AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Introduction to Sustainability
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What are environmental indicators?
Based on the text, environmental indicators are tools that can guide humans to sustainability.
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What are environmental indicators?
Based on the text, environmental indicators are tools that can guide humans to sustainability.
Why are 'future generations' a key component of the definition of sustainability?
They are a key component because sustainability's core principle is to ensure that current resource use does not negatively impact the resource availability for those who come later.
What is the consequence of taking more than the sustainable yield of a resource?
Taking more than the sustainable yield will lead to the reduction of the available supply, causing depletion of the resource.
What is the primary goal of sustainability regarding resource use?
The primary goal is to use resources without causing their depletion, ensuring they are available for future generations.
What is sustainable yield?
Sustainable yield is the amount of a renewable resource that can be taken without reducing the available supply.
A community harvests timber from a forest at a rate that equals the forest's natural regrowth rate. What concept is being applied?
This is an application of sustainable yield, as the amount of the renewable resource taken does not reduce the available supply.
To what type of resource does the concept of 'sustainable yield' apply?
The concept of sustainable yield applies specifically to renewable resources.
A fishery is limited to catching 10,000 tons of fish per year, which scientists determined is the maximum amount the fish population can replenish annually. This limit is an example of what?
This limit is an example of a sustainable yield, as it is the amount that can be taken without reducing the available fish supply.
Define sustainability.
Sustainability refers to humans living on Earth and their use of resources without depletion of the resources for future generations.
What role do environmental indicators play in sustainability?
Environmental indicators serve as guides to help humans achieve sustainability.