AP Biology Semester One Review

Population

All individuals of one species residing within a specific geographic area, sharing resources and interacting with one another.

Intrinsic Rate of Population Growth

Calculated as the birth rate minus the death rate, providing insight into population dynamics.

Exponential Growth

Characterized by a constant growth rate, leading to rapid increases in population size, often observed when resources are abundant.

Logistic Growth

A model where growth rate decreases as the population approaches the carrying capacity of the environment.

Symbiosis

Close and long-term biological interactions between two different organisms.

Cascading Effects

Any change made to a component within a biological system that can create a ripple effect, impacting other components and leading to broader ecological consequences.

Emergent Properties

Properties that arise from interactions of components at organizational levels below the observable properties.

Limiting Factors

Factors that affect population size, including density-dependent and density-independent factors.

Density-dependent Factors

Factors, such as availability of food, that exert greater effects as population density increases.

Density-independent Factors

Events, such as climate changes, that affect populations regardless of their size.

Predation

A symbiotic relationship where one organism (the predator) benefits by consuming another (the prey).

Keystone Species

Certain species that have a disproportionate impact on their ecosystems and help maintain the structure and balance.

10% Rule

The principle that only approximately 10% of energy is passed on to the next trophic level as energy transfers between them.

Nutrient Cycling

The continuous cycling of matter from one trophic level to another in an ecosystem.

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other remains unaffected.

Habitat Destruction

Human activities, such as deforestation and pollution, that significantly impact biodiversity and lead to species loss.

Conservation Biology

The field of study focused on preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance.

Climate Change

Long-term changes in temperature and climate patterns that affect global ecosystems.

Biodiversity Hotspots

Regions characterized by high levels of endemic species richness often found in tropical latitudes.

Competitive Exclusion Principle

The principle that when two populations compete for the same limited resources, one population will typically outperform the other.

Character Displacement

An evolutionary phenomenon where populations evolve different traits to minimize competition.

Facilitation

The positive effects that organisms can have on their ecosystem by altering conditions in ways that benefit other species.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

The hypothesis that ecosystems that experience moderate levels of disturbance tend to display greater biodiversity and resilience.

Habitat Fragmentation

The division of natural habitats into smaller, isolated patches, impacting species diversity.

Pollution

The introduction of harmful chemicals and toxins into the environment, affecting ecosystems and organisms.