AP Environmental Science Unit 9 - Global Change

AP Environmental Science Global Change Review

Here's an organized outline for AP Environmental Science Unit 9 reviews. This outline has been adapted from the 2019 Course Description published by College Board. You can use this to build an AP Enviro Unit 9 study guide.

⚡ Read: AP Environmental Science - Unit 9 Overview 

Ozone

Stratospheric ozone is vital to life on Earth, human activities have caused the depletion of stratospheric ozone. 

• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) deplete stratospheric ozone.
• Stratospheric ozone absorbs harmful UV rays preventing them from reaching the Earth’s surface.
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are more reactive than Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and are not ozone-depleting chemicals, they are however still very strong greenhouse gases.

Effects on the World

Humans activities can increase greenhouse gases that can cause human health and environmental problems. 

• The naturally occurring greenhouse effect results in the surface temperature necessary for life on Earth to exist.

• Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are all examples of greenhouse gases.

• Rising sea levels, disease vectors spreading and extreme weather events are all consequences of increasing global temperature. 

• The warming of the ocean causes corals to bleach and eventually die. This causes a loss of habitat for a very complex and diverse ecosystem.  - Increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere cause the ocean to acidify Changing ecosystems and pressure from human populations can cause some species become endangered. 

• Human movement has facilitated invasive species. These organisms can live outside of their normal habitat and often threaten native species.

• HIPPCO (habitat destruction, invasive species, population growth, pollution, climate change, and over exploitation) are the major reasons for a loss in biodiversity.

Major Environmental Legislation

• Clean Air Act
• Clean Water Act
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, And Liability Act (CERCLA)
• Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora (CITES)
• Delaney Clause Of Food, Drug, And Cosmetic Act
• Endangered Species Act
• Kyoto Protocol
• Montreal Protocol
• Resource Conservation And Recovery Act (RCRA)
• Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA)

Unit 9 Vocab

• Biodiversity
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
• Endangered Species
• Global climate change
• Greenhouse effect
• Greenhouse gases
• HIPPCO
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Invasive species
• Ocean acidification
• Ocean warming
• Stratospheric ozone