Vipul Nandigala

AP Environmental Science Review Packet

1. Earth systems/resources
a. Chemistry
i. A form of the same element in which just the number of neutrons differ thereby
causing a change of chemical properties.
ii. Ionic Compound says compound whose attraction are composed of ionic bonds
which are caused by negatively charged ions and positively charged ions
attracting to each other.
iii. Covalent Bond says strong bond formed by the sharing of electrons between
atoms
iv. Organic compounds contain carbon
v. Inorganic compounds are those who do not contain carbon such as water
vi. A synthetic chemical is a chemical that has been made by man instead of nature.
There are an estimated 8 million synthetic compounds. There are regulated by
agencies such as the FDA among others. We know that some are harmful but do
not know the effect of most.
b. Earth Science Concepts
i. A time scale measuring the events of geology among other important
environmental changes.
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viii. The rocky cycle starts with sediment and organic compound being compressed
into sedimentary rocks. These rocks are further compressed into metamorphic
rocks. These metamorphic rocks eventually melt and the resulting lava may
return to the surface forming igneous rocks. These igneous rocks wear down
over time into sediments.
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xiv. This is the type of fault boundary that results when two tectonic plates slide and
rub against each other.
xv. Crust is iron, oxygen, and silicon; the core is mostly iron; the mantle is
composed of silicate rocks along with iron and magnesium.
xvi. Because of the distribution of resources, some sources are trapped deep
underground (oil) while some are more accessible (water).
xvii. Environmental consequences of the tectonic cycle include habit destruction by
earthquakes and volcanoes which lead to the very important secondary
succession.
xviii. Volcanoes are earthquakes occur because the movement of tectonics plates
along a convergent, divergent, or transform fault boundary.
xix. Weathering is the short term process of breaking things down by rain; wind, etc.
whereas erosion is the long term process that can modify entire landscapes.
Both are important to the ever dynamic environment.
c. Atmosphere
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xi. Hadley Cells are the low-latitude overturning circulations that have air rising at
the equator and air sinking at roughly 30 latitude. They are responsible for the
trade winds in the Tropics and control low-latitude weather patterns.
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xv. These are low pressure parts of the equator that experience little to no winds
which prevents sailing.
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xix. The winds and ocean currents are very important in almost all of the
biogeochemical cycles. This includes the water cycle which relies on
evaporation and the formation of clouds, the carbon cycle which relies on the
ocean and long term storage of dissolved carbon, and the phosphorus cycle in
which phosphorus flows in deltas.
xx. Unfortunately, these winds and ocean currents tend to concentrate waste and
pollutants. Famous examples include the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the
North Atlantic Garbage Patch where garbage and pollutants such as plastic bags
tend to concentrate.
xxi. Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere/ionosphere
d. Global Water, Surface Water, Resources and Use
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xxiii. This is part of the thermal stratification of lakes and it describes the highest
level in which the water is the warmest.
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xxv. We manage water distribution through companies who have a monopoly on
water but who are controlled by the government so that prices do not become
exorbitantly high.
xxvi. The major human uses of water are for agricultural uses followed by industrial
use and then private use.
xxvii. The rate at which we use water now.
xxviii. The natural sources of water on earth are lakes and oceans as well as
underground water such as aquifers.
xxix. The largest sources of freshwaters are lakes and aquifers. The largest is aquifers.
xxx. A confined aquifer is one in which water cannot sleep in or out; its recharge rate
is really slow. An unconfined aquifer is one that has porous rock that allows for
the seepage of water causing a faster recharge rate.
xxxi. We eliminate natural habitat that act as controlling buffers to reduce the severity
of droughts and floods.
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xxxii. Desalination can take salt water and convert it to fresh water. The advantage is
more fresh drinking water and the disadvantages are the high expense. It is
widely used in Saudi Arabia.
xxxiii. A lot of water is lost in transport.
xxxiv. The average American can reduce water consumption by reducing shower time,
bathing time, washing hands time, brushing teeth time, excessive use of
sprinklers and reducing recreational water use.
xxxv. Advantages are electricity and disadvantages are a disruption of wildlife and
ecosystems.
xxxvi. The distribution may just be to whoever can afford the water not to who needs it
most.
e. Soil and Soil Dynamics
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x. These are things is the soil that tend to clump together forming impenetrable
areas.
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xii. Soils form by a mixture of weathering of rocks and dead organic material
xiii. Soils provide important habitats for many living creatures including worms and
plants and also absorb water.
xiv. Soil must fall within the range of tolerance of a plant so that the plant may grow
well. If the acidity is too high than the plant may not be able to grow.
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xv. Alternating crops can help reduce the damage to soil because different crops
require different nutrients and so each year the soil will be able to provide those
nutrients while the nutrients used from the last year are recharged.
xvi. We have destroyed soil be excessive irrigation and farming especially in
developing countries where farmers are not educated on these malfeasances.
xvii. The Dust Bowl was caused by a severe drought a failure on farmer to apply dry
land farming methods to prevent wind erosion.
2. The Living World
a. Ecosystem Structure
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vi. This is the principle that states that each organism must find its own unique
niche in a competitive environment in order to be able to survive.
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xiv. A closed system means that nothing is lost and the matter flows through the
system. An open system means that there are losses (as heat dissipation) as the
nervy goes from one place to another.
xv. Desert - very dry, either hot or cold; Tundra - cool, treeless, and dry; Chaparral
or scrub - coastal area with hot, dry summers and mild, cool, rainy winters;
Taiga or Coniferous Forest - cool and dry, with coniferous trees; Temperate
Deciduous Forest - cool and rainy, with deciduous trees; Grassland - Windy,
partly dry sea of grass with few trees, including tropical savanna, prairie, steppe,
pampas, etc.; Mountain biomes says there are a lot of different mountainous
biomes, from grasslands at low altitudes, taiga (coniferous forests) below the
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tree line, and alpine (the same as tundra); Temperate Rain Forest - cool and wet;
Tropical Rain Forest - warm and very wet
xvi. Deforestation hinders the ability of an ecosystem to function because of the loss
of habitat for numerous living things. The ecosystem now cannot provide
important services such as drought and flood buffering.
b. Energy Flow
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x. Albedo is the fraction of solar energy reflected back by earth into space
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xvii. The net primary productivity determines how much food we will actually have.
The difference between GPP and NPP is because plants do need to respire to
survive using up some of that energy.
xviii. Photosynthesis results in the formation of glucose which we eat by eating
plants.
xix. Energy at each level of the food chain keeps getting smaller and smaller due to
energy dissipated by heat.
xx. Micro plastics bio magnify as they go up through the food chain.
c. Ecosystem Diversity
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xix. Nature provides numerous regulating ecological services such as drought and
flood buffering
xx. Nature supports the life of a multitude of different species resulting in higher
biodiversity.
xxi. An ecosystems resilience is determined by the biodiversity. A higher
biodiversity means that it is more resilient.
xxii. Says that the number of species on an island is determined by immigration and
extinction.
xxiii. The areas with the greatest biodiversity are tropical rainforests.
d. Natural Ecosystem Change
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vi. The effect that there is greater biodiversity at the acetones or boundaries of
different habitats.
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x. The effects of the fire were secondary succession where living things had to rein
habit the area. This was interesting because it simulated the first communities.
xi. Asian Carp; Rabbits; Cane Toads; Kudzu; Gray Squirrel; Killer Bees; Starlings ;
Northern Snakehead; Zebra Mussels; Burmese Python

e. Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
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viii. Carbon Cycle
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4. Combustion impacts the carbon cycle by adding more gaseous
carbon dioxide into the air and depleted the stored carbon (oils,
coal). Deforestation is reducing the number of photosynthesizes
thereby reducing the rate at which gaseous carbon is being
converted to stored carbon. Agriculture increased the rate of
storage of carbon.
5. Oceans and the temperature are increasing thereby releasing
carbon.
ix. Nitrogen Cycle
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1. I know this
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6. It is a limiting factor because it is scarce
7. We have added nitrogen to fertilizers
8. Damaging effects
9. It can take away valuable nutrients
x. Phosphorus Cycles
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4. We have increased the amount of phosphorus by using synthetic
fertilizers.
5. It causes excessive algae growth which depletes oxygen after they
are decomposed.
xi. Sulfur Cycle
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3. It increases acid deposition and this can be very toxic to the
environment.
3. Population
a. Population Biology Concepts
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ix. These are communities that contain multiple populations.
x. The density of populations affects availability of food and reproductive
competition
xi. Limiting factors curb growth of the population. Food, water availability,
predators, human activity, etc.
b. Human Population
i. The survivorship curves are as follows says type i (human) ii (bird) iii (octopus
[die early])
ii. Age structure diagrams show population of each age cohort.
iii. China and India have successfully slowed pop growth with government run
policies.
iv. Education women and making them more independent slows pop growth
considerably.
v. Per capita is generally for each person or per 1000. It is meant to making
comparing statistics among countries with different populations more accurate
and reflective.
vi. The stages are preindustrial, developing, urbanization, replacement.
vii. The Rule of 70 is a math equation that states says number of years for variable
to double = 70/growth rate of variable.
NOTE: I carefully went through a Barrons AP prep book before completing this
review so I am fairly comfortable with all the topics. So instead of just writing I
know this I will leave out the terms that I know. I will also just be listing the
answers to the questions.

c. Sustainability
i. Smart growth is a concept that values long range sustainability.
ii. Consumerism is based on an economy of consumption and is, by definition, at
odds with sustainability.
iii. Micro-lending is the practice of only lending out small amounts of money and
this leads to low-risk investment opportunities.
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iv. Inputs in sustainable society equal the rate of output replacement in long-term.
v. Stewardship deals with environmental protectionism, sustainability.
vi. Organic farming can lead to lower fruit yields due to the fact that there is no
regulation on labeling of organic products.
vii. The advantages are self-sufficiency, cycling of capital back to local economy
while the disadvantages are reduced efficiency and less diversity in product.
viii. Malnourished means lacking nutrients whereas undernourished means under
2000 calories
ix. Constant application of pesticides at increasing doses
x. Conventional farming says use of GMOs and pesticides.
xi. Desertification is the conversion of arable land soil into desert. Partially natural,
partially due to human activity.
xii. Find ways of agriculture other than conventional unsustainable methods.
xiii. To avoid total deforestation, trees are cut sustainably.
xiv. To use which is necessary, conserve, promote sustainability for future
generations.
xv. Federally managed, state managed, and wilderness preserves.
xvi. Multiple-use land has more than 1 purpose
xvii. Forestry that leaves biodiversity and allows for regeneration of lost biodiversity.
xviii. Tree plantations provide renewable sources of wood at a sustainable level.
xix. Forest fire prescribed as being beneficial for the ecosystem in its current state.
xx. Around 20% are old-growth forests in the US.
xxi. CAFOs says concentrated animal feeding operation. Manure bacteria, water
quality, economic impact, animal welfare.
xxii. Overgrazing leads to reduced productivity and biodiversity.
xxiii. Deferral law regulating grazing on public lands.
xxiv. Terracing is the idea of making farmland on slope by cutting into the hill and
creating a flat area.
xxv. Preservation is the idea of preserving the land so that it may continue to provide
important ecological and economic services.
xxvi. Underground mining, open pit, strip mining.
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xxvii. A reserve is available and economically viable to extract.
xxviii. The earth formed differently, different syntheses.
xxix. Surface mining is more damaging, local communities should protest.
xxx. Grass farming allows for restoration of nutrients to soil.
xxxi. Abandoned mines leak harmful chemicals into water supply and pollute the
environment.
xxxii. Fishery collapse says result of damaging overfishing.
xxxiii. Side effects of agriculture say introduction of exotics, spawning difficulties,
diseases, locals deprived.
xxxiv. Those in poverty are less likely to worry about environmental issues.
xxxv. costs $700 a year
xxxvi. 40% electricity use = 420 or 280 per year.
xxxvii. Thermal inertia says measure of the receptiveness to heat differences.
xxxviii. Cheap, abundant, subsidized energy, but unclean/unsustainable practices.
xxxix. SES says Energy gathered by individuals for immediate needs.
xl. Fuel consumption for transportation, industry, public services, etc.
xli. Solar cars, human power transport, boats, etc.
xlii. Power plants burn coal, use steam, other stuff = electricity.
xliii. Avoid unnecessary energy, consumption, avoid energy leaks.
xliv. US, Canada, Russia, Middle East, South Africa, Australia.
xlv. Hubbards curve says Approximation of resource production rate over time.
xlvi. Clean high output, but malfunctions can be very disastrous (egg Chernobyl)
xlvii. Fusion says atoms together. Fission says atoms split.
xlviii. Waste has to be stored indefinitely, usually buried in ocean of deep
underground.
xlix. The major dams are located in the US, Canada, China, and central-southwest
Asia.
l. Large dams are clean and efficient, but reduce biodiversity and displace large
populations.
li. Silt says between sand and clay in size.
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lii. Tiered rate system says way of subsidize essentials. The first tier has lower cost
than high (nonessential) use.
liii. Considering location, architecture, solar panels, conservation, etc.
liv. Tidal energy is using the energy of the ocean tides.
lv. Potentially renewable can be renewed but with no guarantees without
sustainable use.
lvi. Burning of biomass can provide fuel and is an energy source.
lvii. Modern carbon is manmade and natural both; fossil carbon is nonrenewable.
lviii. Ethanol says abundant but burns unclean.
lix. The most available renewable energy source is solar.
lx. Geothermal says virtually no emissions, but expensive, location-specific.
lxi. Wind says no emissions, but expensive and location-specific.
lxii. Fuel cells are like batteries, they collect and hold energy.
lxiii. Surface mining control & reclamation act says requires coal strip mines to
reclaim the
lxiv. Madrid protocol says moratorium on mineral exploration for 50 years in
Antarctica
lxv. Safe drinking water act says set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in
drinking
lxvi. water that may have adverse effects on human health
lxvii. Ocean dumping ban act says bans ocean dumping of sewage sludge & industrial
waste in the ocean
lxviii. Clean air act says set emission standards for cars, and limits for release of air
pollutants
lxix. Kyoto protocol says controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas
emissions targets for developed countries
lxx. Montreal protocol says phase out of ozone depleting substances
lxxi. Resource conservation & recovery act says controls hazardous waste with a
cradle to grave system
lxxii. Nuclear waste policy act says US government must develop a high level nuclear
waste site
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lxxiii. Endangered species act identifies threatened and endangered species in the US
lxxiv. Food quality protection act sets pesticide limits in food, & all active and
inactive ingredients must be screened for estrogenic/endocrine effects
lxxv. National environmental policy act says that environmental impact statements
must be done before any project affecting federal lands can be started
lxxvi. Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants seeks to protect human
health from the 12 most toxic chemicals.