AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Introduction To Ecosystems

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Introduction To Ecosystems, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Environmental Science.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is an indicator species?

Answer: A species whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition. Used to monitor ecosystem health and changes.

Flashcard 2: Identify the process of energy transfer in ecosystems.

Answer: Energy flows through food chains via consumption. Energy decreases at each successive trophic level.

Flashcard 3: Define a keystone species.

Answer: A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend. Their removal causes significant ecosystem changes.

Flashcard 4: What are decomposers?

Answer: Organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms. Include bacteria, fungi, and some invertebrates.

Flashcard 5: What is an ecological footprint?

Answer: The impact of a person or community on the environment, measured as land required to sustain their use of natural resources. Measures human demand on Earth's natural resources.

Flashcard 6: What is an ecological niche?

Answer: The role and position a species has in its environment. Includes how an organism obtains resources and interacts.

Flashcard 7: What are primary consumers?

Answer: Herbivores that feed on producers. First-level consumers in the energy transfer chain.

Flashcard 8: Identify the role of decomposers in nutrient cycling.

Answer: Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem. Essential for maintaining ecosystem productivity.

Flashcard 9: What is the 10% rule in energy transfer?

Answer: Only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. Most energy is lost as heat during transfer.

Flashcard 10: What is commensalism?

Answer: A relationship where one species benefits and the other is unaffected. Like barnacles on whales or birds on cattle.

Flashcard 11: Define carrying capacity.

Answer: The maximum population size an environment can sustain. Determined by available resources and environmental conditions.

Flashcard 12: What is a biome?

Answer: A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region. Characterized by climate, flora, and fauna patterns.

Flashcard 13: What is ecological efficiency?

Answer: The efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. Usually ranges from 5-20% between trophic levels.

Flashcard 14: Define carrying capacity.

Answer: The maximum population size an environment can sustain. Determined by available resources and environmental conditions.

Flashcard 15: Define biomass.

Answer: The total mass of organisms in a given area or volume. Measured in grams per square meter or similar units.

Flashcard 16: What is an apex predator?

Answer: A predator at the top of a food chain, with no natural predators. Controls prey populations and ecosystem structure.

Flashcard 17: What is secondary succession?

Answer: Succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil. Occurs after events like fires or storms.

Flashcard 18: Define invasive species.

Answer: Non-native species that spread rapidly and harm native species and ecosystems. Often lack natural predators in new environments.

Flashcard 19: Define parasitism.

Answer: A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another. Host is harmed while parasite benefits.

Flashcard 20: Define habitat.

Answer: The natural home or environment of an organism. Provides shelter, food, and breeding sites.

Flashcard 21: Define biodiversity.

Answer: The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Measured at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.

Flashcard 22: What is a limiting factor?

Answer: A factor that restricts the size of a population. Can be density-dependent or density-independent.

Flashcard 23: What is a food chain?

Answer: A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass. Shows direct feeding relationships between organisms.

Flashcard 24: What is the primary source of energy for ecosystems?

Answer: The Sun. Solar radiation provides energy for photosynthesis.

Flashcard 25: What is an indicator species?

Answer: A species whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition. Used to monitor ecosystem health and changes.

Flashcard 26: Identify the role of decomposers in nutrient cycling.

Answer: Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem. Essential for maintaining ecosystem productivity.

Flashcard 27: What is a biotic factor?

Answer: A living component of an ecosystem. Includes plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.

Flashcard 28: What is a biotic factor?

Answer: A living component of an ecosystem. Includes plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.

Flashcard 29: Identify the process of energy transfer in ecosystems.

Answer: Energy flows through food chains via consumption. Energy decreases at each successive trophic level.

Flashcard 30: Define mutualism.

Answer: A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit. Examples include bees and flowering plants.

Flashcard 31: What is a food web?

Answer: A complex network of feeding relationships in an ecosystem. More complex than simple linear food chains.

Flashcard 32: What are primary consumers?

Answer: Herbivores that feed on producers. First-level consumers in the energy transfer chain.

Flashcard 33: Identify an example of a keystone species.

Answer: Sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forest ecosystems. They control sea urchin populations, protecting kelp.

Flashcard 34: Define parasitism.

Answer: A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another. Host is harmed while parasite benefits.

Flashcard 35: What is a limiting factor?

Answer: A factor that restricts the size of a population. Can be density-dependent or density-independent.

Flashcard 36: What is commensalism?

Answer: A relationship where one species benefits and the other is unaffected. Like barnacles on whales or birds on cattle.

Flashcard 37: Define a trophic level.

Answer: The position an organism occupies in a food chain. Levels include producers, primary, secondary consumers, etc.

Flashcard 38: Define symbiosis.

Answer: An interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association. Can be mutualistic, parasitic, or commensalistic.

Flashcard 39: What is an ecosystem?

Answer: A community of living organisms interacting with their environment. Includes both biotic and abiotic components working together.

Flashcard 40: What is niche differentiation?

Answer: The process by which competing species use the environment differently to coexist. Reduces competition and allows species coexistence.

Flashcard 41: What is an abiotic factor?

Answer: A non-living component of an ecosystem. Includes temperature, water, sunlight, and soil.

Flashcard 42: What is the role of water in ecosystems?

Answer: Water is essential for life, acting as a solvent and medium for chemical reactions. Supports all biological processes and nutrient cycling.

Flashcard 43: What is primary succession?

Answer: Succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists. Starts with pioneer species like lichens and mosses.

Flashcard 44: What is the 10% rule in energy transfer?

Answer: Only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. Most energy is lost as heat during transfer.

Flashcard 45: Define ecological succession.

Answer: The process of change in the species structure of an ecosystem over time. Can be primary or secondary depending on starting conditions.

Flashcard 46: What is an ecosystem?

Answer: A community of living organisms interacting with their environment. Includes both biotic and abiotic components working together.

Flashcard 47: Define biomass.

Answer: The total mass of organisms in a given area or volume. Measured in grams per square meter or similar units.

Flashcard 48: What is an apex predator?

Answer: A predator at the top of a food chain, with no natural predators. Controls prey populations and ecosystem structure.

Flashcard 49: Define symbiosis.

Answer: An interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association. Can be mutualistic, parasitic, or commensalistic.

Flashcard 50: What is a food web?

Answer: A complex network of feeding relationships in an ecosystem. More complex than simple linear food chains.

Flashcard 51: Define competitive exclusion principle.

Answer: No two species can occupy the same niche in the same environment for long. One species outcompetes the other for resources.

Flashcard 52: What is the role of detritivores in an ecosystem?

Answer: Detritivores consume decomposing organic matter. Help break down organic matter into smaller particles.

Flashcard 53: Define habitat.

Answer: The natural home or environment of an organism. Provides shelter, food, and breeding sites.

Flashcard 54: Define a keystone species.

Answer: A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend. Their removal causes significant ecosystem changes.

Flashcard 55: What is an ecological niche?

Answer: The role and position a species has in its environment. Includes how an organism obtains resources and interacts.

Flashcard 56: What is primary succession?

Answer: Succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists. Starts with pioneer species like lichens and mosses.

Flashcard 57: What is the role of detritivores in an ecosystem?

Answer: Detritivores consume decomposing organic matter. Help break down organic matter into smaller particles.

Flashcard 58: What is ecological efficiency?

Answer: The efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. Usually ranges from 5-20% between trophic levels.

Flashcard 59: What is the primary source of energy for ecosystems?

Answer: The Sun. Solar radiation provides energy for photosynthesis.

Flashcard 60: Define invasive species.

Answer: Non-native species that spread rapidly and harm native species and ecosystems. Often lack natural predators in new environments.

Flashcard 61: Define biodiversity.

Answer: The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Measured at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.

Flashcard 62: Identify the main components of an ecosystem.

Answer: Biotic and abiotic factors. Living and non-living elements interact in ecosystems.

Flashcard 63: Identify the role of producers in an ecosystem.

Answer: Producers convert solar energy into chemical energy via photosynthesis. Forms the base of all food chains and webs.

Flashcard 64: What is niche differentiation?

Answer: The process by which competing species use the environment differently to coexist. Reduces competition and allows species coexistence.

Flashcard 65: Define ecological succession.

Answer: The process of change in the species structure of an ecosystem over time. Can be primary or secondary depending on starting conditions.

Flashcard 66: What is secondary succession?

Answer: Succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil. Occurs after events like fires or storms.

Flashcard 67: State the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Answer: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. First law of thermodynamics applied to ecosystems.

Flashcard 68: What is a food chain?

Answer: A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass. Shows direct feeding relationships between organisms.

Flashcard 69: What is the role of water in ecosystems?

Answer: Water is essential for life, acting as a solvent and medium for chemical reactions. Supports all biological processes and nutrient cycling.

Flashcard 70: Identify an example of a keystone species.

Answer: Sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forest ecosystems. They control sea urchin populations, protecting kelp.

Flashcard 71: Identify the main components of an ecosystem.

Answer: Biotic and abiotic factors. Living and non-living elements interact in ecosystems.

Flashcard 72: What is a biome?

Answer: A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region. Characterized by climate, flora, and fauna patterns.

Flashcard 73: What are decomposers?

Answer: Organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms. Include bacteria, fungi, and some invertebrates.

Flashcard 74: What is an ecological footprint?

Answer: The impact of a person or community on the environment, measured as land required to sustain their use of natural resources. Measures human demand on Earth's natural resources.

Flashcard 75: State the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Answer: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. First law of thermodynamics applied to ecosystems.

Flashcard 76: What is an abiotic factor?

Answer: A non-living component of an ecosystem. Includes temperature, water, sunlight, and soil.

Flashcard 77: Define mutualism.

Answer: A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit. Examples include bees and flowering plants.

Flashcard 78: Define competitive exclusion principle.

Answer: No two species can occupy the same niche in the same environment for long. One species outcompetes the other for resources.

Flashcard 79: Identify the role of producers in an ecosystem.

Answer: Producers convert solar energy into chemical energy via photosynthesis. Forms the base of all food chains and webs.

Flashcard 80: Define a trophic level.

Answer: The position an organism occupies in a food chain. Levels include producers, primary, secondary consumers, etc.