EFB516 Ecosystems

Spring 2001

Students’ Proposed Final Exam Questions

*    Explain, in basis of Emergy Analysis, why Ecuador’s coastal region is still of poor economy although shrimp mariculture is to benefit the regional economy.

*    Explain the relationship between productivity vs. biodiversity in tropical rainforests.

*    Choose one kind of estuarine ecosystem among plants (eg. Mangrove), detritus, fishery and explain about the energy and nutrient flow based on the physical and chemical characteristics of estuarine.

*    What characteristics of tropical forests (mainly lowland wet rainforest / climate make soils poor after the forest is cleared?

*    What are three characteristics of human dominated ecosystems that are different from natural ecosystems?

*    According to Davis (1973) there is a continuum of estuarine types characterized by a decrease in wave energy and an increase in river sediment. Name three.

*    List five d??? characteristics of a tropical rainforest.

*    Explain the relationship between energy input and soil quality in regard to agricultural yields.

*    Why is shifting cultivation sustainable only at low population?

*    a) Explain why as more agricultural land area is brought into production, production actually goes down (Costa Rica)? b) How does this phenomenon prove the economist Ricardo was correct in his evaluation of agricultural land?

*    Draw the two different economic production diagrams and explain (by the diagram) why current neoclassical economics fail (why we are being lied to).

*    Describe how the Bernard cell, plant leaves and Atwood machine correlate to self-organization.

*    Estuarine ecosystem can be described as being a single individual, described what you think this may mean.

*    Describe what is wrong with the economic model (chart).

*    Definitions:

- Self organization

- Emergy

- Bernard Cell

- Coevolution

- Externality cost

*    Explain what is meant by natural wealth and compare that to monetary wealth. Relate these two definitions to the shrimp industry in Ecuador.

*    Please describe in detail at least 3 implications of tropical rain forest destruction and how they might affect human population in the future.

*    Please describe the best-first principle and why humans use this concept. In addition, how may this affect the biodiversity in terms of its spatial and temporal distribution?

*    From Dr. Hall’s lecture notes what are 4 characteristics of tropical forests that we accepted and briefly explain them.

*    Name three coevolutions and what are their significance.

*    Define energy analysis and tell how it compares to traditional tools of ecological/economic models.

*    From Dr. Hall’s lecture on estuarine systems, describe as best you can the dynamic stocks and flows of energy within a typical estuary.

*    What is the general relationship between resource value (in dollars) and use to the economy in a neoclassical economic system, and how does this influence our resource use?

*    Is shifting cultivation in the tropical rain forests sustainable? If so, how can this be accomplished? If not, what practices/results make it unsustainable?

*    Why would an ecosystem such as a tropical rainforest have a greater biodiversity than an estuary?

*    How could an estuary have a high productivity despite its harsh conditions?

*    How does natural selection relate to the differential timing of energy capture in all types of ecosystems?

*    Define the major ecosystems found here on earth in terms of structure and function and relate to succession.

*    Highlight Eugene Odum’s belief about ecology and refer some of his papers.

*    The economic policies of the world today are destroying a lot of land and water resources today. Discuss Hall’s article on economic issues and relate them to destruction of the planet.

*    How can the idea of “using the best land first” be observed in the current state of agriculture in Costa Rica?

*    What is the main problem observed with neoclassical economics?

*    Discuss the present state of agricultures in the tropics, particularly problems since it has changed to its present industrial state.

*    What is the problem with neoclassical economics as presently applied? What are the other ways to look at economics?

*    Why can an area of high production have low diversity?

*    Why does Spartina Alterniflora invest in flowers when it mostly reproduces in the rhizomes?

*    Why is Chesapeake Bay low in oxygen?

*    Why do trees in the tropics grow better than in temperate zones and why do crops grow better in temperate zones than the tropics?

*    Describe one coevolved mutualism in the tropics.

*    What is comparative advantage?

*    Why do all energy efficient agriculture techniques have high energy return?

*    Why are salt marshes so productive?

*    How has neoclassical economics been lying to us?

*    Why is the agricultural productivity lower in tropics than in the temperate zone?

*    Why are blue water ecosystems less productive than estuaries?

*    Compare the stocks and flows of energy in industrialized agriculture vs. a tropical rain forest.

*    If Davenport, IA decided to build a flood levee as they are being criticized for not doing, what effects would you expect on downstream ecosystem?

*    In terms of evolutionary tradeoffs and adaptations why are spring conditions favorable for diatoms in estuaries?

*    Why is detritus food chain very important for consumer productivity?

*    What is the concept of bi-directional flow?

*    What emergy gains could be realized from the efficiency of a hydroelectric dam? Compare any gains with the various economic and environmental/ecological  costs in its construction.

*    What is advection? What makes water in deep + cold regions of the ocean not able to reach the surface until 100s of years later?

*    Why are fish a food source for humans that is relatively easy to manage?

*    Explain the different concepts we learned about nutrient budgets.

*    Often, there is a lot of attention given to protecting larger animals. Is this an effective means of conservation? Why do you believe this?

*    Explain how benthic organisms mediate the flow of energy and or nutrients in an estuary.

*    Describe the concepts of structure and function and apply them to human dominated ecosystems. In your answer include the ideas of biophysical economics and sustainability.

*    Discuss the concept of gradient space and apply it to agricultural production.

*    Why are the saltiest soils in estuaries the furthest away from the
standing salt water?

*    Explain why many tropical soils are red and why tropical trees grow
"better" than trees in temperate forests.

*    Why did the chicken cross the road?

 

Last modified: May 5, 2001.

Any comments? E-mail to akogawa@syr.edu