AP exam study guide v.2 (bigger)

MATERIAL:

Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems

• Definition and components of an ecosystem, including abiotic and biotic factors
• Types of ecosystems, including terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems
• Primary productivity, including gross and net primary productivity
• Food webs and trophic levels, including producers, consumers, and decomposers
• Energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, including the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and phosphorus cycle
• Ecological succession, including primary and secondary succession
• Disturbances in ecosystems, including natural and human-caused disturbances

Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity

• Definition and importance of biodiversity, including ecosystem services
• Levels of biodiversity, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity
• Threats to biodiversity, including habitat destruction, pollution, overharvesting, and invasive species
• Conservation strategies for preserving biodiversity, including habitat conservation, restoration, and protected areas

Unit 3: Populations

• Definition and characteristics of a population, including population density and distribution
• Factors that affect population size, including birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration
• Population growth models, including exponential and logistic growth models
• Carrying capacity and population regulation, including density-dependent and density-independent factors
• Human population growth, including historical trends and future projections

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

• The structure and composition of the earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere
• The carbon cycle, including sources and sinks of carbon, and the impacts of human activities on the carbon cycle
• The nitrogen cycle, including sources and sinks of nitrogen, and the impacts of human activities on the nitrogen cycle
• The phosphorus cycle, including sources and sinks of phosphorus, and the impacts of human activities on the phosphorus cycle
• The water cycle, including water availability and water management strategies
• Soil types and properties, including physical, chemical, and biological properties
• Land use practices, including agricultural practices, urbanization, and deforestation, and their impacts on the environment

Unit 5: Land and Water Use

• Different types of land use, including agriculture, urban development, mining, and forestry, and their impacts on the environment
• Soil erosion and conservation practices, including conservation tillage and crop rotation
• Water use and management, including groundwater depletion, water pollution, and water conservation strategies
• Impacts of dams and other water management strategies on aquatic ecosystems

Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

• Types of energy sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewable energy sources, and their advantages and disadvantages
• The energy crisis and energy conservation, including energy efficiency and demand-side management
• The impacts of energy use on the environment, including air pollution, water pollution, and climate change
• The relationship between energy use and economic development, including the concept of energy intensity

Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution

• Different types of air pollutants, including particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozone, and their sources and effects on human health and the environment
• Sources of air pollution, including natural and anthropogenic sources, and strategies for reducing air pollution, including regulations and technologies
• The Clean Air Act and its history and impact on air pollution control

Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

• Different types of water pollution, including point source and non-point source pollution, and their sources and effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health
• Different types of soil pollution, including chemical and biological pollution, and their sources and effects on terrestrial ecosystems and human health
• Strategies for reducing water and soil pollution, including regulations and technologies, conservation practices, and pollution prevention strategies
• The Clean Water Act and its history and impact on water pollution control
• The Superfund program and its role in cleaning up contaminated sites

  Unit 9: Global Change

  • The causes and effects of climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions, ocean acidification, and sea level rise
  • Mitigation strategies for climate change, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, carbon capture and storage, and renewable energy sources
  • Adaptation strategies for climate change, including adjusting to changing climate patterns and protecting vulnerable populations and ecosystems
  • The impact of human activities on the ozone layer, including the production and use of ozone-depleting substances
  • The impacts of deforestation and desertification on the environment, including loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and strategies for addressing these issues

RESOURCES:

Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems

• Khan Academy: Ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles
• Crash Course: Ecology

Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity

• Khan Academy: Biodiversity and conservation biology
• The Nature Conservancy: Biodiversity 101

Unit 3: Populations

• Khan Academy: Population ecology
• Crash Course: Population ecology

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

• Khan Academy: Earth's systems and the geosphere
• Crash Course: Geology and earth science

Unit 5: Land and Water Use

• Khan Academy: Land use and water resources
• The Environmental Working Group: Farming and land use

Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

• Khan Academy: Energy and the environment
• US Energy Information Administration: Energy sources and usage

Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution

• Khan Academy: Air pollution and the Clean Air Act
• Environmental Defense Fund: Air pollution basics

Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

• Khan Academy: Water pollution and water management
• National Geographic: Soil pollution

Unit 9: Global Change

• Khan Academy: Climate change and its impacts
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Climate change and policy

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