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APES Study Guide
Unit 2– Ecosystems and Community Ecology
Text:
Ch. 3 and 7 of Living in the Environment, 15th ed. Miller
Other Readings:
Hippocampus.org Environmental Science for AP
The Cycling of Matter--all sections
The Biosphere –biosphere, Range ofTolerance
http://www.hippocampus.org/AP%20Environmental%20Science
Annenberg “The Habitable Planet” – Unit 4 -- all sections
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=4&secNum=0
Projects and Homework:
Biogeochemical cycle poster project – due in-class TBD
Food webbing project - due in-class TBD
Seed density lab (due in-class TBD)
Primary productivity lab (due in-class TBD)
Vocabulary flash cards: Define all bold words from the chapter in your vocab notebook or
on flashcards. – to be eligible for test curve, due day of test, must be in your own
handwriting and be neat and legible with the chapter numbers, your name, and period on
the work.
6. Useful notes from Hippocampus and Annenberg assigned sections – to be eligible for
test curve, due day of test
1.
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4.
5.
Video(s): You are responsible for knowing the information in the videos.
 Planet in Peril - Predators
Unit Test:
TBD see board in class (MC AND FR)
You will be tested to determine your level of :
Knowledge gained from reading and taking notes from the text and any other assigned
reading
Knowledge gained from in-class notes and discussions
Knowledge gained from projects, homework, and labs
You should get an AP study guide to help with studying for this and any future exam in
this course and for the May AP test. AP study guides contain practice tests with answers.
Book questions- to be eligible for test curve or to take a remake of the test :
Respond to each of the following in complete sentences that always let a reader deduce what
question is being answered. That means no answer begins with such statements such as…..It is
….or ….Because.
Your response on writing prompts should always include a restatement of the prompt followed by
supporting detail.
Keep this paper with your responses.
Use your very best handwriting. All answers due no later test day.
Chapter 3: ECOSYSTEMS: WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO THEY WORK?
1. Summarize the importance of insects in the earth’s biodiversity.
2. Five “spheres” make up the biosphere; atmosphere, troposphere, stratosphere, hydrosphere,
and lithosphere. Describe them.
3. List and distinguish among five levels of organization of matter that are the focus of the realm
of ecology.
4. What are the four types of organisms that can be classified as microbes?
5. Briefly describe how the sun, gravity, and nutrient cycles sustain life on Earth.
6. Define abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem.
7. What are Biomes?
8. Compare limiting factors in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Summarize the law of
tolerance
9. Distinguish between aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration. Distinguish between
photosynthesis and chemosynthesis
10. Distinguish among three subtypes of biodiversity. What is the earth’s biodiversity and what
does it do?
11. Distinguish between an open system and a closed system. Compare the flow of matter and
the flow of energy through the biosphere. Describe the “pyramid of energy flow”. Draw a
sample diagram.
12. Describe the difference between Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), and net primary
productivity (NPP).
13. What does the planet’s NPP limit?
14. What effect have humans had on the total potential NPP for the planet?
15. What is gross primary productivity (GPP)?
16. Explain why there are not many tigers in the world and why they are vulnerable to premature
extinction because of human activities.
17. Evaluate and discuss which ecosystems show the highest average net primary productivity
and which contribute most to global net primary productivity.
Chapter 7: COMMUNITY ECOLOGY
1. Describe the three characteristics that describe a biological community.
2. Distinguish among the following roles played by species and give one example of each:
native species, nonnative species, indicator species, keystone species. Explain why these
labels are important.
3. Distinguish among the following species interactions and give one example of each:
interspecific competition, predation, and symbiosis.
4. Distinguish between interference competition and exploitation competition.
5. Summarize the competitive exclusion principle. List two strategies species use to reduce
competition.
6. List the three main strategies and three subcategories of how predators capture their prey.
7. List five strategies that prey use to defend themselves against predators.
8. Distinguish among three forms of symbiotic relationships and give one example of each:
parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism.
9. Define succession.
10. Distinguish between primary and secondary succession.
Describe several ways that humans affect communities
Due day of test
Other assignments given during class
 Essay writing, population math problems, etc.