1. Define ecology.  (p.819)
2.  Define biotic factors and describe their effects on ecological interactions.( p. 819-820)
3.   Define abiotic factors and describe how each of the following abiotic factors affects ecological  interactions: availability of water, changes in temperature, amount of light present in the environment, availability of organic and inorganic nutrients, and composition of the soil . (Section 37-1)
4. Describe the make-up of the earth's biosphere. (p. 824)
5.   Describe the make-up of the earth's atmosphere and understand the biological importance of the earth's atmosphere to life including: (p.831-834)
 i)    its composition relative to the presence of gases vital to life as we know it,
 ii)   its role in protection against radiation, and
 iii)   its role as heat sink (climate control).
6. Explain how life is dependent upon the recycling of matter by using the nitrogen cycle, the carbon cycle, and the oxygen cycle as examples. (p. 831-833)
7. Explain how the normal carbon dioxide balance on earth has been altered and how this shift affects the global environment (greenhouse effect). (p. 833)
8. Relate how life in the biosphere is dependent upon the constant changing of water from its liquid to its gaseous phase in a sequence of changes called the hydrologic (water) cycle. (p. 834)
9. Explain the importance of solar energy to life on earth and summarize how such energy is captured and transformed in an ecosystem. (p.830)
10. Explain the flow of energy in an ecosystem using the concept of a pyramid of energy. (p.830)
11. Explain how energy availability affects the total mass of organisms in an ecosystem and summarize this relationship in a pyramid of biomass. (p. 830)
12. Explain how energy availability affects the number of organisms present at each trophic level and summarize this relationship in a pyramid of numbers. (p. N/A)
13. Illustrate, by example, the degree of efficiency of the flow of energy in an ecosystem in an ecosystem in terms of the capture and transfer of the sun's energy. (p. 830) 

1. Define biome. (p. 845-846)
2.   Explain how a biome develops and identify how abiotic factors (altitude, temperature, precipitation, and light) determine a particular biome. (p. Sections 38-1, 38-2)
3. Describe the main terrestrial biomes of Canada: tundra, taiga, temperate deciduous forest, and grasslands.(p.846-849)
4. Identify the characteristics of tropical rain forests and deserts; note the global impact of both the destruction of tropical rain forests and the spread of deserts. (p. 849-852)
5.    Describe marine and freshwater biomes. (p. Section 38-2)
6. Describe how differences in abiotic factors affect life in aquatic biomes contrasted with terrestrial biomes.(p. Sections 38-1, 38-2) 

1. Define habitat. (p. 826)
2. Define niche and relate it to habitat. (p. 826)
3. Define competition and explain how competition arises among organisms. (p. 826-828)
4. Differentiate between interspecific and intraspecific competition. (p. 826-828)
5. Describe the feeding relationships in an ecosystem in terms of competition, food chains, and food webs.(p. 826-829)
6. Show how the many interrelated food chains (food web) of an ecosystem give a community stability and identify the conditions necessary for a stable, self-sustaining ecosystem. (p. 828-829, 835)
7. Illustrate with examples how special symbiotic relationships allow plants and animals to take advantage of one another to find food, shelter, protection, and to aid in reproduction (e.g. commensalism, mutualism, parasitism). (p. 824-826)
8. Illustrate, with examples, how symbiotic relationships help in maintaining stability in the ecosystem. (p.824-826)
9. Explain, by using knowledge about diversity of organisms, complexity of food webs, special symbiotic relationships, energy flow, and environmental limitations, why ecosystems can change. (p. summative) 

1. Define ecological succession. (p. 835)
2. Describe the main factors responsible for ecological succession: climatic and geographical forces plus change in a community caused by its own inhabitants. (p. 835, 845)
3. Define: dominant species, climax community, primary succession, and secondary succession. (p. 835-836)
4. Explain how primary succession differs from secondary succession. ( p. 836-838)
5. Explain how succession on land which leads to the development of a forest community differs from succession in lakes and ponds. (p. 836-839)
6. Describe the fragility and stability in ecological communities by making reference to the restricted dependence of life in a biome. ( p. 835, 845, 854)