AP BIOLOGY - Ecology Unit Assignment
 Read each of the chapters dealing with ecology. The questions in the study guides below will help you
focus on the most important material.
 Answer ALL of the questions.
 Identify each set of questions by writing the chapter number and title where you found the information.
 If you cannot find and answer in the book, you are still responsible for researching the information to
answer the question.
An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere
1. Define population, community, ecosystem and biosphere. Indicate how each of these is related to the others.
2. Define ecology and identify the two features of organisms that ecologists try to explain.
3. Distinguish between biotic and abiotic factors. Describe 3 abiotic factors, including an example of how each
may influence a biotic factor in the environment.
4. Explain factors affecting the distribution and ecology of organisms. At least three of these factors should be
biotic.
5. What is an introduced / invasive species? How might they affect native species. Give at least one example.
6. What abiotic factors seem to be the greatest determinants of biome locations?
7. List and describe the characteristics of the major aquatic (fresh and marine) and terrestrial biomes.
Population Ecology
1. Define population ecology, including density and dispersion
2. Explain how ecologists measure the density of a species.
3. How does carrying capacity affect the rate of growth of a population?
4. Describe the characteristics of populations that exhibit Type 1, type II and Type III survivorship curves.
(draw each of the types of survivorship curves)
5. Study a graph of the general types of survivorship curves
Sketch:
 A survivorship curve for population in which the rate of death is independent of age, label it by type.
 A survivorship curve for a population that reflects the loss of large quantities of young, such as would be
seen in most plant species, and label it by types
6. Sketch an exponential growth curve. Describe at least one situation in which this type of growth could occur.
7. Distinguish between r-selected populations and k-selected populations. Give an example of each.
8. Explain how density dependent factors affect population growth. Give at least 2 examples…
9. Explain how density dependent and density-independent factors may work together to control a population
growth.
10. Describe the snowshoe hare/lynx relationship. Explain the population changes in at least two ways.
Community Ecology
1. Describe the competitive exclusion principle and explain how it may affect community structure.
2. Define an ecological niche and restate the competitive exclusion principle using the niche concept.
3. Define and compare predation, herbivory and parasitism
4. Describe the defense mechanisms that evolved in plants to reduce predation by herbivores.
5. Distinguish between Batesian mimicry and Mullerian mimicry. Give examples of each.
6. Describe how predators use mimicry to obtain prey.
7. Distinguish among parasitism, mutualism, and commensalisms. Give examples of each…
8. Distinguish between a food chain and a food web. Describe the factors that transform food chains into food
webs. Draw a simple example of each type.
9. Explain how dominant and keystone species exert strong control on community structure. Give several
examples of each.
10. Describe and distinguish between primary and secondary succession.
Ecosystems
1. Define ecosystems. Where does the flow of energy in an ecosystem begin?
2. Describe the relationship between autotrophs and heterotrophs in an ecosystem.
3. Explain how the first and second law of thermodynamics applies to ecosystems.
4. Explain why energy is said to flow rather than cycle within ecosystems. Use the example of caterpillars to
illustrate energy flow.
5. Distinguish between energy pyramids and biomass pyramids. Explain why both relationships are in the form
of pyramids.
6. Explain why energy pyramids usually have only four or five trophic levels.
7. Describe the hydrologic water cycle.
8. Describe the nitrogen cycle and explain the importance of nitrogen fixation to all living organisms.
9. Describe the phosphorus cycle and explain how phosphorus is recycled locally in most environments.
10. Explain why toxic compounds usually have the greatest effect on top-level carnivores. (bioaccumulation)
Conservation Biology
1. Explain why biodiversity at all levels is vital to human welfare.
2. List the major threats to biodiversity and give an example of each.
AP Free Response Questions – Ecology
1. To survive, organisms must be capable of avoiding, and/or defending against, various types of environmental
threats. Respond to each of the following:
a. Describe how adaptive coloration, mimicry, or behavior function as animal defenses against predation.
Include two examples in your answer.
b. Describe how bacteria or plants protect themselves against environmental threats. Include two examples
in your answer
c. Compare the human primary immune response with the secondary immune response to the same antigen.