosystem)

Biomes — Key Climate Clues

Most rain = Tropical Rainforest | No rain = Desert | Frozen ground = Tundra | Cold conifers = Taiga | Grasses + big herbivores = Savanna

Energy Pyramid — 10% Rule

Only 10% of energy transfers to the next trophic level. 90% is lost as heat | Producer (most energy) → Herbivore → Carnivore → Apex Predator (least energy)

Moon Phases

New → Waxing Crescent → First Quarter → Waxing Gibbous → FULL → Waning Gibbous → Third Quarter → Waning Crescent → New | New Moon = dark; Full Moon = fully lit | Waxing = getting brighter; Waning = getting dimmer

Atmosphere Layers (low to high)

Troposphere → Stratosphere → Mesosphere → Thermosphere → Exosphere | "The Silly Monkey Takes Exercise"

Rock Types — How They Form

IGNEOUS = fire (magma/lava cools) | SEDIMENTARY = layers (sediment compacts) | METAMORPHIC = change (heat + pressure)

Earth's Layers (surface to center)

Crust → Mantle → Outer Core (liquid) → Inner Core (solid) | Outer Core's movement = Earth's magnetic field | Inner Core = hottest, solid due to pressure

Food Chain Energy Direction

Sun → Producers (plants) → Primary Consumers (herbivores) → Secondary Consumers → Apex Predator

Eclipse Information

SOLAR eclipse = MOON is in the way (New Moon) | LUNAR eclipse = EARTH is in the way (Full Moon) | Solar = dangerous to look at directly | Lunar = safe to view with naked eye

Carbon Cycle Key Processes

REMOVES CO2: Photosynthesis, Ocean absorption, Rock weathering | ADDS CO2: Respiration, Decomposition, Combustion (fossil fuels), Volcanic eruptions

OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE: Rocks vs. Minerals

Task 1: Define minerals & rocks + similarities/differences | Name all 3 rock types + how each forms + 1 example | Explain rock cycle connection | Answer: Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic solids with a definite chemical composition; rocks are made of one or more minerals. Igneous = cooled magma/lava (Granite), Sedimentary = compacted sediment (Sandstone), Metamorphic = changed by heat/pressure (Marble). Rock cycle connects them through processes like melting, erosion, compaction, and metamorphism.

OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE: Atmosphere

Task 2: Name all 5 layers with 1 fact each | Explain greenhouse effect | Explain Human activities | 2 consequences | 1 possible solution | Answer: Layers: Troposphere (weather occurs), Stratosphere (ozone layer), Mesosphere (meteors burn), Thermosphere (Aurora), Exosphere (outer space). Greenhouse effect: traps heat to keep Earth warm. Human activities: burning fossil fuels, deforestation. Consequences: global warming, melting ice caps. Solution: reduce emissions, plant trees, use renewable energy.

OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE: Marine Ecosystem

Task 3: Identify apex predator and producers; explain role of each | Trace 3+ chain effects based on apex predator | Draw 2 parallels to Yellowstone | Broader principle | Answer: Apex predator = shark; Producers = phytoplankton. Shark regulates prey populations (fish), preventing overgrazing on smaller species, which maintains ecosystem balance. Chain effects: fewer small fish → more zooplankton → phytoplankton kept in balance. Yellowstone parallel: wolves control deer → healthier vegetation; keystone predators maintain ecosystem stability. Broader principle: Apex predators are keystone species; their presence stabilizes ecosystems through top-down regulation.