APznzabUUQt9WDh6V2yqwsRFB5rNisvJIVN4hAykzRqfxne1XPpmCJGQ8s4SNwGxJlvTqP7hKBe04b5b_viwB79H2dIfMJgfC-T5o5ZaJsppzxSrrO_5K1vfXWqOQyP-ODXrXGYDjMm_L7sJEZ3yaXSbu6Lno8MeuywK_4Lk977rzUoDfwJu_o4qg0_UAxEwcQ_VkCWgKuEEbFZQPkSuarnA6vUc9h8d57KY-mq-Dp1JpQer

Page 1: Table of Contents

• AP Environmental Science "Cheat" Sheet

• Units 1-7 are outlined with corresponding page numbers.

  • Unit 1: Ecosystems (Pages 2-7)

  • Unit 2: Biodiversity (Pages 8-17)

  • Unit 3: Populations (Pages 18-20)

  • Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources (Pages 21-24)

  • Unit 5: Land & Water Use (Pages 25-31)

  • Unit 6: Energy Resources & Consumption (Pages 32-51)

  • Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution (Pages 52-54)

Page 2: Unit 1 - Ecosystems

• Big Ideas

  • Predator: Organism that eats another organism.

  • Prey: Organism that is eaten.

  • Symbiosis: Relationship between two species in an ecosystem.

    • Types of symbiosis:

      1. Mutualism: Both species benefit.

      2. Commensalism: One species benefits, the other is unaffected.

      3. Parasitism: One species benefits (parasite), the other is harmed (host).

  • Competition: Occurs when resources are limited; reduced by resource partitioning.

Page 3: Ecosystem Characteristics

• Biome Definition: Area with characteristic plants and animals defined by climate (temperature and precipitation).

• Types of Biomes:

  1. Taiga (Boreal Forest)

  2. Temperate Rainforests

  3. Temperate Deciduous Forests

  4. Tropical Rainforests

  5. Shrubland

  6. Temperate Grasslands

  7. Savanna

  8. Desert

  9. Tundra

• Factors Influencing Global Distribution of Resources:

  • Climate, , Latitude, Altitude, Nutrient Availability, Soil Types.

Page 4: Aquatic Biomes and Global Change

• Worldwide Distribution of Biomes:

  • Dynamic and affected by global climate change.

• Aquatic Biomes:

  1. Freshwater Biomes:

     • Streams, Rivers, Ponds, Lakes (vital for drinking water).

  2. Marine Biomes:

     • Oceans, Coral Reefs, Marshlands, Estuaries (important for oxygen and CO2 balance).

• Factors Influencing Distribution:

  • Salinity, Depth, Turbidity, Nutrient Availability, Temperature.

Page 5: Cycles

• Carbon Cycle Reservoirs: Plants, Animals, Fossil Fuels, Atmosphere.

• Nitrogen Cycle Reservoirs: Atmosphere, Plants, Animals; includes nitrogen fixation (conversion to usable forms).

• Phosphorus Cycle Reservoirs: Rocks, Soil, Water, Plants; no gaseous form, limiting factor in ecosystems.

• Hydrologic (Water) Cycle Reservoirs: Oceans, Ice Caps, Groundwater.

Page 6: Ecological Concepts

• Primary Productivity:

  • Rate at which solar energy is converted into organic compounds through photosynthesis.

  • GPP (Gross Primary Productivity): Total rate of photosynthesis.

  • NPP (Net Primary Productivity): NPP = GPP - Respiration.

• Trophic Levels & Energy Flow:

  • 1st Law of Thermodynamics: Total energy stays constant.

  • 2nd Law of Thermodynamics: Energy transformation is not 100% efficient, some energy is lost as heat.

Page 7: Food Systems

• Food Chains vs. Food Webs:

  • Food chain: Linear sequence of energy flow.

  • Food web: Complex interconnections among various food chains.

• Feedback Loops: Comparison between food chains and food webs.

Page 8: Unit 2 - Biodiversity Overview

• Levels of Diversity:

  • Species Diversity: Variety of species within an ecosystem.

  • Ecosystem Diversity: Variety of ecosystems in a region.

  • Genetic Diversity: Genetic variations among individuals within a species.

• Benefits of Biodiversity:

  • Ecosystem connections, survival of species/populations, medical and industrial uses, and ethical/recreational values.

Page 9: Species at Risk and Human Impact

• Species at Risk Factors:

  • Small populations, migration needs, special habitat requirements, exploitation by humans.

• Human Impacts on Biodiversity:

  • Habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, population growth, climate change, overexploitation, and disease spread.

Page 10: Biodiversity Loss

• Loss of Specialist and Generalist Species:

  • Habitat loss first impacts specialists, leading to generalist species decline, affecting ecosystem stability.

• Species Richness: Number of different species in an ecosystem relates to ecosystem’s health and resilience.

Page 11: Extinction Types

• Regionally Extinct: Not found in normal habitat.

• Functionally Extinct: Species can no longer play a significant role in its ecosystem.

Page 12: Ecosystem Services

• Four Categories of Ecosystem Services:

  • Provisioning, Regulating, Cultural, and Supporting services.

• Impact of Human Activities:

  • Anthropogenic activities may disrupt ecosystem services leading to ecological and economic consequences.

Page 13: Island Biogeography

• Studies the ecological relationships and community structures on islands.

• Islands are historically colonized by species from other regions.

Page 14: Ecological Tolerance

• Ecological Tolerance: Refers to the range of conditions (temperature, salinity, etc.) an organism can withstand.

• Natural Disruptions: Often have environmental impact comparable to human-made disruptions.

Page 15: Earth System Processes

• Earth processes operate on various time scales: periodic, episodic, random occurrences.

Page 16: Climate Change

• Earth's climate has varied significantly due to various natural factors.

• Major environmental changes affect species and habitats, leading to migration and adaptation.

Page 17: Ecological Succession

• Two main types of succession: Primary (starts from lifeless areas) and Secondary (recovery after disturbances).

• Keystone Species and Indicator Species:

  • Keystone species play extremely vital roles in ecosystem structure.

  • Indicator species signal the health of an ecosystem.

Page 18: Unit 3 - Populations

• Generalist vs. Specialist Species:

  • Generalists: Adapt to various habitats; Specialists: Adapt to specific environments.

• K-selected vs. r-selected Species:

  • K-selected: Few offspring, high parental care.

  • r-selected: Many offspring, little parental care.

Page 19: Population Dynamics

• Carrying Capacity: Maximum population size an environment can sustain.

• Factors Influencing Population Growth: Density-dependent (food, disease) vs. density-independent factors (natural disasters).

Page 20: Human Population Insights

• Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Average number of children born to a woman; concerns regarding sustainability of population.

• Demographic Transition Model: Describes changes in birth and death rates as countries industrialize.