AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Aquatic Biomes
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
A fishing company finds that a certain fish species thrives in cloudy, shallow coastal waters but not in the clear, deep ocean. Which two factors are most clearly influencing this distribution?
Based on the description, turbidity (cloudiness) and depth are the two factors most clearly influencing the fish's distribution.
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A fishing company finds that a certain fish species thrives in cloudy, shallow coastal waters but not in the clear, deep ocean. Which two factors are most clearly influencing this distribution?
Based on the description, turbidity (cloudiness) and depth are the two factors most clearly influencing the fish's distribution.
What is the significant role of algae in marine biomes regarding Earth's atmosphere?
Algae in marine biomes supply a large portion of the Earth's oxygen and also take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
How do marine biomes contribute to regulating atmospheric gases?
Marine biomes help regulate atmospheric gases as their algae produce a large amount of Earth's oxygen and absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.
What are the five principal environmental aspects mentioned that affect the distribution of nonmineral marine resources?
The five principal environmental aspects are salinity, depth, turbidity, nutrient availability, and temperature.
What vital resource do freshwater biomes provide?
Freshwater biomes, which include streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes, are a vital resource for drinking water.
Define nonmineral marine natural resources based on the provided text.
Nonmineral marine natural resources are living resources, such as different types of fish, whose distribution is affected by environmental factors.
List three examples of freshwater biomes.
Examples of freshwater biomes include streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes.
List three examples of marine biomes.
Examples of marine biomes include oceans, coral reefs, marshland, and estuaries.
What are the two main categories of aquatic biomes described in the text?
The two main categories are freshwater biomes (streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes) and marine biomes (oceans, coral reefs, marshland, and estuaries).
Why is the global distribution of resources like fish not uniform across marine biomes?
The global distribution of fish varies because of a combination of factors including salinity, depth, turbidity, nutrient availability, and temperature.