AP ECOLOGY REVIEW SHEET
Chapters
50 An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere
51 Behavioral Ecology
52 Population Ecology
53 Community Ecology
54 Ecosystems
55 Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology
Objectives
1. You should be familiar with the diversity of ecological approaches and be able to describe how the sun/earth relationship is important in determining climate patterns that effect diversity in general and the location and distribution of terrestrial biomes more specifically.
2. You should be familiar with abiotic factors that affect more local patterns of variability in terrestrial biomes and aquatic ecosystems.
3. You should be knowledgeable of the abiotic and biotic (mainly vegetative) character of the earth’s terrestrial biomes, and be able to compare and contrast the adaptation of organisms in these environments.
4. You should be able to diagram and describe the more significant chemical cycles, and be able to explain the abiotic and biotic processes involved in each.
5. You should be able to discuss the distribution of energy on earth, and diagram and describe patterns in the flow of energy through ecosystems.
6. You should be able to contrast weather and climate, describe climate modeling, and discuss multiple factors involved in global climate change and the effects that have been documented in organisms throughout the globe.
7. You should be able to diagram and discuss factors important in determining the number of species found on an island, and explain how such concepts are important in conservation biology and restoration ecology.
8. You should be able to discuss and calculate biodiversity, and discuss the how pre-human and contemporary processes or actions affect biodiversity.
9. You should be able to discuss the diversity of variables important to demographics, describe the variables that determine population size, explain how population size can be determined, calculate populations given appropriate initial values, and contrast the extreme life history strategies that species have.
10. You should be able discuss species-level ecological concepts associated with important animal behaviors and interactions existing between species residing in a community.
Lower Level Define, State, List, Draw, Measure, Estimate
Mid-Level Outline, Describe, Calculate, Identify, Apply, Compare, Annotate
Higher Level Suggest, Discuss, Explain, Deduce, Predict, Evaluate, Design, Determine, Analyze
Vocabulary
Chapter 50
ecology abiotic biotic organismal ecology
population ecology community ecology ecosystem ecology biosphere
dispersal distribution range abiotic factors
climate microclimate rain-shadow turnover
photic zone aphotic zone benthic zone littoral zone
limnetic zone marine zonation oligotrophic lake eutrophic lake
biomes climatograph ecotone tropical forest
savanna desert chaparral temperate grassland
temperate deciduous coniferous forest boreal tundra alpine tundra
polar ice
Chapter 51
behavioral ecology proximate causes ultimate cause ethology
fixed action pattern imprinting kinesis migration
communication signal pheromones learning
foraging behavior mating behavior monogamy polygamy
polygyny polyandry agonistic behavior game theory
altruism
Chapter 52
population density dispersion demography
mark-recapture immigration emigration births
deaths clumped uniform random
territoriality life tables survivorship curves type I
type II type III life history semelparity
iteroparity zero growth exponential growth logistic growth
carrying capacity r-selected species K-selected species density independent
density dependent population cycles human population age structure
infant mortality life expectancy ecological footprint
Chapter 53
community species interactions competition competitive exclusion
niche resource partitioning predation cryptic coloration
aposematic color Batesian mimicry Mullerian mimicry herbivory
parasitism mutualism commensalisms coevolution
species diversity relative abundance trophic structure food chain
food web producers consumers dominant species
invasive species keystone species foundation species disturbance
human disturbance ecological succession primary succession secondary succession
biodiversity species-area curve island biogeography
Chapter 54
ecosystem producers primary consumers secondary consumers
tertiary consumers decomposers detritivores primary production
light limitation nutrient limitation trophic efficiency pyramid of energy
pyramid of biomass pyramid of numbers chemical cycling water cycle
carbon cycle nitrogen cycle phosphorus cycle transpiration
photosynthesis respiration combustion nitrogen fixing bacteria
biomagnification climate change global warming greenhouse effect
ozone depletion
Chapter 55
conservation biology restoration ecology genetic diversity species diversity
ecosystem diversity habitat destruction introduced species overexploitation
landscape ecology fragmentation edge corridor
biophilia