#AP Environmental Science: Energy & Ecosystems 🌿

Hey there, future AP Environmental Science superstar! Let's get you prepped and confident for tomorrow's exam. We're going to break down energy transfers and ecosystem dynamics, making sure everything clicks into place. Think of this as your ultimate cheat sheet, designed to make complex ideas feel easy and intuitive. Let's do this!

#Energy Flow in Ecosystems

#Food Chains vs. Food Webs

• Food Chain: A linear path of energy transfer. Think of it like a single line of dominoes falling:
  • Producers (like plants) make their own food via photosynthesis.
  • Primary Consumers (herbivores) eat producers.
  • Secondary Consumers (carnivores) eat herbivores.
  • And so on...
• Food Web: A complex network of interconnected food chains. It's a more realistic model because organisms often have multiple food sources and predators. *

* They illustrate the complexity of real-world ecosystems.

*Caption: A food web from Lake Ontario, showing producers (green), primary consumers (orange), secondary consumers (blue), and tertiary consumers (purple).*

#Trophic Cascades 🌊

• A trophic cascade is a ripple effect in an ecosystem, often triggered by a change at the top of the food web.
  • Example: Increased sea otters → decreased sea urchins → increased kelp.

Practice Question

Multiple Choice:

1. Which of the following b...