Download Test review – AP Environmental S

Test review – AP Environmental Science
Chapters 3 and 4
Major concepts/terms to study:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Definitions and terms from the beginning of chapter 3 (population, community, etc)
Ecotones
Abiotic factors which determine ecosystem types (compare terrestrial and aquatic)
Food webs
Pyramids of energy/biomass/numbers - be aware of exceptions as well
Primary productivity (net and gross) – be sure you can explain the relationship between
these concepts and photosynthesis/respiration and the carbon cycle, as well as energy
flow in ecosystems.
7. Biogeochemical cycles: water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur. Carbon and nitrogen
are the most important - you should be able to explain each step of these cycles, and
reproduce them from memory. Use the diagrams and animations linked to the online
notes to study - you might find them more helpful than the diagrams in the book.
8. Ecosystem services
9. Biodiversity: richness and evenness
10. Long term ecological research
11. Field biology research methods (reference Jug Bay field trip and associated readings)
12. Adaptation: natural selection, speciation, co-evolution, niches, generalists and
specialists. Be sure you can explain how natural selection happens. Relate
adaptation/speciation to biodiversity and competition.
Terms to know:
 populations
 community
 ecosystem
 troposphere
 stratosphere
 biosphere
 range of tolerance
 omnivore/herbivore/carnivore/detritovore/decomposer
 heterotroph/autotroph
 chemosynthesis
 GPP and NPP
 transpiration
 nitrogen fixation
 guano
 GIS
 biodiversity: genetic, species, functional, ecological
 richness and eveness
 structural diversity
 adaptation
 mutation
 speciation and geographic isolation
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endemic
ecological niche: generalists and specialists
indicator species
keystone and foundation species