Semester 1 Review AP Environmental Science

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Unit 1: Environmental Issues (Ch 1), Intro to Science and Systems (Ch 2) 1. Describe why environmental science is truly interdisciplinary. 2. Identify 4 components of sustainability and use each to describe current level of sustainability on Earth. 3. Compare characteristics of solar capital vs. natural capital. 4. Compare characteristics of a developing vs. developed country. 5. Describe the concept of Tragedy of the Commons as it applies to environmental science. 6. Write the notation for an ion given the # of protons, neutrons, and electrons. 7. Outline the pH scale, and explain the exponential relationship between pH values. 8. Describe the first and second laws of thermodynamics as they apply to environmental science. 9. Define components of a ‘system’ and contrast positive vs. negative feedback loops. Unit 2: Ecosystems Science (Ch 3) and Biodiversity (Ch 4) 10. Outline the different levels along the Hierarchy of the Biosphere 11. Give examples of environmental limiting factors that are either abiotic or biotic. 12. Explain the concept of trophic levels, including organisms at each level, 13. Outline how available energy changes as biomass transfers up each trophic level (and the resulting

biomass pyramids). 14. Describe the role that decomposers, detritus-feeders, and decomposers play in the biosphere. 15. Describe how gross primary productivity and net primary productivity are each measured. Which is a

more realistic measure and why? Be able to calculate NPP. 16. Identify reservoirs and transfer processes common to H2O, C, N, P, and S cycles. 17. Describe how humans have interfered with each of the 5 cycles listed above. 18. Describe the different types of diversity (functional, species, ecosystem, genetic). 19. Explain how natural selection occurs within a population (not individuals), and the role of adaptation. 20. Describe 3 possible outcomes when selective pressure is applied to any population. 21. Calculate BOTH the SCI and Simpson biodiversity indices when the following sampling is observed:

spruce, spruce, fir, fir, fir, ash, pine, pine, pine, pine, pine, ash, ash, ash, fir, fir, fir, fir, spruce, spruce, spruce, spruce, pine, pine, hemlock, hemlock, spruce, pine, pine, hemlock, hemlock, fir, fir, fir, spruce, spruce, spruce.

22. Differentiate between an organisms’ niche and its habitat. 23. Compare the behaviors (incl. advantages and disadvantages) of specialist vs. generalist species. 24. Explain how geographic and reproductive isolation each lead to speciation. 25. Distinguish between characteristics of background & mass extinctions, and how adaptive radiations

follow. 26. Define native, invasive, indicator, foundation, and keystone species and describe each ecosystem niche Unit 3: Water Resources (Ch 13) & Water Pollution (Ch 20) 27. Quantify the amount of freshwater on Earth vs. how much is readily available. 28. Identify these hydrosphere terms: evaporation, transpiration, infiltration, runoff, confined aquifer,

unconfined aquifer, artesian well, ordinary well, impermeable rock, permeable rock, and recharge. 29. Explain how water is now a global health, national security, economics, and political issue. 30. Comparing major freshwater sources and freshwater water issues in the western vs. eastern US. 31. Identify the major natural and anthropogenic causes of freshwater shortages. 32. Describe the current ownership of most freshwater supplies. 33. Describe the major pros and cons for using groundwater, dams, canals, and desalination as a strategies

for increasing freshwater availability. Include key case studies. 34. Describe the main causes of water waste, and strategies used in homes and industry to conserve water. 35. Describe natural benefits/services that floods and floodplains provide, but why flooding has increased: 36. Differentiate between point and non-point source water pollution and ID main sources of pollution

for each. 37. Name and describe the causes of the 6 most common water-borne illnesses: 38. List and describe the 8 major types of water pollution including common examples.

Semester 1 Review AP Environmental Science

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39. Describe how rivers naturally cleanse themselves and how DO and BOD are both affected (O2 sag curve). 40. Explain why lakes and groundwater are minimally effective at cleansing polluted water (compared

to streams). 41. Describe the step-by-step biologic processes involved in eutrophication and the formation of

hypoxic zones. 42. Outline the major sources of water pollution in the Great Lakes watershed. 43. Describe how rural wastewater is treated using septic systems and how municipal wastewater goes

through primary, secondary, and advanced steps at a treatment plant. Unit 4: Terrestrial Biodiversity (Ch 7) and Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity (Ch 10) 44. Explain how Earth’s tilted axis is responsible for seasonal temperature changes at different latitudes. 45. Describe the role of greenhouse gases such as H2O, CO2, CH4, and N2O. 46. For each general biome (deserts, grasslands, forests) and each specific biome (chaparral, mountains)

describe: a. the role that temperature and precipitation play in its characteristics b. what adaptations plants and animals have made for survival c. activities that threaten the future existence of this biome

47. Interpret climate graphs showing temperature and precipitation trends for different biomes. 48. Describe ecological and environmental services that forests provide. 49. Compare the two types of fires and their inherent risk/benefit. 50. Describe each of the strategies used in managing forests more sustainably (and their trade-offs). 51. Define rangelands and pastures and identify the main threat to grasslands. 52. Explain why moderate grazing is essential for grasslands but where a tipping point exists. 53. Describe the negative impacts of overgrazing on grassland biomes.

Unit 5: Aquatic Biodiversity (Ch 8), Threats to Aquatics (Ch 11) 54. Describe the 4 main types of organisms living in aquatic environments. 55. Describe characteristics for each of the 8 marine environments: 56. Describe the symbiotic relationship taking place within a coral reef ecosystem. 57. List human activities that both directly and indirectly threaten marine environments. 58. Differentiate 3 types of freshwater lakes based on trophic level. 59. Describe the 4 main methods modern the commercial fishing industry uses. 60. Outline the ecological and economic services that inland wetlands provide. 61. Contrast the physical characteristics found at three points along a river: headwaters, transition, and

mouth. 62. List human activities (HIPPCO) that threaten the health and quality of freshwater environments. 63. Describe the strategies used to best sustain marine fisheries and coastal/inland wetlands. 64. Describe invasive species to the Great Lakes, how they arrived, and the specific impact they are having.