1. Explain why insects are an essential component of a biological community.
2. Define ecology. (Also see p. G5)
3. Use fig. 4-4 to determine which type of organism has the largest number of known species.
4. List the important functions that microbes perform in Earth's biological community.
5. Define genetic diversity. (Also see fig. 4-6 and p. G8)
6. Give the size range of habitats.(i.e. How big can they be, and how small can they be?)
7. Define ecosystem. (Also see p. G6)
8. Give an example of a large ecosystem and an example of a small ecosystem in Hawaii.
9. List four questions that scientists try to answer when studying ecosystems.
Start reading in What Are the Major Biological Components of Ecosystems? Producers and Consumers on p. 64
10. Give an example of an autotroph (producer) and an example of a heterotroph (consumer) in Hawaii.
11. Explain the role of decomposers, e.g. bacteria and fungi, in an ecosystem. (Also see figs. 4-15, 4-16, and the last paragraph on p. 66.)
12. Describe the four types of biodiversity.
13. Describe the concepts of trophic (feeding) levels and a food web. (Also see pp. G7 and G19, and figs. 4-18 and 4-19)
14. Explain why it is much more efficient (in terms of ecological efficiency) to eat taro (feeding in the second trophic level) instead of pork (feeding at the third trophic level), not to mention eating tuna (feeding at the fourth trophic level). (Also see figs. 4-20 and 4-21)
15. Use figs. 4-18 and 4-20 to determine why Earth's ecosystem needs a constant supply of sunlight. (Hint: Can energy be recycled?)
16. Define biogeochemical cycles. (Also see p. G2)
17. Browse pp. 76-83, then contrast the movement of energy and mass through an ecosystem. (Hint: Can mass be recycled?)