AP ES Unit 1 Module 1-2

All terms for Module 1 and 2 for APES Unit 1

Climate

The average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period of time.

Weather

The short-term conditions of the atmosphere in a local area that include temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and wind speed.

Community Ecology

The study of interactions among species.

Symbiosis

Two species living in a close and long-term association with one another in an ecosystem.

Biosphere

The region of our planet where life resides.

Competition

The struggle of individuals, either within or between species, to obtain a shared limiting resource.

Competitive Exclusion Principle

The principle stating that two species competing for the same limiting resource cannot coexist.

Resource Partitioning

When two species evolve to divide a resource based on differences in their behavior or morphology.

Parasitoid

A specialized type of predator that lays eggs inside other organisms — referred to as its host.

Parasitism

An interaction in which one organism lives on or in another organism, referred to as the host.

Pathogen

A parasite that causes disease in its host.

Herbivory

An interaction in which an animal consumes plants or algae.

Mutualism

An interaction between two species that increases the chances of survival or reproduction for both species.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants and algae use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Commensalism

An interaction between two species in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor helped.

Native Species

A species that lives in its historical range, typically where it has lived for thousands or millions of years.

Exotic Species

A species living outside its historical range. Also known as alien species.

Invasive Species

A species that spreads rapidly across large areas and causes harm.

Biome

The plants and animals that are found in a particular region of the world.

Terrestrial Biome

A geographic region of land categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms.

Aquatic Biome

An aquatic region characterized by a particular combination of salinity, depth, and water flow.

Habitat

An area where a particular species lives in nature.

Tundra

A cold and treeless biome with low-growing vegetation.

Permafrost

An impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil.

Taiga

A forest biome made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons. Also known as boreal forest.

Temperate Rainforest

A coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation.

Temperate Seasonal Forest

A biome with warm summers and cold winters with over 1 m (39 inches) of annual precipitation.

Shrubland

A biome characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Also known as woodland.

Temperate Grassland

A biome characterized by cold, harsh winters, and hot, dry summers. Also known as cold desert.

Tropical Rainforest

A warm and wet biome found between 20° N and 20°S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high precipitation.

Savanna

A biome marked by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons. Also known as tropical seasonal forest.

Hot Desert

A biome located at roughly 30° N and 30° S, and characterized by hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetation.