AP Environmental Sciences - Unit 2

What is migration considered as?

An adaptive response.

What causes animals to be specialists on islands?

Limited resources, foods, and territories.

What are examples of regulating services?

Local climate and air quality, carbon sequestration and storage, moderation of extreme events, waste-water treatments, erosion prevention and soil fertility, pollination, biological control, water flow.

What is the consequence of habitat loss?

Loss of specialist species, followed by generalist species.

What is the difference between a food web and a food chain?

Food webs are more likely to recover from a disruption than a food chain.

What are examples of provisional services?

Food, raw materials, fresh water, medicinal resources.

How do generalists adapt to habitat changes?

Generalists adapt easier to habitat changes.

What are the three most important components of biodiversity?

Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

What are some human causes of biodiversity loss?

Habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, human population, and overharvesting.

What are the supporting services of ecosystems?

Habitats for species, maintenance of genetic diversity.

What is the relationship between biodiversity and provisional services?

Higher biodiversity causes more provisional services.

What is anthropogenic disruption?

Human-caused disruption.

What is the meaning of intrinsic value?

Intrinsic value refers to ethics and environmental values.

What is the definition of an intrinsic value?

Intrinsic value refers to the ethics and environmental values of ecosystems.

What are the consequences of a population bottleneck?

Issues due to inbreeding and struggles to adapt.

How does the loss of one member of a food chain affect the rest?

It affects higher trophic levels and the rest of the species.

How does a larger gene pool affect environmental stressors?

It allows for better response to stressors.

How does habitat diversity contribute to biodiversity?

It contributes to net primary productivity.

What happens to the gene pool during a population bottleneck?

It decreases.

What are some underlying natural resources that sustain ecosystems?

Photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, creation of soils.

What are the different types of ecosystem services?

Provisional, regulating, cultural, supporting.

What are examples of cultural services?

Recreation and mental and physical health, ecotourism, aesthetic appreciation and inspiration for culture, art, and design, spiritual experience and sense of place.

What is migration?

Seasonal movement from one habitat to another.

What are the ethical values of ecosystems?

Ethical values are environmental and more long term.

What is the definition of a cultural service?

A cultural service is a non-material benefit that contributes to the development and cultural advancement of people.

What is the definition of a regulating service?

A regulating service is the benefit provided by ecosystem processes that moderate natural phenomena.

What is the analogy between genetic diversity and a population?

A slab of quartz and a sculptor.

What is the meaning of anthropocentric?

Anthropocentric means human centric (economic).

What causes species to survive in natural selection?

Better adaptation to the environment.

What is the meaning of biocentric?

Biocentric falls in the middle between anthropocentric and ecocentric.

What are some anthropogenic activities that negatively impact biodiversity?

Burning fossil fuels, deforestation.

How is genetic diversity observed?

By looking at the entire population of a species.

What are some factors that have changed the Earth's environment?

Changes in solar radiation, composition of the atmosphere, sea level variation.

What can cause lower genetic diversity?

Continuous environmental stress, extinction, extreme disturbances, geographic isolation, invasive species.

What is genetic diversity focused on?

DNA.

What are the direct and indirect values of ecosystems?

Direct values are economical, indirect values are environmental.

What is natural disruption?

Disruption caused by natural events.

What is episodic disruption?

Earthquakes resulting in landslides and soil erosion.

What is the meaning of ecocentric?

Ecocentric means nature centric (environmental).

What is the role of ecosystems in cultural advancement?

Ecosystems play a role in local, national, and global cultures.

How do specialists struggle to adapt to habitat changes?

Specialists struggle to adapt to habitat changes, they are commonly large mammals.

What are the two components of biodiversity?

Species richness and species evenness.

What is periodic disruption?

Spring rains leading to flooding and sediment deposition.

How does the theory of island biogeography inform conservation efforts?

Suggests providing animals with large spaces to promote biodiversity.

What can cause higher genetic diversity?

Temporary low variation in environmental conditions, evolution, minor disturbances like surface fires and small storms, high habitat diversity.

What does species diversity refer to?

The different sub-species within a species.

What does habitat diversity encompass?

The entire habitat and its fluctuations.

What happens to populations that experience a bottleneck effect?

They may die out or struggle to adapt.

What is random disruption?

Tornadoes causing downed trees.

Are ecosystems with more species more likely to recover from disruption?

Yes.

Is species diversity visible?

Yes.

Give an example of abiotic selection.

pH of the water or salinity.