AP Environmental Science Exam Review

Flashcards focused on key vocabulary terms and concepts from AP Environmental Science.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Symbiosis

A close and long-term interaction between two different species.

Mutualism

A type of symbiosis where both species benefit from the interaction.

Predator-prey relationship

An interaction in which one organism (the predator) hunts and eats another organism (the prey).

Trophic level

Each step in a food chain or food web, representing the flow of energy and nutrients.

Net primary productivity (NPP)

The rate of energy storage by plants after accounting for the energy they use for respiration.

10% rule

A principle that states only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.

Eutrophication

The process by which a body of water becomes overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of organisms.

Carbon cycle

The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment.

Nitrogen fixation

The process of converting nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into ammonia, which can be used by plants.

Phosphorus cycle

The movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

Hydrologic cycle

The cycle through which water travels from the atmosphere to the earth and back, including processes like evaporation and precipitation.

Biomes

Large ecological areas on the Earth's surface, with flora and fauna adapting to their environment.

Sinks and Sources

Sinks store carbon or other elements, while sources release these elements into the environment.

Thermal stratification

The layering of water in a lake or ocean due to temperature differences.

Abiotic factors

Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms.

Eutrophic

Describing a body of water that is rich in nutrients and supports a dense plant population.

Oligotrophic

Describing a body of water that is low in nutrients and supports a limited amount of plant life.