AP Environmental Science Vocabulary

AP Environmental Science — Grouped Vocabulary & Definitions

A. Agriculture & Food Production

• Aquaculture

  • Definition: The practice of raising fish, shellfish, or aquatic plants in controlled environments for food production.

  • Implications:

  • Can reduce pressure on wild fisheries by providing an alternative source of seafood.

  • Potential negative impacts include pollution from waste and the spread of diseases to wild populations.

• Green Revolution

  • Definition: A significant period during the mid-20th century characterized by dramatic increases in agricultural productivity.

  • Key Factors:

  • The development and use of high-yield crop varieties.

  • The adoption of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

  • Implementation of advanced irrigation technologies.

  • Environmental Impact:

  • Increased food supply but also resulted in various forms of environmental harm, including soil degradation and water depletion.

• Genetic Engineering

  • Definition: The direct manipulation of an organism’s DNA to produce desired traits.

  • Examples of traits that may be engineered include:

  • Drought resistance.

  • Pest resistance.

• Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

  • Definition: An organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques, leading to traits not available in traditional breeding.

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

  • Definition: A comprehensive pest-control strategy that combines various methods—including biological, physical, cultural, and chemical approaches.

  • Goal: To minimize pesticide use and reduce environmental harm while managing pest populations.

• Pesticide Treadmill

  • Definition: A cycle where pests become resistant to the pesticides, necessitating increased and often stronger pesticide applications, which in turn leads to further resistance development.

• Slash-and-Burn Farming

  • Definition: An agricultural method where vegetation is cut down and burned to clear land for farming.

  • Effects:

  • Can create temporarily nutrient-rich soil.

  • Often leads to deforestation and soil degradation.

• Tilling

  • Definition: The agricultural practice of turning and breaking up soil to prepare for planting crops.

  • Consequences:

  • Increases soil erosion.

  • Disrupts soil structure and microbial communities.

B. Irrigation Techniques

• Drip Irrigation

  • Definition: A highly efficient irrigation method that delivers water directly to the roots of plants through a system of tubes.

  • Advantages:

  • Minimizes evaporation and runoff, thus conserving water.

• Flood Irrigation

  • Definition: An irrigation technique where fields are flooded with water.

  • Economic Factors:

  • Generally inexpensive method of irrigation.

  • Disadvantages:

  • Highly inefficient due to significant water loss from evaporation, seepage, and runoff.

• Furrow Irrigation

  • Definition: An irrigation method where water flows through shallow trenches (furrows) between crop rows.

  • Efficiency: More efficient than flood irrigation but still results in moderate water loss.

• Spray Irrigation

  • Definition: An irrigation technique where water is sprayed over crops using sprinklers.

  • Efficiency: Moderately efficient but susceptible to water loss from wind and evaporation.

C. Forest Management & Cutting Techniques

• Old-Growth Forest

  • Definition: A forest that has remained uncut or undisturbed for a long time, achieving great age without significant disturbances.

  • Characteristics:

  • High biodiversity.

  • Complex forest structure.

• Second-Growth Forest

  • Definition: A forest that regrows naturally after being disturbed by timber harvest, fire, or other events.

  • Biodiversity:

  • Generally less diverse than old-growth forests but still ecologically valuable.

• Clearcutting

  • Definition: The logging practice of removing all trees in a specified area in a single cut.

  • Economic Advantages:

  • Cost-effective approach due to lower labor and operational costs.

  • Environmental Consequences:

  • Leads to habitat loss, soil erosion, and a decrease in biodiversity.

• Selective Cutting

  • Definition: A forest management method where only certain trees, typically mature or valuable ones, are harvested.

  • Benefits:

  • Preserves more of the forest's structure and maintains better biodiversity.

• Shelterwood Cutting

  • Definition: A multi-step method of timber harvesting where older trees are gradually removed in stages.

  • Purpose:

  • Allows understory seedlings to grow under the partial shade of remaining trees, fostering a gradual regeneration of the forest.

D. Grazing & Land Use

• Pasture

  • Definition: Grassland that is specifically managed and maintained for the grazing of domesticated animals.

• Rangeland

  • Definition: Large areas of natural land, often arid, used for grazing wild or domesticated animals.

  • Management:

  • Less managed compared to pastures.

• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)

  • Definition: An industrialized livestock operation where large numbers of animals are confined in limited spaces.

  • Advantages:

  • Efficient in terms of production yields.

  • Ethical and Environmental Concerns:

  • Generates significant waste, poses a high risk of disease outbreaks, and raises ethical considerations regarding animal welfare.

E. Fishing Methods & Marine Issues

• Overfishing

  • Definition: The practice of catching fish from a population at a rate faster than they can reproduce.

  • Consequences:

  • Leads to severe population collapses and threatens the sustainability of marine ecosystems.

• Longlining

  • Definition: A fishing method that utilizes extremely long fishing lines equipped with thousands of baited hooks.

  • Environmental Impact:

  • Results in high bycatch rates, including turtles, sharks, and seabirds.

• Trawling

  • Definition: A fishing technique that involves dragging large nets through the water.

  • Types:

  • Can occur mid-water or along the ocean floor.

  • Environmental Impact:

  • Causes significant habitat destruction and a notable bycatch problem.

F. Environmental Economics & Human Impact

• Tragedy of the Commons

  • Concept Definition: A social and economic theory introduced by ecologist Garrett Hardin, illustrating how individuals acting in their own self-interest can overuse and deplete shared resources.

  • Examples of shared resources affected:

  • Overfishing practices leading to fish population declines.

  • Depletion of groundwater sources due to excessive pumping.

  • Overgrazing of common lands that affects land viability.