AP Environmental Unit 4 test

Core

Dense mass of nickel, iron, and radioactive elements that release massive amounts of heat

Mantle

bulk of earth’s interior, is made up of three layers (magma, asthenosphere, lithosphere)

Magma

part of the mantle, molten rock layer that slowly circulates due to heat from core

asthenosphere

part of mantle, also liquid, semi-flexible outer layer of mantle, beneath the lithosphere

Lithosphere

part of the mantle. thin, brittle layer of rock floating on top of mantle (broken up into tectonic plates)

Crust

Very outer layer of the lithosphere, Earth’s surface

Divergent Plate Boundary

plates move away from each other—rising magma plume from mantle forces plates apart. Make volcanoes

Transform Fault Plate Boundary

plates slide sideways past each other (earthquakes)

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Plates move towards each other, leads to one plate being forced beneath another (subduction). Makes mountains, valley arcs, volcanoes

Oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary

one plate subducts underneath another, forces magma up to surface and forms mid ocean volcanoes

Oceanic-continental convergent boundary

dense oceanic plate subducts beneath continental plate and melts back into magma, forms coastal mountains, land volcanoes, tsunamies

Continental-continental convergent boundary

surface crust from both plates buckles upwards (makes mountains, Himalayas for example

Transform fault boundary

plates sliding sideways past each other can create a fault (fracture in rock surface). Earthquakes!

Ring of fire

pattern of volcanoes and earthquake zones all around Pacific Plate, can be predicted by tectonic map

Transform faults

likely location of earthquakes, can be predicted by tectonic map

Hotspots

areas of especially hot magma rising up to lithosphere, can be predicted by tectonic map

Weathering

breakdown of rock into smaller pieces, forms soil

Erosion

transport of weathered rock fragments by wind and rain

What are the effects on soil formation?

CLORPT- climate, organisms, relief (shape of land), parent material, time

O-Horizon

layer of organic matter (plant roots, dead leaves, animal waste) on top of soil

A-Horizon

topsoil, layer of humus (decomposed organic matter) and minerals from parent material. Has the most biological activity

B-Horizon

subsoil, lighter layer below topsoil. Mostly made of minerals with little to no organic matter

C-Horizon

least weathered soil that is closest to the parent material, sometimes called bedrock

Soil degradation

the loss of the ability of soil to support plant growth

loss of topsoil

tilling and loss of vegetation disturb soil and make it more easily eroded-dries out soil and removes nutrients

compaction

compression of soil by machines, grazing livestock, and humans reduces ability to hold moisture

Soil texture

the percentage of sand, silt, and clay in a soil

soil pores

empty spaces between particles-sand has bigger particles, clay has smaller

humus

main organic part of soil (broken down biomass like leaves, dead animals, waste, etc)

Permeability

how easily water drains though a soil

What do larger pore spaces mean for permeability?

larger pore spaces mean greater permeability

H20 holding capacity

how well water is retained

Soil fertility

ability of soil to support plant growth

What are some factors that increase soil nutrients?

organic matter releases nutrients, humus holds and releases nutrients, decomposer activity recycles nutrients, clay, bases

Factors that decrease soil nutrients

acids leach positively charged nutrients, excessive irrigation leaches nutrients, topsoil erosion, excessive farming depletes nutrients

Factors that increase H2O holding cap

aerated soil, compost, humus, organic matter, clay content, root structure

Factors that decrease H2O holding cap

compacted soil, topsoil erosion, sand, root loss

Watersheds

all of the land that drains into a specific body of water-determined by slope

Chesapeake Bay Watershed

6 state region that drains into a series of streams/rivers and eventually into the Chesapeake Bay-mix of fresh and salt water

What are some ecosystem services provided by estuaries and wetlands?

tourism revenue, water filtration, habitats for food sources, storm protection

What are the effects of clearcutting on watersheds?

Soil erosion, increased soil and stream temp

What are some solutions to watershed pollutants?

animal manure management, cover crops, Riparian buffers, enhanced nutrient removal, septic tank upgrades

Gyres

large ocean circulation patterns due to global wind

Upwelling zones

areas of ocean where winds blow warm surface water away from a land mass, drawing up colder water to replace it. Brings O2 and nutrients to surface

Thermohaline Circulation

connects all of the world’s oceans, mixing salt, nutrients, and temp throughout

El Nino

warmer, rainier. Suppressed upwelling and less productive fisheries in S. America, warmer winter in N. America, less hurricane and monsoon activity, drought in SE Asia and Aus

La Nina

cooler, drier. in Americas Stronger upwelling and better fisheries in S. America than normal, worse tornado activity and US and hurricane activity, Rainer and warmer in S.E. Asia

Temperature Gradient

layers of earth’s atmosphere are based on where temperature gradients change with distance from surface

Thermosphere

temp increases due to absorption of highly energetic solar radiation (hottest places on earth)

Mesosphere

temp decreases b/c density decreases, leaving fewer molecules to absorb sun (coldest place on earth)

Stratosphere

temp increases b/c top layer of strat. is warmed by UV rays

Troposphere

temp decreases as air gets further from warmth of earth’s surface

Coriolis Effect

appearance of deflection of objects traveling through atmosphere due to spin of earth

Insolation

the amount of solar radiation reaching an area- depends on angle and the amount of atmosphere sun’s rays pass through

What does the tilt of earth’s axis causes variation in?

angle of insolation, length of day, season

Albedo

the proportion of light that’s reflected by a surface

What happens when a surface has higher albedo?

reflect more light, absorb less so there is ice and snow

What happens when a surface has a lower albedo?

reflect less light and absorb more heat

Urban Heat Island

urban areas are hotter than surrounding rural area b/c low albedo of blacktop

What area receives the most intense insolation?

the equator

Rain shadows

a dry region on the leeward side of a mountainous area, where less precip falls compared to the windward side