AP Environmental Science 2024 Review

Community ecology

The study of interactions among species in an ecosystem.

Competitive exclusion principle

Two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist under the same environmental conditions.

Resource partitioning

Evolutionary process where species divide a resource based on differences in behavior and morphology to reduce competition.

Predation

Interaction where one animal kills and consumes another animal for food.

Parasitoids

Specialized predators that lay eggs inside other organisms, consuming the host from the inside out.

Herbivory

Interaction where an animal consumes plant or algae.

Mutualism

Interaction between two species benefiting both in survival or reproduction.

Commensalism

Interaction where one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped.

Invasive Species

Species living outside their historical range, spreading rapidly and causing harm to native populations.

Biome

Plants and animals in a region determined by climate factors like temperature and precipitation.

Tundra

Cold, treeless biome with low-growing vegetation and permafrost.

Temperate Rainforest

Coastal biome with moderate temperatures and high precipitation.

Tropical Rainforest

Warm, wet biome with high precipitation and rapid decomposition.

Freshwater Biomes

Aquatic regions like streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, or wetlands.

Estuaries

Coastal areas where fresh river water mixes with saltwater, providing habitat for plants and filtering contaminants.

Intertidal Zone

Range from steep, rocky areas to broad, sloping mudflats

Coral Reefs

Earth’s most diverse marine biome found in warm, shallow waters

Coral Bleaching

Algae die in coral due to lower ocean pH and high temperatures

Open Ocean

Deep ocean water away from the shoreline where sunlight can't reach

Photic Zone

Upper layer of ocean water receiving enough sunlight for photosynthesis

Chemosynthesis

Bacteria generate energy using methane and hydrogen sulfide

Habitat

Area where a species lives in nature, a subset of a biome

Carbon Cycle

Movement of carbon among biosphere reservoirs and sinks

Nitrogen Cycle

Movement of nitrogen among biosphere reservoirs and sinks

Phosphorus Cycle

Movement of phosphorus among biosphere sources and sinks

Hydrologic Cycle

Movement of water among biosphere reservoirs and sinks

Primary Productivity

Rate of converting solar energy into organic compounds

Trophic Levels

Successive levels of organisms consuming one another

Ecological Efficiency

Proportion of consumed energy passed between trophic levels

Genetic Diversity

Measure of genetic variation among individuals in a population

Species Diversity

Number of species in a region or ecosystem

Ecosystem Diversity

Variety of ecosystems in a given region

Ecosystem Services

Processes providing life-supporting resources and benefits

Aquaculture

Capture of wild ocean animals and farming of fish, shellfish, seaweed

Island Biogeography

Study of species distribution and interactions on islands

Random Disruptions

Events like volcanoes and hurricanes that occur without a regular pattern

Resistance

The ability of a system to withstand disruptions affecting the flow of energy and matter

Resilience

The speed at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

Ecosystems with moderate disturbance levels support higher species diversity than those with low or high disturbance levels

Evolution

Changes in the genetic composition of a population over time

Microevolution

Evolution at the population level

Macroevolution

Evolutionary changes that lead to the formation of new species or higher taxonomic groups

Evolution by Artificial Selection

Human-driven selection of individuals for breeding based on desired traits

Evolution by Natural Selection

Survival and reproduction of individuals based on their fitness in response to environmental pressures

Adaptations

Traits that enhance an individual's fitness in a specific environment

Evolution by Random Processes

Genetic changes in populations due to mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, bottleneck effects, and founder effects

Mutation

Random changes in an organism's DNA leading to genetic variation in populations

Gene Flow

Movement of individuals between populations altering genetic composition

Genetic Drift

Changes in genetic composition due to random mating, not natural selection

Bottleneck Effect

Drastic reduction in population size leading to loss of genetic variation

Founder Effect

Loss of genetic diversity in a new population due to a small founding group

Speciation

Formation of new species through the separation of a group from the main population

Allopatric Speciation

Speciation due to geographic isolation

Sympatric Speciation

Speciation without geographic isolation, often through polyploidy

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Organisms with genes inserted from other species

Ecological Succession

Predictable replacement of species over time in an ecosystem

Primary Succession

Succession starting from bare rock with no soil

Secondary Succession

Succession in areas with soil intact after a disturbance

Climax Community

Final stage of ecological succession

Keystone Species

Species with significant impacts on an ecosystem despite low abundance

Indicator Species

Species reflecting specific ecosystem characteristics

Endemic Species

Species found only in a specific geographic area

Biodiversity Hotspots

Areas with high species diversity and many endemic species

Polar Cells

Convection currents in the atmosphere, rising at 60°N and 60°S, sinking at the poles, 90°N and 90°S

Ferrell Cells

Convection currents between Hadley and Polar cells

Coriolis Effect

Deflection of an object’s path due to Earth's rotation

Gyres

Large-scale water circulation patterns, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

Upwelling

Upward movement of ocean water due to diverging currents

Thermohaline Circulation

Oceanic pattern mixing surface and deep water

Rain Shadow

Dry region on the leeward side of a mountain range

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

Reversal of wind and water currents in the South Pacific

La Niña

Follows El Niño, causing cooler and wetter conditions

Tragedy of the Commons

Depletion of shared, limited resources without regulation

Externality

Cost or benefit not included in the purchase price

Rangelands

Open grasslands used for grazing, susceptible to fires

Forests

Land areas dominated by trees, used for logging

Tree Plantations

Large areas planted with a single fast-growing tree species

Endangered Species Act

US law protecting threatened species

Subsistence Farming

Farming for family consumption

Industrial Agriculture/Agribusiness

Mechanized food production

Green Revolution

Agricultural shift in the 20th century

Economies of Scale

Average production costs decrease with output increase

Organic Fertilizer

Composed of organic matter from plants and animals

Synthetic/Inorganic Fertilizer

Commercially produced with fossil fuels

Waterlogging

Soil degradation from prolonged water exposure

Salinization

Concentration of salts on soil surface

Pesticides

Substances to control pests

Integrated pest management (IPM)

Agricultural practice minimizing pesticide use

Monocropping

Planting large areas with a single species

Energy Subsidy

Fossil fuel and human energy input per food calorie

Plowing

Digging deep into soil

Tilling

Soil preparation activities including plowing

Aquifer

Rock layers storing groundwater

Urbanization

Making an area more urban

Ecological footprint

Measure of land and water use

Carbon footprint

Measure of carbon dioxide emissions

Sustainability

Using resources without jeopardizing future generations

Crop rotation

Planting different crop species seasonally

Intercropping

Planting different crops close together

Biocontrol

Using biological organisms to control pests