Ecosystems and Biomes Concepts

This video tutorial by Mr. Smees covers key concepts for the AP Environmental Science exam, focusing on ecosystems, biomes, biogeochemical cycles, energy flow, and food webs. It provides definitions, explains the importance of primary productivity, and discusses the impact of trophic cascades. The video also offers study tips and resources to help students prepare for their exams.

What is the primary focus of the review packet mentioned in the video?

• Sharing class schedules

• Giving extra credit assignments

• Offering practice questions and exams

• Providing lecture notes

In AP Environmental Science, what is the correct definition of an ecosystem?

• The environmental conditions a species needs to survive

• A specific portion of the world's environment

• The interaction of living and non-living things in a specific region

• The entire natural world

Which of the following best describes a biome?

• A specific type of ecosystem

• A region with consistent yearly average temperature and precipitation patterns

• A habitat for a particular species

• A large body of water

What are the three additional factors that influence aquatic biomes?

• Temperature, salinity, and depth

• Salinity, flow, and depth

• Depth, light, and nutrients

• Flow, temperature, and light

What is the law of conservation of matter?

• Matter can be created and destroyed

• Matter is never created or destroyed, only changes forms

• Energy can be converted into matter

• Matter is always in a solid state

Which process in the nitrogen cycle converts unusable nitrogen gas into a usable form?

• Nitrogen fixation

• Photosynthesis

• Combustion

• Respiration

What drives the water cycle?

• Wind

• Gravity

• The sun's energy

• Earth's rotation

What is primary productivity?

• The amount of energy stored in plant tissues

• The energy used by plants for respiration

• The rate of photosynthesis in a given area

• The total amount of energy produced by plants

What percentage of energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next?

• 10%

• 25%

• 50%

• 1%

What is the effect of removing an apex predator from an ecosystem?

• Increase in prey populations

• All of the above

• Decrease in plant biomass

• Increase in herbivore populations