1. Radjewski – Ecology Unit’ AP Biology
Chapter Review
Radjewski – Ecology Unit’
AP Biology

2. 45.1
Community – groups of populations living together at the same time at the same place
Species Composition – what particular mix of species are in the community

3. 45.2 #3 Extinction can be caused by
Unable to adapt to environment conditions
Lack of resource
Competition, predators or pathogens
Just a small population to begin with that they all die before reproducing
** are eventually replaced by new species
Colonization – adds to the size of the community

4. 4 Disturbances
A sudden environmental change (volcanic eruptions, wildfires, hurricanes, landslides etc.) could wipe out all of some species in a community

5. Succession – 3 processes that contribute (#5 & 7)
Species vary in their colonizing ability
Environmental conditions change over time – and species differ in their environmental tolerances
Climate change which change where species could possibly live (#8)

6. Succession continued Primary Succession Secondary Succession
Occurs on new land that has not had any life growing there before
Occurs on land that has had life live there before, but has been disturbed or destroyed in some way

7. 45.3 #9 Niche
Set of environmental tolerances of a species, which define where it can live
Also refers to the way in which a species obtains energy and materials and to its pattern of interaction with other species in the community

8. 10. Producers and Consumer
Consumers
Photosynthetic organisms #11)
Also called primary producers
Also called autotrophs
Eat and get energy from producers
Also called hetertrophs
Primary consumers are called herbivores and only eat plants
Secondary consumers are primary carnivores that eat herbivores
Tertiary consumers are secondary carnivores and eat primary carnivores

9. 12. & 13 Energy Budget Terms Gross Primary Productivity
Net Primary Productivity
Total amount of energy that primary producers capture and convert to chemical energy during some period of time
GPP
Energy that is contained in the tissues that primary producers have produced during that time
Measured by:
Rate of uptake of CO2 during photosynthesis
Release of CO2 during respiration

10. 14 & 15 & 16 Trophic Level Feeding positions
Primary producers
1, 2, 3 consumers
Energy and biomass is lost as it moves through food chains/webs (#16)

11. 17.
Only 10% of the energy incorporated in primary producers is found in the 2nd trophic level and so on.
This loss of available energy limits the number of trophic levels a community can support

12. 45.4 #18 Two elements of species diversity
Species richness – number of species in a community
Species evenness – distribution of species

13. Ch 46 – 46.1 #1 How does the definition of ecosystem expand on the concept of community?
Ecosystems are just communities and all the abiotic factors

14. 2. Which ecosystems have the highest NPP per unit area?
Tropical forests
Swamps and marshes, algal beds and coral reefs
#3 why?
It is more natural and not cultivated, but also due to climate and nutrient availability
Oceans are low NPP because low minerals and it’s cold (#4)
#5 -

15. Biogeochemical cycle
Movements of matter among Earth

16. 6 chemical elements organisms need in large quantities
Sulfur
Phosphorus
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbon
hydrogen
sponch

17. Pool vs. Flux
Pool
Flux
Total amount of an element or molecule in a given compartment
Will grow or shrunk due to flux
The flow into and out of the compartment

18. 9 Energy flows through ecosystems where materials cycle within ecosystems
Energy enters the Earth from outside, drives biogeochemical processes, then leaves the earth system
Materials are converted and moved from organic to inorganic compartments

20. 11 Why is nitrogen a limiting nutrient for plant growth?
Organisms like plants cannot access nitrogen from the atmosphere – (they can’t break down N2’s triple covalent bond)

21. Nitrogen Cycle Roles Nitrogen Fixation Takes N2 and changes it to NH4
Done by bacteria in soil
Dentrification
Takes Nitrate (NO3) and turns it into N2
Also done by bacteria
This completes the cycle

22. Eutrophication, elements & why is it a problem?
Eutrophication – overproduction of nutrients in aquatic systems due to primary productivity that causes a rapid growth of phytoplankton
Nitrogen and oxygen
It’s a problem because the phytoplankton are in excess and due to respiration, oxygen levels get depleted causing issues to fish and crustaceans etc.
Areas of oxygen depletion are called dead zones

23. 46.4 Greenhouse effect & gases
Warming of Earth that results from retention of heat in the atmosphere
The 4 greenhouse gases are
Water vapor
Carbon dioxide
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)

24. Completion
Higher global temperatures are affecting climate worldwide. A warmer Earth means not only hotter air temperatures, but also a more intense water cycle, with greater overall evaporation and precipitation
In general, wet regions are expected to get wetter and dry regions drier.

25. Radiation Balance – human activities
Burning of fossil fuels
Deforestation
Deposition of soot/dust