AP Environmental Science Lesson 1 – Interactions Between Populations, Ecosystems, and Biomes Revised

Community

A group of different populations living and interacting in the same area; includes only living (biotic) components

Competition

A relationship where two organisms fight for the same limited resource

Predation

A relationship where one organism (predator) hunts and eats another (prey)

Symbiosis

A close and long-term interaction between two different species that live closely together

Parasitism

A type of symbiosis where one organism (the parasite) benefits by feeding on another (the host)

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit by providing resources or services to each other (+/+)

Commensalism

A relationship where one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed significantly (+/0)

Generalist species

Species that can survive in a wide range of environments and eat many different types of food; they are adaptable

Specialist species

Species that need specific conditions and a limited diet to survive; they do best in stable environments

Generalist Example

A raccoon is a generalist because it can live in forests

Specialist Example

A koala is a specialist because it only lives in eucalyptus forests and eats only eucalyptus leaves

Population

A group of individuals from the same species living in the same area at the same time

Ecosystem

A system made up of both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components that interact with each other

Biomes

Large areas of Earth with similar climate

Tropical Rainforest

Found near the equator with warm temperatures and lots of rain year-round; known for high biodiversity

Temperate Forest

Located between 30° and 60° latitude; experiences four seasons with a mix of warm and cold weather

Temperate Deciduous Forest

A type of temperate forest with cold winters and hot summers; trees lose their leaves in winter to save water and energy

Temperate Rainforest

Has mild

Coniferous Forest (Taiga)

Located in the far north; has short

Desert

Dry areas with very little rain; temperatures can be hot or cold depending on the location; plants and animals are adapted to store water

Grassland

Open land with mostly grasses and few trees; experiences seasonal drought and fire; supports grazing animals

Savanna

A type of grassland in warm regions with scattered trees and seasonal rainfall

Temperate Grassland

Found in cooler areas; mostly flat with few trees; includes prairies and steppes

Scrubland

Dry regions with shrubs and short trees; found on western coasts; gets more rain than deserts but less than forests

Tundra

A cold and dry biome found in the Arctic; has frozen soil (permafrost)

Aquatic Biomes

Biomes found in water environments; affected by how much oxygen and nutrients are in the water

Freshwater Biomes

Water-based ecosystems with little or no salt; include ponds

Pond

A small

Lake

A larger and deeper freshwater body that usually exists year-round and has more stable ecosystems

Littoral Zone

The shallow

Limnetic Zone

The open

Profundal Zone

The deep

Benthic Zone

The bottom of a body of water; contains decomposers and organisms that feed on dead matter

Streams & Rivers

Moving bodies of freshwater that shape landscapes

Source Zone

The beginning of a stream or river; cold

Transition Zone

The middle part of a stream or river; warmer

Floodplain Zone

The lower