APES Unit 1 Review

Front

What are biomes and how are they classified?

Back

Biomes are large ecological areas on the Earth's surface, with flora and fauna adapting to their environment. They are classified based on climate, vegetation, and geographical location.

Front

What is the significance of lines of latitude in determining biomes?

Back

Lines of latitude influence climate and temperature, which in turn affect the types of biomes found in those regions. Similar biomes are often found along the same lines of latitude.

Front

Identify the biome characterized by high rainfall and biodiversity.

Back

Tropical Rainforest is characterized by high rainfall, high humidity, and a vast diversity of plant and animal species.

Front

Rank the following biomes from most productive to least productive: Desert, Grasslands, Seasonal Forest.

Back

Seasonal Forest > Grasslands > Desert.

Front

What is NPP and why is it important in ecology?

Back

Net Primary Productivity (NPP) is the rate at which all the plants in an ecosystem produce net useful chemical energy. It is important because it indicates the energy available to consumers in the ecosystem.

Front

If producers capture 65,000 J of energy from the sun, how much energy is passed to primary consumers?

Back

6,500 J (10% of energy is typically passed to the next trophic level).

Front

What is GPP and how does it differ from NPP?

Back

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) is the total amount of energy captured by photosynthesis. NPP is GPP minus the energy used by producers for respiration.

Front

Define ecological efficiency.

Back

Ecological efficiency is the percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next, typically ranging from 5% to 20%.

Front

What factors contribute to the productivity of a biome?

Back

Climate, soil quality, availability of water, and biodiversity contribute to the productivity of a biome.

Front

Explain the role of producers in an ecosystem.

Back

Producers, such as plants and phytoplankton, convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food web.