AP Environmental Science: Day 3 Lecture Notes

Introduction

Lecturer: Lisa Bagley, teaches in Texas, Mesquite ISD
Focus: Earth Systems and Resources (Unit 4)
Goals:
- Answer questions and provide clarifications from Video 2
- Conduct an overview of Unit 4 content
- Practice connecting free response answers to science practices
- Wrap up with questions and live practice link

Exam Format: Details in Video 1; organize free response questions in order; label skipped sections
Math Questions: Setup can differ from models but must include units and logical steps
Significant Figures: Usually 2; scientific notation not required
Digital App Math Input: Practice in the app; use keyboard commands
Off-Rubric Answers: Evaluated individually; frequent correct answers may be added to rubrics
Memorization: Minimal; focus more on connecting concepts and phenomena
Solutions to Environmental Problems: Scattered throughout course content, starting heavily from Unit 5
Social Solutions to Environmental Problems: Education campaigns, citizen science initiatives
Modeling Make a Claim Answers: Provide evidence, example of a clear-cut forest impacting ecosystem services
Indicator Species: Species whose presence, absence, or abundance indicates ecosystem health
Replacement Level Fertility (RLF): Number of children per woman needed to sustain population levels
Generalists and R-Selected Species: Generalists are often closer to r-selected species
Free Response Example from Video 2: Sustainable forestry techniques like selective cutting
Exam Information Links: URLs for general exam info, AP Environmental Science-specific info, digital exam guide, and practice app

Theory explains movement of Earth's lithospheric plates due to convection in the mantle
Types of Boundaries:
- Convergent Boundaries: Plates come together; creates mountains, island arcs, earthquakes, volcanoes
- Divergent Boundaries: Plates pull apart; results in seafloor spreading, rift valleys, earthquakes, volcanoes
- Transform Boundaries: Plates slide past each other horizontally; causes earthquakes

Formed by weathering, transportation, and deposition of parent material
Categorized by horizons (O, A, B, C, sometimes E)
Important natural resource; soil erosion affects water quality
Soil Properties: Water holding capacity, texture (sand, silt, clay), porosity, permeability, fertility
Soil Triangle: Determines soil type based on texture
Soil tests for agricultural needs

Composition: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gases
Layers:
- Troposphere: Closest to Earth, weather occurs here, densest
- Stratosphere: Contains ozone layer, temperature increases with altitude
- Mesosphere: Temperature decreases with altitude
- Thermosphere and Exosphere: Less dense, fades into space
Global Wind Patterns: Result from differential heating, coriolis effect influences direction

Insolation: Main energy source for Earth processes, varies by season and latitude
Earth's Tilt: Causes seasons, affects daylight and darkness
Geographic Features: Mountains, proximity to water impact climate

Thermal Inversions: Trapped cooler air increases pollution
Rain Shadows: Dry areas on the leeward side of mountains
Ocean Surface Temperatures: Drive circulation patterns, influenced by prevailing winds
El Niño and La Niña: Southern Oscillation affects climatic and economic conditions

Global Wind Patterns: Describe seasonal changes, explain daylight differences, impact on local weather
Watershed and Mining: Impact on metal contamination, soil erosion, regulating ecosystem services
Experimental Design: Control variables, hypothesis, environmental impact of mining methods