A Level Environmental Science Topics: Full List

A Level Environmental Science covers seven core topic areas, including ecosystems, pollution, sustainability, energy resources and research methods. This guide explains what you'll study in each unit and can also be used as a revision checklist throughout the course.

Key Takeaways

• AQA is currently the only exam board offering A Level Environmental Science in England.

• The course is divided into seven main topic areas that build an understanding of environmental systems and sustainability.

• You'll develop scientific knowledge alongside practical research and data analysis skills.

• Understanding the full topic list can help you organise your revision and identify areas that need more attention.

Why It's Important to Know Your Exam Board

Unlike many A Level subjects, Environmental Science is currently offered by just one exam board in England, AQA.

This means all students studying A Level Environmental Science follow the AQA specification (7447) (opens in a new tab), making it easier to identify exactly which topics you need to revise.

AQA A Level Environmental Science Topics (7447)

The AQA A Level Environmental Science specification is divided into seven core topic areas.

1. The Living Environment

This topic explores how living organisms interact with one another and with their environment, and how this knowledge can be used to protect biodiversity and support sustainable management.

Conditions for Life on Earth

You’ll study:

• The conditions that allowed life to develop on Earth

  • Atmosphere

  • Insolation

  • Earth's position in the Solar System

  • Orbital behaviour

  • The magnetosphere

• How life has changed Earth's environment

  • Oxygen production

  • The ozone layer

  • Carbon sequestration

  • Biogeochemical cycles

• Investigating Earth’s environmental history

  • Historical environmental monitoring

  • Modern environmental monitoring techniques

Conservation of Biodiversity

You’ll study:

• Why biodiversity is important

  • Natural resources

  • Biomimetics

  • Medicines and genetic resources

  • Ecosystem services

• Human impacts on biodiversity

  • Direct exploitation

  • Changes to abiotic and biotic factors

  • Habitat destruction and fragmentation

• Methods of conserving biodiversity

  • Setting conservation priorities

  • UK conservation legislation

  • International conservation agreements

  • Captive breeding and species reintroduction programmes

  • Habitat creation and habitat restoration

• Conserving different ecosystems

  • Temperate broadleaf woodland

  • Tropical rainforest

  • Tropical coral reefs

  • Deep-water coral reefs

  • Oceanic islands

  • Mangroves

  • Antarctica

• Ecological monitoring

  • Population monitoring

  • New technologies for conservation

Life Processes in the Biosphere and Conservation Planning

You’ll study:

• Adaptation and habitat requirements

  • Abiotic factors

  • Biotic factors

• Ecological terminology

  • Species

  • Ecological niche

  • Population

  • Community

  • Ecosystem

  • Biome

• Ecological succession

  • Pioneer species

  • Climax communities

  • Plagioclimax communities

  • Habitat management techniques

• Population management and conservation planning

  • Carrying capacity

  • r- and K-selection strategies

  • Management of desirable and undesirable species

2. The Physical Environment

This topic explores Earth's physical systems and how human activities affect the atmosphere, water, mineral resources and natural cycles. You'll study the processes that shape our planet and the strategies used to manage these resources sustainably.

The Atmosphere

You'll study:

• Atmospheric energy processes

  • UV, infrared (IR) and visible light

  • Insolation and energy transfer

  • Thermal stratification

  • Chemical processes

• Global climate change

  • Greenhouse gases

  • Climate change processes

  • Monitoring and predicting climate change

  • Feedback mechanisms and tipping points

• Ozone depletion

  • Causes

  • Environmental impacts

  • The Montreal Protocol

  • Restoring the ozone layer

Water, Mineral Resources and Soils

You'll study:

• The hydrosphere

  • The hydrological cycle

  • Water resources

  • Sustainable water management

• Mineral resources

  • Formation and extraction

  • Mineral reserves

  • Sustainable management

• Soils

  • Soil fertility

  • Soil degradation and erosion

  • Sustainable soil management

Biogeochemical Cycles

You'll study:

• The carbon cycle

  • Human impacts

  • Carbon sequestration

• The nitrogen cycle

  • Human impacts

  • Eutrophication

• The phosphorus cycle

  • Human impacts

  • Sustainable management

3. Energy Resources

This topic explores how energy has shaped society, the advantages and disadvantages of different energy sources, and the technologies being developed to meet future energy demands more sustainably.

The Importance of Energy Resources

You'll study:

• How energy supports agriculture

• The role of energy in fishing and food production

• Energy use in industry and manufacturing

• Water treatment and supply

• Transport systems

• Domestic energy use and living standards

Energy Resources and Sustainability

You'll study:

• Features of different energy resources

  • Abundance

  • Energy density

  • Intermittency

  • Energy conversions

  • Locational constraints

• The sustainability of current energy use

  • Resource extraction

  • Energy production

  • Pollution

  • Habitat damage

  • Depletion of non-renewable resources

Securing Future Energy Supplies

You'll study:

• New energy technologies

  • Fossil fuel technologies

  • Nuclear fission and fusion

  • Renewable energy technologies

• Energy storage

  • Causes of fluctuating energy supply and demand

  • Energy storage technologies

  • The hydrogen economy

• Energy conservation

  • Transport

  • Buildings

  • Industry

4. Pollution

This topic explores how different pollutants affect the environment, the factors that influence their impact, and the strategies used to prevent, monitor and reduce pollution.

Properties of Pollutants

You'll study:

• The properties of pollutants

  • State of matter

  • Persistence and degradability

  • Toxicity and reactivity

  • Solubility

  • Bioaccumulation and biomagnification

  • Mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic effects

• Environmental factors affecting pollution

  • Air and water currents

  • Temperature

  • Light

  • Oxygen

  • pH

Pollution Control

You'll study:

• Pollution management

  • Critical Pathway Analysis (CPA)

  • Critical Group Monitoring (CGM)

  • Emission location and timing

• Pollution control strategies

  • Preventing pollution

  • Reducing pollutant release

  • Mitigating environmental damage

  • Emerging pollution control technologies

Major Pollution Types

You'll study:

• Air pollution

  • Particulate matter (PM10)

  • Acid precipitation

  • Oxides of nitrogen (NOx)

  • Hydrocarbons

  • Carbon monoxide

• Water pollution

  • Thermal pollution

  • Oil pollution

  • Nutrient pollution

  • Acid mine drainage

• Land pollution

  • Pesticides

  • Heavy metals

  • Solid and radioactive waste

• Noise pollution

• Ionising radiation

  • Environmental uses

  • Health effects

  • Radiation protection

Pollution Monitoring

You'll study:

• Environmental monitoring

  • Air, water and soil sampling

  • Critical Pathway Analysis

  • Critical Group Monitoring

• Modern pollution control

  • Bioremediation

  • Phytoremediation

  • Satellite and GPS monitoring

  • Heavy metal adsorption

5. Biological Resources

This topic explores how biological resources such as crops, fish and forests can be managed sustainably to meet the needs of a growing population while protecting the environment. You'll examine the benefits and challenges of different production systems and strategies for improving sustainability.

Agriculture

You'll study:

• Agroecosystems

  • Factors affecting crop and livestock productivity

  • Pest control methods

  • Pesticides and antibiotics

  • Pollinators

  • Soil fertility and nutrient supply

  • Food chain energy losses

  • Controlling abiotic factors

• Improving agricultural productivity

  • Selective breeding

  • Cloning and vegetative propagation

  • Genetic engineering (GM)

  • Agricultural energetics

  • Intensive and extensive farming

  • Stocking density and monocultures

• Environmental impacts of agriculture

  • Habitat loss and reduced biodiversity

  • Soil degradation and erosion

  • Agricultural pollution

  • Greenhouse gas emissions

  • Changes to the hydrological cycle

• Social, economic and political influences

  • Consumer choice

  • Economic incentives

  • Government policies and trade controls

• Sustainable agriculture

  • Integrated pest management

  • Reducing pesticide and antibiotic use

  • Sustainable nutrient management

  • Reducing energy inputs

  • Sustainable water management

  • Protecting rural communities

Aquatic Food Production

You'll study:

• Marine productivity

  • Nutrient availability

  • Light levels

  • Productivity in different marine environments

• Fishing

  • Commercial fishing methods

  • Environmental impacts of fishing

  • Estimating fish populations and Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)

  • Sustainable fishing practices

• Aquaculture

  • Extensive and intensive aquaculture

  • Managing fish production

  • Environmental impacts of aquaculture

  • The role of aquaculture in sustainable food production

Forest Resources

You'll study:

• The importance of forests

  • Timber, fuel and other natural resources

  • Ecosystem services

  • Biodiversity and wildlife habitats

  • Climate and water regulation

• Forest productivity and biodiversity

  • Plantation forestry

  • Species diversity

  • Forest structure

• Deforestation

  • Causes of forest loss

  • Environmental impacts

  • Effects on biodiversity, soils, water and climate

• Sustainable forest management

  • Mixed species plantations

  • Indigenous species

  • Mixed age structure

  • Selective logging

6. Sustainability

This topic brings together ideas from across the course to explore how natural systems achieve long-term sustainability and how these principles can be applied to human societies. You'll examine concepts such as dynamic equilibrium, the circular economy and ecological footprints.

Dynamic Equilibria

You'll study:

• Feedback mechanisms in natural systems

  • Negative feedback mechanisms

  • Positive feedback mechanisms

  • Equilibrium tipping points

• The resilience of natural systems

  • Why diverse ecosystems are more resistant to change

  • Comparing natural and managed ecosystems

Energy and Material Cycles

You'll study:

• Sustainable energy in natural systems

  • Renewable energy sources

  • Low-energy-density resources

  • Low-temperature natural processes

  • Carbon footprints and sustainable development

• Sustainable use of materials

  • Linear and circular systems

  • Resource depletion

  • Natural material cycles

  • Biodegradable and non-toxic waste

The Circular Economy

You'll study:

• Principles of the circular economy

  • Cycling materials

  • Renewable energy

  • Supporting natural ecosystems

  • Separating biological and technical materials

  • Designing products for reuse

  • Connected production systems

  • Optimum rather than maximum production

  • Using technology to improve sustainability

• Applying the circular economy

  • Land use

  • Water supplies

  • Mineral resources

  • Waste management

  • Pollution control

  • Energy supplies

  • Food production

Measuring Sustainability

You'll study:

• Biocapacity

• Ecological footprints

• The Living Planet Index

• Comparing sustainability at local, national and global scales

7. Research Methods

Research methods are used throughout A Level Environmental Science to investigate environmental issues and evaluate evidence. You'll develop practical skills in planning investigations, collecting reliable data and interpreting results from both fieldwork and laboratory studies.

Scientific Investigations

You'll study:

• Planning scientific investigations

• Sampling methods

  • Random and systematic sampling

  • Transects

  • Sample size and timing

• Standardising techniques

• Collecting reliable and statistically significant data

Environmental Sampling and Fieldwork

You'll study:

• Environmental sampling techniques

  • Quadrats

  • Pitfall traps

  • Sweep nets

  • Kick sampling

  • Tullgren funnels

• Measuring biodiversity

  • Species richness and diversity

  • Species frequency and percentage cover

  • The Lincoln Index

  • Simpson's Index of Biodiversity

• Measuring abiotic factors

  • Light

  • Temperature

  • Wind

  • Humidity

  • Water quality

  • Soil analysis

Specialist Research Techniques

You'll study:

• Fieldwork investigations

  • Ecological surveys

  • Pollution monitoring

  • Soil and water investigations

  • Renewable energy investigations

• Modern monitoring techniques

  • Camera trapping

  • Animal tagging

  • GPS and satellite tracking

  • DNA and environmental DNA (eDNA)

  • Indirect evidence, such as tracks, nests and droppings

Which Papers Cover These Topics?

Both papers are 3 hours long, worth 120 marks, and contribute 50% of your final A Level grade. 

Save My Exams offers A Level Environmental Science Past Papers to help you become familiar with the exam structure and the types of questions you may be asked.

And if you’re considering opting for the subject, read our guide Is A Level Environmental Science Hard? to learn more about what it’s really like to study it.

How to Use Topic Lists for Revision

Topic lists are most useful when they become part of a revision plan rather than simply a checklist.

Start by identifying which areas you feel most confident with and which require more work. You can then break larger topics into smaller sections and spread them across several revision sessions.

Many students find it helpful to:

• Use the topic list to create a revision timetable.

• Track which topics they have already revised.

• Identify weaker areas that need additional practice.

• Link topic revision with exam-style questions.

• Revisit more challenging topics regularly throughout the year.

As you complete each topic, ask yourself whether you could explain the key ideas without looking at your notes. If not, that topic may need a little more attention before moving on.

There is a wealth of revision tips and advice in the Save My Exams Learning Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to revise all A Level Environmental Science topics for the exam?

Yes. AQA can assess any part of the specification in the final exams, so it's important to revise every topic. 

Some concepts, such as sustainability and research methods, are linked to multiple areas of the course, making a broad understanding especially valuable.

Are these topics the same across all exam boards?

Yes. AQA is currently the only exam board offering A Level Environmental Science in England, so all students study the same specification. 

This means you can use this topic list as a complete revision checklist if you're taking AQA A Level Environmental Science.

How do I know which topics I struggle with most?

A good way to identify weaker topics is to complete practice questions or past papers and review your results carefully. 

Look for patterns in the questions you find most difficult, then use the topic list to focus your revision on those areas before revisiting the exam questions to check your progress.

Do all topics come up in every exam paper?

No. The specification is split across two written papers, with Research Methods assessed in both. 

While not every topic appears in every paper, any area of the specification can be examined, so it's important to revise the entire course rather than focusing on a few selected topics.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the full A Level Environmental Science topic list is one of the best ways to organise your revision effectively. The course explores how natural systems work together and how human activities affect the environment, so recognising the links between topics can help you build a deeper understanding and apply your knowledge more confidently in the exam.

Use this topic list as a revision checklist, track your progress as you study, and make time to practise exam-style questions throughout the course. Save My Exams offers expert-written revision notes, topic questions and past papers to help make your revision more focused and effective.

References

• AQA | A Level Environmental Science 7447 | Specification (opens in a new tab)