Download Concept 52.1 – Ecology integrates all areas of biological research

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AP Biology Summer Assignment
Concept 52.1 – Ecology integrates all areas of biological research and informs environmental decision
making.
1. Use textbook figure 52.2 to discuss the different levels of ecological hierarchy. Draw a flow chart that
illustrates these levels of organization – be sure to describe the components of each level.
Concept 52.2 – Interactions between organisms and the environment limit the distribution of species.
2. List AND describe examples of biotic factors that can limit geographic distribution:
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L. Carnes
3. List AND describe examples of abiotic factors that can limit geographic distribution:
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4. How does dispersal influence species distribution?
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Concept 52.3 – Aquatic biomes are diverse and dynamic systems that cover most of Earth.
5. What are the most important factors influencing aquatic biome distribution?
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6. Identify factors that are significant to organism distribution in a lake:
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7. What is the difference between a lake that is oligotrophic and one that is eutrophic?
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8. Describe the DIVERSITY of the following marine zones – include what factors influence this
diversity:
a. Intertidal Zone:
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b. Oceanic Pelagic Zone:
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c. Benthic Zone:
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9. What is a wetland? Are wetlands considered to be species rich or poor? Explain.
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10. What is an estuary? Are estuaries considered to be species rich or poor? Explain.
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Concept 52.4 – The structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes are controlled by climate and disturbance.
11. What are the most important factors influencing terrestrial biome distribution?
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12. Fill in the Following Chart Outlining Major Characteristics of Biomes:
Biome
Defining Abiotic Characteristics
How do the Abiotic Characteristics affect the
Distribution of Species (Biotic Characteristics)?
Tropical Rain Forest
Savannah Desert
Temperate Grassland
Temperate Deciduous
Forest
Coniferous Forest (Taiga)
Arctic Tundra
Concept 53.1 – Dynamic biological processes influence population density, dispersion, and demographics.
1. What is the relationship between population density and dispersion?
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2. How can an ecologist use the mark-recapture method to estimate the number of individuals in a
population?
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3. What is the difference between immigration and emigration? How does each affect population
density?
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4. Describe three patterns of dispersal:
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5. What is territoriality? How is it of adaptive value to an organism?
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6. Define the following terms:
a. Demographics: ____________________________________________________________________
b. Life Table: _______________________________________________________________________
c. Survivorship Curve: ________________________________________________________________
7. Compare the survival strategies of different species and give an example of each type. Include a
sketch of the graph for each growth strategy.
a. Type I:
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b. Type II:
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c. Type III:
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Concept 53.2 – Life history traits are products of natural selection.
8. Life histories are very diverse. Compare and contrast species that exhibit semelparous and
interoparous reproductive strategies. Discuss when each strategy might be of adaptive advantage to
an organism.
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9. Natural selection cannot maximize all reproductive variables simultaneously. Give examples of
“trade-offs” and life histories.
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Concept 53.3 – The exponential growth model describes population growth in an idealized, unlimited
environment.
10. Write the formula for population growth WITHOUT limits – define the variables & draw/label an
example of the graph. Why is this type of growth considered “idealized” or “unattainable in nature?”
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Concept 53.4 – The logistic growth model describes how a population grows more slowly as it nears its
carrying capacity.
11. Define carrying capacity. Discuss factors that cause a population to reach its carrying capacity:
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12. Write the formula for population growth WITH limits – define the terms & draw/label an example
graph. Why is this more realistic than the exponential growth model?
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13. What happens to a population with the number of individuals approaches the carrying capacity?
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14. Compare k-selected and r-selected species. Provide examples of each. What is the adaptive value of
each strategy?
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Concept 53.5 – Many factors that regulate population growth are density dependent.
15. Identify factors that regulate population size:
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16. Compare density-dependent and density-independent factors limiting populations – give examples of
each.
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17. Review Figure 53.19. Discuss how the predator/prey relationship is an example of a densitydependent limiting factor. What trends are recognizable from the graph?
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Concept 53.6 – The human population is no longer growing exponentially but is still increasing rapidly.
18. Look at the growth curve of the human population. How does it compare to the growth curves earlier
in the chapter? Do you think the human population is growing exponentially or logistically? Have we
reached our carrying capacity? Discuss trends and events throughout history that have contributed
to growth in the size of the human population on the planet.
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19. Look at the age structure diagrams of different countries (Figure 53.25). Discuss the pyramids for all
three populations (similarities/differences). How might the age structure influence social policy?
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Concept 54.1 – Community interactions are classified by whether they help, harm, or have no effect on the
species involved.
1. What is a community?
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2. How is co-evolution significant in community ecology?
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3. Ecologists call relationships between different species in a community interspecific interactions.
Define the interaction terms. Fill in the chart of INTERSPECIFIC interactions:
Interaction
Competition:
Predation (includes parasitism):
Mutualism:
Commensalism:
Effects on Population Density
Example
4. What is the competitive exclusion principle? How is this of adaptive value to both species?
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5. Define ecological niche. What factors are included in an organism’s niche? How does a niche differ
from an organism’s habitat?
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6. Define and give an example of resource partitioning. How is this of adaptive value to all species
involved in this interaction?
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7. Describe what is meant by “character displacement”.
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8. Describe several defense mechanisms to predation in plants.
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9. Describe and give an example of the following animal defenses:
a. Cryptic Coloration:
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b. Aposematic Coloration:
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c. Batesian Mimicry:
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d. Mullerian Mimicry:
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Concept 54.2 – Dominant and keystone species exert strong controls on community structure.
10. Discuss biodiversity, species richness, and relative abundance.
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11. What is the “trophic structure” of a community?
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12. What does a food web show that isn’t indicated by a food chain?
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13. What limits the length of a food chain? Discuss the difference between the energetic hypothesis and
the dynamic stability hypothesis.
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14. Define a keystone species and discuss their importance to a community. Provide a specific example.
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15. Define a foundation species and discuss their importance to a community. Provide a specific example.
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16. Define a dominant species and discuss their importance to a community. Provide a specific example.
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17. How do the “bottom-up” and “top-down” model of community control differ?
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Concept 54.3 – Disturbance influences species diversity and composition.
18. What is a disturbance? Explain the intermediate disturbance hypothesis.
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19. What is an ecological succession?
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20. What is the MAIN difference between a primary and secondary succession? Give examples of factors
that can cause EACH type of succession.
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21. What are the characteristic stages of a primary succession? Discuss the importance of each stage.
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22. What happens to biodiversity as a succession proceeds? What factors influence this increase or
decrease in biodiversity?
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23. What is the difference between a pioneer species and a climax species?
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Concept 55.1 – Physical laws govern energy flow and chemical cycling in ecosystems.
1. How does the definition of ecosystems expand on the concept of the community?
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2. What is needed to maintain a self-sustaining ecosystem?
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3. How do the first two laws of thermodynamics and the law of conservation of mass apply to
ecosystems?
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4. How can changes in free energy availability result in disruptions to an ecosystem?
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5. Draw a diagram that illustrates energy and nutrient dynamics in an ecosystem. Explain your
diagram.
Concept 55.2 – Energy and other limiting factors control primary production in ecosystems.
6. Define the following energy budget terms:
a. Primary Productivity:
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b. Gross Primary Productivity:
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c. Net Primary Productivity:
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7. Which ecosystems have the highest productivity per unit area? What factors do you think contribute
to such high productivity?
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8. Why is the open ocean so low in productivity?
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9. Explain the factors that limit productivity in aquatic ecosystems AND discuss some consequences of
altering the amount of limiting nutrient in these systems.
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10. Explain the factors that limit productivity in terrestrial ecosystems. Which terrestrial ecosystems
have the lowest productivity? Why?
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Concept 55.3 – Energy transfer between trophic levels is typically only 10% efficient.
11. What is secondary productivity? What is production efficiency? What is trophic efficiency?
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12. What happens to the size at each level in the idealized pyramid as energy is transferred through the
trophic levels?
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13. Explain what happens to the energy and biomass as it is passed through the trophic levels. Explain
why this happens – i.e. why is the transfer only 10% efficient?
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Concept 55.4 – Biological and geochemical processes cycle nutrients between organic and inorganic parts of
an ecosystem.
14. How does the movement of energy and nutrients DIFFER through an ecosystem?
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15. Why is it essential that elements move through biogeochemical cycles in the ecosystem?
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16. The Carbon Cycle:
a. Biological importance:
b. Forms available to life:
c. Major reservoirs:
d. Key processes involved in cycle:
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17. The Water Cycle:
a. Biological importance:
b. Forms available to life:
c. Major reservoirs:
d. Key processes involved in cycle:
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18. The Nitrogen Cycle:
a. Biological importance:
b. Forms available to life:
c. Major reservoirs:
d. Key processes involved in cycle:
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19. The Phosphorus Cycle:
a. Biological importance:
b. Forms available to life:
c. Major reservoirs:
d. Key processes involved in cycle:
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20. What is the impact of combustion on the carbon cycle?
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21. Identify the role of each of the following in the nitrogen cycle:
a. Nitrogen Fixation:
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b. Ammonification:
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c. Nitrification:
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d. Denitrification:
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e. Assimilation:
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22. How does the rate of decomposition affect the overall health of an ecosystem?
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23. How does the rate of decomposition differ in a rainforest and a deciduous forest? What factors
contribute to this difference? Explain.
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Concept 55.5 – Human activities now dominate most chemical cycles on Earth.
24. Why is human population growth at the root of most environmental issues?
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25. What are the potential problems associated with nutrient enrichment brought about by human
activity? Discuss SHORT TERM and LONG TERM effects.
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26. What are the potential problems associated with acid rain brought about by human activity? Discuss
SHORT TERM and LONG TERM effects.
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27. What are the potential problems associated with adding toxins to the environment brought about by
human activity? Discuss SHORT TERM and LONG TERM effects including biological
magnification.
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28. What are some possible reasons for global warming called the greenhouse effect?
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29. Is depletion of the ozone layer a possible reason for global warming? Explain.
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30. What is the cause of depletion of the ozone layer? Why is this a problem?
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31. List and describe several additional impacts humans have had on the environment.
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Ch. 55 Essential Knowledge – bringing it all together.
1. Now that you have completed Ch. 55, use your virtual lab packet to complete the online simulation of AP
Lab #12 – Dissolved Oxygen.
a. Log onto http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/labbench/index.html and select AP Lab
12 – Dissolved Oxygen.
b. All lab responses should be written into your virtual lab packet and submitted with your summer
assignment.
c. Your responses to the virtual lab will account for a SIGNIFICANT portion of your summer
assignment grade.
Concept 56.1 – Human activities threaten Earth’s biodiversity.
24. Describe the three levels of biodiversity.
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25. Define biodiversity hot spots and explain why they are important.
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26. Describe the importance of the sustainable biosphere initiative.
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27. What is bioremediation? Provide an example.
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28. Why does reduced genetic diversity of small populations make them more vulnerable to extinction?
Explain your answer.
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29. What are the goals of restoration ecology?
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30. Discuss the three major threats to biodiversity caused by human activity (habitat loss, introduced
species, and overexploitation) and give examples of each. For each, discuss the immediate and long
term impact on the community.
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Ecology Unit Essential Knowledge – bringing it all together through writing.
Now that you have completed Chapters 52-56, use your knowledge to respond to the following free response essays on your own sheet
of paper – label each and use separate sheets of paper for each. Your responses to these essays will account for a SIGNIFICANT
portion of your summer assignment grade.
Essay Prompt #1 - Biogeochemical Cycles
Essay Prompt #2 – Population Growth Curves
Essay Prompt #3 - Ecological Succession