Intro to Environmental Science Midterm Chap 1,2,5,6,7
Which of the following is NOT true when comparing Least-Developed countries and Most-Developed Countries?
Carbon dioxide emissions (a measure of both energy use and contributions to global warming) are 150 times greater in poor countries.
Drag the representation that best shows the current or future trend of the following environmental issues. In addition, drag a descriptionfor how each issue is changing to the issue it best describes.
Climate Change:Sun diagram Increased Commitment from governments to reduce carbon emissions and increase reliance on renewable energy Overpopulation:People graph Sociological changes such as increased educational opportunities for women have helped decrease fertility rates Biodiversity loss:Tress graph Increases in numbers of preserves and parks decreases rates of deforestation
biomagnification
Increase in concentration of certain stable chemicals in successively higher trophic levels of a food chain
After the year 1600, the human population began to grow more rapidly, owing to which of the following factors?
Increases in commerce and communication on a global scale, new agricultural developments, and better health care and improved hygiene
Human population levels from the time of the Agricultural Revolution to the present depict a ______- shaped curve.
J
persistence
Resistance of chemical compounds to degradation
what is chaparral?
a type of drought-adapted shrub-land
neurotoxins
attack nerve cells
teratogens
cause defects during growth and development
carcinogens
cause unchecked cell growth
what does "d" mean?
change
mutagens
damage or otherwise alter DNA sequences
what does mortality mean?
death
It is known that certain macroinvertebrates (small aquatic organisms) are sensitive to polluted waters. Stonefly larvae, for example, are very sensitive to polluted water and low dissolved oxygen. You collect a lot of stonefly larvae in your study of a local stream and conclude that this stream has high levels of dissolved oxygen and is minimally polluted. Your conclusion is an example of
deductive reasoning
what does thermocline mean?
distinctive temperature transition zone that separates warm upper layer and deeper cold layer
The damage to an ecosystem caused by a hurricane or flood can be referred to as
disturbance
Malthus argued that ______________ is the ultimate cause of social and environmental problems, and Marx argued that population growth ____________ social and environmental problems.
excess population growth; results from
In the real world, many factors determine the numbers of organisms in any one population. Yet, a "superfly" with unlimited food and no mortality would show what type of growth?
exponential growth
A metapopulation is one in which genetic diversity is much reduced.
false
Density-independent factors that control population density tends to be biotic components of the ecosystem.
false
Explosive growth better characterizes logistic growth than exponential growth.
false
toxin are only harmful in large doese?
false
Proponents of social justice believe that environmental and social problems will decrease if
resources are distributed fairly
what does inductive reasoning mean?
reasoning from many specific observations to produce a general rule
The idea that the results from tests and experiments should be reproducible, otherwise the conclusions are probably incorrect is referred to as
repeatability
Experiments in which conditions are deliberately altered and all other variables are held constant are known as ___________ experiments.
manipulative
All scientific explanations have a level of _________ because they are based on evidence (data), hence, our knowledge is always subject to change as new evidence appears.
uncertainty
The concept that the forces that shaped the world in the past are still operating today, and will continue to do so in the future is known as
uniformitarianism
left hand side
y-axis, dependent variable
what does carrying capacity mean?
the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that can be supported by a given ecosystem on a long-term basis
littoral zone
the shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow
what does "t" mean?
time
testable questions
to find out whether a theory is correct, it must be tested; we formulate testable statements to test theories
The temperate broad-leaved forest has become the most supportive of human occupation of any major biome.
true
an ordinary substance can be harmful if over-consumed
true
bottom side
x-axis, independent variable
The average fertility rate for the entire world is approximately
2.4
what statements about sytems and feedback are true?
-Both positive and negative feedback can lead to system instability and collapse. -A system is essentially a network, with materials and energy flowing from one component to another. -With positive feedback, an increase in a state variable leads to further increases in that same variable. -With negative feedback, an increase in a state variable leads to further increases in that same variable. -all systems are closed
Classify each question about polluted waterways by dragging the correct type of knowledge or discipline necessary to answer that question.
-Chemistry=What are the pollutant found in the waterway? -Public Health=How to share factual information regarding the water that the public can understand and use? -biology=How are the contaminants affecting fish and wildlife populations? -medicine=what are the pollutants found in the waterway? what are the health impacts if the pollutants are found in drinking water? -economics=What is the cost to the public and to municipal drinking water facilities to clean the contaminated water? -engineering=How to develop a process that can prevent contamination or remove contamination from the waterway? -political science=How to develop policies to prevent water pollution and hold polluters accountable?
temperate grassland
-Has seasonal temperatures with about seven months of the year averaging above freezing. The same seasons with the warmest temperatures also have the most rainfall. -few trees due to not enough rainfall -thick organic soil -much converted to farmland
Match the environmental philosophy with the appropriate description.
-Resources should be conserved for the ultimate long-term benefit of human beings: Pragmatic Resource Conservation-Resources should be conserved for the benefit of all organisms, not just humans: Nature preservation on moral/aesthetic grounds-Current levels of damage due to pollution and resource exploitation should be mitigated, and if possible, reversed, for the health benefit of humans and other species: Modern Environmentalism-Preservation of all Earth systems is the responsibility of the global community: Global Environmentalism
temperate rainforest
-Shows seasonal temperatures with average temperatures above freezing nine months of the year. However, there is seasonal rainfall with the lowest amount occurring in the summer. -cool, rainy forest mostly in fog -mild temps
Place a sustainable and unsustainable practice that addresses each of the environmental issues
-Sustainable: planting ¨cover¨ crops to present erosion (protect soil), use of renewable energies (protect atmosphere), reduce poverty and increase healthcare (reduce effects of population growth)-Unsustainable: overgrazing of herds on grasslands (protect soil), use of fossil fuels (protect atmosphere), raise everyone to the standard of living of affluent countries (reduce effects of population growth)
what is the difference between biocentric preservation and utilitarian conservation?
-biocentric preservation: a philosophy that emphasizes the fundamental right of living organisms to exist and to pursue their own goods. -Utilitarian conservation: philosophy that resources should be used for the greater good for the greatest number for the longest time., preserves the land for future generations
Select all of following statements that are true about wetlands?
-can act as a buffer for flooding -only account for 5% of the surface of the US -1/3 of all endangered species use wetlands to mate or raise their young -difficult to protect wetland because they have no monetary benefit -wetlands are defined by the depth of water -not good farmland, safe from development
Select all of the following ecosystems that are known to have high levels of biodiversity?
-coral reefs -estuaries -oceans
wetlands
-erosion protection -drained for farmland -these ecosystems help to filter and purify water removing nutrients and contamination from urban run off
coral reefs
-exotic species for pet industry -biodiversity -these complex structured habitats offer shelter to countless life forms. Because they occur in shallow water, algae grows on the structure providing food for the inhabitants
what does hypothesis vs. theory?
-hypothesis=a testable explanation -theory=a description or explanation that has been supported by a large number of tests and is considered by experts to be reliable
what all applies to density-dependent population factors?
-interspecific interactions
tropical rainforests
-lumber -climate and water regulation -humid regions in the tropics that support one of the most complex and biologically rich -ample rainfall and uniform temperatures -cloud forests=high mountains where fog and mist keep vegetation continually wet and cool -soil tends to be thin, acidic, and nutrient poor
What are some of the issues with antibiotics and the resistance with it?
-many people don't finish the bottle which create new strains -MRSA is spreading through hospitals in US and China
Match the following terms with its proper definition
-moral extensionism=Over time we have gradually extended our sense of moral value to a wider and wider circle. -inherent value=An intrinsic right to exist. -instrumental value=They have value because they are useful to someone who matters. -moral value=worth
Estuary
-nearly 2/3 of all marine fish and shellfish rely on these site for reproduction and growth
What does Utilitarian Conservationist believe?
-preserve wild spaces for future generations
what are factors in prontalist pressures?
-source of pleasure, pride, comfort -source of support for elderly parents -current source of family income and labor -social status -replace members in society as they die
Mangrove
-these salt tolerant trees stabilize the shoreline and reduce the severity of storm damage to coastlines
what are some of the signs of pseudoscience?
1. How reliable are the sources? 2. Have the claims been verified by other sources? 3. What position does the majority of the scientific community hold in this issue? 4. How does this claim fit with what we know about how the world works? 5. Are the arguments balanced and logical? 6. What do you know about the sources of funding for a particular position? 7. Where was evidence for competing theories published?
What are the steps in order on the flow chart to illustrate the scientific process?
1. identify question 2. form testable hypothesis 3. develop a test of the hypothesis 4. collect data 5. interpret results 6. report for peer review
What is the human population trajectory in 2050?
9.7 million
Sustainable development (SD) impacts many areas of society (i.e. population growth, consumption, poverty, health care, agriculture, etc.). Match the benefits of sustainable development (SD) to the area that it impacts the most.
Consumption-SD increases the amount of resources available Population growth-SD increases social and economic stability of states and families Health care-SD reduces disease and accidents, which saves lives and the state money Agriculture-SD reduces soil degradation
What is pragmatic conservationist?
For the greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time
tropical rainforest
Has no seasonal changes in temperature and abundant rainfall the entire year.
temperate deciduous forest
Has seasonal temperatures with nine months out of the year averaging above freezing and precipitation all year.
tropical savanna
Has steady, warm temperatures all year, but seasonal rainfall with drought conditions up to six months of a year.
boreal forest
Has two distinct seasons with four months above freezing in summer, and average temperatures below freezing the rest of the year.
What does toxin mean?
Poisonous chemicals that react with specific cellular components to kill cells or to alter growth or development in undesirable ways; often harmful, even in diluted concentrations.
bioaccumulation
The selective absorption and concentration of molecules by cells
Who is Gifford Pinchot?
Theodore Roosevelt conservation advisor "everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength....
empiricism
We can learn about the world by careful observation of empirical phenomena; we can expect to understand fundamental processes and natural laws by observation
natural experiment
a study of events that have already happened
Bioaccumulation is a natural process where cells selectively (a) _______ and store different molecules, some of which may be harmful. As illustrated in the example graph, biomagnification occurs when the toxic molecules being stored in organisms at a (b) ________ trophic level accumulate and become (c) _______ by a predator at a (d) ________ trophic level.
a. absorb b. lower c. concentrated d. higher
As illustrated here, risk (a) _________ involves organizing and analyzing data to (b) _________. In contrast, risk (c) ________ involves setting priorities and evaluating different factors in order to (d) __________.
a. assessment b. determine relative risk c. management d. make regulatory decisons
As indicted in the graph, birthrates in a country tend to (a)_______ as its citizens become (b)_________ affluent. This results in an (c) ______ relationship between population growth and economic output as measured by GDP.
a. decrease b. more c. inverse
As indicated in the figure, open ocean communities can be characterized by their water (a)______ and (b)______ shore. Communities that lie within the water column are referred to as (c)________ and those on the on the bottom are called (d)_________.
a. depth b. proximity to c. pelagic d. benthic
As indicted in the graph, the average life expectancy in a country tends to (a) _________ as its citizens become (b) ________ affluent. This results in a (c) ______relationship between life expectancy and economic output as measured by GDP.
a. increase b. more c. direct
As illustrated below, when a population grows beyond the carrying capacity of an area, it is referred to as (a)_________. This causes a (b)________ where the population declines until it falls back below the carrying capacity. This repeated cycle can lead to a (c)__________ in the carrying capacity, which in turn will lead to (D)________ populations.
a. overshoot b. diebacks c. decline d. smaller
Wetlands are described by their types of vegetation. A forested wetland is referred to as a (a)_______, whereas a wetland without trees is called a (b)_______. In contrast, a wetland mostly composed of saturated ground is known as a (c)_______.
a. swamp b. marsh c. bog
what does science strive for?
accuracy and reproducibility
what is a die back?
also called population crash, a dieback in the population to a level below the carrying capacity
Vertical zonation shows that not only do different biomes occur at different latitudes, but also at different ______________.
altitudes
double-blind experiment
an experiment in which neither the experimenter nor the subjects know, until after the gathering and analysis of the data, which was the experimental treatment and which was the control
manipulative experiment
an experiment in which some conditions are deliberately altered while other are held constant to study case-and-effect relationships
blind experiment
an experiment in which those carry out the experiment don't know, until after gathering and analysis of data, which was the experimental treatment and which was the control
what does life expectancy mean?
average age a newborn can expect to attain in any given society
uniformitarianism
basic patterns and processes are uniform across time and space; the force at work today are the same as those that shaped the world in the past, and they will continue to do so in the future
estuaries
bay or semi-enclosed bodies of brackish water that forms where rivers enter the ocean
Stage 4: Post-industrial
birth and death rates stabilize has declining growth rates
What are the factors that contribute to rate of growth?
births, immigration, deaths, emigration
what is a biome?
broadly similar environmental conditions
Widespread starvation is an example of _________ population control.
density-dependent
In _______ countries, population growth rates are low, but the number of resources used per person is extremely high.
developed
What are pathogens?
disease-causing organisms
Using careful observations of real, observable phenomena to understand fundamental processes and natural laws is called
empiricism
what has caused a deduction in death rates in recent centuries?
environmental impact, population size, affluence, technology
_________________ combines civil rights with environmental protection to demand a safe, healthy, life-giving environment for everyone
environmental justice
stage 3: industrial
fewer reason to have kids birth rate drops
Island biogeography explains the phenomenon of _______ terrestrial species on islands small and far from the mainland when compared to larger islands that are closer to the mainland and have __________ terrestrial species.
fewer; more
what happens to the temp and precipitation when you go up a mountain?
gets cold and wet
what does exponential growth mean?
growth at a constant rate of increase per unit, time has no limit
stage 2: industrializing
healthcare improves death rate drops
Which of the following population characteristics is generally associated with developing countries?
high child mortality
stage 1: Pre-modern
high mortality rate high birth rate
what does morbidity mean?
illness
Which of the following is NOT a factor contributing to decreased life expectancy?
improved santiation
Sustainable development means
improving people's live in the present in a way that can continue far into the future
s curve
increase in competition, increase in disease transmission, human development, density of organisms.
j curve
increase in food availability, increase in conservation
In cases of exponential growth rates, a population ________ each year.
is multiplied by a constant number
what does logistic growth mean?
is t in which that the growth rate depends on the density-dependent of the population
uncertainity
knowledge changes as new evidence appears, and explanations change with new evidence. Theories based on current evidence should be tested on additional evidence, with the understanding that new data may disprove the best theories
The longest period of life that a given type of organism can reach is known as
life span
what does deductive reasoning mean?
logical reasoning from general to specific
Which of the following is a collection of populations that have regular or intermittent gene flow between geographically separate units.
metapopulation
Density-independent factors tend to be
more associated with abiotic factors
what does "N" mean?
number
How do you define fertility?
number of children born to an average women in a population during her life
What is founder effect?
occurs when a few individuals start a new population
what is a demographic bottleneck?
occurs when just a few members of a species survive a catastrophic event such as a natural disaster.
pelagic zone
open water above the ocean floor
Which of the following is a biotic population control mechanism?
pathogens
The most important factor in determining the type of biome to develop in a given area of those listed is:
precipitation
Location of specific biomes can be predicted based on
precipitation and temperature
Biomes can be distinguished based on values from the two most important environmental factors. Which of the following abiotic conditions are the biggest determinants of biome location (select all that apply)?
precipitation, temperature, pH, light levels, salinity
Weeds most commonly exhibit which population growth characteristic?
r selected and a pattern that appears as a J-curve on a graph
Oysters spawn hundreds of thousands of eggs and sperm into the water column. Some of these eggs will be fertilized and grow to be larvae. Oysters do not participate in rearing or protecting their offspring. Which life history strategy best describes the oyster?
r-selected speices
characteristic of r-selected species
rapid growth, early maturity, many small offspring, little parental care and protection, little investment in individual offspring, pioneers/colonizers, adapted to unstable environment, niche generalists, prey, regulated mainly by extrinsic factors, low trophic level, short life
what does "r" mean?
rate
characteristics of k-selected species
regulated mainly by intrinsic factors, late maturity, high investment in individual offspring, predators, adapted to stable environment, long life, slower growth, few large offspring, high parental care or protection, niche specialists, later stages of succession, high trophic level
Which of the following characteristics typically leads to DECREASES in total fertility rates; mark all that apply.
rural communities, access to contraception, high costs of education, increased age to get married, increased opportunities for education and work for women
Which of the following types of population curves would best represent a group of elephants that enter a new, open habitat and become a stable part of that ecosystem?
s-shaped curve
Which of the following best accounts for the large increase in population since the 1800?
study increase in number of people capable of reproducing
What are allergens?
substances that activate the immune system
Who is Theodore Roosevelt?
supported forest conservation in order to protect
The biome type that has lost the greatest percentage of its original area due to human activities is the
temperate deciduous forest
repeatability
tests and experiments should be repeatable; if the same results cannot be repoduced, then the colcusions are probably incorrect
The process of science is characterized by
that science normally provides absolute proof
When the similarities in population increases and decreases in prey and predators, it lead us to the conclusion that
the abundance of both the prey and predator can affect the other species
Survivorship is determined by
the percentage of a cohort that survives to a certain age
Only when an explanation has been supported by a large number of tests, and when a majority of experts have reached a general consensus that it is a reliable description or explanation, we call it a scientific _______.
theory
Mangrove trees are found along ________________ shorelines.
topical saltwater
"Environment" can be defined as the circumstances or conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms, or the complex of social or cultural conditions that affect an individual or community.
true
proof is elusive
we rarely expect science to provide absolute proof that a theory is correct, because new evidence may always undermine our current understanding.
parsimony
when 2 plausible explanations are equally reasonable, the simpler one is preferable, also known as Ockham's rule
what does boom and bust mean?
when a population undergoes repeated cycles of overshoots followed by crashes