****Lets start filling out these learning objectives so we can all get good grades!!

****
Shoutout to everyone doing this, yall the real MVPs
I will be in Hodges in the morning around 8am to study until the test at 12:40. If
anyone wants to get together to study either tonight or in the morning, send me an
email at
bxv533@vols.utk.edu
.
FBIs
1. Evolution
- Population of organisms and their cellular components have changed
over time through both selective and nonselective evolutionary processes.
2. Information Flow and Storage
- Information (DNA, for example) and signals are
used and exchanged within and among organisms to direct their functions.
3. Structure and Function
- All living systems (individuals, ecosystems, etc.) are made
of structural components; the characteristics of these structures determine how the
system functions.
4. Systems
- Living systems are interconnected, and they interact and influence each
other on multiple levels.
5. Transformation of Energy and Matter
- All living things acquire, use, and release
matter and energy for cellular / organismal functioning.

Evolution by Natural Selection

List the three requirements that must be met for natural selection to occur, and
explain why each of the requirements is necessary.
Variation
individuals in a population have variable phenotypes (traits)
Heritability
variations passed onto offspring
Differential Reproduction/fitness
unequal reproductive success in a
population & individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and
produce more surviving offspring, thus having higher fitness.
Propose a hypothesis for how natural selection could cause a trait to evolve within a
population.
The trait that causes an increase in fitness within an organism will pass it
down to its offspring because they are more likely to survive with that
specific trait. this doesnt sound right. anyone got a better explanation
Explain how mutations influence evolution by natural selection.
Mutations affect natural selection because it can give more variation
between traits allowing the traits to be passed down to the offspring. It will
cause natural selection if the organisms with the traits have a higher fitness
allowing them to pass on the trait.
Mutations are permanent changes in an organisms DNA that occur by chance
and can create new alleles.
The effect of mutations on an organisms fitness is
random
- can be
positive, negative, or neutral.

 Describe the evidence needed to support the hypothesis that a population has
evolved due to natural selection.
Variation
Heritable
Differential Reproduction/Fitness

Population Ecology
Distinguish between exponential and logistic population growth & describe
conditions that can cause each pattern.
Exponential population growth
- the growth rate, r, does not depend on the
number of individuals in the population.

Density-independent growth
J-shaped curve.
In nature, exponential growth is common in two circumstances:
1. A few individuals found a new population in a new habitat.
2. A population has been devastated by a storm or some other type of
catastrophe and then begins to recover, starting with a few surviving
individuals.
3. A new habitat, abundant food, and low competition/predators
It is not possible for exponential growth to continue
indefinitely.
Logistic Population Growth
- Changes in growth rate that occur as a function
of population density..

Density-dependent growth
Graph is S-shaped
In real populations, carrying capacity can change if the
environment changes.
Carrying capacity
: maximum number of individuals in a population
that can be supported in a particular habitat over a sustained period
of time.
Distinguish between density-independent and density-dependent factors and their
influence on population size.
Density-Independent Factors
Effect on birth rates and death rates is
independent of population size.
Usually abiotic (means physical rather than biological; not derived
from living organisms)
weather patterns, catastrophic events (hurricanes, volcanic eruptions,
drought)
Density-Dependent Factors
- effect on population growth changes as
population density increases.
Usually biotic (CAN influence carrying capacity)
Resources (food), area to live, predation, parasitism, competition, etc.

Interspecific Competition
Predict the outcome of competition between two species based on how much their
niches overlap and asymmetry of competition.
Fundamental niche
The range of resources or environmental conditions a
species can use
in the absence of competition
.
Realized niche
the portion of the fundamental niche that a species actually
occupies, given limiting factors such as competition with other species.
The species will find their realized niche. The species that is a stronger
competitor will typically have a the broader niche compared to the weaker
competitor.
Contrast the processes of competitive exclusion and niche differentiation in terms of
their Time-scale and the types of effects they have on populations.
competitive exclusion principle
two species that occupy the same niche
cannot coexist and the stronger will outcompete the other. Figure 55.3 in
book There IS still competition.
niche differentiation
evolutionary change in resources used caused by
competition of generations Natural Selection favors individuals that
DONT compete, and those that do compete will have their numbers lowered
or die 8off in future generations, resulting in two different (albeit smaller)
fundamental niches where NO competition exists. Figure 55. 6
Other important things for Interspecific Competition

Ecological Niche
- The range of resources a species can use or environmental
conditions it can tolerate.
Competitive Exclusion Principle
- Two species cannot coexist in the same
ecological niche in the same area- one will outcompete the other.
Competitive exclusion depends on
degree of overlap in species
niches
and
asymmetry in competition
.
Species Interactions
Describe how different types of species interactions influence the abundance,
distribution and evolution of one or both species.
commensalism occurs when one species benefits but the other species is
unaffected (+/0)
competition occurs when individuals use the same resources -- resulting
in lower fitness for both (-/-)
Consumption occurs when one organism eats or absorbs nutrients from
another. The interaction increases the consumer's fitness but decreases the
victims fitness (+/-)
herbivory, predation, parasitism
Mutualism occurs when two species interact in a way that confers fitness
benefits to both (Mutual Exploitation & Not due to altruism or cooperation)
(+/+)
Design an experiment to test the outcome of an interaction between species.

 Figure 55.5
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Explain how the inefficiency of energy used in food webs relates to the pyramid of
productivity.
Most energy is used for body maintenance and is unavailable for higher
consumers. There are less consumers at higher levels because there is less
energy for them to receive.
List the ways that energy is lost between trophic levels.
heat (respiration), excretion, growth/reproduction, not consumed
Predict how changes in one trophic level will influence species at other trophic
levels.

Nutrient Cycling
Draw a model of how nutrients cycle between the abiotic (inorganic) and biotic
(organic) parts of an ecosystem.
Look at drawing that Dalrymple did for the nutrient Carbon.
Explain how human activities impact local nutrient cycling and the water, carbon,
and nitrogen cycles and what effect this has on ecosystems.

Water Cycle:
Paved Roads: Decreased amount of water is able to be percolated
into underground aquifers because the water-proof roads force the
water to go into run-off. This leaves less water for future
generations.
Irrigation: Since water being pumped out of aquifers is greater than
water being naturally replaced, the aquifer amount will decrease,
leaving less water for future generations.
Nitrogen Cycle
Industrial Fixation: The amount of usable nitrogen in soil has
dramatically increased (almost 2X amount of nitrogen available in
soil), and this has led to some water dissolving and running off into
water, causing increase in production of plants elsewhere, pollution,
and decreased biodiversity (think of the massive amount of algae
that grow thanks to the excess nitrogen massive respiration
water becomes depleted of oxygen fish die (decrease diversity).
Carbon Cycle
FF & Devegetation: Increase amount of CO2 in atmosphere
increase in average global temp & decrease in O2 (due to
devagetation).

Climate Changes
Describe the evidence for climate change and the role humans play in causing it.
Increase in fossil fuels usage correlated with increase in CO2; Increase in
average global temperature correlated with increase in CO2.
Describe the possible responses that populations can exhibit when they are
negatively impacted by climate change (increasing temperature/changing
precipitation patterns).
Geographic range shift (requires the ability to move)
Phenology shift (change the seasonal timing of life history events)
Adaptation-adapt to changing conditions.
Local extinction (if a species isnt able to move, adapt, or adjust phenology it
will go extinct)

Review Questions
Phenotype, Genes and the Environment
Lecture 2: Jan 13
(Ch 4.2, 14.1-14.2, pp.275-276, pp.239-242)
1.

Explain how DNA contributes to the phenotype of an organism.

Certain chromosomes contain the phenotype for an individual (BB=blue eyes bb=
brown)
Yourphenotypeisdeterminedbyyourgenes,whichisyourDNA.
Gene(sectionofDNAwithseriesofnucleotides)3nucleotides=codonforaminoacid
aminoacidformedproteinsformedphenotypeinfluencedbyproteins.

2.

Explain how DNA is transmitted from parent to offspring.

TheexacthalvingoftheDNAinaparenttoproducespermoreggispossibleduetoits
packagingineachcellasthe23pairsofchromosomes,suchthatthespermoregghas
onlyonecopyofachromosomefromeachpair.Thisisachievedthroughthecelldivision
processofmeiosisI&II(seethenextpage)whichoccursonlyinthegermlinecellsin
thetestisorovary.
Meiosis: Diploid cells (2n = 43 chromosomes) Haploid Gamete Cells (n)
Fertilization (haploid sperm + haploid egg) zygote offspring
3. Be familiar with the following terms related to genetic diversity (i.e., be able to define
each and recognize/use them in an example): allele, gene, phenotype, genotype, and
chromosome.
Allele:
oneoftwoormorealternativeformsofagenethatarisebymutationandare
foundatthesameplaceonachromosome.
Gene:
aunitofhereditythatistransferredfromaparenttooffspringandisheldto
determinesomecharacteristicoftheoffspring.
Phenotype:
theobservablepropertiesofanorganismthataredeterminedbythe
organismsgenesandtheorganismsenvironment.

 Genotype:
thegeneticmakeupofanorganismorgroupoforganismswithreferencetoa
singletrait,setoftraits,oranentirecomplexoftraits.
Chromosome:
astrandofDNAthatisencodedwithgenes.Inmostcases,humanshave
22pairsofthese
chromosomes
plusonepairofsex
chromosomes
(XXinfemalesand
XYinmales)foratotalof23pairsofchromosomes,whichisatotalof46individual
chromosomes.

4.

Interpret graphs showing the distribution of phenotypes in a population.

5.

What is the difference between quantitative and discrete traits?

Quantitativetrait:
traitwithacontinuousrangeofpossiblevalues.
Quantitativetraitsaregreatlyinfluencedbytheenvironment.
Example:height
Discretetrait:
possiblephenotypesareclearlydistinctfromoneanother.
Example:Eyecolor

Evolution by Natural Selection

Lecture 3: Jan 15
(Ch 25.1, 25.3-25.4)
6. How did Darwin and Wallaces proposed mechanism of evolution differ from that of
Lamarck?
- According to Lamarck, in evolution, simple organisms originate at the base of the
chain by spontaneous generation and then evolve by moving up the chain over time.
Thus, Lamarckian evolution is progressive in the sense of always producing larger
and more complex, or better species.
- Lamarcks was inheritance of acquired characteristics (think of giraffe example)
- Darwin and Wallaces was species change over time, descent with modification, and
changes in species due to natural selection
7.

What are the three major propositions of the theory of evolution by natural selection?
1. Specieschangeovertime
2. Descentwithmodification:speciesshareacommonancestorandhavedivergedover
time.
3. Changesinspeciescausedbynaturalselection

8. Propose a hypothesis for how a trait could evolve in a population due to evolution by
natural selection. In your explanation, be sure to include all 3 requirements that must be
met for this to take place. For practice, explain how camouflaged coloration (green leaf-like
wings) could evolve in a population of moths if the original population had brown,
uncamouflaged wings.

Variation:MUTATION!
Heritable:Thetraitsarepasseddowntolatergenerations.

 DifferentialReproduction:Notonlydoestheoffspringhavetosurvive,butreproduceandhave
survivingoffspring.

9. How is the big idea of Information Flow and Storage related to evolution?
Information Flow and Storage refers to the idea that information (such as genes) is
exchanged (flows) among organisms and passed onto offspring. The genetic information
goes to the offspring via reproduction, and this allows for evolution to occur in the next
generation.
10. What is a phenotype? What two factors contribute to an individuals phenotype? Which
of these can be influenced by natural selection? Why?
Phenotype is a physical characteristic attributed to an individual. The two factors that
contribute to an individuals phenotype are genes and environment . Genes are influenced
due to natural selection by favoring certain genes (mutation within the gene pool) and
making the species advantageous to produce surviving offspring.

EvolutionbyNaturalSelection
Lecture4:Jan20
(Ch25.5)

Review Questions
1. What evidence is needed to support the hypothesis that a population has evolved
due
to natural selection
?
Variation
Heritability
DifferentialReproduction
2. What is a mutation? How does a mutation affect an individuals phenotype? What effect
does a mutation have on an individuals fitness? How can mutations affect evolution by
natural selection?
-Mutation: random permanent change in an organisms DNA. They occur by chance
and can create new alleles. The effect on an organisms fitness is RANDOM- can be negative,
neutral or positive.
Howdoesamutationaffectanindividualsphenotype?
Itwillchangeitsgenesandthuschange
thewayitlooks.
Whateffectdoesamutationhaveonanindividualsfitness?
Negative,neutral,orpositive.
Random.

3. Natural selection affects both individuals and populations. What effect does natural
selection have on individuals? What effect does natural selection have on populations?
- Individuals do not change, only the population does.
- Whateffectdoesnaturalselectionhaveonindividuals?
Individualsthatdonothaveafavorable
-

traitwillnotsurvive.Fitness.
Whateffectdoesnaturalselectionhaveonpopulations?
Populationsevolve.

4. Evaluate the following statement: Evolution occurs when individuals adapt to their
environment. Explain why the statement is incorrect and how you would change it to
correct it.
Individualsdontadapt,populationadapts.Individualsbecomeacclimatedtotheirenvironment
andpopulationsadaptovergenerations.Section25.5Acclimation./]

5. The final step of natural selection is that there must be differential reproduction
among individuals in the population. Explain why this step is not called differential
survival. In other words, why do we emphasize reproduction over survival when talking
about natural selection?
Weemphasizereproductionoversurvival,becauseitisthemainfactorinkeepinggenespassed
on.Eventhoughsomedieout,keepingthereproductionrateupwouldcausenewadaptations
toformtoincreasesurvival.

PopulationEcology&InterspecificCompetition
Lecture5:Jan22
(Ch54.3,54.5)

Review Questions
What basic processes cause population size to change over time?
Immigrationand
Emigration,birthanddeath
Which of these add individuals to a population? I
mmigrationand
births
Which of these remove individuals from a population? E
migration
and Deaths
1.

2. Describe (and be able to sketch) how population size changes over time when a
population is experiencing exponential growth. Under what conditions is exponential
growth likely to occur?
Occurs when conditions are good; when a population colonizes a new habitat, after a
natural disaster, when there is a loss of predators, or with a small population size (room to
grow)
It looks like a J shaped curve on a graph
3. Describe (and be able to sketch) how population size changes over time when a
population is experiencing logistic growth. Under what conditions is logistic growth likely
to occur?
Whenresourcesareunlimited,populationexhibitexponentialgrowth.
Whenresourcesarelimited,populationsexhibitlogisticgrowth.
Inlogisticgrowth,populationexpansiondecreaseasresourcebecomescarce.Itlevelsoffwhen
thecarryingcapacityoftheenvironmentisreached,resultinginanSshapedcurve.

4. Differentiate between density-dependent factors and density-independent factors and

their effects on limiting population growth. Be able to provide examples of each. Given a
scenario where population growth is limited, be prepared to identify whether the limiting
factor is density-dependent or density-independent.
Density independent effect on birth rate and death rate is independent of
population size (usually abiotic)
temperature, storms, pollutants, etc.
Density dependent effect on population growth changes as population density
increases (usually biotic)
food, territory, predation, disease, etc.
Researchers tracking a mouse population over many generations determine that the
populations carrying capacity is about 500 individuals. Name four potential factors that
could be preventing the population from exceeding 500 individuals. If you were to alter any
of these factors (ex. increase or decrease them) what effect would it have

Predationdecrease
Diseasedecrease
foodincrease
spaceincrease

InterspecificCompetition
Lecture6:Jan27
[Ch55.1(pp.11251128)]

Review Questions
1.

Does competition have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on one or both species?

Competitionhasanegativeeffectonbothspecies

2. What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific competition? Give an

example of each.
Intraspecific is the competition for food, space and shelter between animals within the
same species.
Interspecific is competition between different species. (when niches overlap)

3.

List several limiting resources that organisms may compete over.

food,water,space,sunlight,

4. What is a species ecological niche? If you plot a graph of a species niche, what goes on
the x-axis? The y-axis?

 Theroleandpositionaspecieshasinitsenvironmenthowitmeetsitsneedsforfoodand
shelter,howitsurvives,andhowitreproduces.Aspecies'
niche
includesallofitsinteractions

withthebioticandabioticfactorsofitsenvironment.
Therangeofresourcesaspeciescanuseorenvironmentalconditionsitcantolerate
Forexample,
Anolis
LizardsthatoccupythecrownsoftreesontheislandofJamaicaoccupya
differentnichethan
Anolis
lizardsthatliveontheground.
xaxisnicheyaxisnumberofindividualsusingresources

5. Predict the outcome of competition between two species based on how much their
niches overlap and asymmetry of competition. (e.g., Does one species win? If so, does the
loser species go locally extinct or is it excluded from just a portion of the niche?)
Wehadaclickerquizoverthis.
1.
Overseveralgenerations,nichedifferentiationmayoccur.
2.
Competitionwillresultinoneorbothspecieshavingasmallerrealizednichethantheir
fundamentalniche

6. What is a species realized niche and how does it relate to the species fundamental
niche? Draw a hypothetical fundamental niche for two species existing independently. Now
draw a realized niche for Species 2 assuming that Species 1 is the superior competitor and
the two species exist together in the same location.
Fundamental niche describes where a species can live without having to deal with things like predation,
competition, or resource limitation. Realized niche describes where a species actually lives, and the
lifestyle it pursues (a result of competition).

slide 11 on Notes 6
7. Explain the process of niche differentiation and how it can lead to a reduction in
intraspecific competition. What time-scale is needed for niche differentiation to occur?
How does this compare with the time scale at which competitive exclusion can occur?
Timescalefornichedifferentiation:Forgenerations
Timescaleforcompetitiveexclusion:immediately
Slide1114Notes6(AdobedoesnotallowtocopyandpasteintoWordwithoutpurchasinga
softwarethatswhyIcouldcopymostofthegraphs)

8. How would you design an experiment to test the hypothesis that two species are
negatively impacting each other through competition for resources? Include what your
independent variable(s), treatments, response variable, and expected results would be.
9. How would you design an experiment to test whether the division of resources
between two species is the result of competitive exclusion versus niche differentiation?
What results would you predict for each hypothesis?

OtherSpeciesInteractions
Lecture7:Jan29
[Ch55.1(pp.1124,11281135)]

Review Questions
1. What effect (positive or negative?) does each type of interspecific interaction
(predation, parasitism, herbivory, mutualism) have on the abundance and/or distribution
of one or both species? Give an example of each type of interaction and the way in which
one partner influences the abundance and/or distribution of the species it interacts with.

Mutualism:Positiveforbothexamplethebeeandflowernectar
Predation:Negativeforonespeciesexamplelionhuntingdeer
Herbivory:NegativeforonespeciesDeereatingplant.
Parasitism:Negativeforonespecies:Tickondog.
Commensalism:Positiveandneutralspiderishavingadvantagewhileanthasnoaffect
2. While studying for this exam, your study buddy explains to you that mutualisms are
interactions where species cooperate and help each other. You know that this is not a very
good definition of mutualism so you try to correct him. What counter-explanation would
you offer that is a better definition of mutualism? Why is your definition better?
Mutualismisnotacooperativemechanism,ratheritisaprocessthathappensbecausethey
needeachother.Eventhoughtheflowerdoesnotgetanybenefitthebeestillgetsit.
Theyarenthelpingeachotheronpurposereally,eachindividualisonlytryingtoobtainwhat
itneedsatthelowestcosttoitself.

3. Every interaction between organisms can involve costs and benefits to both partners.
What must be true about the costs and benefits of an interaction for it to be considered a
mutualism?
Positive for both species? Benefit > Cost
4. Describe how a species could influence the evolution of its mutualist partner. For
example, how could a bee species cause an evolutionary change in flower color of a plant
species that it pollinates? Practice giving a thorough explanation of this process as if you
are talking to someone who knows very little about evolution.
Forexample,whenaspecificcountrydevelopsaweaponanothercountrywilldevelopa
weaponfarmoreefficientthanthefirstcountry.Then,thefirstcountrywillhavetodevelopa
farmoreadvancedweapontocompetewiththeothercountry.
Cansomeoneexplaintheexampleitasksinthequestion?

5. What kind of species interaction are forest managers exploiting in order to control the
population of the hemlock woolly adelgid?
Parasitic relationship
wooly adelgids are parasites that feed on the hemlocks, so plants are getting affected and
hemlock are being benefited. Hence, it is a parasitic relationship
This is the relationship
between the adelgid & tree, but NOT the one forest managers are exploiting ( They dont

want to kill the trees). The relation that is used is predation by the
P. tsugae
black lady
beetle which exclusively eats the adelgid and similar species.
.
6. Give examples of behavioral, physical, and chemical defenses in prey/host species. For
each example, determine whether it is a
constitutive
defense or an
induced
defense.
Constitutive:Itisadefensemechanismthatispermanentanddoesnotgoaway:Roseand
ThornThisisanexampleofaphysicaldefense.
Induced:Adefensemechanismthatisintroducedwhentheyareinaflightorfightsituation.
Example,skunkeventhoughtheysmelltheycanproduceamostprudentsmellwhenbeing
attack
Chemical:CapsaicininchiliplantsConsideredaconstitutivedefense.

7. For each type of defense mentioned above, be able to explain how the process of
natural selection could have led to the evolution of that trait in a species. For example, sea
urchins have sharp spines that protrude from their bodies and protect them from many
types of predators that would eat them. Explain how sharp spines in urchins could have
evolved by natural selection, assuming that their ancestors had no spines.
mutation caused spikes on one urchin, then the trait was passed on for generations because
it helped with survival.
EnergyFlowinEcosystems
Lecture8:Feb3
(Ch56.1)

Review Questions
1. How does energy/nutrient acquisition differ among primary producers, consumers,
and decomposers?
Consumerssuchasplantsneeddecomposerstomakeorganicmoleculestoinorganicmolecule
togettheirnutrient.

2. Identify the trophic level (primary producer, primary consumer, etc.) occupied by
organisms in a food chain or food web.
Primaryproducer
Primaryconsumer

Secondaryconsumer
Tertiaryconsumer
Quaternaryconsumer
3. List the various ways that energy available at one trophic level is lost (not passed on)
to the next trophic level. Which of these are ways that energy is lost from the food web and
which are ways that energy is made available to decomposers?
Decomposergettheirenergyfromdetritus.

 Lostasheat,waste,useofenergytogainit,respiration,growthandreproduction,andbest
betweensolarenergyandbiomass.

4. Some consumers are more efficient than others at converting consumed energy into
new biomass. What factors contribute to differences in energy use efficiency among
consumers? Knowing this will help you answer the following questions:
AsmallactivemammalistheLEASTefficient.Thesedentaryectothermwasthemost.
a. Would you expect energy use to be more efficient in a
lizard
or a mouse? Why?
b/c
they gain heat from their environment (ectotherm)
b. Would you expect energy use to be more efficient in a mouse or an
elephant
? Why?
Because they are sedentary. Because they are larger.
c. Would you expect energy use to be more efficient in a long-distance runner or a
couch
potato
? Why?
Because they are sedentary
5. Explain what a trophic cascade is. Be able to predict how changes in abundance of
organisms at one trophic level will impact abundances of organisms at other trophic levels.
Thetophighestchainaffectsthelowestchain.Itdependsontheleveloftheorganism,soifthe
primaryproducerisinabundancethentheprimaryconsumersareinabundance.Incontrast,if
thetertiaryproducerareinabundancethentheorganismtheyfeedonareinlessnumbers.

6. Why does the removal of top predators (or apex consumers) have such a big effect on
ecosystems? In other words, why do the effects extend beyond the species that the
predators eat?
Theyellowstoneexample!(Wolves)ANDYOUTUBEVIDEO
Trophic Cascade is the primary reason.

NutrientCycling
Lecture9:Feb5
(Ch56.2)

Review Questions
1. How does the movement of nutrients through an ecosystem differ from the movement
of energy?
Energycanandwillbelost,butnutrientscontinuethecycle.Energyislostthroughheat.
2. What are the starting and end products of the process of decomposition? Why are
decomposers so important to the process of nutrient cycling?
Starts as non-consumed primary producer biomass, and consumer waste (feces,
urine)=detritus
ends with inorganic molecules= usable by plants

 Important because they recycle nutrients to usable forms for plants

3. Be prepared to predict how a change in one part of a nutrient cycle alters the cycling of
nutrients in an ecosystem.
4. Draw a model of how nutrients (carbon or nitrogen) cycle through an ecosystem. Use
arrows to indicate how the nutrient (carbon or nitrogen) is transferred between: primary
producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, decomposers, detritus, and the
inorganic form of the nutrient.
5. Explain how human activities, such as agriculture (irrigation and fertilizer addition),
devegetation, and fossil fuel combustion impact the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles.
What broader effect do each of these changes have on ecosystem functions or processes?
(All of this information can be found in the textbook.)
I covered this in one of the pages at the beginning for the learning objectives.

Overview of Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis

I created this handout for anyone who wants an overview of the chemical processes I
referred to when we discussed energy flow in ecosystems. You will not need to know any
more details than I provide here, but if you want to know more, you can look at Chapters 9
and 10 in your textbook.
Recall that all organisms need
energy
(in the form of ATP) to carry out basic cellular
processes, including synthesizing molecules, moving cargo, and sending and receiving
signals. They also need a source of
carbon
since it is a basic building block of many
essential molecules. Primary producers are able to use energy from the sun and carbon
dioxide (an inorganic carbon source) to produce glucose (organic carbon) and ATP. All
other organisms must consume living or dead organic matter to obtain organic carbon
compounds, which provide carbon building blocks and the energy needed to produce ATP.
The process that most organisms (including primary producers, consumers, and
decomposers) use to produce ATP is cellular respiration.

Cellular Respiration
Cellular respiration is a complex process that uses glucose (a sugar with high potential
energy) to produce ATP. For the purposes of this class, it is important to know that glucose
and oxygen go into the reactions and carbon dioxide, ATP, and heat are produced. The
equation summarizing the process is:
C
H
O
+ 6H
O + ATP + heat
6
12
6+
6O
2 -->
6CO
2
2
(glucose)

Cellular respiration is not very efficient at converting the potential energy in glucose into
ATP, so much of that energy is lost as heat during the reactions. This is the main way that
energy is lost between trophic levels.

Photosynthesis
Plants use cellular respiration to produce ATP like all other organisms, but they are able to
produce the glucose that goes into cellular respiration without consuming other organisms.
Primary producers use photosynthesis to synthesize glucose using the suns energy, water,
and carbon dioxide. This process can be summarized by the following equation:
6CO
+ 6H
O + light energy C
H
O
(glucose) + 6O
2
2
6
12
6
2

Possible Bio Exam 1 Short answers

1. What factors influence human height? Genes: genes passed down to you or genetic
disorders. Also the environment:Your nutrition, injury , hormones, and maybe
medicines.

2. How could you create a chihuahua if you started with a group of wolves?

3. What are potential differences that exist between different growth patterns
(exponential vs. logistic)