Environmental Science

Main provisions of the endangered species act

-USFWS must compile a list of all endangered and threatened species in the US -act protects the listed species -prevents federal government from carrying out any project that jeopardizes the species

Four types of efforts to save individual species

-captive-breeding program -preserving genetic material -zoos -aquariums -gardens -more study needed

Describe the composition of the earth

-crust -mantle -core

Name two threats to the forest biomes

-deforestation -pollution

Describe the main layers of a tropical rainforest

-emergent layer -canopy -understory

Three major processes in the water cycle

-evaporation -condensation -precipitation

Describe two essential parts to a good experiment

-experimental group -control group

Four steps in a simple environmental decision-making model

-gather information -consider values -explore consequences -make a decision

What threats are having the largest impact on biodiversity?

-habitat destruction -fragmentation -invasive exotic species -harvesting -hunting -poaching -pollution

Types of consumers

-herbivores -carnivore -omnivore -decomposer

Describe the physical layers of the earth

-lithosphere -asthenosphere -mesosphere -outer core -inner core

What are the steps of the experimental method?

-observation -hypothesis -prediction -experiment -variable -data

Describe three types of models used by scientists

-physical models -graphical models -conceptual models

List two types of ecological succession

-primary succession -secondary succession

Three mechanisms of heat transfer

-radiation -conduction -convection

Classify environmental problems into three main problems

-resource depletion -pollution -less of biodiversity

Why is biodiversity important to humans?

-species are connected to ecosystems -species and population survival -medical, industrial, and agricultural uses

List three levels of biodiversity

-species diversity -ecosystem diversity genetic diversity

Describe the layers of earth´s atmosphere

-troposphere -stratosphere -mesosphere -thermosphere

Name the three domains

Domain Archaea: unicellular, lack nuclei, divide in half, in harsh environments Domain Bacteria: unicellular, lack nuclei, divide in half, common Domain Eukarya: uni/multicellular, contain nuclei, reproduce asexually and sexually

Three values that people consider when making decisions about the environment

aesthetic: what is beautiful or pleasing economic: gain or loss of money or jobs scientific: understanding of the natural world

How do latitude and altitude affect which plants grow in an area?

as latitude and altitude increase, biomes and vegetation change

List the five major fields of study that contribute to environmental science

biology, earth science, physics, chemistry, and social sciences

Define open system

both matter and energy are exchanged between a system and the surrounding environment

One thing humans are doing to affect the carbon cycle

burning fossil fuels and carbon is bring released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide

Describe the environmental effects of the Industrial Revolution

burning fossil fuels caused pollution in the environment

Identify the relationship between volcanic eruptions and climate change

clouds of volcanic ash and sulfur-rich gases may reach the upper atmosphere messing with the earth´s climate

Define sustainability

condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely at a standard of living similar to the current one

Define closed system

energy enters and leaves the system but matter does not

Describe how organisms interact and depend on each other

everything in the environment is connected

Define nitrogen-fixing bacteria

fix atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia

Define ecological succession

gradual process of change and replacement of some or all of the species in a community

Describe the environmental effects of the agricultural revolution

habitats were destroyed and replaced with farmland (slash and burn agriculture)

Define developed countries

higher average incomes, slower population growth, diverse industrial economies

How is energy transferred from the sun to producers and then consumers?

plants receive energy from the sun and convert it to food using photosynthesis, consumers then eat the plants and receive that energy

Explain the relationship between probability and risk

probability: chance something will happen risk: probability of unwanted outcome

Define the carbon cycle

process by which carbon is cycled between the atmosphere, land, water, and organisms

Define natural selection

process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce

Define the greenhouse effect

process in which greenhouse gases absorb and re radiate infrared radiation near the earth

Define the nitrogen cycle

process in which nitrogen is cycled between the atmosphere, soil, and organisms

Describe two desert animals and the adaptions that help them survive

rattlesnakes: thick, scaly skin that prevent water loss elf owl: nest in cactuses to hide from predators

Define ecology

the study of how living things interact with each other and with their nonliving environment

Define environmental science

the study of the environment that includes physical, biological, and social sciences

Define old-field succession

when a field is not cultivated for a long time and pioneer species begin to grow

Why is vegetation used to describe a biome?

the plants that grow in a certain area are the most noticeable characteristics in that region

How is energy lost as trophic levels go up?

10% of energy is lost as you go up the pyramid

Name the four kingdoms

Kingdom Fungi: absorb food through their bodies, cells walls, live on land Kingdom Protista: uni/multicellular, live in water Kingdom Plantae: multicellular, photosynthesis, cell walls Kingdom Animalia: multicellular, no cell walls, ingest food, live in land and water

Describe the environmental effects of hunter-gatherers

Native American tribes set fires to burn prairies when hunting for bison to prevent the growth of trees

Describe the ¨Tragedy of the Commons¨

if too many animals graze in one place, the resources will run out

Explain why size of a statistical sample is important

if your sample size is larger, you have a better chance of getting accurate results

Define adaption

inherited trait that increases an organism´s chance of survival and reproduction in a certain environment

Define the factors that confine life to the biosphere

liquid water, moderate temperatures, and a source of energy

Define biotic factors

living factors in an ecosystems

Define developing countries

lower average incomes, simple and agricultural-based economies, and rapid population population growth

Describe one adaption that may help an animal survive in the taiga

many birds migrate south to avoid winter

Describe the climate in the chaparral biome

mediterrean

Describe the composition of earth´s atmosphere

nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor

Pollutants that are not broken down by natural processes are...

non degradable

Define abiotic factors

non-living factors in an ecosystem

One threat to the tundra biome

oil exploration, extraction, and transport disrupts the habitats

Explain the main cause of earthquakes

pieces of earth´s crust rub against each other at fault lines

Describe one plant in a temperate deciduous forest and an adaption that helps the plants survive

plants in the deciduous forest drop their leaves in the fall

Define renewable resource

resource that can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes

Define nonrenewable resource

resource that forms at a much slower rate than the rate that it is consumed

How do scientists study subjects in which experiments are not possible?

scientists use correlations (associations between two or more events) to study subjects that cannot be experimented on

Define ecological footprint

shows the productive area of earth needed to support one person in a particular country

Define pioneer species

species that colonizes an uninhabited area and begins the process of ecological succession

Define threatened species

species that has declining population and is likely to become endangered

Define endangered species

species that is likely to become extinct

Explain how scientists use statistics

statistics are the collection and classification of data in the form of numbers

Describe the two types of ocean currents

surface currents: wind driven deep ocean currents: streamlike movements of water that flow slowly along the ocean floor

Define the law of supply and demand

the greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the more that product is worth