AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Human Impacts on Ecosystems
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 19 cards to help you master important concepts.
How do oil spills harm marine wildlife like birds and mammals?
Oil from spills coats the feathers of birds and the fur of marine mammals, reducing their ability to insulate and leading to death.
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How do oil spills harm marine wildlife like birds and mammals?
Oil from spills coats the feathers of birds and the fur of marine mammals, reducing their ability to insulate and leading to death.
How do human activities impact aquatic ecosystems?
Human activities impact aquatic ecosystems through pollution (nutrients, oil, heavy metals, sediment) and destructive practices, which harm organisms and disrupt habitats.
Besides temperature and runoff, what is another human activity that damages coral reefs?
Destructive fishing practices are a major human activity that causes significant damage to coral reef ecosystems.
How do oil spills affect bottom-dwelling organisms?
Heavy components of the oil sink to the ocean floor, killing bottom-dwelling organisms that live there.
Why is the reduction of light infiltration in aquatic ecosystems a significant problem?
Reduced light infiltration is a problem because it limits the ability of producers, like algae and aquatic plants, to perform photosynthesis, which disrupts the base of the food web.
What is the relationship between nutrient pollution and oxygen levels in the ocean?
Increased nutrient pollution causes a decrease in oxygen levels in the ocean, leading to the formation of dead zones.
What happens when elemental mercury enters aquatic environments?
In aquatic environments, bacteria convert elemental mercury into methylmercury, which is a highly toxic form.
What is the direct cause of death for many organisms in an oil spill?
In an oil spill, many organisms die from the toxic effects of the hydrocarbons contained within the oil.
List three major factors contributing to the damage of coral reefs.
Coral reefs are being damaged by increasing ocean temperatures, sediment runoff, and destructive fishing practices.
What is the primary cause of oceanic dead zones?
Oceanic dead zones are primarily caused by increased nutrient pollution, which leads to algal blooms that deplete oxygen when they decompose.
What are two major impacts of increased sediment in waterways?
Increased sediment can reduce light infiltration, which harms aquatic producers, and it can also disrupt the physical habitats of organisms.
What are the consequences for an organism living outside its optimum range of tolerance for a pollutant?
Organisms outside their optimum range may experience physiological stress, limited growth, reduced reproduction, and in severe cases, death.
How can heavy metals from industrial use become a threat to human health?
Heavy metals used in industry can leach into the groundwater, which can contaminate the drinking water supply.
A river near a farm has cloudy water and fewer underwater plants than a similar river in a forest. What is a likely cause?
A likely cause is increased sediment runoff from the farm, which reduces light infiltration and limits the growth of aquatic plant producers.
Define physiological stress in the context of pollutants.
Physiological stress is a state experienced by an organism when exposed to pollutants outside its optimum range, leading to negative health impacts like limited growth or reproduction.
What is methylmercury?
Methylmercury is a highly toxic form of mercury that is created when bacteria in aquatic environments process elemental mercury.
What is the 'range of tolerance' for an organism?
The range of tolerance refers to the specific set of environmental conditions, such as the level of a pollutant, under which an organism can survive and reproduce.
What is an oceanic dead zone?
An oceanic dead zone is an area in marine waters that has low oxygen levels (hypoxia).
If an industrial site leaks mercury into a nearby lake, why are fish in that lake likely unsafe to eat?
The leaked elemental mercury would be converted by bacteria into highly toxic methylmercury, which then accumulates in the fish, making them dangerous for consumption.