AP Environmental Science Significant Locations

Amazon Rainforest

In South America near Brazil: Is the world’s largest rainforest threatened with deforestation, used for cattle farming, and has too much conversion to agricultural land and biodiversity loss

Aral Sea

In Central Asia near Kazakhstan. It is a dried up inland body of water. It was once the fourth largest lake in the world, but the gov irrigated too much water into agricultural lands.

Bhopal, India

In India. This was at a pesticide plant where an accident occurred killing thousands of people, but the number is not exact because of the unregulated employment. Toxic waste contaminated soil and water.

Borneo

This is located near Indonesia and islands off the coast of Asia. It is a large rainforest that is subject to deforestation and is known for its orangutanes and palm oil.

Chernobyl

In Ukraine. It was one of the worst nuclear meltdowns. There was a massive explosion and it leaked radiation into nearby areas which caused increased safety measures now,

Three Gorges Dam

This is in China. It is the worlds largest damn/hydroelectric facility but its construction caused issues.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

This is in central/Western Africa and is an area subject to deforestation and cobalt mining. Experiences floods and droughts.

Florida Everglades

In Florida. Is a natural area subject to development, nutrient pollution from agriculture, invasive species, and destruction of wetlands.

Colorado River

From colorado through Utah Arizona and into Pacific Ocean. Supplies drinking and irrigation water to many people. Through damns like hoover damn, supplies hydroelectric power. But it is threatened by drought, overuse, and increasing temperatures.

Great Lakes

Throughout the north/northeast. 20% of world’s freshwater. There is phosphorous pollution from runoff and also contaminated sediment

Los Angeles

Most populated city in the US which causes a lot of human made pollution (smog)

Love Canal 1979

In New York. Was a superfund site because a company had buried their toxic waste and then sold the land to a school board. The chemicals got into soil and water leading to health problems

Minamata Bay, Japan

In Japan. Over 2000 died and 12000 were affected because of mercury poisoning and biomagnification

Ogallala Aquifer

Largest aquifer in the US. In. the Great Plains area. It is made of sand, gravel, clay, and salt.

Three Mile Island

In Pennsylvania. Was the site of a partial nuclear disaster but there were no consequences to human or plant heath despite the small amounts of released radioactivity

Bakken Formation

Rock formations across the North (montana, South Dakota, etc). Is the site of hydraulic fracking to reach natural gas that is located deep in the Earth. Causes brine spills and ethane pollution

Newfoundland 1992

In Northeastern Canada. This is where there was overfishing leading to a collapse in population which led the gov to implement ban on fishing northern cod

Great Barrier Reef

Off of the coast of Australia. Is subject to pollution, coral bleaching, and biodiversity loss.

Haiti 2010 and 2021

This is an island in the Caribbean near the Dominican Republic. It was the site of devastating earthquakes.

Horizon Oil Spill

This was off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. It was the largest oil spill and killed 11 people and caused extreme environmental damage.

Mediterranean Sea

This is in Europe near Greece. It is the site of a lot of overfishing.

Cuyahoga River

This is in Ohio and is the site of extreme water pollution. This is the river that lit on fire.

Alberta Tar Sands

This is in Central Canada and is the site of oil extraction (surface mining)

North Pacific Gyre

This is in the North Pacific Ocean and is a site of a garbage patch in the water (trash island).

Fukishima, Japan

This was the site in Japan of a huge earthquake and subsequent tsunami

Yucca Mountain, Nevada

This is in Central United States. It was deemed a good spot for nuclear disposal due to its hot and dry climate. However, in 2015 it was suspended.

Paris 2015

This is in Western Europe and was the site of major climate meetings between world leaders to lower greenhouse gas emissions to slow global warming.

Bangladesh

This country is next to India and because of its location it is susceptible to flooding with the continued melting of glaciers causing people to be displaced.

Alaska Tundra

This is in Northwestern America/Canada and has permafrost which is a layer of frozen soil that cools the soil slowing decomposition and growth.

Ring of Fire

This is off of the West coast of the americas and the east coast of Asia. it is where there is increased geologic activity and more earthquakes and volcanoes.

Corn Belt USA

this is in central United States and is close to Illinois. It is where the majority of the world’s corn is grown

Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

This is in the Gold of Mexico and is where because of pollution virtually nothing can live.

New Orleans, Lousiana

This is in Louisiana, and was the site of a major hurricane. It is also subject to sea level rise and is a heat island.

Iceland

This is in the middle of the ocean and is a place of high geologic activity due to it being on top of a hotspot.

30 degree latitude

This is the location of the world’s desert biome.

Svalbard Global Seed Bank

This is above Finland and is a doomsday bunker full of seeds incase of loss of biodiversity