AP Environmental Science Course Outline
I. EARTH SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES (10-15%)
A. Earth Science Concepts
(Geologic time scale; plate tectonics,
earthquakes, volcanism; seasons; solar intensity and latitude)
B.The Atmosphere
(Composition; structure; weather and climate; atmospheric
circulation and the Coriolis Effect; atmosphere- ocean interactions; ENSO)
C.Global Water Resources and Use
(Freshwater/saltwater; ocean circulation;
agricultural, industrial, and domestic use; surface and groundwater issues;
global problems; conservation)
D.Soil and Soil Dynamics
(Rock cycle; formation; composition; physical and
chemical properties; main soil types; erosion and other soil problems; soil
conservation)
II. THE LIVING WORLD (10-15%)
A.Ecosystem Structure
(Biological populations and communities;
ecological niches; interactions among species; keystone species; species
diversity and edge effects; major terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
B. Energy Flow
(Photosynthesisand cellular respiration; food webs and
trophic levels; ecological pyramids)
C.Ecosystem Diversity
(Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution;
ecosystem succession)
D.Natural Ecosystem Change
(Climate shifts; species movement; ecological
succession)
E.Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
(Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur,
water, conservation of matter)
III. POPULATION(10-15%)
A.Population Biology Concepts
(Population ecology; carrying capacity;
reproductive strategies; survivorship)
B. Human Population
1. Human Population Dynamics
(Historical
population sizes; distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and doubling
times; demographic transition; age-structure diagrams)
2. Population Size
(Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies)
3.
Impacts of Population Growth
(Hunger; disease; economic effects;
resource use; habitat destruction)
IV. LAND AND WATER USE (10-15%)
A.Agriculture
1. Feeding a growing population
(Human
nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green Revolution; genetic
engineering and crop production; deforestation; irrigation; sustainable
agriculture)
2. Controlling pests
(types of pesticides; costs and
benefits of pesticide use; integrated pest management; relevant laws)
B. Forestry
(Tree plantations; old growth forests; forest fires; forest
management; national forests)
C.Rangelands
(Overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; rangeland
management; federal rangelands)
D.Other Land Use
1. Urban Land Development
(Planned Development;
suburban sprawl; urbanization)
2. Transportation Infrastructure
(Federal highway system; canals and channels; road less areas; ecosystem
impacts)
E. Mining
(Mineral formation; extractional; global reserves; relevant
laws and treaties)
F. Fishing
(Fishing techniques; over fishing; aquaculture; relevant laws
and treaties)
G.Global Economics
(Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons;
relevant laws and treaties)
V. ENERGY RESOURCES AND CONSUMPTION (10-15%)
A.Energy Concepts
(Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of
Thermodynamics)
B. Energy Consumption
1. History (Industrial Revolution)
2. Present Global energy use
3. Future energy needs
C.Fossil Fuel Resources and Use
(Formation of coal, oil and natural gas;
extraction/purification methods; world reserves and global demands; synfuels;
environmental advantages/ disadvantages of sources)
D.Nuclear Energy
(Nuclear fission processes; nuclear fuel; electricity
production; nuclear reactor types; environmental advantages/disadvantages;
safety issues; radiation and human health; radioactive wastes; nuclear fission)
E.Hydroelectric Power
(Dams; flood control; salmon; silting; other
impacts)
F.Energy Conservation
(Energy efficiency; CAFE standards; hybrid electric
vehicles; mass transit)
G.Renewable Energy
(Solar energy; solar electricity; hydrogen fuel cells;
biomass; wind energy; small-scale hydroelectric; ocean waves and tidal energy;
geothermal; environmental advantages/disadvantages)
VI. POLLUTION(25-30%)
A. Pollution Types
1. Air Pollution
(Sources- primary and
secondary; major air pollutants; measurement units; smog; acid deposition-
causes and effects; heat islands and temperature inversions; indoor air
pollution; remediation and reduction strategies; Clean Air Act and other
Relevant Laws)
2. Noise Pollution
(Sources; effects; Control
Measures)
3. Water Pollution
(Types; sources, causes, and
effects; cultural eutrophication; groundwater pollution; maintaining water
quality; water purification; sewage treatment/septic systems; Clean Water Act
and other relevant laws)
4.Solid Waste
(Types; disposal;
reduction)
B.Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
1. Hazards to human
health
(Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects;
dose-response relationships; air pollutants; smoking and other risks)
2. Hazardous chemicals in the environment
(Types of hazardous waste;
treatment/disposal of hazardous waste; cleanup of contaminated sites;
biomagnification; relevant laws )
C.Economic Impacts
(Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs;
sustainability)
VII. GLOBAL CHANGE (10-15%)
A.Stratospheric Zone
(Formation of stratospheric ozone; ultraviolet
radiation; causes of ozone depletion; strategies for reducing ozone depletion;
relevant laws and treaties)
B.Global Warming
(Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect; impacts and
consequences of global warming; reducing climate change; relevant laws and
treaties)
C.Loss of Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced
species; endangered and extinct species
2. Maintenance through
conservation
3. Relevant laws and treaties
I. EARTH SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES (10-15%)
A. Earth Science Concepts
(Geologic time scale; plate tectonics,
earthquakes, volcanism; seasons; solar intensity and latitude)
B.The Atmosphere
(Composition; structure; weather and climate; atmospheric
circulation and the Coriolis Effect; atmosphere- ocean interactions; ENSO)
C.Global Water Resources and Use
(Freshwater/saltwater; ocean circulation;
agricultural, industrial, and domestic use; surface and groundwater issues;
global problems; conservation)
D.Soil and Soil Dynamics
(Rock cycle; formation; composition; physical and
chemical properties; main soil types; erosion and other soil problems; soil
conservation)
II. THE LIVING WORLD (10-15%)
A.Ecosystem Structure
(Biological populations and communities;
ecological niches; interactions among species; keystone species; species
diversity and edge effects; major terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
B. Energy Flow
(Photosynthesisand cellular respiration; food webs and
trophic levels; ecological pyramids)
C.Ecosystem Diversity
(Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution;
ecosystem succession)
D.Natural Ecosystem Change
(Climate shifts; species movement; ecological
succession)
E.Natural Biogeochemical Cycles
(Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur,
water, conservation of matter)
III. POPULATION(10-15%)
A.Population Biology Concepts
(Population ecology; carrying capacity;
reproductive strategies; survivorship)
B. Human Population
1. Human Population Dynamics
(Historical
population sizes; distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and doubling
times; demographic transition; age-structure diagrams)
2. Population Size
(Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies)
3.
Impacts of Population Growth
(Hunger; disease; economic effects;
resource use; habitat destruction)
IV. LAND AND WATER USE (10-15%)
A.Agriculture
1. Feeding a growing population
(Human
nutritional requirements; types of agriculture; Green Revolution; genetic
engineering and crop production; deforestation; irrigation; sustainable
agriculture)
2. Controlling pests
(types of pesticides; costs and
benefits of pesticide use; integrated pest management; relevant laws)
B. Forestry
(Tree plantations; old growth forests; forest fires; forest
management; national forests)
C.Rangelands
(Overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; rangeland
management; federal rangelands)
D.Other Land Use
1. Urban Land Development
(Planned Development;
suburban sprawl; urbanization)
2. Transportation Infrastructure
(Federal highway system; canals and channels; road less areas; ecosystem
impacts)
E. Mining
(Mineral formation; extractional; global reserves; relevant
laws and treaties)
F. Fishing
(Fishing techniques; over fishing; aquaculture; relevant laws
and treaties)
G.Global Economics
(Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons;
relevant laws and treaties)
V. ENERGY RESOURCES AND CONSUMPTION (10-15%)
A.Energy Concepts
(Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of
Thermodynamics)
B. Energy Consumption
1. History (Industrial Revolution)
2. Present Global energy use
3. Future energy needs
C.Fossil Fuel Resources and Use
(Formation of coal, oil and natural gas;
extraction/purification methods; world reserves and global demands; synfuels;
environmental advantages/ disadvantages of sources)
D.Nuclear Energy
(Nuclear fission processes; nuclear fuel; electricity
production; nuclear reactor types; environmental advantages/disadvantages;
safety issues; radiation and human health; radioactive wastes; nuclear fission)
E.Hydroelectric Power
(Dams; flood control; salmon; silting; other
impacts)
F.Energy Conservation
(Energy efficiency; CAFE standards; hybrid electric
vehicles; mass transit)
G.Renewable Energy
(Solar energy; solar electricity; hydrogen fuel cells;
biomass; wind energy; small-scale hydroelectric; ocean waves and tidal energy;
geothermal; environmental advantages/disadvantages)
VI. POLLUTION(25-30%)
A. Pollution Types
1. Air Pollution
(Sources- primary and
secondary; major air pollutants; measurement units; smog; acid deposition-
causes and effects; heat islands and temperature inversions; indoor air
pollution; remediation and reduction strategies; Clean Air Act and other
Relevant Laws)
2. Noise Pollution
(Sources; effects; Control
Measures)
3. Water Pollution
(Types; sources, causes, and
effects; cultural eutrophication; groundwater pollution; maintaining water
quality; water purification; sewage treatment/septic systems; Clean Water Act
and other relevant laws)
4.Solid Waste
(Types; disposal;
reduction)
B.Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
1. Hazards to human
health
(Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects;
dose-response relationships; air pollutants; smoking and other risks)
2. Hazardous chemicals in the environment
(Types of hazardous waste;
treatment/disposal of hazardous waste; cleanup of contaminated sites;
biomagnification; relevant laws )
C.Economic Impacts
(Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs;
sustainability)
VII. GLOBAL CHANGE (10-15%)
A.Stratospheric Zone
(Formation of stratospheric ozone; ultraviolet
radiation; causes of ozone depletion; strategies for reducing ozone depletion;
relevant laws and treaties)
B.Global Warming
(Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect; impacts and
consequences of global warming; reducing climate change; relevant laws and
treaties)
C.Loss of Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced
species; endangered and extinct species
2. Maintenance through
conservation
3. Relevant laws and treaties