AP Environmental Science Exam Review – Flashcards

related to factors or things that are separate and independent from living things; nonliving

any compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also, a water solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions

enormous bodies of air that move as a unit

a soil horizon; the layer below the O horizon; formed of weathered rock, with some organic material; often referred to as topsoil

a basic substance; chemically, a substance that absorbs hydrogen ions or releases hydroxyl ions; in reference to natural water, a measure of the base content of the water

an underground layer of porous rock, sand, or other material that allows the movement of water between layers of nonporous rock or lay; frequently tapped for wells

land that's fit to be cultivated

the part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere

the gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body- especially the one surrounding the earth which is retained by the celestial body's gravitational field

a long, relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland, built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges

any weathering that's caused by the activities of living organisms

living or derived from living things

a soil horizon; receives the minerals and organic materials that are leached out of the A horizon

the result of chemical interaction with the bedrock that is typical of the action of both water and atmospheric gases

a soil horizon; made up of larger pieces of rock that have not undergone much weathering

the finest soil, made up of particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter

weather conditions, especially temperature and precipitation, that remain constant over 30 years or more

the transmission or conveying of something through a medium or passage, especially the transmission of electric charge or heat through a conducting medium without perceptible motion of the medium itself

the vertical movement of a mass of matter because of heating and cooling; this can happen in both the atmosphere and Earth's mantle

air currents caused by the vertical movement of air due to atmospheric heating and cooling

a plate boundary where two plates are moving toward each other

an erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compact coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium carbonates

the observed effect of the Coriolis force, especially the deflection of an object moving toward the earth, rightward in the Northern Hemisphere, and leftward in the Southern Hemisphere

the practice of alternating the crops grown on a piece of land to replenish soil nutrients - for example, corn one year, legumes for two years, and then back to corn

a usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river

a plate boundary at which plates are moving away from each other. This causes an upwelling of magma from the mantle to cool and form new crust

a region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or squalls

a method of supplying irrigation water through tubes that literally drip water onto the soil at the base of each plant

the result of vibrations that release energy from within the earth. they often occur as two plates slide past one another at a transform boundary

a climate variation that takes place in the tropical Pacific about every three to seven years, for a duration of about one year

the process of soil particles being carried away by wind or water; moves the smaller particles first and hence degrades the soil to a coarser, sandier, stonier texture

the part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides

the place where two plates abut each other

the time after the Industrial Revolution when farming became mechanized and crop yields in industrialized nations boomed as farmers began using large amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides

the phenomenon whereby the eath's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through but absorb heat radiated back from the earth's surface

a system of vertical and horizontal air circulation that creates major weather patterns, predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions

the water from which a river rises; a soure

the dark, crumbly, nutrient-rich material that results from the decomposition of organic material, which is also a product of composting organic waste

a layer of soil

(typhoon, cyclone)- a severe tropical storm originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea or eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean, that travels north, northwest or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involves high speed winds and heavy rains

the molten core of the earth

the delivery rate of solar radiation per unit of horizontal surface

a high-speed, meandering wind current, generally moving from a westerly direction at speeds often exceeding 400 km (250 mi) per hour at altitudes of 15-25 km (10-15 mi)

deterioration of land quality (topsoil, organisms, vegetation, water quality), usually caused by its exploitation

a cooling of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America, occurring periodically every 4 to 12 years and affecting Pacific and other weather patterns

the outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, approximately 100 km (62 mi) thick

soil composed of a mixture of sand, clay, silt, and organic matter

the layer of the earth between the crust and the core

the cultivation of a single crop on a farm or in a region or country; a single, homogeneous culture without diversity or dissension

a wind system that influences large climatic regions and reverses direction seasonally

the uppermost horizon of soil; primarily made up of organic material, including waste from organisms, the bodies of decomposing organisms, and live organisms

any process that breaks rock down into smaller pieces without changing the chemistry of the rock; typically wind and water

the edges of tectonic plates

when water rights are given to those who have historically used the water in a certain area

the low-rainfall region that exists on the leeward (downwind) side of a mountain range; the result of the mountain range's causing precipitation on the windward side

a bloom of dinoflagellates that causes reddish discoloration of coastal ocean waters; certain dinoflagellates of the genus "Gonyamlax" produce toxins that kill fish and contaminate shellfish

the bedrock, which lies below all other layers of soil

the right, as to the fishing or to the use of a riverbed, of one who owns riparian land (the land adjacent to a river or stream)

occurs when soil becomes waterlogged from excess irrigation and then dries out. As the water evaporates, the salt crystallizes and forms a layer on the soil surface. This excess of salt prevents the growth of plants

the coarsest soil, with particles 0.05-2.0 mm in diameter

soil with particles 0.002-0.05 mm in diameter

the atmospheric pressure conditions corresponding to the periodic warming of El Nino and cooling of El Nina

in tectonic plates, the site at which an oceanic plate is sliding under a continental plate

a layer in a large body of water, such as a lake, that sharply separated regions differing in temperature, so that the temperature gradient across the layer is abrupt

the outermost shell of the atmosphere, between the mesosphere and outer space, where temperatures increase steadily with altitude

the A horizon of soil is often referred to as topsoil and is most important for plant growth

the more or less constant winds blowing in horizontal directions over the earth's surface, as part of Hadley cells

also known as transform faults, boundaries at which plates are moving past each other, sideways

a cyclonic storm having winds ranging from approximately 48 to 121 km (30 to 75 mi) per hour

a process in which cold, often nutrient-rich, waters from the ocean depths rise to the surface

an opening in earth's crust through which molten lava, ash, and gases are ejected

the region draining into a river system or other body of water

countries that have a renewable annual water supply of less than 1,000 m^3 per person

countries that have a renewable annual water supply of about 1,000-2,000 m^3 per person

the day-to-day variations in temperature, air pressure, wind, humidity, and precipitation mediated by the atmosphere in a given region

the gradual breakdown of rock into smaller and smaller particles, caused by natural chemical, physical or biological factors

a lowland area, such as a marsh or swamp, that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife

the production of ammonia or ammonium compounds in the decomposition of organic matter, especially through the action of bacteria

the process in which plants absorb ammonium (NH3), ammonia ions (NH4+), and nitrate ions (NO3) through their roots

producers; organisms that can produce their own organic compounds from inorganic compounds. They use energy from the sun or from the oxidation of inorganic substances

the accumulation of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism

the process by which the concentration of toxic substances increases in each successive link in the food chain

the part of the earth and its atmosphere where living organisms exist or that is capable of supporting life

an animal that only consumes other animals

(chemoautotroph)- an organism, such as a bacterium or protozoan, that obtains its nourishment through the oxidation of inorganic chemical compounds, as opposed to photosynthesis

a stable, mature community in a successive series that has reached equilibrium after having evolved through stages and adapted to its environment

the process of burning

formed from populations of different species occupying the same geographic area

the process that occurs when two different species in a region compete and the better adapted species wins

an organism that must obtain food energy from secondary sources, for example, by eating plant or animal matter

bacteria or fungi that absorb nutrients from nonliving organic matter like plant material, the wastes of living organisms, and corpses. They convert these materials into inorganic forms

the process by which specialized bacteria (mostly anaerobic bacteria) convert ammonia to NO3, NO2, and N2 and release it back into the atmosphere

organisms that derive energy from consuming nonliving organic matter, such as dead animals or fallen leaves. Earthworms and many species of fungi are detritivores

transition in species composition of a biological community, often following ecological disturbance of the community; the establishment of a biological community in any area virtually barren of life

the condition in which, at ecosystem boundaries, there is greater species diversity and biological density than there is in the heart of ecological communities

the structure obtained if we organize the amount of energy contained in producers and consumers in an ecosystem by kilocalories per square meter, from largest to smallest

to convert or change into a vapor

change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals and resulting in the development of new species

the death of an entire species, permanent inactivity

a succession of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a continuation of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member and, in turn, is preyed upon by a higher member

a complex of interrelated food chains in an ecological community

states that no two species can occupy the same niche at the same time, and that the species that is less fit to live in the environment will either relocate, die out, or occupy a smaller niche

the amount of sugar that the plants produce in photosynthesis, and subtracting from it the amount of energy the plants need for growth, maintenance, repair, and reproduction

the area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs

when the size of an organism's natural habitat is reduced, or when development occurs that isolates a habitat

an organism that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex inorganic substances for nutrition

species that originate and live, or occur naturally, in an area or environment

an introduced, nonnative species

a species whose very presence contributes to an ecosystem's diversity and whose extinction would consequently lead to the extinction of other forms of life

states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed

a symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit

the process by which, according to Darwin's theory of evolution, only the the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics in increasing numbers to succeeding generations, while those less adapted tend to be eliminated

the amount of energy that plants pass on to the community of herbivores in an ecosystem

the total sum of a species' use of the biotic and abiotic resources in its environment

the process in which soil bacteria convert ammonium (NH4+) to a form that can be used by plants; nitrate, or NO3

the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into compounds, such as ammonia, by natural agencies or various industrial processes

organisms that consume both producers and primary consumers

a symbiotic relationship in which one member is helped by the association and the other is harmed

the process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source; most forms release oxygen as a byproduct

organisms in the first stages of succession

a group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area

when one species feeds on another

this category includes organisms that consume producers (plants and algae)

when ecological succession begins in a virtually lifeless area, such as the area behind a moving glacier

an organism that is capable of converting radiant energy or chemical energy into carbohydrates

when a species occupies a smaller niche than it would in the absence of competition

a place where a large quantity of a resource sits for a long period of time

the process in which animals (and plants!) breathe and give off carbon dioxide from cellular metabolism

the amount of time a resource spends in a reservoir or an exchange pool

organisms that consume primary consumers

organisms that are capable of breeding with one another and incapable of breeding with other species

close, prolonged associations between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but do not necessarily, benefit the members

organisms that consume secondary consumers or other tertiary consumers

the act or process of transpiring, or releasing water vapor, especially through the stomata of plant tissue or the pores of the skin

each of the feeding levels in a food chain

graphical representations of populations' ages

the fraction of solar energy that is reflected back into space

the amount that the population would grow if there were unlimited resources in its environment

the number of live births per 1,000 members of the population in a year

the maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources in a region

equal to the number of deaths per 1,000 members of the population in a year

a model that's used to predict population trends based on the birth and death rates as well as economic status of a population

the amount of the earth's surface that's required to supply the needs of and dispose of the waste from a particular population

the movement of individuals out of a population

the random fluctuations in the frequency of the appearance of a gene in a small isolated population, presumably owing to chance, rather than natural selection

the movement of individuals into a population

organisms that reproduce later in life, produce fewer offspring, and devote significant time and energy to the nurturing of their offspring

when a population is well below the size dictated by the carrying capacity of its region, it will grow exponentially, but as it approaches the carrying capacity, its growth rate will decrease and the size of the population will eventually become stable

the number of individuals of a population that inhabit a certain unit of land or water area

the number of children a couple must have in order to replace themselves in a population

organisms that reproduce early in life and often have a high capacity for reproductive growth

the number of children an average woman will bear during her lifetime; this information is based on an analysis of data from preceding years in the population in question

when trees and crops are planted together, creating a mutualistic symbiotic relationship between them

the raising of fish and other aquatic species in captivity for harvest

a fishing technique in which the ocean floor is literally scraped by heavy nets that smash everything in their path

any other species of fish, mammals, or birds that are caught that are not the target organism

fish production in which fish are caught in the wild and not raised in captivity for consumption

the removal of all of the trees in an area

the management or regulation of a resource so that its use does not exceed the capacity of the resource to regenerate itself

the day-to-day use of environmental resources such as food, clothing, and housing

a process in which rows of crops are plowed across the hillside; this prevents erosion that can occur when rows are cut up and down on a slope

the removal of trees for agricultural purposes or purposes of exportation

nets that drift free in the water and indiscriminately catch everything in their path

the value of natural resources

the industry or occupation devoted to the catching, processing, or selling of fish, shellfish, or other aquatic animals

open or forested areas built at the outer edge of a city

smoldering fires that take place in bogs or swamps and can burn underground for days or weeks. Originating from surface fires, these are difficult to detect and extinguish

(also called strip cropping) is the practice of planting bands of different crops across a hillside

in fishing, the use of long lines that have baited hooks and will be taken by numerous aquatic organisms

poor nutrition that results from an insufficient or poorly balanced diet

an area where a particular mineral is concentrated

the excavation of the earth for the purpose of extracting ore or minerals

when just one type of plant is planted in a large area

biotic and abiotic natural ecosystems

resources that are often formed by very slow geologic processes, so we consider them incapable of being regenerated within the realm of human existence

refers to when farming plant seeds without using a plow to turn the soil

one that has never been cut; these forests have not been seriously disturbed for several hundred years

when grass is consumed by animals at a faster rate than it can regrow

the maintenance of a species or ecosystem in order to ensure its perpetuation, with no concern as to their potential monetary value

the use of environmental resources for profit

refers to resources, such as plants and animals, which can be regenerated if harvested at sustainable yields

areas where cutting has occurred and a new, younger forest has arisen

the removal of select trees in an area; this leaves the majority of the habitat in place and has less of an impact on the ecosystem

when mature trees are cut over a period of time (usually 10-20 years); this leaves mature trees, which can reseed the forest, in place

the management of forest plantations for the purpose of harvesting timber

when an area of vegetation is cut down and burned before being planted with crops

fires that typically burn only the forest's underbrush and do little damage to mature trees. These fires actually serve to protect the forest from more harmful fires by removing underbrush and dead materials that would burn quickly and at high temperatures.

piles of gangue, which is the waste material that results from mining

when each family in a community grows crops for themselves and relies on animal and human labor to plant and harvest crops

creating flat platforms in the hillside that provide a level planting surface, which reduces soil runoff from the slope

also known as plantations, these are planted and managed tracts of trees of the same age that are harvested for commercial use

the broad category under which selective cutting and shelter-wood cutting fall; selective deforestation

the use of devices, such as solar panels, to collect, focus, transport, or store solar energy

the cleanest-burning coal; almost pure carbon

the unit used to describe the volume of fossil fuels

the second-purest form of coal

the form petroleum takes when in the ground

the capacity to do work

a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus, especially a heavy nucleus such as an isotope of uranium, splits into fragments, usually two fragments of comparable mass, releasing from 100 million to several hundred million electron volts of energy

a hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel

says that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transferred and transformed

a waste product produced by the burning of coal

the amount of time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to disappear

(also known as peak oil) an influential theory that concerns the long-term rate of conventional oil (and other fossil fuel) extraction and depletion. It predicts that future world oil production will soon reach a peak and then rapidly decline

power generated using water

the energy of motion

the least pure coal

the process of fusing two nuclei

the rocks and earth that are removed when mining for a commercially valuable mineral resource

the use of building materials, building a placement, and design to passively collect solar energy that can be used to keep a building warm or cool

oil, a hydrocarbon that forms as sediments are buried and pressurized

a semiconductor device that converts the energy of sunlight into electric energy

energy at rest, or stored energy

an estimate of the amount of fossil fuel that can be obtained from reserve

sunlight

devices containing alkaline substances that precipitate out much of the sulfur dioxide from industrial plants

says that the entropy (disorder) of the universe is increasing. One corollary of this law is the concept that, in most energy transformations, a significant fraction of energy is lost to the universe as heat

involves the removal of the earth's surface all the way down to the level of the mineral seam

the third purest form of coal

involves the sinking of shafts to reach underground deposits. In this type of mining, networks of tunnels are dug or blasted and humans enter these tunnels in order to manually retrieve the coal

a group of modern windmills

acid rain, acid hail, acid snow; all of which occur as a result of pollution in the atmosphere

the effect caused by a short exposure to a high level of toxin

a platinum-coated device that oxidizes most of the VOCs and some of the CO that would otherwise be emitted in exhaust, converting them to CO2

when materials, such as plastic or aluminum, are used to rebuild the same product. An example of this is the use of the aluminum from aluminum cans to produce more aluminum cans

a process that allows the organic material in solid waste to be decomposed and reintroduced into the soil, often as fertilizer

when the signs and symptoms of an illness can be attributed to a specific infectious organism that resides in the building

an effect that results from long-term exposure to low levels of toxin

drilling a hole in the ground that's below the water table to hold waste

occurs when infection causes a change in the state of health

a process in which an organism is exposed to a toxin at different concentrations, and the dosage that causes the death of the organism is recorded

the result of graphing a dose-response analysis

the point at which 50 percent of the test organisms show a negative effect from a toxin

an intensification of the Greenhouse Effect due to the increased presence of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere

smog resulting from emissions from industry and other sources of gases produced by the burning of fossil fuel, especially coal

any waste that poses a danger to human health; it must be dealt with in a different way from other types of waste

urban areas that heat up more quickly and retain heat better than nonurban areas

radioactive wastes that produce high levels of ionizing radiation

the result of a pathogen invading a body

the point at which 50 percent of the test organisms die from a toxin

the liquid that percolates to the bottom of a landfill

radioactive wastes that produce low levels of ionizing radiation

any noise that causes stress or has the potential to damage human health

pollution that does not have a specific point of release

when materials are reused to form new products

the thinning of the ozone layer over Antarctica (and to some extent, over the Arctic)

bacteria, virus, or other microorganisms that cause disease

usually formed on hot sunny days when NOx compounds, VOCs, and ozone combine to form smog with a brownish hue

a specific location from which pollution is released; an example of a point source location is a factory where wood is being burned

any substance that has an LD50 of 50 mg or less per kg of body weight

in a sewage treatment plant, the initial filtration that is done to remove debris such as stones, sticks, rags, toys, and other objects that were flushed down the toilet

pollutants that are release directly into the lower atmosphere

when physically treated sewage water is passed into a settling tank, where suspended solids settle out as sludge,; chemically treated polymers may be added to help the suspended solids separate and settle out

calculating risk, or the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen

using strategies to reduce the amount of risk (the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen)

pollutants that are formed by the combination of primary pollutants in the atmosphere

the biological treatment of wastewater in order to continue to remove biodegradable waste

a condition in which the majority of a building's occupants experience certain symptoms that vary with the amount of time spent in the building, without being able to identify a specified cause or illness

the solids that remain after the secondary treatment of sewage

a tank filled with aerobic bacteria that's used to treat sewage

can consist of hazardous waste, industrial solid waste, or municipal waste. Many types of this waste provide a threat to human health and the environment

non-moving sources of pollution, such as factories

a program funded by the federal government and a trust that's funded by taxes on chemicals; identifies pollutants and cleans up hazardous waste sites

the dosage level of a toxin at which a negative effect occurs

the degree to which a substance is biologically harmful

any substance that is inhaled, ingested, or absorbed at dosages sufficient to damage a living organism

ozone that exists in the troposphere

gave the EPA power to set emission standards for major sources of noise including transportation, machinery, and construction

the carrier organism through which pathogens can attack, such as a tick

any water that has been used by humans. This includes human sewage, water drained from showers, tubs, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, water from industrial processes, and storm water runoff

when the energy released from waste incineration is used to generate electricity

a fiscal policy that lowers taxes on income, including wages and profit, and raises taxes on consumption, particularly the unsustainable consumption of non-renewable resources

when companies are allowed to buy permits that allow them a certain amount of discharge of substances into certain environmental outlets. If they can reduce their amount of discharge, they are allowed to sell the remaining portion of their permit to another company