Environmental Science
Ecosystems & Biodiversity
AP Environmental Science
Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources
these flashcards are specifically for the AICE versions of this class, but some may apply to AP!
gross primary productivity
all production by producers
net primary productivity
GPP-R
abiotic factors that affect productivity
carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight
explain primary succession
no soil present, pioneer species: moss and lichen (break down rock into soil), takes a very long to reach climax community
secondary succession
soil present, pioneer species: small plants, takes shorter time to reach climax community (due to presence of soil).
pyramid of numbers
represents number of individual organisms in an ecosystem.
name major abiotic factors of a biome
temperature and precipitation
does the rainforest soil have low moisture content?
no, it’s high
does the tropical rainforest soil have a high decomposition rate?
yes
the rainforest has high biodiversity because…?
Multiple layers in the tall trees vary sunlight
multiple layers lead to more habitats.
reasons for deforestation
urbanization -
farming -
mining
to build new roads
new wood materials
benefits of conserving tropical rainforest
protect biodiversity
preserve medicinal plants
food security
help combat climate change
ecological services
maintain biodiversity.