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Pre AP Biology -ECO 1.1 Hydrologic Cycle- FRQ Exam Style Questions -New Syllabus

Pre AP Biology -ECO 1.1 Hydrologic Cycle- FRQ Exam Style Questions – New Syllabus 2025-2026

Pre AP Biology -ECO 1.1 Hydrologic Cycle- FRQ Exam Style Questions – Pre AP Biology – per latest Pre AP Biology Syllabus.

Pre AP Biology – FRQ Exam Style Questions- All Topics

Question

The trees in tropical rain forests are important to nutrient cycling in the biosphere.
a. Describe one role of the trees in the carbon cycle.
b. Describe one role of the trees in the oxygen cycle.
c. Describe one role of the trees in the water cycle.
Some rain forest trees are destroyed by burning, while some others are cut down and left on the forest floor.
d. Describe one way that burning rainforest trees affects nutrient cycling differently than cutting them down and leaving them on the forest floor.

Most-appropriate topic codes (Pre-AP Biology):

• TOPIC: ECO 1.2 — Carbon and Nutrient Cycles: Importance of carbon cycling and molecular transformations including photosynthesis — parts (a), (b), (d)
• TOPIC: ECO 1.1 — Hydrologic Cycle: Role of biological systems in transferring and transporting water — part (c)
• TOPIC: ECO 5.2 — Human-Induced Changes in Biodiversity: Impact of human activities like tree harvesting on the availability of nutrients — part (d)
• Science Practice — Emphasis on Analytical Reading and Writing: Engaging in scientific argumentation and extracting information to explain biological processes — all parts
▶️ Answer/Explanation
Detailed solution

(a)
Trees are essential to the carbon cycle as they perform photosynthesis, a process of molecular transformation that captures atmospheric carbon dioxide ((CO_2)) and converts it into organic macromolecules. They also release (CO_2) back into the biosphere through cellular respiration .

(b)
In the context of energy transformation and cycling, trees release oxygen ((O_2)) as a byproduct of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. This oxygen is then available for use by consumers and the trees themselves during cellular respiration .

(c)
Trees participate in the hydrologic cycle by transferring water from the soil to the atmosphere. Through a process involving capillary action (cohesion and adhesion), water travels from the roots to the leaves and is released as vapor, a critical step in the movement of water through biotic systems .

(d)
The two methods of tree removal affect nutrient availability and distribution differently :

  • Burning: Rapidly converts biomass into ash and gases, leading to an immediate release of carbon and nitrogen into the atmosphere, which can contribute to anthropogenic climate change .
  • Decomposition (Cutting and leaving): Allows for the slow cycling of matter where elements like nitrogen and phosphorus are returned to the soil through biological decay, maintaining the reservoir of nutrients for the local ecological community.
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