Ecosystems (College Board AP® Biology)

The life history strategy of a species includes factors such as age of reproduction, frequency of reproduction and number of offspring. One example of a life history strategy sometimes found in insect species is a period of suspended development known as diapause. One study looked at the relationship between mean daily temperature during larval development and entry into prolonged diapause (a period of diapause that lasts for a year or longer) in a species of moth. The results are shown in Figure 1 below.

Which of the following provides the most likely explanation for the relationship between mean temperature and entry into prolonged diapause?

Metabolic rate is the energy expended over time by an organism or cell. Researchers measured the metabolic rate of cells within a series of organisms of different body mass. They recorded metabolic rate of the cells within the body of the organism (in vivo) and in a petri dish in the laboratory (in vitro). Their results are shown in Figure 1.

Which of the following claims is most likely to be correct for the data shown in Figure 1?

Plankton are small organisms that live in aquatic environments. Plankton can be photosynthetic (phytoplankton) or heterotrophic (zooplankton). A study measured the biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton between July and May of a single year. The results of the study are shown in Figure 1.

Which of the following are correct descriptions of the data in Figure 1?

All living organisms need energy to maintain their tissues, grow and reproduce. Different groups of organisms rely on different modes of nutrition in order to gain energy. Which of the following correctly describes mechanisms by which living organisms capture energy in ecosystems?