AP Environmental Science

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with non-living components of their environment as a system through nutrients and energy cycles.

Species

Organisms that resemble each other in genetic makeup, chemistry, behavior, and can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

Biological population

Organisms of the same species that interact and occupy a specific area.

Ecological niche

A particular area within a habitat occupied by an organism, reflecting its adaptations and role within the community.

Symbiosis

A close and long-term biological interaction between two different organisms.

Amensalism

An interaction where one species suffers while the other is not affected.

Commensalism

An interaction where one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Mutualism

An interaction where both species involved benefit.

Parasitism

An interaction where one species benefits and the other is harmed.

Law of Tolerance

The principle stating that the existence, abundance, and distribution of species depend on their tolerance levels to environmental factors.

Limiting factor

An abiotic factor that limits or prevents the growth of a population.

Predator-prey relationship

The dynamics between predators and their prey, where predator populations fluctuate based on the availability of their prey.

Morphological partitioning

When species share the same resource but have evolved different structures to utilize that resource.

Ecosystem diversity

The variety of habitats present in a specific area.

Biodiversity

The variability among species, between species, and of ecosystems.

Primary productivity

The rate at which energy is converted by photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs to organic substances.

Trophic level

The position an organism occupies in a food chain, indicating how far it is from the energy source.

Invasive species

Species that are transported to and establish in areas where they do not naturally live, often disrupting local ecosystems.

Cultural eutrophication

The process of nutrient enrichment in bodies of water due to human activity, leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion.

Bioaccumulation

The increase in concentration of a pollutant in an organism over time.

Biomagnification

The increasing concentration of substances, such as pesticides or heavy metals, in the tissues of organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain.

Endangered species

A species at risk of extinction.

Sustainable agriculture

Practices that maintain the health of the soil, ecosystems, and people in the long term.

Air pollution

The presence of harmful substances in the atmosphere.

Water pollution

The contamination of water bodies with harmful substances.