Biology 121 Final Exam

What is a teratogen?

An agent or factor that causes malformation of an embryo (birth defects).

Define the term ecosystem services. Give three examples of ecosystem services that we would have a hard time replacing if these were lost.

An ecosystem service is an essential service an ecosystem provides that supports life and makes economic activity possible. Some that would be hard to replace consist of: - provision of clean air and buffer hydraulic systems against flooding and drought that the forests provide - insurance against disease and drought provided by native crops - attraction of tourists by abundant wildlife

Why does capitalism often lead to environmentally unsound decisions?

Even if the earth's resources were unlimited (which it is not) pollution and other environmental problems that result from the exploitation and consumption of resources would not make continuous economic growth possible. We would reach a point where the value we add to our economy would be outweighed by the value we are removing from the earth in terms of diminished physical resources and deteriorating health, unlivable cities, undrinkable waters, polluted air, and rising crime.

Differentiate between formal and informal environmental education. Who is contributing to informal environmental education efforts?

Formal: Organized classes that teach students about environmental education. Informal: Field trips, earth day, etc. -Ohio Environmental Protection Agency -Ohio Department of Natural Resources- -Congress passed the National Environmental Education Act (International level, national level, state level. local level).

How is the hypothesis-testing method used to study ecological phenomena?

Global warming, for example, is an ecological problem that could be studied by modeling more easily than by observation or experimentation, because it occurs over a large area and a long period of time.

What is environmental education? Discuss what should be included in an environmental education program.

Goal: To produce an environmentally literate citizen. Organized effort to: "Produce a citizenry that is KNOWLEDGEABLE concerning the biophysical environment and its problems, AWARE of and how to solve these problems and MOTIVATED to work towards their solution."

What are the primary causes of biodiversity loss?

Habitat destruction is a major cause for biodiversity loss. Habitat loss is caused by deforestation, overpopulation, pollution and global warming.

What is a hazardous substance?

Hazardous substances have the capacity to cause significant adverse effects to the environment, or to humans. They can be radioactive or an irritant.

What is the "land pyramid" that Leopold describes and why is it relevant to his land ethic?

He creates the land pyramid to give us a visual representation of what the land does for us, so that we can better understand it. Through this understanding and appreciation, we can then be ethical regarding land. He wants everyone to be a good ecological citizen, and being a good ecological citizen means creating a promoting policy that minimizes damage to land. For instance, we could stop damaging land by putting an end to clear cutting, encouraging rational crop planting, and promoting organic foods.

Describe three different things that are being done to preserve biodiversity.

Help Native Pollinators. ... Reduce or eliminate pesticides and fertilizer. ... Restore habitat in your yard. ... Restore habitat in your community. ... Reduce your consumption.

What are some biotic and abiotic examples discussed in class that indicate the earth's temperature has been warming over the last few decades?

Icebergs melting, greenhouse gases, water temperature, animals (fish and polar bears).

Explain the concept of sustainable development by using ideas found in "The LORAX".

If we do not collectively take responsibility for the stewardship of the environment, then our own world will soon be like the one that the Lorax left behind. Left to the devices of greed-based business interests, the resources of our world are being consumed at an abominable rate. And soon, they will all be gone. So while the Once-ler did eventually see the error of his greedy ways, it was already close to too late for his world.

The village of Cheshire, Ohio was plagued by toxic sulfurous gas clouds and acid rain from the nearby coal-fired Gavin Power Plant for many years. How was the air pollution issue in Cheshire finally resolved?

In 2002, AEP reached a settlement with residents that was effectively a $20 million buyout. Most of the 221 residents agreed to leave the town and absolve the company from future property or health claims, while some remain through either deals with the company or refusal to sell their property.

How do greenhouse gases warm the lower atmosphere?

They re-emit infrared radiation in all directions that travels back downward warming the lower atmosphere

Describe Aldo Leopold's land ethic.

called on people to include the environment in their ethical framework. The land ethic basically enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.

environmental ethics

the application of ethical standards to relationships between humans and their environment

What does Leopold say is necessary for a land ethic to develop?

there is a critical need for a "new ethic," an "ethic dealing with human's relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it" Leopold offers an ecologically based land ethic that rejects strictly human-centered views of the environment and focuses on the preservation of healthy, self-renewing ecosystems.

What is Lyme Disease? Know the natural history of Lyme Disease.

-Caused by bacteria -Carried by a tick -Rash shows up -Lyme disease was diagnosed as a separate condition for the first time in 1975 in Old Lyme, Connecticut. It was originally mistaken for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

What is the National Environmental EducationalAct?

-Office of Environmental Education - (EPA) -Mission: To advance and support education efforts that develop an environmentally conscious and responsible public -$2-4 million annually for grants -The program funds developing environmental curricula and training teachers, workshops and conferences and grants for environmental education

What are the major environmental problems confronting public lands?

-Overuse or "loved to death" -Poaching/collecting\ -Insufficient funding -Air pollution

Discuss the cause of cancer and the characteristics of cancer cells.

-Radiation -Things we eat (ex. colon cancer and meat) -Chemicals -Viruses Cancer cells are mutations and continue to divide indefinitely and detach

What are the basic steps involved in environmental problem solving?

1 scientific assessments- gather information 2 risk analysis- potential effects of doing nothing about a problem or doing a particular solution 3 public education and involvement 4 political action 5 long term evaluation- monitor the effects of action

What are greenhouse gases and why have they risen? How do greenhouse gases relate to the carbon cycle?

Carbon dioxide, methane, and halocarbons are greenhouse gases that absorb a wide range of energy—including infrared energy (heat) emitted by the Earth—and then re-emit it. Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas, because it helps Earth's atmosphere to retain heat generated from the Sun.

Discuss the arguments for preserving biological diversity.

1) Moral reasons. A culture that encourages respect and stewardship for wildlife and landscapes is preferable to a culture which does not take these things seriously. 2) Aesthetic reasons. Landscapes and species should all be conserved because they are beautiful and enrich the lives of humans. 3) Providing important natural functions. Ecosystems serve humans because they provide natural functions. For example, the microbes in an ecosystem are vital in the breakdown of dead plant and animal remains and in the recycling of nutrients. 4) Biodiversity provides actual and potential material and economic benefits to people. 5) Continuance of evolutionary processes. 6) Insurance. No one knows what humans may need in the future. If species have become extinct, humans can never benefit from them.

What are the strengths of scientific inquiry?

1. Based on empirical evidence 2. Found by reasoning and observation 3. Proof and verfication

List some of the environmental issues associated with disposing of solid waste via landfills, open dumps, ocean dumping and by incineration.

1. Methane gas can accumulate in sanitary landfills and may cause explosions. 2. Potential contamination of surface water and groundwater is still present. 3. Many are filling up and closing without new ones opening. 4. Fish and other sea animals would decrease 5. Affects migration

What are the limitations of scientific inquiry?

1. Nothing has full knowledge of the world 2. Scientists can never he completely unbiased 3. Science isn't free from error

Basic steps of the hypothesis-testing method of scientific inquiry

1. Observation 2. Hypothesis 3. Predictions 4. Test data 5. Conclusion

What is stratospheric ozone (O3) and why is it important for life on earth?

A gas atmosphere that protects everything living on earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. It acts as a shield to absorb the UV rays and keep them from damaging the earth's surface.

What is waste minimization?

A set of processes and practices intended to reduce the amount of waste produced. By reducing or eliminating the generation of harmful and persistent wastes, waste minimization supports efforts to promote a more sustainable society.

Distinguish between animals and other types of living organisms (e.g., plants; bacteria).

Animal cells can be easily distinguished from plant and fungal cells because they completely lack a cell wall. Animal cells are surrounded only by the thin, flexible cell membrane. Because they have no cell wall to provide structure, animal cells must be supported in some other way (for example, a skeletal system). They also do not contain the chloroplasts found in plants, as they do not undergo photosynthesis. Like plants, fungal cells are surrounded by a cell wall. The composition of the cell wall, however, is different. Fungal cell walls are made up primarily of chitin, a compound that is also found in the hard shells of crustaceans.

How does Leopold reconcile his belief that we have a moral obligation to the land with the fact that he was an avid hunter?

As a forester, he maintained a practical approach to producing timber, while maintaining a fierce advocacy for wilderness preservation in many places. His travels to study forestry in Germany left him horrified at the sterile 'bearless, wolfless, eagleless woods" where German foresters had managed intensely for "maximum harvests of game and timber, and got neither."

What is biological diversity? How is biological diversity measured?

Biodiversity is basically the variety within and among life forms on a site, ecosystem, or landscape. Biodiversity is defined and measured as an attribute that has two components — richness and evenness. Richness = The number of groups of genetically or functionally related individuals.

What is the relationship between plant biodiversity and food security?

Biodiversity provides food we eat. throughout history, people have used 7,000 plant species and several thousand animal species for food. industrial agriculture narrowed our diet.

Distinguish between composting and recycling?

Composting is a process that helps put organic waste to an alternative use. Materials like grass cuttings, shredded leaves, newspapers, fruit clippings, coffee grounds, and other similar items, in correct proportion, are combined with water and air for starting the biological decomposition process. Recycling deals with the manufactured products that are otherwise discarded as waste. These products are recycled by converting them into items worth using for the second time. This is typically done by breaking down the product into its raw materials and reusing them to manufacture something new or similar to the old product.

What is solid waste and what are the major constituents of solid waste?

Consists of household waste, construction and demolition debris, sanitation residue, and waste from streets. This garbage is generated mainly from residential and commercial complexes. Garbage itself can be classified into four categories: •Organic waste: kitchen waste, vegetables, flowers, leaves, fruits. •Toxic waste: old medicines, paints, chemicals, bulbs, spray cans, fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries •Recyclable: paper, glass, metals, plastics •Soiled: waste from first aid, cleaning vehicles and other machine parts

Define recycling and discuss the benefits of recycling.

Deals with the manufactured products that are otherwise discarded as waste. These products are recycled by converting them into items worth using for the second time. This is typically done by breaking down the product into its raw materials and reusing them to manufacture something new or similar to the old product.

Define sustainable development

Economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources.

Discuss why genetic diversity is important.

It helps maintain the health of a population, by including alleles that may be valuable in resisting diseases, pests and other stresses. ... If the environment changes, a population that has a higher variability of alleles will be better able to evolve to adapt to the new environment.

Why is ground-level ozone harmful to ecosystems and humans?

It is air pollution that is harmful to breathe and damages crops, trees, plants, and other vegetation.

Identify and briefly describe the four major categories of federal public lands and the agencies that manage them.

National Parks •59 national parks - ~84 million acres-scenic beauty - Grand Canyon •also monuments, battlefields, historic sites, seashores •managed by National Park Service - Dept. of Interior •greatest protection of federal lands National Wildlife Refuges •570 NWR - 97 million acres •managed by US Fish and Wildlife Service •most land in Alaska •1/3 wetlands •primary function is to habitat for wildlife •secondary uses - hunting, fishing, trapping, mining, oil drilling National Forest System •155 national forests and 22 national grasslands - 192 million acres •managed by the US Forest Service •multiple use areas - recreation, logging National Resource Lands •261 million acres - largest component of federal land •managed by Bureau of Land Management •multiple uses - commercial- logging and grazing, recreation

Greenhouse Effect

Natural situation in which heat is held in Earth's atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases

Do anthropocentric worldviews always result in non-sustainable systems or harmful effects on the environment? Explain your answer.

No, achieving sustainable development depends on a conscious effort of people to develop an environmental ethic. Many organizations fight to protect deforestation, endangered species, etc.

What is smog and what causes it?

Released in the air when fuels are burnt. When sunlight and its heat react with these gases and fine particles in the atmosphere, ________ is formed.

Compare the fate of solid wastes in natural ecosystems and in human societies.

Solid waste in natural ecosystems gets broken down naturally in nature while in human societies waste has a harder time breaking down and has to be burned which produces methane gas.

Discuss how sustainable development can be achieved in a capitalist society.

The Office of Environment & Sustainability is active in air quality, brownfield redevelopment, climate protection, energy management, environmental compliance, environmental justice, green roof loans, urban agriculture, recycling, and waste reduction.