AP Environmental Science Review Notes

Today You Will Need

  • Take your own notes.

  • Do Now on paper.

  • Chromebook for ET Homework.

Homework

  1. Read and take notes on GHG and Thermal Pollution in "Princeton Review"; be ready for quiz.

  2. Review Units 1-8 daily. If you want more practice questions in APC, let me know.

    • Remember: You want this 5; it's free money!

APES Review Session

  • Date: 4/22 Tuesday

  • Time: 12:15-2:30

AP Tip

  • For ID questions, write in complete sentences. E.g. "The pH level decreased in 2020" instead of just "2020".

Shoutouts for Grades

A Grade

  • Willo

  • Michael

  • Hannah

  • Sabria

  • Tia

  • Will

  • Adnan

  • Regan

  • Nasir

  • David

F Grade

  • Eman

  • Maddie

  • Wes

  • Kate

  • Munira

  • Cooper

  • Chiadi

  • Mark

  • Lazlo

  • Ruby

  • Grant

B Grade

  • Angie

  • Gage

  • Hasan A

  • Gabriel

  • Salman

  • Naomi

  • EJ

Agenda

  1. Do Now

  2. Start Unit 9

  3. Legislation Charts

  4. Exit Ticket

Chapter 10 Key Terms

The Greenhouse Effect

  • Greenhouse effect

  • Climate change

  • Anthropogenic greenhouse gas

  • Global warming potential (GWP)

  • Ocean warming

  • Ocean acidification

  • Coral bleaching

  • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

  • Ozone loss

Human Impacts on Biodiversity

  • Invasive species

  • Habitat fragmentation

  • Extinction

  • Critically endangered

  • Endangered

  • Vulnerable

  • Threatened species

  • Background extinction rate

  • Biodiversity hot spot

What Can We Do About It?

  • Sustainability

  • Carbon sequestration

  • Kyoto Protocol

  • Montreal Protocol

  • Endangered Species Act

  • CITES

  • Habitat corridors

  • Taxon substitution

  • Policy

  • Water rights

  • Golden Age of Conservation

  • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

  • Cap-and-trade policy

Avenues To Environmental Progress

  • Green taxes

  • Market permits

  • Globalization

Unit 9 Overview: Global Change

  • Focuses on global problems:

    • Climate change

    • Loss of biodiversity

  • Discusses steps we can take as global citizens in response to these issues.

The Greenhouse Effect Explained

  1. Process: Solar radiation hits Earth; some is reflected, some is absorbed, leading to a warming effect due to greenhouse gases (GHGs) which retain heat in the atmosphere.

  2. Key GHGs: Water vapor (H₂O), Carbon dioxide (CO₂), Methane (CH₄), Nitrous oxide (N₂O), Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

  3. Human Contribution: Increased emissions from human activities have heightened the concentration of GHGs, thus accelerating climate change.

Climate Change Measurements

  • Rising Temperatures:

    • NASA reported Earth's average surface temperature in 2022 was 1.6°F above average.

  • Observations: Glacial melting, sea level rise, increased extreme weather events.

Major Findings from IPCC 2021 & 2023 Reports

  1. Climate change is human-induced and poses a threat.

  2. Global temperatures rising, leading to glacial and sea level changes.

  3. Increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

  4. Ocean acidification and biodiversity loss issues are worsening.

  5. Climate change worsens existing inequalities.

  6. Global economy vulnerable to climate impacts.

  7. Need for international cooperation and action to reduce emissions.

Biodiversity and Human Impact

HIPPCO Acronym

  • Habitat destruction/fragmentation

  • Invasive species

  • Population growth

  • Pollution

  • Climate change

  • Overharvesting/overexploitation

Threatened and Endangered Species

  • IUCN classifications:

    • Critically endangered

    • Endangered

    • Vulnerable

  • Red List: Increased number of threatened species (45,000 in 2023).

Human Solutions

Sustainability and Protection Strategies

  • Conservation of habitats through designated protected areas.

  • Legislation examples: Endangered Species Act, CITES.

  • Restoration efforts and control of invasive species.

Major Environmental Legislation to Know for Exam

  • Montreal Protocol (1987): Cut CFC emissions.

  • Kyoto Protocol (1997): Required cuts in greenhouse gas emissions for developed nations.

  • Endangered Species Act (1973): Protection for threatened species and habitats.

Sustainable Practices and Innovations

  • Transition to renewable energy sources.

  • Incorporation of practices like carbon sequestration.

  • Legislative change, such as green taxes and cap-and-trade systems, as economic incentives for sustainability.