Ultimate Guide: AP Environmental Science

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with the non-living components of their environment as a system through various nutrients and energy cycles.

Species

Organisms that resemble each other; are similar in genetic makeup, chemistry, and behavior; and are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Population

Organisms of the same species that interact with each other and occupy a specific area.

Community

Population of different species.

Ecological Niche

A particular area within a habitat occupied by an organism, along with the function of that organism within its ecological community.

Symbiosis

Any type of close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms of the same or different species.

Amensalism

The interaction between two species whereby one species suffers and the other is not affected.

Commensalism

The interaction between two species whereby one organism benefits and the other is not affected.

Mutualism

The interaction between two species whereby both species benefit.

Predation

Predators hunt and kill their prey.

Law of Tolerance

States that the existence, abundance, and distribution of species depend on the tolerance level of each species to both physical and chemical factors.

Limiting Factor

Any abiotic factor that limits or prevents the growth of a population.

Carnivores

Animals that primarily eat meat.

Herbivores

Animals that primarily eat plants.

Trophic Level

The position an organism occupies in a food chain and is the number of steps it is from the start of the chain.

Primary Productivity

The rate at which plants capture and fix a given amount of chemical energy as biomass in a given length of time.

Biodiversity

The variability among species, between species, and of ecosystems.

Eutrophication

The process whereby human activity increases the amount of nutrients entering surface waters.

Bioaccumulation

The increase in the concentration of a pollutant within an organism.

Biomagnification

The increasing concentration of a substance in the tissues of organisms at successively higher trophic levels within a food chain.

Urbanization

The movement of people from rural areas to cities and the changes that accompany it.

Sustainable agriculture

It emphasizes profitable, environmentally friendly, energy-efficient production and food systems that improve agricultural communities' quality of life.

Permaculture

An agricultural philosophy that seeks to design agricultural systems based on the patterns and relationships found in natural ecosystems.

Hydroponics

A method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent.

Biomass

Biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms.

Photochemical Smog

A type of smog formed by the reaction of sunlight with pollutants like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Acid Rain

Precipitation that has a lower pH than natural rainwater, caused by the presence of sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse Effect

The warming of Earth's surface due to the trapping of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Climate Change

Changes in global or regional climate patterns, particularly due to increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

Energy Conservation

The practice of reducing energy use to save resources and lessen environmental impact.

Water Quality

Refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water and is a measure of the condition of the water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species.

Wastewater Treatment

The process of removing contaminants from wastewater to make it safe for discharge back into the environment.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits that humans receive from natural ecosystems, including provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services.