AP Biology Unit 8: Ecology — Mind Map

Covers population ecology (exponential vs. logistic growth, carrying capacity, r/K selection, survivorship curves), community interactions (competition, predation, symbiosis, keystone species), ecosystem energy flow and the 10% rule, biogeochemical cycles, and human impacts on ecosystems.

Ecology
- Responses to the Environment
  - Animal Communication
    - Predator Warnings
    - Alarm Signals
  - Social Behaviors
    - Altruism
    - Kin Selection
    - Inclusive Fitness
    - Eusociality
  - Plant Responses
    - Allelopathy
    - Phototaxis
    - Phototropism
  - Thermoregulation
    - Endotherms
    - Ectotherms
- Energy Flow
  - Trophic Levels
    - Producers (Autotrophs)
    - Consumers (Heterotrophs)
    - Decomposers & Detritivores
    - 10% Rule
  - Models
    - Food Chains
    - Food Webs
    - Ecological Pyramids
- Biogeochemical Cycles
  - Carbon Cycle
  - Nitrogen Cycle
  - Water Cycle
  - Phosphorus Cycle
  - Reservoirs and Fluxes
- Population Ecology
  - Growth Models
    - Exponential Growth (J-curve)
    - Logistic Growth (S-curve)
    - Carrying Capacity (K)
  - Regulation Factors
    - Density Dependent
    - Density Independent
  - Species Strategies
    - K-selection
    - r-selection
    - Survivorship Curves
- Community Ecology
  - Symbiosis
    - Mutualism
    - Commensalism
    - Parasitism
  - Interactions
    - Predation
    - Herbivory
    - Competitive Exclusion
  - Niche Theory
    - Fundamental Niche
    - Realized Niche
    - Resource Partitioning
  - Structure
    - Keystone Species
    - Trophic Cascades
    - Ecological Succession
- Biodiversity
  - Species Richness
  - Species Evenness
  - Simpson Diversity Index
  - Ecosystem Resilience
- Ecosystem Disruption
  - Human Impacts
    - Habitat Fragmentation
    - Invasive Species
    - Eutrophication
    - Biomagnification
    - Climate Change
  - Extinction Vortex