AP Biology Flashcards: Disruptions in Ecosystems
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 16 cards to help you master important concepts.
Are mutations directed by environmental pressures?
No, mutations are random and are not directed by specific environmental pressures.
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Are mutations directed by environmental pressures?
No, mutations are random and are not directed by specific environmental pressures.
Explain how invasive species affect ecosystem dynamics.
Invasive species can disrupt ecosystems by exploiting new niches, outcompeting native species, and thriving due to a lack of natural predators.
What is the primary mechanism by which invasive species disrupt native populations?
Invasive species often outcompete native species for resources, which disrupts the existing dynamics of the ecosystem.
How do major geological events affect ecosystems?
Major geological events affect ecosystem structure and dynamics by causing habitat change and altering the distribution of ecosystems over time.
What is an adaptation?
An adaptation is a genetic variation that is favored by selection and provides an advantage to an organism in a particular environment.
How can human pollution lead to extinctions?
Human pollution can accelerate ecosystem changes through processes like biomagnification and eutrophication, which can ultimately drive species to extinction.
What is biomagnification?
Biomagnification is the increasing concentration of toxins in organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain, often resulting from pollution.
What are the general effects of human activities on ecosystems?
Human activities can lead to significant changes in the structure and dynamics of ecosystems.
How does the environment interact with variations within a population?
The environment acts on random or preexisting variations in a population, with selection favoring variations that provide an advantage.
What are two major categories of natural events that disrupt ecosystems?
Geological activity and meteorological activity are two major categories of natural events that lead to changes in ecosystem structure and dynamics.
What is eutrophication?
Eutrophication is the enrichment of a body of water with nutrients, often from pollution, which can disrupt the ecosystem's structure and dynamics.
What is the consequence of major geological and meteorological events on habitats?
Major geological and meteorological events cause habitat change, which affects the distribution of ecosystems over time.
What is heterozygote advantage?
Heterozygote advantage occurs when the heterozygous genotype has a higher relative fitness than either the dominant or recessive homozygous genotype.
A hurricane floods a coastal marsh with saltwater. What is the likely impact on the ecosystem's structure?
This meteorological event would cause habitat change, which in turn alters the structure and dynamics of the coastal marsh ecosystem.
How do major meteorological events affect ecosystems?
Major meteorological events lead to changes in ecosystem structure and dynamics, primarily through habitat change.
Why might an introduced species become invasive and successful in a new environment?
An introduced species might become invasive because it lacks natural predators in the new ecosystem, allowing its population to grow unchecked.