AP Biology : Understanding Ecosystems
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Biology
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Example Questions
Example Question #41 : Ecology
Which of the following types of seasons best characterize chaparral biomes?
Extremely cold winters with low precipitation
Hot dry summers and mild wet winters
Hot dry summers and very cold winters with low precipitation
Hot dry summers
Hot dry summers and mild wet winters
Chaparral biomes are primarily observed to exist in California. The seasons in chaparral areas include hot dry summers and mild wet winters.
Example Question #42 : Ecology
Which of the following characteristics are exemplary of savanna biomes?
All of these
Seasonal fires
Can be found in Africa and Australia
Rainy season and dry season
All of these
The savanna is a type of biome found in Africa, Australia, South America, and India. The savanna is described as type of grassland ecosystem that has scattered trees and low shrubbery. Savannas have rainy seasons and dry seasons characterized by fires.
Example Question #41 : Ecology
Which of the following best describes the primary difference between the savanna and temperate grassland biomes?
The savanna is dominated by grasses while the temperate grassland has scattered trees
Seasonal fires are important to temperate grassland biodiversity but they are not in the savanna
The savanna can be further categorized into prairies and steppes while the temperate grassland cannot
Seasonal fires are important to savanna biodiversity but they are not in temperate grasslands
Seasonal fires are important to savanna biodiversity but they are not in temperate grasslands
The key difference between the savanna and temperate grassland biomes is that seasonal fires are very important to savanna biodiversity but not for the temperate grassland’s ecology.
Example Question #44 : Ecology
Which of the following represent the key factors that distinguish biomes from one another?
All of these
Patterns of ecological succession
Climate
Habitat type
All of these
Biomes are characterized by a number of factors including climate, patterns of ecological succession, and habitat type. It is important to note that biomes are not distinguished by genetic or taxonomic patterns of organisms.
Example Question #42 : Ecology
Which of the following is a characteristic that is not used to characterize biomes?
Taxonomy and genetic similarities of organisms
Habitat type
Patterns of ecological succession
Climate
Taxonomy and genetic similarities of organisms
Biomes are characterized by a number of factors including climate, patterns of ecological succession, and habitat type. It is important to note that biomes are not distinguished by genetic or taxonomic patterns of organisms.
Example Question #43 : Ecology
Which of the following is true regarding biome taxonomy?
Biomes are only characterized by biotic components
There is only one type of biome characterization of the Earth
Biomes only describe terrestrial ecosystems
Biomes are characterized by shared abiotic and biotic components
Biomes are characterized by shared abiotic and biotic components
Biomes are defined as ecosystems with shared abiotic and biotic factors. There are many different characterization schemes regarding biome classifications on Earth; furthermore, biomes encompass both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Example Question #47 : Ecology
Logistic growth in a population is modeled by the equation:
In this equation, what does 
The fitness of the organisms
Time
The carrying capacity
The birth rate
The death rate
The carrying capacity
In exponential growth, the growth rate is modeled as the reproductive rate 
Example Question #48 : Ecology
Which of the following includes populations of several different species in an area?
Community
Population
Ecosystem
Biosphere
Landscape
Community
A community includes populations of different species. The study of a community looks at interactions between species, such as competition, symbiotic relationships, or predation.
Example Question #44 : Ecology
Which law of thermodynamics states that there will always be an increase in entropy due to some energy not being able to be utilized in a reaction and lost from the system?
Zeroth law
Fourth law
Third law
First law
Second law
Second law
The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that during an reaction that some energy will not be completely transferred and will ultimately be lost as heat to increase the entropy of the universe.
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