APES Ecosystems & Biodiversity Flashcards
6 cards from real Uncategorized practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 APES Ecosystems & Biodiversity flashcards as text
Which term describes the variety of life across all levels of ecological organization?
Answer: Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the diversity of species, genes, and ecosystems in a given area or on the planet.
What is a keystone species?
Answer: A species with a critical ecosystem role
A keystone species has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance.
Which process is responsible for converting atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants?
Answer: Nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia or nitrates that plants can absorb and use.
What typically happens to energy as it flows through a food chain?
Answer: It decreases at each trophic level
Energy decreases at each trophic level due to metabolic processes and heat loss, leaving less energy available for higher levels.
Which type of ecosystem has the highest biodiversity?
Answer: Tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforests have the highest biodiversity due to stable temperatures, high moisture, and long evolutionary history.
What is ecological succession?
Answer: Gradual change in ecosystem communities
Ecological succession is the natural process of change in species composition over time within an ecosystem.