BIOL1611_FinalReview_2024

Exam Overview

Final Exam Date

• Week after Thanksgiving Break

Coverage

• Material from Lab #5 to Lab #10

Format

• Multiple Choice: 20 points

  • Covers essential terms and concepts from the labs.

• Short Answer: 60 points

  • Involves designing experiments, data collection methods, test validation processes, and data interpretations based on the labs studied.

• Matching: 20 points

  • Requires matching terms to corresponding figures learned throughout the course.

Lab Concepts and Terms

Lab #5: Ecological Principles

• Abiotic/Biotic Factors:

  • Important environmental components that influence ecosystems.

    • Abiotic Factors: Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment (e.g., temperature, water, sunlight).

    • Biotic Factors: Living components affecting ecosystems (e.g., plants, animals, microorganisms).

• Ecological Scales:

  • The levels of biological organization that characterize ecological study:

    • Individual: A single organism.

    • Population: A group of individuals of the same species in a specific area.

    • Community: Various populations interacting in a defined area.

    • Ecosystem: A biological community interacting with its environment.

    • Biome: Larger geographical areas characterized by specific climate and biological communities.

• Energy Dynamics:

  • Understanding energy flow through ecosystems.

  • Energy pyramids: Diagram representing energy loss at each trophic level.

  • Food webs: Complex diagrams illustrating feeding relationships between organisms.

  • Trophic Levels:

    • Represents the position of an organism in the food chain (producers, consumers, decomposers).

    • Fractional Trophic Level: Quantifiable levels of energy transfer.

    • Trophic Cascade: Indirect interactions that can affect entire ecosystems.

Lab #6: Statistics in Ecology

• Statistical Measures:

  • Mean: The average value of a data set.

  • Variance: Measurement of data spread or variability.

  • Standard Deviation: Indicates how much the individual data points differ from the mean.

• Normal Distribution:

  • Understanding the shape and properties of distributions, crucial for analysis in ecology.

    • Key percentages: 68% within 1 standard deviation, 95% within 2 SDs, and 99.7% within 3 SDs.

• Statistical Tests:

  • Evaluation of hypotheses through various statistical methods:

    • T-test: Compares means between two groups.

    • P-values: Indicates the probability that the observed difference occurred by chance.

    • Shapiro Wilks Test: Tests the normality of data distribution.

• Selection Types:

  • Explore mechanisms of evolution:

    • Stabilizing Selection: Favors intermediate phenotypes.

    • Directional Selection: Favors one extreme phenotype.

    • Diversifying Selection: Favors both extremes of phenotypes.

• Concepts:

  • Character Displacement: Phenomena where species evolve to minimize competition.

  • Relaxed Selection: Occurs when selective pressures are reduced.

Lab #7: Genetics and Data Visualization

• Genetics Terms:

  • Gene: A unit of heredity.

  • Allele: Different forms of a gene.

  • Genotype: Genetic makeup of an organism.

  • Phenotype: Observable characteristics of an organism.

• Phenotypic Concepts:

  • Investigating variability:

    • Phenotypic Plasticity: Ability to change phenotype in response to environmental variations.

    • Canalization: Resistance to environmental changes in phenotypic expression.

• Data Visualization Techniques:

  • Box Plots: Statistical graphics that summarize distributions.

  • Nuisance Variables: Variables that are not of primary interest but can affect results.

Lab #8: Microscopy and Hypothesis Testing

• Microscopy Techniques:

  • Magnification powers and the use of microscopes in biological studies.

• Phenotype Measurement:

  • Techniques for measuring and classifying phenotypes, including stomatal density.

• Hypothesis Testing:

  • The foundational steps in scientific inquiry to validate theories and assumptions.

Lab #9: Cellular Respiration and Measurement Techniques

• Cellular Respiration:

  • Key processes and equations for energy production in cells.

  • Carbonic Acid Formation: Reactions and implications for pH balance in biological systems.

  • Types of Respiration:

    • Anaerobic: Respiration without oxygen (e.g., fermentation).

    • Aerobic: Respiration involving oxygen, producing more energy.

• Indicator Use:

  • Use of phenolphthalein for tracking pH changes.

• Measurement Techniques:

  • Focus on indirect measurements in biological data collection.

Lab #10: F-test and Decision Making in Statistics

• F-test:

  • Analysis of variances between two or more groups to determine significance.

  • Important for deciding between t-tests based on the equality of variances (equal vs. unequal).

  • F-statistic and Critical Values: Determines whether to reject the null hypothesis.

Primary Concepts Organized

Ecological Organization

• Importance of understanding hierarchical scales: Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem, and Biome.

Statistical Measures

• In-depth understanding of mean, variance, standard deviation, and their applications in ecological studies.

Measurement Techniques

• Various types of measurements and sampling methods applicable in field studies such as transects and pitfall traps.

Hypothesis Testing Process

• Steps for formulating a hypothesis, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions crucial for scientific methodology.

Designing Experiments

• Criteria that guide testing questions, including emphasis on controlling nuisance variables that can distort outcomes.

Indicators and Measurements

• Usage and implications of indirect measurements and behavior as proxies for physiological assessments.

F-test and Statistics

• Detailed analysis of statistical significance when comparing group differences and implications on scientific research outcomes.

Selection Processes

• Comprehension of the types of natural selection and their effects on population genetics, essential for evolutionary biology studies.

Example Questions - Preparation Tips

• Multiple choice: Get comfortable with interpreting visual data, statistical outcomes, and concepts in ecology and biology.

• Short answers: Practice designing experimental questions based on hypothetical scenarios provided in class.

• Matching: Review and learn key terms and their definitions thoroughly, particularly focusing on their application in biological contexts.