#AP Environmental Science: Land and Water - The Night Before

Hey there, future AP Environmental Science master! Let's get you prepped and confident for tomorrow. This guide is your fast track to success, focusing on the key concepts you absolutely need to know. Let's dive in!

#🏞️ Land and Water: Our Foundation

This unit is all about understanding how ecosystems work and how our actions impact them. We'll explore natural resources, agriculture, urbanization, and our ecological footprint. Remember, everything is connected! 🌍

#🌳 Natural Resources

We rely heavily on natural resources, but how we use them matters. Let's take a look at some key points:

• Mining: Extracting minerals and metals from the Earth.
  • Can lead to habitat destruction, soil erosion, and water pollution.
• Timber Harvesting: Cutting down trees for wood.
  • Can cause deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and soil degradation.

#🚜 Agriculture

Agriculture is essential, but it can also be a major source of environmental problems. Here's what you need to know:

• Irrigation: Supplying water to crops.
  • Different methods (e.g., drip, flood, spray) have varying impacts on water use and soil health.
  • Can lead to water depletion and soil salinization.
• Aquaculture: Farming aquatic organisms (like fish).
  • Can cause water pollution and disease outbreaks if not managed properly.
  • Can also reduce pressure on wild fish populations if done sustainably.