APES Exam Review Flashcards - Units 1-5

Flashcards for AP Environmental Science exam review, covering Units 1-5, with a focus on vocabulary.

Direct Exchange (Carbon Cycle)

The process where CO2 moves directly between the atmosphere and the ocean by dissolving into and out of ocean water at the surface.

Nitrogen Fixation

Conversion of N2 gas into biologically available NH3 (ammonia) or NO3- (nitrate) by bacteria in the soil or in symbiotic relationship with plant root nodules.

10% Rule

Percent of energy that passes from one trophic level to the next.

Species Diversity

The number of different species in an ecosystem and the balance or evenness of the population sizes of all species in the ecosystem.

Ecosystem Diversity

The number of different habitats available in a given area.

Resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to return to its original conditions after a major disturbance.

Ecosystem Services

Goods and services provided by natural ecosystems that are beneficial to humans (often monetarily or life-sustaining).

Keystone Species

A species that has a large effect on its environment relative to its abundance; increases ecosystem stability, or reduces ecosystem stability when absent.

K-selected

Few offspring, heavy parental care to protect them, long lifespan, long time to sexual maturity = low biotic potential = slow pop. growth rate.

R-selected

Many offspring, little to no care, Shorter lifespan, quick to sexual maturity = high biotic potential = high pop. growth rate.

Rule of 70

The time it takes (in years) for a population to double is equal to 70 divided by the growth rate.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

Avg. number of children a woman in a population will bear throughout her lifetime.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

Number of deaths of children under 1 year per 1,000 people in a pop.

Weathering

Breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces via physical, biological, and chemical processes.

Erosion

Transport of weathered rock fragments by wind and rain to a new location, where they are deposited.

Permeability

How easily water drains through a soil.

Water Holding Capacity

How well water is retained, or held by a soil.

Soil Degradation

The loss of the ability of soil to support plant growth.

Exosphere

Outermost layer where atmosphere merges with space

Thermosphere

Absorbs harmful X-rays & UV radiation; charged gas molecules glow under intense solar radiation producing northern lights (aurora borealis)

Mesosphere

60-80 km, even less dense

Stratosphere

16-60 km; less dense due to less pressure from layers above; Thickest O3 layer is found here; absorbs UV-B & UV-C rays

Troposphere

Most dense due to pressure of other layers above it; Most of atmosphere’s gas molecules are found here; Ozone (O3) in the troposphere is harmful to humans (respiratory irritant) & damages plant stomata, and forms smog

Ore

Commercially valuable deposits of concentrated minerals that can be harvested and used as raw materials.

Tailings & Slag

Leftover waste material separated from the valuable metal or mineral within ore (often stored in ponds @ mine site).

Acid Mine Drainage

Rainwater leaks into abandoned mine tunnels & mixes with pyrite, forming sulfuric acid.

Crop Rotation

Methods of restoring nutrient levels in the soil (N, P, Ca, Mg)