APES Objectives – Unit 3

Summary

Unit 3, “Populations,” focuses on the dynamics and characteristics of species populations. It distinguishes between generalist and specialist species and contrasts the reproductive strategies of K-selected and r-selected species. The unit also covers survivorship curves and their connection to these reproductive strategies. It explains the concept of carrying capacity, including the effects of population overshoot and the factors that limit population growth. The unit concludes by analyzing human population dynamics, including age structure diagrams, total fertility rate, and the demographic transition model. This is one of the more heavily weighted units on the AP Exam, at 10-15%.