AP Biology Review
By Matt Rice of South Mecklenburg HS
Unit 1: Evolution
Key Terms
Adaptation
Analogous structures
Biogeography
catastrophism
comparative morphology
descent with modification
endemic species
evolution
fitness
fossilization
gene pool
geologic time scale
homologous structures
fossils
macroevolution
morphological convergence
morphological divergence
natural selection
phylogeny
plate tectonics
population
radiometric dating
species
theory of uniformity
speciation
reproductive isolation
cladogram
Enduring Understanding 1A: Change in the genetic makeup of a population over time is evolution
Essential Knowledge 1.A.1: Natural Selection is a major mechanism of evolution
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What is the difference between evolution and natural selection?
What is the smallest unit that can evolve?
What is a species? How do you know?
In your own words describe Darwin’s theory of natural selection as the mechanism of evolution.
Explain how antibiotic resistance is an example of natural selection.
What ideas/ people influenced Darwin in the development of his theory?
Essential Knowledge 1.A.2: Natural selection acts on phenotypic variations in populations
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How is variation in a population created?
Explain the classic example of peppered moth (Biston betularia) evolution.
Why is sexual reproduction the preferred method for most organisms on earth?
How does artificial selection show human impact on variation in a population?
Essential Knowledge 1.A.3: Evolutionary change is also driven by random processes
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How are gene flow and genetic drift different?
What is a defining characteristic of the bottleneck effect?
How does a population’s genetic diversity become reduced?
Give an example of how genetic variation decreases in a population?
Why does gene flow typically occur more in motile organisms?
Essential Knowledge 1.A.4: Biological evolution is supported by scientific evidence from many disciplines, including
mathematics.
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What are 3 pieces of evidence scientists use to support the theory of evolution?
How do you know when a population is evolving?
What is DNA and how is it related to evolution?
What are the 5 assumptions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?
In a theoretical population in H-W equilibrium, 150/1000 have aa. For this population, what is p? what is q?
Explain how fossils can be used to show the history of life on earth.
Explain HOX genes and how they relate to evolution.
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
Enduring Understanding 1.B: Organisms are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry
Essential Knowledge 1.B.1: Organisms share many conserved core processes and features that evolved and are widely
distributed among organisms today.
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Name a feature humans share with a common ancestor. Why is this true?
How do we know all organisms evolved from a common ancestor?
Bird wings and bat wings are an example of what idea?
Bird wings and dragonfly wings are an example of what idea?
If species 1 and 2 have similar appearances but different DNA sequences while species 3 and 4 have different
appearances but very similar DNA, which pair of species is more likely to be closely related? How can this be
explained?
6. Based on your knowledge, describe 4 features of a common ancestor for all living organisms.
7. How can it be explained that snakes and lizards are both reptiles but have different features?
Essential Knowledge 1.B.2: Phylogenetic trees and cladograms are graphical representations (models) of evolutionary
history that can be tested
1. How can you tell how closely related 2 species are?
2. Name a trait that is present in 2 groups of animals but did not evolve from a common ancestor
3. Draw a cladogram that explains the relationship between sharks, birds, amphibians, fish, reptiles and mammals.
Be sure to include when the characteristics evolved.
4. Why do evolutionary biologists use cladograms to show evolutionary history?
5. Explain the rule of parsimony by creating 4 different cladograms with species A. B. C. D represented. Which tree
is most parsimonius (most likely to occur in nature) and why?
Enduring Understanding 1.C: Life continues to evolve within a changing environment
Essential Knowledge 1.C.1: Speciation and extinction have occurred throughout the Earth’s history.
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Why do some species go extinct and others don’t?
Why did the dinosaurs go extinct 65 million years ago?
Where did life first evolve?
Give an example of 2 mass extinctions and how they changed the evolutionary history of life on earth.
Are we currently living through a mass extinction event? Why or why not?
Explain the basic progression of life on earth from bacteria to humans.
Essential Knowledge 1.C.2: Speciation may occur when two populations become reproductively isolated from each other
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Explain the evolution of many different species of finches on the Galapagos Islands in your own words.
What is a gamete and a zygote?
How do you get a mule? A liger? A tigon? Are all hybrids sterile?
Graphically represent allopatric and sympatric speciation. Give an example of each.
Name 4 prezygotic barriers to fertilization and how each works.
Explain sexual selection and give an example.
Essential Knowledge 1.C.3: Populations of organisms continue to evolve.
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Do all traits in a population change over time? Why or why not?
Does evolution have a goal? Why or why not?
Give an example of evolution happening today.
How does evolution explain both unity and diversity of life?
Give an example of how humans continue to evolve.
What happens to a species that can no longer evolve? Why might this occur?
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
Enduring Understanding 1.D : The origin of living systems is explained by natural processes
Essential Knowledge 1.D.1: There are several hypotheses about the natural origin of life on Earth, each with supporting
evidence.
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What molecules were present on early earth?
What molecule was noticeably absent from early earth?
What is the difference between monomers and polymers?
Explain the steps outlined by Oparin and Haldane for the origin of life.
Explain the Miller and Urey experiment.
Why were the first cells on early Earth anaerobic prokaryotes? How did aerobic cells evolve?
Essential Knowledge 1.D.2: Scientific evidence from many different disciplines supports models of the origin of life.
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What is the big bang theory and what does it explain?
What is the difference between a prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell?
What is the function of the plasma membrane and why do cells need them?
Graphically represent the theory of endosymbiosis. Explain the theory and give 3 pieces of evidence that support
the theory.
5. What are the similarities and differences between archae and bacteria?
6. What are cyanobacteria and why were they important to the formation of life as we know it today?
Unit 2: Biochemistry – Big Idea 2 & 4
Key Terms
Dehydration synthesis
Denaturation
Electronegativity
Functional group
Hydrolysis
Monomer
Polar / non-polar covalent bond
Polymer
Polypeptide
Reservoir
Valence electrons
Enduring Understanding 2.A: Growth, reproduction and maintenance of the organization of living systems require free
energy and matter
Essential Knowledge 2.A.3: Organisms must exchange matter with the environment to grow, reproduce and maintain
organization.
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Name the elements essential for life.
Discuss some ways organisms use and rely on water.
Why is carbon such an important element in biology?
Use 3 of the properties of water to justify the statement: “water’s unique qualities make life on earth possible.”
Explain the role hydrogen bonding plays in the properties of water.
Describe the limits of cell size.
Draw and describe the nitrogen and the phosphorus cycles
Enduring understanding 4A
Essential Knowledge 4.A.1: The subcomponents of biological molecules and their contribution to the properties of that
molecule.
1. Name the molecules essential for life.
2. How does the structure of the carbon atom influence its bonding behavior?
3. How do we get big molecules? What is an example?
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
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What are functional groups? How do they influence the properties of amino acids?
What are the levels of protein structure?
Give an example of how the physical arrangement and directionality of DNA affects its overall function.
How does the sequence of amino acids influence the function of a protein?
Differentiate between the structure and the function of monosaccharides and polysaccharides.
Summarize the interaction between lipids and polar molecules such as water.
Unit 3: Energy and Enzymes: Big Idea 2,3,4
Key Terms:
ΔG
Activation energy
Active site
Aerobic respiration
Allosteric inhibition
Anaerobic respiration
Carbon fixation
Catabolic / anabolic pathways
Chemical equilibrium
chemiosmosis
competitive / non-competitive
inhibition
ectotherm
electromagnetic spectrum
electron transport chain
endotherm
energy coupling
entropy
exergonic/endergonic reactions
feedback inhibition
fermentation
free energy
induced fit
metabolism
phosphorylation
photon
pigment
substrate
thermodynamics
krebs cycle
Calvin cycle
glycolysis
Enduring Understanding 2.A: Growth, reproduction and maintenance of the organization of living systems require free
energy and matter
Essential Knowledge 2.A.1: All living systems require input of free energy
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Describe the motion of molecules in cold and warm temperatures
How is energy used in living things?
Identify two endothermic and two ectothermic organisms.
Explain how energy coupling is used in metabolism.
Give examples of how free energy changes affect cells, organisms, ecosystems.
Differentiate between the metabolism of endotherms and ectotherms.
Essential Knowledge 2.A.2
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Why are most parts of plants green?
How do organisms acquire the energy they need for cellular processes?
Identify the main structures and main function of both chloroplasts and mitochondria.
What role does water play in photosynthesis?
Explain the process used to capture light energy and convert it into stored chemical energy.
Summarize the role of the membrane in chemiosmosis in photosynthesis or cellular respiration.
Contrast cyclic with noncyclic photophosphorylation.
Compare and contrast chemiosmosis in photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Enduring Understanding 4.B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of biological systems
Essential Knowledge 4.B.1: Interactions between molecules affect their structure and function.
1. How is the shape of a protein vital to its function?
2. What does it mean to be lactose intolerant?
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
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Why is the efficiency of metabolic pathways critical?
Describe the interaction between the substrate and the enzyme.
Discuss how the activity of enzymes is regulated.
What environmental conditions can affect the rate of enzyme reaction?
Essential Knowledge 4.B.2: Cooperative interactions within organisms promote efficiency in the use of energy and
matter.
1. What benefit does multicellularity provide eukaryotes?
2. How is the function of the chloroplast and mitochondria specialized within a cell?
3. For each organelle describe its structure and function: nucleus, nuclear membrane, ribosome, cell membrane,
cytoskeleton, ER, Golgi, vacuole, centriole, flagella, cilia, cell wall
4. Describe how the interaction in a biofilm improves and utilization of energy.
5. What are the benefits of organelle specialization in eukaryotes?
6. Explain why the specialization found within the lungs is critical to gas exchange. allele
Unit 4: Cells Big Idea 2, 3, 4
Key terms
Allele
Autosome
Binary fission
Cancer
Cell junctions
Cell plate
Centromere
Chiasma
Concentration gradient
Crossing over
Differentiation
Diploid/haploid
Electrochemical gradient
Fluid mosaic model
Gamete
Histones
Homologues
Karyotype
Locus
Membrane cycling
Microfilaments
Microtubules
Mitotic spindle
Osmoregulation
Osmosis
Osmotic pressure
Phospholipid bilayer
Plasmolysis
Recombination
Selective permeability
Sister chromatid
Solute
Tonicity
Water potential
zygote
Enduring Understanding 2.B: Growth, reproduction and dynamic homeostasis require that cells create and maintain
internal environments that are different from their external environments
Essential Knowledge 2.B.1: Cell membranes are selectively permeable due to their structure
Essential Knowledge 2.B.2: Growth and dynamic homeostasis are maintained by the constant movement of molecules
across membranes
Essential Knowledge 2.B.3: Eukaryotic cells maintain internal membranes that partition the cell into specialized regions
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How is the structure of a cell related to its function? Give two examples
How are cells organized? Give an example of an idealized prokaryote and a eukaryote.
Discuss the benefits of compartmentalization.
Explain the factors that influence cell size.
Identify and discuss the differences between and idealized plant cell and an idealized animal cell.
Predict the characteristics required of the cell membrane to support cellular survival.
Describe the basic structure of a lipid.
Describe the basic structure of a phospholipid.
How is membrane structure related to its function?
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
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How do phospholipids and transport proteins aid in and control cellular transport?
What substances does a cell need to exchange with its environment?
What is the membrane’s role in homeostasis?
Describe an example of diffusion using the agar gel “cell” and the acid you soaked it in.
Discuss specific methods used to maintain homeostasis through transport.
Use the process of osmosis to draw a diagram and explain what would happen to a red blood cell submerged in
a beaker of distilled water, a beaker of normal saline and a beaker of super concentrated salt solution.
16. Give an example of a cell using exocytosis to maintain homeostasis.
Enduring Understanding 3.A: Heritable information provides continuity of life
Essential Knowledge 3.A.2: In eukaryotes, heritable information is passed to the next generation via processes that
include the cell cycle and mitosis or meiosis plus fertilization
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How do cells reproduce?
Do all cells reproduce?
Predict the steps a cell would need to take to prepare for dividing?
Summarize the life cycle of a cell.
How is the cell cycle controlled to maintain accuracy?
Explain how mitosis conserves chromosomal number and meiosis reduces it.
Enduring Understanding 3.B:Expression of genetic information involves cellular and molecular mechanisms
Essential Knowledge 3.B.2: A variety of intercellular and intracellular signal transmissions mediate gene expression
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How do cells interact with one another?
Why is intercellular communication necessary?
Explain the saying, “One bad apple spoils the whole bunch.”
Use an example to explain communication through cell to cell contact.
How are insulin and glycogen used as chemical signals to illicit cellular response?
Discuss the role of cytokines to regulating cellular division.
Unit 5: Genetics: Big Idea 3 & 4
Key terms
Asexual reproduction
Chromosome
Chromosome number
Co-dominance
Crossing over
Dihybrid
Dominant
Fertilization
Genes
Genotype
Haploid
Heterozygous
Homologous
Linkage group
Monohybrid cross
Nondisjunction
Phenotype
Recessive
Recombinant DNA
Sexual reproduction
Test cross
Lysogenic cycle
Lytic cycle
Introns
Plasmid
Promoter
Restriction endonuclease
RNA polymerase
rRNA
semiconservative
transcription
transduction
transformation
anticodon
bacterial chromosome
bacteriophage
codon
deletion
DNA ligase
DNA polymerase
DNA replication
Enhancers
Exons
Genetic engineering
Genetically modified
Gene mutations
Genetic code
Plasmid
Promoter
Translation
tRNA
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
Enduring Understanding 3.A: Heritable information provides continuity of life.
Essential Knowledge 3.A.1: DNA, and in some cases, RNA is the primary source of heritable information
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What is the molecular basis of inheritance?
Discuss the RNA world hypothesis.
How can a biologist account for variation within our species?
How can a biologist account for variation from species to species?
Draw and label the structure of DNA.
Where and when does DNA replication occur?
Explain the differences between transcription and translation.
Explain post transcriptional modifications necessary for protein production by B cells that account for the
varying structure of antibodies.
Essential Knowledge 3.A.3: The chromosomal basis of inheritance provides an understanding of the pattern of
transmission of genes from parent to offspring.
1. Think about the Baldwin brothers. Do they look more like their mother, their father or no one?
2. How does the process of meiosis apply to Mendel’s Law of Dominance? Law of Segregation? Law of Independent
Assortment?
3. What do you know about Mendel’s data?
4. Describe the cause and consequences of the following genetic disorders: Albinism, sickle cell, Tay-Sachs,
Huntington’s, Trisomy 21, Monosomy X, Kleinfelter’s Syndrome, Fragile X, Edward’s Syndrome
Enduring Understanding 3.A: Heritable information provides continuity of life.
Essential Knowledge 3.A.4: The inheritance pattern of many traits cannot be explained by simple Mendelian genetics.
1. Blood types used to be presented as evidence for or against paternity law suits. Why might this be inconclusive
evidence?
2. Why are there more boys than girls born with color-blindness?
3. Are all alleles completely dominant or recessive? Give an example.
4. If flower color shows incomplete dominance, what would be phenotype ratio of the F1 generation be if you
crossed a red flower with a white flower? The F2 generation?
5. Can an O- female and an AB+ male have an A- child?
6. Investigate the Romanov’s history with hemophilia. How is hemophilia inherited? Why was Alexis the only child
to exhibit hemophilia?
7. How can mitochondrial DNA be used to establish identity? It is as accurate as nuclear DNA?
Enduring Understanding 3.C: The processing of genetic information is imperfect and is a source of genetic variation
Essential Knowledge 3.C.1: Changes in genotype can result in changes in phenotype
1. What are mutations?
2. How can a change in chromosome number occur? If the mistake occurs in Meiosis I or II, how does it affect the
cells which are produced?
3. How can a change in chromosome structure occur?
4. Give an example of a positive, negative or neutral mutation.
5. Explain heterozygote advantage and give an example.
Enduring Understanding 3.C: The processing of genetic information is imperfect and is a source of genetic variation
Essential Knowledge 3.C.2: Biological systems have multiple processes that increase genetic variation.
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
1. How does sexual reproduction generate variation? How do bacteria reproduce?
2. How do bacteria which asexually reproduce increase genetic variation?
3. Pictorially represent random assortment and crossing over. Why does DNA replication cause increased genetic
variation?
4. What is the difference between conjugation, transformation and transduction?
Essential Knowledge 3.C.3: Viral replication results in genetic variation, and viral infection can introduce genetic
variation into the host.
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Why are viruses considered to be non-living pathogens?
How can viruses change the genetic makeup of an organism?
How did HIV become a worldwide epidemic?
Explain why a vaccine for HIV is very difficult to create.
How does a virus infect a host cell?
Explain the life cycle of HIV, and how each kind of antiviral drug interferes in the life cycle.
Enduring Understanding 4.A: Interactions within biological systems lead to complex properties
Essential Knowledge 4.A.3: Interactions between external stimuli and regulated gene expression result in the
specialization of cells, tissues, and organs.
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How might alterations in DNA structure be harmful to a species?
What is the role of gene regulation in causing cancer?
What is the difference between an inducible operon and a repressible operon? Give an example of each.
Construct a chart showing the four major types of control (transcriptional, transcript processing, translational
and post translational). Give a specific example of each and indicate whether the example is found in
eukaryotes, prokaryotes or both.
5. Investigate other examples of environmental influences on the expression of a gene and identify and describe
two examples.
6. Why is the SRY gene important to males?
Enduring Understanding 4.C: Naturally occurring diversity among and between components within biological systems
affects interactions with the environment.
Essential Knowledge 4.C.2: Environmental factors influence the expression of the genotype in an organism
1. Given what you know about inheritance, account for the phenotypic differences within the human species for
traits such as height and weight.
2. If skin color is heritable, explain tanning in the sun. How do UV rays accelerate melanin production?
3. Why are transplanted organs sometimes rejected by the recipient?
4. What causes seasonal fur changes in the arctic fox?
Unit 6: Organisms: Big Idea 2 & 4
Key terms
Acid rain
Activator
Adaptive immunity
Allergen
Allergy
Animal hormone
antibody
humoral response
antigen
autoimmune response
B cell
B cell receptor
Bioaccumulation
Biodiversity
Budding
Cell mediated immunity
Cephalization
Chemoautotroph
Chemoheterotroph
Chemotaxis
Circadian rhythm
Classical conditioning
Communication
Conjugation
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
Cytokinin
Cytotoxic T cell
Differentiation
Effector cell
Embryonic
Habituation
Homeotic gene
Horizontal gene transfer
Immunity
Imprinting
Instinctive behavior
Interspecific competition
Kinesis
Learned behavior
Migration
Mutualism
Negative feedback
Phototropism
Prokaryote
Proximate cause
Repressor
Sensory receptor
T cell
Taxis
Transduction
Tropism
Ultimate Cause
Enduring Understanding 2.C: Organisms use feedback mechanisms to regulate growth and reproduction, and to
maintain dynamic homeostasis.
Essential Knowledge2.C.1: Organisms use feedback mechanisms to maintain their internal environments and respond to
external environmental changes.
Essential Knowledge 2.C.2: Organisms respond to changes in their external environments.
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Describe homeostasis and explain why all organisms have to maintain homeostasis to ensure life.
A plant is growing horizontally toward a light source. Explain.
List three ways you have observed an organism change in response to an external stimulus.
Describe what migration is and indicate if it is innate, learned or both.
What homeostatic mechanisms to doctors measure when they take vital signs such as temperature, pulse and
blood pressure?
6. What would be the effect of too little growth hormone? Too much?
Enduring Understanding 2.D: Growth and dynamic homeostasis of a biological system are influenced by changes in the
system’s environment.
Essential Knowledge 2.D.2: Homeostatic mechanisms reflect both common ancestry and divergence due to adaptation in
different environments.
1. What is common ancestry and divergence?
2. Why do you think the internal structure of a snake differs from that of a human?
3. Name three differences and similarities you would expect to see in a plant that lives in the desert versus a plant
that lives in the rainforest.
4. Name two organisms that have homeostatic mechanisms that would suggest divergent or common ancestry.
5. How does the environment regulate how nutrients are taken in and how waste is expelled?
6. How do adaptations to the environment reflect common ancestry and divergence?
Essential Knowledge 2.D.3: Biological systems are affected by disruptions to their dynamic homeostasis
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What is immunity?
What are the effects of desertification and deforestation in an ecosystem?
Describe the effect on ecosystem homeostasis of an invasive species.
What influences the movement of ions and molecules?
Name and describe 3 biological effects of climate change.
What are the purposes of inflammatory response and fever?
What happens when the immune system does not function properly?
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
Essential Knowledge 2.D.4: Plants and animals have a variety of chemical defenses against infections that affect dynamic
homeostasis.
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Do plants have any defense against predation?
How can animals defend themselves against harmful organisms such as bacteria or viruses?
Do animal immune systems ever have problems?
What prevents microorganisms from entering the body?
What happens after an antigen is detected inside the body. (non-specific, humoral & cell-mediated)
How do vaccines work?
Essential Knowledge 2.E.1: Timing and coordination of specific events are necessary for the normal development of an
organism, and these events are regulated by a variety of mechanisms.
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What is genetic engineering?
Describe the process of transcription and translation.
Why is programmed cell death important in maintaining homeostasis? For proper development?
What is epigenetics? Explain how it relates to histones, methyl groups and acetyl groups.
Why is timing and coordination of events necessary for normal development of organisms?
What regulates dormancy and germination in plants?
How does an adult vertebrate develop from a single celled zygote?
Essential Knowledge 2.E.2: Timing and coordination of physiological events are regulated by multiple mechanisms.
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Name some environmental factors that begin seed germination.
What is a circadian rhythm?
What factors influence animals to migrate? How do they navigate?
What are the benefits and costs of organisms communicating within their species?
List three internal signals that coordinate physiological activity.
What role does circadian rhythm play in reference to migration?
Essential Knowledge 2.E.3: Timing and coordination of behavior are regulated by various mechanisms and are important
in natural selection.
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What is natural selection?
Name three responses plants have to changes in the seasons.
Why is it better for survival if species can communicate?
How can the environment change an organism’s behavior?
What are the effects of participating in mutualism?
Describe an example of co evolution.
What happens when species compete for resources?
What is the difference between a fundamental niche and a realized niche?
Enduring Understanding 4.A: Interactions within biological systems lead to complex properties.
Essential Knowledge 4.A.4:Organisms exhibit complex properties due to interactions between their constituent parts.
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What are organ systems made of?
How are animal bodies organized?
How does the structure of a human digestive tract help with its function? Respiratory system? Nervous system?
List two similarities in the structure of plants and animals.
Explain why humans are composed of more than one organ system.
Why is it important that cells, organs and organ systems are able to interact? How is that accomplished?
Unit 7: Ecology: Big Idea 2, 3, & 4
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
Key Terms
Age structure
Allele frequency
Altruistic behavior
Area effect
Balanced polymorphism
Behavioral plasticity
Bioaccumulation
Biodiversity
Biogeochemical cycle
Biological magnification
Biomass pyramid
Biotic potential
Bottleneck
Carrying capacity
Classical conditioning
Climate
Cohort
Communication signal
Community
Conservation biology
Consumer
Decomposer
Demographics
Density dependent factor
Directional selection
Disruptive selection
Ecological restoration
Emigration
Exotic species
Exponential growth
Food chain
Food web
Founder effect
Gene flow
Gene pool
Genetic drift
Genetic equilibrium
Global climate change
Hot spot
Immigration
Imprinting
Inbreeding
Indicator species
Keystone species
Limiting factor
Logistic growth
Mass extinction
Nitrogen cycle
Observational learning
Operant conditioning
Phosphorus cycle
Pioneer species
Pollination vector
Population density
Population distribution
Population size
Primary producer
Primary succession
Reproductive isolation
Resource partitioning
Runoff
Secondary succession
Sexual selection
Stabilizing selection
Trophic level
Tropism
Water cycle
Watershed
Zero population growth
Enduring Understanding 2.D: Growth and dynamic homeostasis of a biological system are influenced by changes in the
system’s environment
Essential Knowledge 2.D.1: All biological systems from cells and organisms to populations, communities and ecosystems
are affected by the complex biotic and abiotic interactions involving exchange of free matter and free energy.
1. Explain what happens to a freshwater fish if it is placed in a saltwater environment.
2. What is the difference between a biotic and abiotic factor? Density dependent and density independent limiting
factor?
3. Name 3 abiotic factors that influence an organism living in a forest.
4. Give an example of how a biotic and abiotic factor can effect an ecosystem.
5. How can a cell be affected by an abiotic factor.
6. Explain how predator prey relationships can change the homeostasis of an ecosystem.
Enduring Understanding 3.E: Transmission of information results in changes within and between biological systems
Essential Knowledge 3.E.1: Individuals can act on information and communicate it to others.
1. List an example of an invertebrate animal communicating with another animal. A vertebrate animal (not
human)
2. Explain why a plant may grow a tough, dense shell around eggs laid within the plant tissue.
3. Do you think plants communicate? Why or why not.
4. What are the benefits and costs of living in social groups?
5. Name some potential problems with a modification to a flowering plant that renders it unable to produce a
flower.
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
6. Why would a predator be at an advantage if they could mimic signals given by their prey?
Enduring Understanding 4.A: Interactions within biological systems lead to complex properties
Essential Knowledge 4.A.5: Communities are composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What is a community?
What happens when species compete for resources?
How do predator and prey populations change over time?
What factors contributed to the increase in the human population size?
What factors affect the types and abundances of species in a community?
What determines the size of a population and its growth rate?
Essential Knowledge 4.A.6: Interactions among living systems and with their environment result in the movement of
matter and energy.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is energy? How does energy flow through trophic levels in an ecosystem?
How does energy flow affect food chains and food webs?
How would the graph of logistic growth in a population change if the limiting factors changed?
Give an example of human impact on an environment that has resulted in an extinction, and an example of a
conservation effort to prevent extinction of an endangered species.
5. What is the trophic structure of an ecosystem?
Enduring Understanding 4.B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of biological systems
Essential Knowledge 4.B.3: Interactions between and within populations influence patterns of species distribution and
abundance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Explain how competition affects the concept of competitive exclusion and fundamental and realized niche.
Why is biodiversity important?
Name at least three things that can cause a change in the number of species in a population.
What factors will affect future changes in the human population?
How does a community structure change with in response to resource partitioning?
How do predation and herbivory influence community structure?
Essential Knowledge 4.B.4 Distribution of local and global ecosystem changes over time
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
How do human activities endanger existing species?
Why is it difficult to establish clear boundaries between ecosystems?
List three reasons why ecosystems change over time.
How do ocean currents arise and how do they affect regional climates?
What are some ways that pollutants directly harm living organisms?
What can individuals do to reduce their harmful impact on biodiversity?
Enduring Understanding 4.C: Naturally occurring diversity among and between components within biological systems
affects interaction with the environment
Essential Knowledge 4.C.3: The level of variation in a population affects population dynamics.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is genetic diversity? How does sexual reproduction contribute?
Why are small groups of organisms more likely to experience extinction than large groups?
How does natural selection maintain diversity?
Does evolution occur in recognizable patterns?
Name three things that can affect population dynamics in an ecosystem.
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
6. How does a population’s genetic diversity become reduced?
7. Describe how Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is used as a null hypothesis.
Essential Knowledge 4.C.4: The diversity of a species within an ecosystem may influence the stability of the ecosystem.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why is biodiversity important for the health of an ecosystem?
Explain the effects of extinction of one species within an ecosystem.
Give an example of a keystone species and explain why an ecosystem can collapse if they are removed.
Explain what might happen to an ecosystem if mutation and natural selection no longer exist. What could
happen if the environment changed?
5. How can a desirable trait in a population ultimately decrease biodiversity?
Synthesis / Evaluation Questions
1. A typical prokaryotic cell has about 3,000 genes in its DNA, while a human cell has about 20,000 genes. About
1,000 of these genes are present in both types of cells. Based on your understanding of evolution, explain how
such different organisms could have this same subset of genes. What sorts of functions might these shared
genes have?
2. The properties of water contribute to the suitability of the environment for life. Until fairly recently, scientists
assumed that other physical requirements for life included a moderate range of temperature, pH, atmospheric
pressure and salinity as well as low levels of toxic chemicals. That view has changed with the discovery of
organisms known as extremophiles, which have been found flourishing in hot, acidic sulfur springs, around
hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean, in soils with high levels of toxic metals, and even in the reactors at
Chernobyl! Why would astrobiologists be interested in studying extremophiles? What does the existence of life
in such extreme environments say about the possibility of life on other planets?
3. Thalidomide achieved notoriety 50 years ago because of a wave of birth defects among children born to women
who took this drug during pregnancy as a treatment for morning sickness. Thalidomide is a mixture of two
enantiomers; one reduces morning sickness, the can cause severe birth defects in the children mother who take
the drug. (Pharmaceutically, even though the beneficial enantiomer can be synthesized, some is converted in
the body to the harmful one. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withheld approval of thalidomide in
1960. Since then, however, the FDA has approved this drug for the treatment of conditions associated with
Hansen’s disease (leprosy) and newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, a blood and bone marrow cancer. In clinical
trials, thalidomide also shows promise as a treatment for AIDS, tuberculosis, inflammatory diseases and some
other types of cancer. Assuming that molecules related to thalidomide could be synthesized in the laboratory,
describe in a broad way the type of experiments you would do to improve the benefits of the drug and minimize
its harmful effects.
4. Comparisons of amino acid sequences can shed light on the evolutionary divergence of related species. If you
were comparing two living species, would you expect all proteins to show the same degree of divergence? Why
or why not?
5. Extensive irrigation in arid regions causes salts to accumulate in the soil. (when water evaporates, salts that
were dissolved in the water are left behind in the soil) Based on what you learned about water balance in plant
cells, explain why increased soil salinity might be harmful to crops. Suggest ways to minimize damage.
6. A researcher has developed an assay (a test) to measure the activity of an important enzyme present in liver
cells growing in culture. She adds the enzyme’s substrate to a dish of cells, and then measures the appearance
of the products. The results are graphed as the amount of product on the y-axis versus time on the x-axis. The
researcher notes four sections of the graph, strikingly similar to other graphs of the rate of enzyme action you
have seen. For a short period of time, no products appear (section A). Then (section B) the reaction rate is quite
high (the slope of the line is steep.) Next, the reaction gradually slows down (section C). Finally, the graph line
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
becomes flat (section D). Draw and label the graph, and propose a model to explain the molecular events
occurring at each stage of the reaction profile.
ATP synthases are found in the prokaryotic plasma membrane and in mitochondria and chloroplasts. What does
this suggest about the evolutionary relationship of these eukaryotic organelles to prokaryotes? How might the
amino acid sequences of the ATP synthases from the different sources support or refute your hypothesis?
Photorespiration can decrease soybeans’ photosynthetic output by about 50%. Would you expect this figure to
be higher or lower in wild relatives of soybeans? Why?
Scientific evidence indicates that the CO2 added to the air by the burning of wood and fossil fuels is contributing
to global warming, a rise in global temperature. Tropical rain forests are estimated to be responsible for
approximately 20% of global photosynthesis, yet the consumption of large amounts of CO2 by living trees is
thought to make little or no net contribution to the reduction of global warming. Why might this be? (hint: what
processes in both living and dead trees produce CO2?)
Epinephrine initiates a signal transduction pathway that involves the production of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and leads
to the breakdown of glycogen to glucose, a major source of energy for cells. But glycogen breakdown is only part
of the fight-or-flight response that epinephrine brings about; the overall effect on the body includes increased
heart rate and alertness, as well as a burst of energy. Given that caffeine blocks the activity of cAMP
phosphodiesterase, propose a mechanism by which caffeine ingestion leads to heightened alertness and
sleeplessness.
Many species can reproduce either sexually or asexually. What might be the evolutionary significance of the
switch from asexual to sexual reproduction that occurs in some organisms when the environment becomes
unfavorable?
Incomplete dominance and epistasis are both terms that define genetic relationships. What is the most basic
distinction between them?
You are handed a mystery pea plant that looks dominant for two unlinked traits and are asked to determine its
genotype as quickly as possible. What are all the possible genotypes for the plant? What process would you use
to determine the genotype of your plant? Describe one cross you would do to determine the exact genotype of
your plant. Explain how the results of your cross and your predictions will help you learn the genotype of your
mystery plant.
Knowing the genetic code is almost universal, a scientist inserts the entire human β- globin gene into bacterial
cells, hoping the cells will express it and synthesize functional β-globin proteins. Instead, the protein produced
is non-functional and is found to contain many fewer amino acids than does the β-globin protein made by a
eukaryotic cell. Explain why.
Explain how the signaling molecules released by an embryonic cell can induce changes in a neighboring cell
without entering the cell.
Trace amounts of dioxin were present in Agent Orange, a defoliant sprayed on vegetation during the Vietnam
War. Animal tests suggest that dioxin can cause birth defects, cancer, liver and thymus damage, and immune
system suppression, sometimes leading to death. But the animal tests are equivocal; a hamster is not affected
by a dose that can kill a guinea pig. Dioxin acts somewhat like a steroid hormone, entering a cell and binding to a
receptor protein that then attaches to the cell’s DNA. How might this mechanism help explain the variety of
dioxin’s effects on different body systems and in different animals? How might you determine whether a type of
illness is related to dioxin exposure? How might you determine whether a particular individual became ill as a
result of exposure to dioxin? Which would be more difficult to demonstrate? Why?
Describe the role of complementary base pairing during Southern blotting, DNA sequencing, Northern blotting
(for mRNA sequences), RT-PCR and microarray analysis.
You hope to study a gene that codes for a neurotransmitter protein produced in human brain cells. You know
the amino acid sequence of the protein. Explain how you might (a) identify what genes are expressed in a
specific type of brain cell (b) identify (isolate) the neurotransmitter gene, (c) produce multiple copies of the gene
for study, and (d) produce large quantities of the neurotransmitter for evaluation as a potential medication.
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
19. Is there danger of discrimination based on testing for “harmful” genes? What policies can you suggest that
would prevent such abuses?
20. Explain why natural selection is the ONLY evolutionary mechanism that consistently leads to adaptive evolution.
21. Consider a population in which heterozygotes at a certain locus have an extreme phenotype (such as being
larger than homozygotes) tat confers a selective advantage. Does such a situation represent directional,
disruptive or stabilizing selection? Explain your answer.
22. The first appearance of free oxygen in the atmosphere likely triggered a massive wave of extinctions among the
prokaryotes of the time. Why?
23. (a) Draw a phylogenetic tree based on the first five characters in the table below. Place hatch marks on the tree
to indicate the origin(s) of each of the six characters. (b) Assume the tuna and dolphins are sister species and redraw the phylogenetic tree accordingly. Place hatch marks on the tree to indicate the origins(s) of each of the six
characters.
Character
Lancelet
Lamprey
Tuna
Salamander Turtle
Leopard
Dolphin
(out-group)
Backbone
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
Hinged Jaw
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
4 limbs
0
0
0
1
1
1
1*
Amnion
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
Milk
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Dorsal fin
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
* Although adult dolphins have only two obvious limbs (their flippers), as embryos they have two hind-limb
buds, for a total of four limbs.
24. In patients infected with nonresistant strains of the tuberculosis bacterium, antibiotics can relieve symptoms in
a few weeks. However, it takes much longer to halt the infection, and patients may discontinue treatment while
bacteria are still present. How might this result in the evolution of drug resistant pathogens?
25. The nitrogen-fixing bacterium Rhizobium infects the roots of some plant species, forming a mutualism in which
the bacterium provides nitrogen, and the plant provides carbohydrates. Scientists measured the 12-week
growth of one such plant species (Acacia irrorata) when infected with six different Rhizobium strains. (a) graph
the data (b) interpret your graph. (remember: claim & evidence)
Rhizobium
1
2
3
4
5
6
strain
Plant mass (g) 0.91
0.06
1.56
1.72
0.14
1.03
Source: J.J. Burdon et al., Variation in the effectiveness of symbiotic associations between native Rhizobia and
temperate Australian Acacia; Journal of Applied Ecology 36: 398-408 (1999).
Note: without Rhizobium, after 12 weeks, acacia plants have a mass of about 0.1g
26. How do bryophytes (mosses) differ from other plants?
27. How do the main similarities and differences between seedless vascular plants and nonvascular plants influence
function in these plants?
28. It has been said that an oak is an acorn’s way of making more acorns. Write an explanation that includes these
terms: sporophyte, gametophyte, ovule, seed, ovary and fruit.
29. Contrast a pine cone and a flower in terms of structure and function.
30. Compare and contrast the nutritional mode of a fungus with your own nutritional mode.
31. Suppose you sample the DNA of two mushrooms on opposite sides of your yard and find out that they are
identical. Propose two hypotheses that could reasonable account for this result.
32. Summarize the main stages of animal development. What family of control genes plays a major role?
33. If a plant cell immersed in distilled water has a ψsof -0.7MPa and a ψ of 0MPa, what is the cell’s ψp? If you put it
in an open beaker of solution that has a ψ of -0.4 MPa, what would be its ψp at equilibrium?
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis
34. Compare and contrast the forces that move phloem sap and xylem sap over long distance.
35. The seedless banana, the world’s most popular fruit, is losing the battle against two fungal epidemics. Why do
such epidemics generally pose a greater risk to asexually propagated crops?
36. The sexual dysfunction drug Viagra inhibits an enzyme that breaks down cyclic GMP. If tomato leaf cells have a
similar enzyme, would applying Viagra to these cells cause a normal de-etoilation (greening) of aurea mutant
tomato leaves? (see figure 39.4 p.823)
37. If a mouse and a small lizard of the same mass (both at rest) are placed in experimental chambers under
identical conditions, which animal would consume oxygen at a higher rate? Explain.
38. Which animal must eat a larger proportion of its weight in food each day: a house cat or a lion in a zoo? Explain.
39. How is the flow of hemolymph through an open circulatory system similar to the flow of water through an
outdoor fountain?
40. How does the Bohr shift (the oxyhemoglobin curve) help deliver oxygen to very active tissues? To fetal
hemoglobin from maternal hemoglobin?
41. Explain two advantages of having memory cells when a pathogen is encountered for the second time.
42. How does consumption of alcohol affect regulation of water balance in the body?
43. Why could it be very dangerous to drink a very large amount of water in a very short time?
44. Ouabain, a plant substance used in some cultures to poison hunting arrows, disables the sodium potassium
pump. What change in the resting potential would you expect to see if you examined a neuron treated with
ouabain. Explain.
45. If an egg rolls out of the nest, a mother graylag goose will retrieve it by nudging it with her beak and head. If
researchers remove the egg or substitute a ball during this process, the goose continues to bob her beak and
head while she moved back to the nest. Explain how and why this behavior occurs.
46. Concept 10.3 (pp.198-199) describes the Calvin cycle of photosynthesis. Explain how nitrogen and phosphorus,
the nutrients that most often limit primary production, are necessary for the Calvin cycle to function.
47. If an insect that eats plant seed containing 100J of energy uses 30 J for respiration and excretes 50J in its feces,
what is the insect’s net secondary production? What is its production efficiency? (p.1225)
48. For each of the four biogeochemical cycles, draw a simple diagram that shows one possible path from abiotic to
biotic reservoirs and back.
49. Why does deforestation of a watershed increase the concentration of nitrates in streams draining the
watershed?
50. Explain why “editing” is an appropriate metaphor for how natural selection acts on a population’s heritable
variation.
Adapted by Matt Rice from Campbell Biology 9th ed & AP Teacher Guide – Biology The Unity and Diversity of Life, Silber, Wade, Fedas, Whitis