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