AP Environmental Science

CED topics 1.1 Introduction to Ecosystems, 1.2 Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes. Covers ecosystem structure, abiotic/biotic factors, terrestrial biomes (tundra, taiga, temperate forest, grassland, desert, tropical rainforest), and aquatic biomes (marine, freshwater, wetlands, estuaries).

CED topics 1.3 Primary Productivity, 1.4 Carbon Cycle. Covers gross vs net primary productivity, factors affecting productivity, the carbon cycle (photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, combustion), and carbon sinks/sources.

CED topics 1.5 Nitrogen Cycle, 1.6 Phosphorus Cycle. Covers nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, the role of bacteria; and the phosphorus cycle, weathering, and the slow nature of this cycle.

CED topics 1.7 The Hydrologic Cycle, 1.8 The Flow of Energy and the 10% Rule. Covers the water cycle (evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, infiltration, runoff), trophic levels, energy transfer efficiency, and food chains/webs.

CED topics 2.1 Introduction to Biodiversity, 2.2 Ecosystem Services. Covers genetic, species, and habitat diversity; types of ecosystem services (provisioning, regulating, cultural, supporting); and the importance of biodiversity.

CED topics 2.3 Island Biogeography, 2.4 Ecological Tolerance. Covers the species-area relationship, immigration/extinction equilibrium, and the range of tolerance for environmental conditions.

CED topics 2.5 Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems, 2.6 Ecological Succession. Covers natural disturbances (fires, floods, volcanoes, hurricanes), resistance vs resilience, primary and secondary succession, and pioneer species.

CED topics 3.1 Generalist and Specialist Species, 3.2 Survivorship Curves. Covers characteristics of generalists vs specialists, K-selected vs r-selected species, and Type I/II/III survivorship curves.

CED topics 3.3 Population Growth and Resource Availability, 3.4 Age Structure Diagrams. Covers exponential vs logistic growth, carrying capacity, limiting factors, and age structure diagrams (pyramids, constrictive, stationary).

CED topics 3.5 Total Fertility Rate, 3.6 Human Population Dynamics. Covers TFR, replacement fertility, factors affecting fertility, demographic transition model, and the impact of demographic factors on population growth.

CED topics 3.7 Population Growth and Resource Use, 3.8 Impacts of Population Growth. Covers the relationship between population and resource consumption, and environmental impacts of continued population growth.

CED topics 4.1 Plate Tectonics, 4.2 Soil Formation and Erosion. Covers plate boundaries (divergent, convergent, transform), plate movement effects, soil horizons (O, A, E, B, C, R), soil formation processes, and erosion causes/effects.

CED topics 4.3 Earth's Atmosphere, 4.4 Global Wind Patterns. Covers atmospheric layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere), atmospheric composition, Hadley/Ferrel/Polar cells, and Coriolis effect.

CED topics 4.5 Earth's Geography and Climate, 4.6 El Niño and La Niña. Covers factors affecting climate (latitude, altitude, ocean currents, rain shadows), climate zones, and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.

CED topic 4.7 Solar Radiation and Earth's Seasons. Covers the angle of incoming solar radiation, the seasons, the role of solar energy in driving Earth systems, and the relationship between solar radiation and climate.

CED topics 5.1 The Tragedy of the Commons, 5.2 The Green Revolution. Covers the concept of shared resource depletion, solutions to the tragedy of the commons, and the Green Revolution (high-yield crops, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation).

CED topics 5.3 Types and Effects of Irrigation, 5.4 Pest-Control Methods. Covers irrigation types (furrow, flood, sprinkler, drip), environmental impacts (salinization, waterlogging), and pest control methods (chemical, biological, integrated pest management).

CED topics 5.5 Meat Production Methods and Overfishing, 5.6 Mining. Covers CAFOs, sustainable meat production, overfishing and aquaculture, and mining methods (surface, subsurface) and their environmental impacts.

CED topics 5.7 Urbanization, 5.5 Ecological Footprints. Covers urbanization trends, urban sprawl, impervious surfaces, the urban heat island effect, and ecological footprints as a measure of sustainability.

CED topics 5.9 Introduction to Sustainability, 5.10 Sustainable Agriculture. Covers the three pillars of sustainability, sustainable practices (crop rotation, contour plowing, terracing, agroforestry), and reducing environmental impacts.

CED topics 5.11 Forestry, 5.12 Public and Federal Lands. Covers sustainable forestry, clear-cutting vs selective cutting, deforestation, and the management of public lands (national parks, wilderness areas, multiple-use lands).

CED topics 6.1 Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources, 6.2 Global Energy Consumption. Covers the distinction between renewable and nonrenewable resources, fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), and trends in global energy consumption.

CED topics 6.3 Fuel Types and Fuel Types, 6.4 Distribution of Natural Resources. Covers fossil fuels, ethanol, nuclear power, and the geographic distribution of energy resources and its geopolitical implications.

CED topics 6.5 Fossil Fuels, 6.6 Nuclear Power. Covers coal mining, oil extraction (including offshore), natural gas (fracking), nuclear fission, uranium, and the environmental and safety concerns of each.

CED topics 6.7 Solar Energy, 6.8 Wind Energy. Covers photovoltaic cells, solar thermal energy, passive vs active solar, wind turbines, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

CED topics 6.9 Hydroelectric Power, 6.10 Geothermal Energy and Energy Conservation. Covers hydroelectric dams, run-of-river, pumped storage, geothermal energy, biomass, and energy conservation methods.

CED topics 7.1 Introduction to Air Pollution, 7.2 Photochemical Smog. Covers primary vs secondary pollutants, criteria pollutants, the formation of photochemical smog, and the role of VOCs and NOx.

CED topics 7.3 Indoor Air Pollution, 7.4 Methods to Reduce Air Pollutants. Covers indoor pollutants (radon, CO, asbestos, formaldehyde, mold), and methods to reduce air pollution (scrubbers, catalytic converters, regulations like the Clean Air Act).

CED topics 7.5 Acid Rain, 7.6 Noise Pollution. Covers the formation of acid rain (SOx and NOx), environmental impacts, and noise pollution sources, measurement (decibels), and effects.

CED topics 8.1 Sources of Pollution, 8.2 Human Impacts on Ecosystems. Covers point vs nonpoint source pollution, types of water pollution (chemical, biological, physical), and human impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

CED topics 8.3 Thermal Pollution, 8.4 Solid Waste Disposal. Covers thermal pollution from power plants, its effects on aquatic life; and solid waste disposal methods (landfills, incineration, recycling, composting).

CED topics 8.5 Waste Reduction, 8.6 Pollution and Human Health. Covers the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), waste-to-energy, and the effects of pollution on human health (respiratory, neurological, cancer).

CED topic 8.7 Pathogens and Infectious Diseases. Covers waterborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protozoa), wastewater treatment (primary, secondary, tertiary), and the spread of infectious diseases in polluted environments.

CED topics 9.1 Stratospheric Ozone, 9.2 Global Climate Change. Covers the ozone layer, CFCs, the Montreal Protocol; and greenhouse gases, the enhanced greenhouse effect, and evidence for climate change.

CED topics 9.3 Ocean Warming, 9.4 Ocean Acidification. covers the effects of ocean warming (sea level rise, coral bleaching, melting ice), and ocean acidification (CO2 absorption, pH changes, impacts on marine organisms).

CED topics 9.5 Invasive Species, 9.6 Human Impacts on Diversity. Covers how invasive species are introduced, their ecological and economic impacts, and the ways human activities reduce biodiversity (habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, climate change).

CED topics 9.7 Ecological Footprints, 9.8 Introduction to Sustainability. Covers ecological footprints, carbon footprints, the three pillars of sustainability, and global efforts to address environmental challenges.