Environmental Science · AP

AP Environmental Science: Ecosystems and Biodiversity

AP Environmental Science ecosystem structure, biodiversity, and species interaction concepts.

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What is an ecosystem?
A community of organisms interacting with their physical environment in a specific area
Define biodiversity
The variety of species, genes, and ecosystems in a given area
Biotic factors in an ecosystem are
All living organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria
Abiotic factors in an ecosystem include
Nonliving physical and chemical components like temperature, light, water, and soil
What is a niche?
The specific role and position a species has in its environment, including what it eats and where it lives
What is a habitat?
The physical place or environment where an organism or population lives
What is a community in ecology?
All the different populations of species living and interacting in an area
What is a population?
All members of a single species living in the same area at the same time
Primary consumers are
Herbivores that feed directly on plants and producers
Define autotroph
An organism that produces its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
Define heterotroph
An organism that obtains energy by consuming other organisms
What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?
They break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil and atmosphere
What is a food chain?
A linear sequence showing the transfer of energy from producers through consumers
How is a food web different from a food chain?
A food web shows multiple interconnected food chains, representing complex feeding relationships
Approximately what percentage of energy transfers from one trophic level to the next?
About 10 percent, with the rest lost as heat and used for metabolism

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