Topic List for first Test :)

I.        Earth Systems and Resources

a.      Earth Science Concepts

                                                              i.      Geologic time scales

                                                            ii.      plate tectonics

                                                          iii.      earthquakes

                                                          iv.      volcanism

                                                            v.      Seasons

                                                          vi.      Solar intensity & latitude

b.      The Atmosphere

                                                              i.      Composition

                                                            ii.      Structure

                                                          iii.      Weather & climate

                                                           iv.      Atmospheric circulation & Coriolis Effect

                                                             v.      Atmosphere – ocean interactions; ENSO

c.       Soil & Soil Dynamics

                                                              i.      Rock cycle

                                                            ii.      Formation; Composition; physical & chemical properties

                                                          iii.      Main soil types

                                                          iv.      Erosion and other soil problems

                                                            v.      Soil conservation

II. Living World

a.      Ecosystem Structure

i.        Biological populations & communities

ii.   ecological niches

iii. interactions among species

iv. keystone species

v.  species diversity and edge effect

vi.  major terrestrial & aquatic biomes

b.      Energy Flow

                                                                          i.      Photosynthesis & cellular respiration

                                                                        ii.      Food webs and trophic levels

                                                                      iii.      Ecological pyramids

c.       Ecosystem Diversity

                                                                          i.      Biodiversity

                                                                        ii.      Natural selection

                                                                      iii.      Evolution

                                                                      iv.      Ecosystem services (what do they provide?)

d.      Natural Ecosystem Change

                                                                          i.      Climate shifts

                                                                        ii.      Species movement

                                                                      iii.      Ecological succession, primary & secondary

e.      Natural Biogeochemical cycles 

                                                                          i.      Carbon

                                                                        ii.      Nitrogen

                                                                      iii.      Phosphorus

                                                                       iv.      Sulfur

                                                                         v.      Water

                                                                       vi.      conservation of matter