AP Environmental Science Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering Unit 1: Ecosystems, Biomes, Biogeochemical Cycles, Energy Flow, and Aquatic Environments.

Predator-prey relationship

An interaction in an ecosystem where one organism, the predator, hunts and eats another organism, the prey.

Symbiosis

A close and long-term interaction between two different species in an ecosystem, encompassing mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

Resource partitioning

The division of limited environmental resources by species using them in different ways, places, or times to reduce competition.

Biome

A community of plants and animals that have evolved to live in a specific area's climate.

Estuary

A marine biome located where fresh water from rivers meets and combines with salt water from the ocean.

Carbon cycle

The biogeochemical process involving the movement of carbon atoms and molecules between environmental sources and sinks.

Reservoir

An area or location within a biogeochemical cycle where an element or compound is stored for varying durations.

Nitrogen cycle

The movement of atoms and molecules containing nitrogen between sources and sinks across ecosystems.

Nitrogen fixation

The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen ($N_2$) by soil bacteria into ammonia ($NH_3$), which converts to ammonium ($NH_4^+$) for plant uptake.

Phosphorus cycle

The movement of phosphorus atoms and molecules between rock sediments and living organisms, lacking a significant atmospheric phase.

Hydrologic cycle

The solar-powered movement of water in solid, liquid, and gaseous states between environmental sources and sinks.

Primary productivity

The rate at which solar energy is converted into organic compounds such as glucose through photosynthesis per unit of time.

Gross primary productivity (GPP)

The total rate of photosynthesis in a given area, represented by the relationship $\text{GPP} = \text{NPP} - R$.

Net primary productivity (NPP)

The rate of energy storage by producers in a given area after subtracting energy used for cellular functions like respiration.

10% rule

The principle stating that approximately $10BAKE_PERCENT$ or $10BAKE_PERCENT$ ($10\%$) of energy moves from one trophic level to the next higher level.

Food chain

A linear sequence representing the transfer of energy and matter from producers to primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.

Food web

A complex ecological model depicting an interlocking pattern of two or more food chains.

Oligotrophic

Describing a body of water with low nutrient levels, clear water, and low biological productivity.

Mesotrophic

Describing a body of water with moderate levels of nutrients and biological productivity.

Eutrophic

Describing a body of water with high levels of nutrients and elevated biological productivity.

Eutrophication

The process by which an aquatic body becomes enriched in nutrients, resulting in excessive algal growth.

Thermal stratification

The separation of a lake or water body into distinct thermal layers based on temperature and water density.

Fall turnover

The seasonal vertical mixing of lake water layers caused by the cooling of surface waters during autumn.

Littoral zone

The shallow aquatic zone near the shore where sunlight reaches the bottom and allows rooted plants to grow.

Limnetic zone

The open, well-lit surface water region of a lake away from the shore, dominated by plankton.

Profundal zone

The deep, unlit region of a freshwater body located beneath the limnetic zone where sunlight does not penetrate.

Benthic zone

The bottom sediment substrate layer of an aquatic ecosystem, inhabited by decomposers and benthic organisms.

Intertidal zone

The narrow band of ocean coastline existing between the high tide and low tide marks.

Tundra

A cold, treeless biome with low precipitation, short growing seasons, and a permanently frozen subsoil layer.

Permafrost

A layer of permanently frozen soil found beneath the surface layer in tundra biomes.

Boreal Forest / Taiga

A northern coniferous forest biome characterized by cold temperatures, evergreen trees, and low precipitation.

Swamp

A wetland ecosystem continuously or seasonally flooded, dominated by woody vegetation and trees.

Marsh

A wetland ecosystem dominated by non-woody herbaceous vegetation such as grasses and reeds.

Wetland

An area of land covered or saturated with water for all or part of the year, supporting aquatic adapted plants.