Savage's AP Biology

AP Biology Last updated: 5/07/08

Course Description and Syllabus Old units are archived at the

Monthly Calendar 2008 bottom of the page

AP BIO EXAM LINKS

Past Essays (word) (web through 2000) (web 2002 +)

Labs (web1) (web2) (web – formal)

AP Biology Unit XI – Ecology

Intro to Ecology and the biosphere - Chapter 50

Population ecology - Chapter 52

Community Ecology - Chapter 53

Ecosystems - Chapter 54

Conservation Biology - Chapter 55

Unit XI – Ecology

Essential Questions:

What is ecology?
How are ecology and evolutionary biology related?
What is the scope of ecology?
How does ecology provide the context for evaluating environmental issues?
What factors affect the distribution of organisms?
How are aquatic and terrestrial biomes categorized?
What factors affect species distribution?
What are the characteristics of populations?
What are life histories and what do they tell us about different species?
What limits are there on population growth? How do these limits work?
What are the characteristics of human populations and what are the projections for the carrying capacity for humans on earth?
What is a community?
How does inter-specific interaction affect community structure?
What causes communities to be in a state of disequilibrium?
How does this disequilibrium affect communities?
How do humans cause disturbances in communities?
What is ecological succession?
What is biodiversity?
What is species richness and how does it relate to geographic size and boundaries?
What is an ecosystem?
What are trophic levels?
How do energy flow, but materials cycle?
What role does decomposition play in trophic levels?
In what ways do the laws of physics and chemistry apply to ecosystems?
What is primary production and limit it in different environments?
What is secondary production?
How do chemicals elements cycle in ecosystems? How do biological and geological processes move nutrients?
In what ways do humans impact ecosystems and the biosphere?
How is biodiversity important to humans?
What are the controversies and impact of conservation efforts?

Objectives:

Define ecology.
Explore the relationship between ecology and evolutionary biology.
Examine the scope of ecology.
Preview how ecology may give insight into environmental issues.
Discuss the distribution of organisms – focusing on habitat selection, abiotic and biotic factors.
Describe the major biomes.
Discuss the factors that affect species distribution.
Define populations.
Describe the important characteristics of populations.
Define life histories. Give examples of different life strategies.
Explain how limited resources result in trade-offs in biotic investments.
Describe different growth models for populations.
Explain the concept of carrying capacity.
Discuss the different factors that limit population growth.
Discuss human population growth historically, presently, and in the future. What concerns lie ahead for human populations?
Define community.
Describe the different inter-species interactions.
Investigate how these interactions affect community structure.
Explain trophic levels.
Explain the significance of dominant species and keystone species in controlling community structure.
Explain what is meant by ecological disturbances. Give examples.
Discuss how humans are the major agents of disturbances.
Describe ecological succession.
Define biodiversity and species richness.
Discuss how species richness is related to other factors.
Explain the concept of ecosystem.
Discuss how material cycle through ecosystems.
Explain how energy flows through ecosystems.
Explain the importance of decomposition.
Explain how the laws of physics and chemistry apply to ecosystems.
Define primary productivity and what limits it in different environments.
Define secondary productivity and explain why energy transfer between trophic levels is less than 20%.
Discuss the biological and geological processes that move nutrients between organic and inorganic.
Discuss and debate the human impact on the environment.
Describe the impact of combustion and the accumulation of greenhouse gasses.
Explain how toxins can become concentrated as you move up trophic levels.
Discuss and debate to crises of decreasing biodiversity and the human causes.
Discuss factors that lead to extinction.
Discuss and debate conservation efforts.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

Read – Campbell Chapters 50, and 52-55
Video – Excerpt from “An Inconvenient Truth”
Owl Pellet Lab
Quizzes
AP Lab # 12 – Dissolved oxygen and primary productivity
Unit 11Exam

AP Biology Unit XII - Animal Behavior and Review

Behavioral Ecology - Chapter 51

Unit 12 – Animal behavior and Review

Essential Questions:

What is behavior?
What are the causes of behavior?
How do genetics and environment combine to affect behavior?
How do behaviors evolve?
What is learning?
What are the different models for learning?
What is cognition?
How is cognition studied?
How does social behavior fit into an evolutionary scheme?
How has natural selection shaped behavior?
What is the importance of social behaviors in animals?
What is altruism and how can it be explained through inclusive fitness?
Am I ready for the AP EXAM?
What do I need to prepare to do my best on the AP EXAM?

Objectives:

Define behavior.
Investigate the causes of behavior.
Discuss how behavior is affect by genetic predisposition and environment.
Discuss innate behaviors.
Discuss how behaviors can evolve due to natural selection.
Define learning.
Discuss different forms of simple learning such as imprinting.
Explain associative learning. Both classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
Relate the studies of Pavlov, Watson, Skinner, Bandura
Discuss the importance of play.
Define cognition.
Explain how the study of cognition connects the functioning of the nervous system and behavior.
Discuss how animals use language and problem solving.
Describe different social behaviors and explain them in an evolutionary context.
Explain how natural selection favors certain mating behaviors.
Explain the role of communication in social behavior.
Explain altruism and the idea of inclusive fitness.

Review and prepare for the AP EXAM

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

Read – Campbell chapter 51

AP Lab # 11 – Animal Behavior
Quiz
Unit 12 Exam

Daily Class Notes

(Download Smartboard software (free))

Ecology and behavior notes

(smartboard)(PDF)(powerpt)(html)

Past Units:

Unit VI

Unit VIII