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AP Biology — Unit 8 — Community Ecology & Disruptions — Drill 37

Drill 37 ·

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Drill 37 — current you are here

About This Drill

AP Biology — Unit 8 — Community Ecology & Disruptions — Drill 37 is a practice drill. It contains 5 original questions created by Brian Stewart, a Barron's test prep author with over 20 years of tutoring experience.

Practice analyzing community composition data and ecological succession in this AP Biology drill on Unit 8 community ecology. Interpret species cover changes following a disturbance, evaluate claims about invasive species dynamics, and apply the intermediate disturbance hypothesis.

Passage

Ecologists studying a temperate deciduous forest document plant community composition before and after a severe ice storm that damaged the forest canopy. They record percent cover for dominant species at three time points: pre-storm, one year post-storm, and five years post-storm.
SpeciesGuildPre-Storm Cover (%)Year 1 Post-Storm (%)Year 5 Post-Storm (%)
Red oak (Quercus rubra)Canopy tree381229
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)Canopy tree27824
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)Understory shrub11913
Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)Pioneer shrub4316
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)Invasive forb2184
Trout lily (Erythronium americanum)Forest floor forb839

Questions in This Drill

  1. Based on the table, which species most clearly exhibits pioneer characteristics following the disturbance?
  2. Garlic mustard increased from 2% to 18% cover in Year 1, then declined to 4% by Year 5. A researcher argues this pattern demonstrates that invasive species can exploit disturbance windows but are suppressed by recovering native communities. Which additional data would most strengthen this argument?
  3. The recovery of red oak and sugar maple cover between Year 1 and Year 5 represents which ecological process?
  4. A conservation biologist argues that the five-year post-storm community is not yet fully recovered because species composition still differs from pre-storm values. A second biologist argues the community is functionally recovered because canopy dominants have reestablished. Which reasoning best evaluates this disagreement?
  5. Which hypothesis about the role of disturbance in maintaining community diversity is most supported by the data in the table?