AP Environmental Science Study Guide

Unit 1 & 2: The Living World

Ecosystem Structure

• Abiotic vs. Biotic Components
  • Abiotic: Nonliving components such as atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere
  • Biotic: Living components like animals, plants, fungi, protists, and bacteria (biosphere)
• Interactions of Organisms with the Environment
  • Population: Group of organisms of the same species
  • Community: Populations of different species in a geographic area
  • Ecological Niche: Role and position a species has in its environment
• Interactions Among Organisms
  • Competition: Competing for resources
  • Resource Partitioning: Coexisting and sharing resources
  • Predation: One species feeds on another
  • Symbiotic Relationships: Mutualism, commensalism, parasitism

Types of Ecosystems

• Classifications: Biomes blend without distinct boundaries
• Ecotones: Transitional areas with high species diversity
• Ecozones/Ecoregions: Regions with similar physical features

Energy Flow

• Photosynthesis: Conversion of solar energy into chemical energy by plants
• Cell Respiration: Transfer of energy from macromolecules to smaller molecules like ATP
• Photosynthetic Reactions: Light-dependent and light-independent reactions

Classifying Organisms

• Autotrophs: Primary producers using sunlight or inorganic chemicals
• Heterotrophs: Consumers depending on autotrophs for nutrients

Food Chains & Food Webs

• Food Chain: Step-by-step energy flow from producers to consumers
• Energy Pyramid: Shows available energy at each trophic level
• Biodiversity: Variety of organisms and their evolution

Evolution & Natural Selection

• Darwin’s Theory: Natural selection of advantageous traits
• Genetic Drift: Chance events altering population
• Phylogenetic Trees: Evolutionary relationships

Ecosystem Services

• Provisioning: Physical items like food, water, energy
• Cultural: Non-material benefits like recreation, education
• Regulating & Support Services: Climate regulation, nutrient recycling

Unit 3: Populations

Population Ecology

• Population Density & Dispersion: Clumped, uniform, random
• Population Growth: Biotic potential, carrying capacity, J-curve, S-curve
• Reproductive Strategies: R-selected vs. K-selected organisms

Human Population Dynamics

• Growth Rate: Influenced by birth rate, death rate, immigration, and emigration
• Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Number of children a woman will bear
• Factors Affecting Growth Rate: Education, cultural beliefs, availability of birth control

Human Impact

• Ecological Footprint: Environmental impact described by IPAT model
• Environmental Problems: Overgrazing, desertification, soil salinization, deforestation

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

Lithosphere & Tectonic Plates

• Plate Boundaries: Convergent, divergent, and transform fault boundaries
• Earthquakes & Volcanoes: Geological events from plate movement

Atmosphere

• Layers: Exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere
• Greenhouse Gases & Climate: Water vapor, CO2, CH4

Hydrosphere

• Freshwater Biomes: Deltas, estuaries, wetlands
• Water Issues: Water risk, stress, scarcity, and conservation

Soil & Soil Dynamics

• Soil Composition: Weathered rock, organic matter, air, water
• Types of Rocks: Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
• Soil Problems & Conservation: Erosion, fertility, conservation practices

Unit 5: Land and Water Use

Resource Utilization

• Tragedy of the Commons: Resource management
• Renewable vs. Non-renewable Resources

Agriculture

• Innovations: Neolithic and Green Revolutions
• Problems & Solutions: Irrigation, soil degradation, pesticides

Livestock & Overgrazing

• Grazing Practices: Sustainable vs. overgrazing
• Animal Waste Management: Manure as a pollutant

Forestry

• Deforestation & Forest Management: Old growth, second growth, plantations
• Natural Events & Forest Fires: Human impact on forest quality

Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

Energy Concepts

• Forms of Energy: Potential, kinetic, radiant, thermal, chemical, electrical, nuclear
• Laws of Thermodynamics: Energy conservation and entropy

Sources of Energy

• Nonrenewable: Fossil fuels, nuclear
• Renewable: Hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass

Fossil Fuels

• Types & Extraction: Oil, coal, natural gas, synfuels
• Environmental Impact: Drilling, burning, coal mining

Renewable Energy

• Pros & Cons: Hydroelectric, solar, biomass, wind, geothermal

Unit 7 & 8: Pollution

Types of Pollution

• Sources: Burning fossil fuels, mining, industrial processes
• Water Pollution: Agricultural, industrial, household uses

Wastewater Treatment

• Systems: Septic, sewage treatment plants, manure lagoons
• Pollutants: Heavy metals, synthetic organic compounds

Remediation Techniques for Oil & Water Pollution

• Oil: Containment, chemical dispersal, bacterial consumption
• Water & Solid Waste: Sediment and thermal pollution management

Air Pollution

• Primary vs. Secondary Pollutants: SO2, NOx, CO, particulate matter
• Photochemical Smog & Acid Rain: Formation and effects
• Pollution Control Methods: Emission reductions, cleaner technologies

Global Change

• Global Warming Effects: Physical and biological changes
• Adaptations & Reducing Climate Change: Technological, behavioral, policy strategies