AP Bio

What are the three types of survivorship curves and their characteristics?

Type I (low juvenile mortality, high survival until old age), Type II (constant mortality risk across all ages), Type III (high early mortality but survivors live long).

What formula is used in the Mark-Recapture method for population estimation?

Population = (Marked in 1st catch x Total in 2nd catch) / Recaptured marked.

What distinguishes exponential growth from logistic growth?

Exponential growth has unlimited resources, showing a J-curve, while logistic growth stabilizes at carrying capacity (K) due to resource limitations.

What is the difference between r-selected and K-selected species?

r-selected species have high reproductive rates and thrive in unstable environments; K-selected species are larger, competitive specialists that thrive in stable environments and invest in parental care.

What is the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis?

It suggests that moderate disturbances maximize species diversity in communities.

What is the primary role of decomposers in ecosystems?

Decomposers break down detritus and release nutrients, playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling.

What is the 10% Rule in ecological energy transfer?

Approximately 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels; the rest is lost as heat.

What impacts community diversity according to the Latitudinal Gradient?

Higher diversity is found near the tropics due to stable climate and productivity.

How do Batesian and Müllerian mimicry differ?

Batesian mimicry involves a harmless species mimicking a harmful one, while Müllerian mimicry involves multiple harmful species sharing warning signals.

What is the Competitive Exclusion Principle?

Two species cannot coexist in the same niche, leading to one species outcompeting the other.

What causes eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems?

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers lead to algal blooms and hypoxic conditions.

What are Gross Primary Production (GPP) and Net Primary Production (NPP)?

GPP is the total CO2 fixed by photosynthesis; NPP is GPP minus respiration, representing biomass available to consumers.

What factors contribute to logged rainforests having low productivity?

Nutrient-poor soils and the removal of organic matter during logging lead to rapid soil degradation.

What is the main function of energy flow in ecosystems?

Energy flow depicts how energy moves from producers to consumers and decomposers, highlighting interdependence within food webs.

What are the different types of symbiosis?

Mutualism (+/+), Commensalism (+/0), Parasitism (+/-), Predation (+/-), Competition (-/-).

How does deforestation affect the carbon cycle?

Deforestation reduces the number of decomposers, lowering CO2 absorption and increasing atmospheric CO2.

What role do invasive species play in ecosystems?

Invasive species often lack natural predators and can outcompete native species, disrupting existing ecosystems.

Explain the difference between fundamental niche and realized niche.

Fundamental niche is the full potential range without competition, while realized niche is the actual range limited by biotic factors.

What is the impact of disturbance on ecosystems?

Disturbances can have both positive effects (e.g., promoting diversity through fire) and negative effects (e.g., leading to biodiversity loss).

What are the effects of solar energy conversion by autotrophs?

Autotrophs convert solar energy to glucose through photosynthesis, but a large portion of solar energy is lost to reflection and absorption.