Assignment Questions

Please fill in the answers with red font. Use your notes and chapter materials to answer the following questions. Save this document as a Word (.doc) or PDF file (.pdf) and upload to Canvas by the due date.

Part 1

Dr. Jones observes that the diet of a bird species consists primarily of large grass seeds (> 1 cm diameter), as opposed to small seeds (< 1 cm diameter). Dr. Jones hypothesizes that birds are choosing the larger seeds because they have a higher concentration of nitrogen than do other types of seeds at the site. To test the hypothesis, Dr. Jones compares the large and small seeds for their nitrogen content. Large seeds averaged 0.26 mg N while small seeds averaged 0.18 mg N.

a.Should Dr. Jones accept or reject the hypothesis from this data?

b.Can Dr. Jones conclude that the birds select the larger grass seeds because of their higher concentration of nitrogen? Why or why not?

c.Of the two variables tested (seed size & nitrogen content), which was a representative of categorical data? Continuous data?

d.How should Dr. Jones to display their data? Bar graph or scatterplot? Why?

Part 2

Answer the following questions about climate:

a.What is the greenhouse effect and how is it caused? How does the greenhouse effect influence the net radiation balance of Earth? 

b.The map below shows the location of Denver and New York City. How should their climates differ? In your answer describe differences in:

i.Average surface temperature due to latitude

ii.Continentality

iii.Rain patterns

Part 3

Ellicott City, Maryland recently experienced a major flash flooding event that ended up destroying much of the historic downtown. Read two articles (Article 1 and Article 2) and describe what happened to result in the flash flood. Was it a natural disaster or preventable? Justify your answer and use the following terms in your response: precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, groundwater, weather, and climate (please bold each when you use the term). All of these terms must be used in a way that communicates to me that you understand the concept.

Part 4

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) conducts nationwide soil surveys. They classify the soil found on our campus as “silt loam”. 

a.Using the soil texture chart (Figure 4.7 in section 4.6), describe the texture of this soil (i.e. particle size, etc.). 

b.The soil horizons on campus are relatively constant in their soil texture. Describe how soil horizons O, A, E, B, and C generally differ. Hint: Summarize the descriptions in the textbook and use your own words.

c.Read “Ecological Issues & Applications” for Chapter 4. Describe how soil erosion is a threat to agricultural sustainability. What can be done to prevent soil erosion?