Download AP Environmental Science

Note: The full course syllabus will be
developed prior to the start of the course to be
in a consistent format as other ALHSO courses.
AP Environmental Science
Instructor: Paul Boehlke, Ph.D.
Full-year course
Prerequisites: Two years of high school laboratory
science
Grade level: 11-12
Description
This course is an overview of components of ecosystems, including energy
flow and the structure and dynamics of populations and communities.
Students review the processes that affect natural environments, examine the
impact of human activities on ecosystems, and discuss current environmental
issues. The course is online and is designed to prepare high school students to
take the College Board AP exam on this subject. Throughout the course the
student is encouraged to demonstrate love for God through respect for His
artistic work and love for neighbor in that others are not hurt or harmed by
how we act. Field projects will be required.
Topic Outline
The following outline of major topics serves to describe the scope of the AP Environmental
Science course and exam. The percentage after each major topic heading shows the
approximate proportion of multiple-choice questions on the AP exam that pertain to
that heading.
Text and other materials: Miller, G. Tyler and Scott E. Spoolman. Environmental
Science. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, 2013. Materials posted on the web.
Outline (based on the guidelines provided by College Board AP)
(Semester 1)
1
Motivation Throughout the Course
Love of God (respect for the work of the Artist) and Love of Neighbor
(that others are not hurt or harmed)
Barry Commoner’s Principles and a few more
2
Earth Systems and Resources (10–15%)
2.1. Earth Science Concepts (Geologic time scale; plate tectonics, earthquakes,
volcanism; seasons; solar intensity and latitude) Deep time will be addressed by a
reading.
2.2. The Atmosphere (Composition; structure; weather and climate; atmospheric
circulation and the Coriolis Effect; atmosphere–ocean interactions; ENSO)
2.3. Global Water Resources and Use (Freshwater/saltwater; ocean circulation;
agricultural, industrial, and domestic use; surface and groundwater issues; global
problems; conservation)
2.4. Soil and Soil Dynamics (Rock cycle; formation; composition; physical and chemical
properties; main soil types; erosion and other soil problems; soil conservation)
3 The Living World (10–15%)
3.1. Ecosystem Structure (Biological populations and communities; ecological niches;
interactions among species; keystone species; species diversity and edge effects; major
terrestrial and aquatic biomes)
3.2. Energy Flow (Photosynthesis and cellular respiration; food webs and trophic levels;
ecological pyramids)
3.3. Ecosystem Diversity (Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution; ecosystem services)
3.4. Natural Ecosystem Change (Climate shifts; species movement; ecological
succession)
3.5. Natural Biogeochemical Cycles (Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, water,
conservation of matter)
4 Population (10–15%)
4.1. Population Biology Concepts (Population ecology; carrying capacity; reproductive
strategies; survivorship) Human population dynamics (Historical population sizes;
distribution; fertility rates; growth rates and doubling times; demographic transition; agestructure diagrams)
Population size (Strategies for sustainability; case studies; national policies)
Impacts of population growth (Hunger; disease; economic effects; resource use;
habitat destruction)
5
Land and Water Use (10–15%)
5.1. 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)
5.2. Forestry (Tree plantations; old growth forests; forest fires; forest management;
national forests)
5.3. Rangelands (Overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; rangeland management;
federal rangelands)
5.4. Other Land Use
5.4.1. Urban land development (Planned development; suburban sprawl;
urbanization)
5.4.2. Transportation infrastructure (Federal highway system; canals and channels;
roadless areas; ecosystem impacts)
5.4.3. Public and federal lands (Management; wilderness areas; national parks;
wildlife refuges; forests; wetlands)
5.4.4. Land conservation options (Preservation; remediation; mitigation; restoration)
5.4.5. Sustainable land-use strategies
5.5. Mining (Mineral formation; extraction; global reserves; relevant laws and treaties)
5.6. Fishing (Fishing techniques; overfishing; aquaculture; relevant laws and treaties)
5.7. Global Economics (Globalization; World Bank; Tragedy of the Commons; relevant
laws and treaties)
6
(Semester 2)
Energy Resources and Consumption (10–15%)
6.1. Energy Concepts (Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of
Thermodynamics)
6.2. Energy Consumption
6.2.1, History (Industrial Revolution; exponential growth; energy crisis)
6.2.2. Present global energy use
6.2.3. Future energy needs
6.3. Fossil Fuel Resources and Use (Formation of coal, oil, and natural gas;
extraction/purification methods; world reserves and global demand; synfuels;
environmental advantages/ disadvantages of sources)
6.4. Nuclear Energy (Nuclear fission process; nuclear fuel; electricity production; nuclear
reactor types; environmental advantages/disadvantages; safety issues; radiation and
human health; radioactive wastes; nuclear fusion)
6.5. Hydroelectric Power (Dams; flood control; salmon; silting; other impacts)
6.6. Energy Conservation (Energy efficiency; CAFE standards; hybrid electric vehicles;
mass transit)
6.7. Renewable Energy (Solar energy; solar electricity; hydrogen fuel cells; biomass;
wind energy; small-scale hydroelectric; ocean waves and tidal energy; geothermal;
environmental advantages/disadvantages)
7 Pollution (25–30%)
7.1. 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; 7.1.2 Clean Air Act
and other relevant laws) Noise pollution (Sources; effects; control measures)
7.2 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)
7.3 Solid waste (Types; disposal; reduction)
7.4. Impacts on the Environment and Human Health
7.5. Hazards to human health (Environmental risk analysis; acute and chronic effects;
dose-response relationships; air pollutants; smoking and other risks)
7.6. Hazardous chemicals in the environment (Types of hazardous waste;
treatment/disposal of hazardous waste; cleanup of contaminated sites; biomagnification;
relevant laws)
7.7. Economic Impacts (Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs;
sustainability)
8
Global Change (10–15%)
8.1. Stratospheric Ozone (Formation of stratospheric ozone; ultraviolet radiation; causes
of ozone depletion; effects of ozone depletion; strategies for reducing ozone depletion;
relevant laws and treaties)
8.2. Global Warming (Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect; impacts and
consequences of global warming; reducing climate change; relevant laws and treaties)
8.3. Loss of Biodiversity
1. Habitat loss; overuse; pollution; introduced species; endangered and extinct species
2. Maintenance through conservation
3. Relevant laws and treaties