APES Objectives – Unit 2

Summary

Unit 2, “The Living World: Biodiversity,” delves into the importance of diversity and the factors that influence it. The unit explains the different levels of biodiversity (genetic, species, and habitat) and their importance for ecosystem resilience. It introduces the four types of ecosystem services and the negative consequences of human disruption to them. The unit also explores concepts like island biogeography, ecological tolerance, and natural disruptions to ecosystems. It concludes with an examination of how organisms adapt to their environment and the process of ecological succession, including the roles of keystone and indicator species. This unit accounts for 6-8% of the AP Exam.