environment exam 2
reverse osmosis
A desalinization process that involves forcing salt-water through a membrane permeable to water but not to salt
Eutrophication
A process by which nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, become highly concentrated in a body of water, leading to increased growth of organisms such as algae or cyanobacteria.
mutualism
A relationship between two species in which both species benefit
succession
A series of predictable and orderly changes within an ecosystem over time.
energy flow
The passage of energy through the components of an ecosystem
a temperature inversion can adversely affect air quality and is characterized by
a layer of warm air forming above colder air
what is an important characterization of aquatic dead zones
a low concentration of oxygen
tropic cascade
a single species can affect the well-being of a whole environment
commenalism
a symbiotic relationship where on organism benefits and the other neither is harmed nor benifted
what is the term used to describe the layer of soil and rock that is saturated with water
aquifer
what does secondaqry treatment consist of in the wastewater treatment process
biological treatment to remove organics
humans are considered to be which type of life form?
carbon based
Which Act requires the EPA to regulate the discharge of pollutants into waterways?
clean water act
what is the most important environmental factor that distinguishes terrestrial biomes?
climate
intraspecific competition
competition between members of the same species
primary consumers (herbivores)
consume producers
which type of ocean ecosystem has the greatest biodiversity
coral reefs
Animals such as earthworms and millipedes which feed on dead organic matter are considered to be which type of organism
decomposers
tropic levels
each step in a food chain or food web where energy is transferred
under provisions of the endangered species act, a species is considered in danger of extinction throught all or a significant portion of its range us listed as
endangered species
high levels of nitrogen in streams, rivers, and lakes often result in
eutrophicatio
which of the following is an example of a nonpoint source of water pollution
fertilizer enriched runoff from a farm
what best describes the feeding interactions among species in a community?
food web
what is the single greatest threat to biodiversity
habitat loss and degradation
chipmunks and squirrels competing for acorns in a forest is an example of which type of relationship?
interspecific competition
which of the following is not an aerosol
methane
the symbiosis between a fungus and the roots of a tree in an example of
mutualism
which gas is a pollutant in the troposphere but is beneficial in the stratosphere where it protects humans from ultraviolet radiation from the sun?
ozone
estruary
partially enclosed body of water where fresh and salt water mix, highly productive
aerosol
particles of drug suspended in air
which of the following is an example of impervious surface riparian buffer green roof detention basin pavement
pavement
primary succession depends on environmental changes brought about by which type of species?
pioneer species
herbivores feed on
plants
invasive species
plants and animals that have migrated to places where they are not native
disinfection
process used to destroy microorganisms; destroys all pathogenic organisms except spores
which of the following is a treatment technique to remove salt and other chemicals from seawater? conventional filtration disinfection slow sand filtration reverse osmosis
reverse osmosis
The total number of plant and animal species that a field biologist identifies along a mountain trail is an example of ________.
species richness
photochemical smog is formed when primary air pollutants interact with
sunlight
what is a watershed?
the area of land in which rainfall drains into rivers and streams
primary producers
the first producers of energy-rich compounds that are later used by other organisms
infilitration
the movement of surface water into rock or soil through cracks and pore spaces
structural diversity
the range of physical shapes and sizes within a habitat or ecosystem
what is the evaporation from plant leaves called
transpiration
which biome has the greatest biodiversity
tropical rainforest
what is a natural cause of climate change
volcanic eruptions
which of the following sources contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions
waste disposal
which of the following is the most abundant greenhouse gas? oxygen nitrogen water vapor co2
water vapor