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APES ~ A.P. Environmental Science

"Let us... permit nature to take her own way; 

she better understands her own affairs than we." 

-- Michel de Montaigne

APES (A.P. Environmental Science) Topic Outline

Current info from the AP course College Board web site

I.  Earth Systems and Resources (10-15% of AP exam) 

       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 Corolis 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% of AP exam) 

       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 

(Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration; Food Webs and Trophic Levels; Ecological Pyramids) 

       C. Ecosystem Diversity 

(Biodiversity; Natural Selection; Evolution; Ecosystem Services) 

       D. Natural Ecosystem Change 

(Climate Shifts, Species Movement; Ecological Succession) 

       E. Natural Biogeochemical Cycles 

(Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Water, Conservation of Matter)

III. Population (10-15% of AP exam) 

       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;...