The AP® Environmental Science textbook

9 units in framework order, then the skills the exam tests. Each topic is a notes page you can read on its own, free.

Units

Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems

  1. Introduction to Ecosystems 1.1
  2. Terrestrial Biomes 1.2
  3. Aquatic Biomes 1.3
  4. The Carbon Cycle 1.4
  5. The Nitrogen Cycle 1.5
  6. The Phosphorus Cycle 1.6
  7. The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle 1.7
  8. Primary Productivity 1.8
  9. Trophic Levels 1.9
  10. Energy Flow and the 10% Rule 1.10
  11. Food Chains and Food Webs 1.11

Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity

  1. Introduction to Biodiversity 2.1
  2. Ecosystem Services 2.2
  3. Island Biogeography 2.3
  4. Ecological Tolerance 2.4
  5. Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems 2.5
  6. Adaptations 2.6
  7. Ecological Succession 2.7

Unit 3: Populations

  1. Generalist and Specialist Species 3.1
  2. K-Selected r-Selected Species 3.2
  3. Survivorship Curves 3.3
  4. Carrying Capacity 3.4
  5. Population Growth and Resource Availability 3.5
  6. Age Structure Diagrams 3.6
  7. Total Fertility Rate 3.7
  8. Human Population Dynamics 3.8
  9. Demographic Transition 3.9

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

  1. Plate Tectonics 4.1
  2. Soil Formation and Erosion 4.2
  3. Soil Composition and Properties 4.3
  4. Earth's Atmosphere 4.4
  5. Global Wind Patterns 4.5
  6. Watersheds 4.6
  7. Solar Radiation and Earth's Seasons 4.7
  8. Earth's Geography and Climate 4.8
  9. El Niño and La Niña 4.9

Unit 5: Land and Water Use

  1. The Tragedy of the Commons 5.1
  2. Clearcutting 5.2
  3. The Green Revolution 5.3
  4. Impacts of Agricultural Practices 5.4
  5. Irrigation Methods 5.5
  6. Pest Control Methods 5.6
  7. Meat Production Methods 5.7
  8. Impacts of Overfishing 5.8
  9. Impacts of Mining 5.9
  10. Impacts of Urbanization 5.10
  11. Ecological Footprints 5.11
  12. Introduction to Sustainability 5.12
  13. Methods to Reduce Urban Runoff 5.13
  14. Integrated Pest Management 5.14
  15. Sustainable Agriculture 5.15
  16. Aquaculture 5.16
  17. Sustainable Forestry 5.17

Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

  1. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources 6.1
  2. Global Energy Consumption 6.2
  3. Fuel Types and Uses 6.3
  4. Distribution of Natural Energy Resources 6.4
  5. Fossil Fuels 6.5
  6. Nuclear Power 6.6
  7. Energy from Biomass 6.7
  8. Solar Energy 6.8
  9. Hydroelectric Power 6.9
  10. Geothermal Energy 6.10
  11. Hydrogen Fuel Cell 6.11
  12. Wind Energy 6.12
  13. Energy Conservation 6.13

Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution

  1. Introduction to Air Pollution 7.1
  2. Photochemical Smog 7.2
  3. Thermal Inversion 7.3
  4. Atmospheric CO2 and Particulates 7.4
  5. Indoor Air Pollutants 7.5
  6. Reduction of Air Pollutants 7.6
  7. Acid Rain 7.7
  8. Noise Pollution 7.8

Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

  1. Sources of Pollution 8.1
  2. Human Impacts on Ecosystems 8.2
  3. Endocrine Disruptors 8.3
  4. Human Impacts on Wetlands and Mangroves 8.4
  5. Eutrophication 8.5
  6. Thermal Pollution 8.6
  7. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) 8.7
  8. Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification 8.8
  9. Solid Waste Disposal 8.9
  10. Waste Reduction Methods 8.10
  11. Sewage Treatment 8.11
  12. Lethal Dose 50% (LD50) 8.12
  13. Dose Response Curve 8.13
  14. Pollution and Human Health 8.14
  15. Pathogens and Infectious Diseases 8.15

Unit 9: Global Change

  1. Stratospheric Ozone Depletion 9.1
  2. Reducing Ozone Depletion 9.2
  3. The Greenhouse Effect 9.3
  4. Increases in the Greenhouse Gases 9.4
  5. Global Climate Change 9.5
  6. Ocean Warming 9.6
  7. Ocean Acidification 9.7
  8. Invasive Species 9.8
  9. Endangered Species 9.9
  10. Human Impacts on Biodiversity 9.10

Skills

Math you need

  1. Scientific Notation and Metric Prefixes
  2. Rates and Per-Capita Values
  3. Unit Conversions and Dimensional Analysis
  4. Percents and Percent Change
  5. Growth Rates, Doubling Time and the Rule of 70