ENVS Exam 1 Ch.1-5
Greenhouse effect
carbon dioxide absorbs infrared heat energy radiated from the earths surface
Type I Survivorship
low mortality in early life most live full life span humans
Biodiversity
variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes of which they are part
First law of Thermodynamics
(law conservation of energy) energy is neither created nor destroyed
Billions of livestock animals are overgrazing what percentage of rangelands?
20%
Terrestrial have how many Trophic levels?
3 to 4 marine sometimes 5
How many people are on earth?
7.2 billion
Trophic Levels
During photosynthesis, plants use the Sun's energy, CO2 and H2O to produce chemicals These chemicals and nutrients travel up trophic (feeding) levels to other organisms
Nitrogen Cascade
complex of ecological effects as nitrogen moves through the environment
Producers
convert low potential energy raw materials -to high potential energy organic molecules -use light energy to make glucose from carbon dioxide and water
An accurate GDP must account for?
depletion of natural resources
Food Chain
describes where energy and nutrients go as they move from one organism to another Energy moves "up" the food chain Not all energy and nutrients go to higher levels
reactive nitrogen
forms of nitrogen that can be used by organisms
Primary Consumers
(Herbivores) eat producers
The TEEB show
(The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) - economic concepts an tools can help society incorporate the values of nature into decision making
What are the 4 important global trends the can test these hypotheses?
- Human population and well being -status of vital ecosystem services -loss of biodiversity -climate change
What are the 4 hypothesis for the environment paradox?
- measurements of human-well being are flawed -Food production has been enhanced and outweighs the declines of ecosystems -Technology makes humans less dependent on the ecosystem services -The time lag between ecosystems decline and human well-being means the worst is yet to come
Three processes that "fix" nitrogen
-Atmospheric nitrogen fixation: lightning -Industrial Fixation: in fertilizer manufacturing -Combustion of fossil fuels: oxidizes nitrogen
What is the EPA and what does it deal with?
-Environmental Protection Agency -this called to protect the environment against pressure from other govt. agencies and industry -protect the public -deals with water, air, solid waste, pesticides, radiation standards
What are the 3 unifying themes to create a sustainable relationship with the natural world?
-Sustainability: the goal we should be working toward in our relationship with the natural world -Sound Science: understanding how the world works and how humans interact with it -Stewardship: managing natural resources and human well-being for the common good
A species faced with new selective pressure can:
-adapt: through natural selection -migrate: move to an area with suitable conditions -go extinct: if the first 2 options are not possible
What are other ways to transfer carbon
-diffusion exchange between air and oceans -combustion of fossil fuels releases CO2 to the air -Fossilization of dead plants and animals into coal (removed carbon from the atmosphere & Burning releases CO2 to the air) -limestone keeps carbon out of circulation -carbon atoms cycles through the system about every six years
Population is at equilibrium when..?
-populations restore their numbers -the ecosystem's capacity is not exceeded
Green VS. Brown economy
-preserves and protect ecosystem goods and services -use energy-efficient, less polluting technologies -produce green products
What are the consequences of introducing species?
-severe environmental resistance may kill the species -the species become naturalized and does no harm -the species becomes invasive and outcompetes natives for food, space, or other resources
Sustainable Ecosystems
-thrive over time by recycling nutrients - maintain diversity of species -Use the sun as a source of energy
What are 2 approaches to cause changes in env. public policy?
1. command and control strategy- a direct regulatory approach that sets standards and technologies 2. Market Strategy- uses the market to set prices on pollution and resource use
How many countries analyzed by HDI showed progress?
135 -higher life expectancy, education, and per capita gross domestic product, democratic rule -correlates with literacy, equality, happiness
What factors cause mortality(death)?
Abiotic and Biotic -prevents unlimited population growth
Equilibrium
Births + immigration = deaths + emigration -often population growth is not zero
Predator-Prey interactions
Carnivores eat Herbivores
Population regulation comes from...?
Complex interactions among members of the biotic community
Humans impact the environment in 2 ways:
Cumulative impacts and unintended consequences -cumulative impacts: actions become problems when too many people participate -unintended consequences: occur when people don't pay attention to how the world works
What are the 3 E's of environmental Policy?
Effectiveness: does it accomplish what it intends? Efficiency: is its objective reached with the least cost? Equity:Is the financial burden shared equally?
Selective Pressures
Environmental resistance factors that affect survival and reproduction -predators, parasites, drought, lack of food
What determines if a species occupies an area
Factor
GPI
Genuine Progress Indicator - economic activities are positive and sustainable or not -positive factors: housework parenting Negative factors: crime, pollution, resource depletion
Ecosystem Capital
Goods and services -human well-being and economic development depend on the products of this capital-its income -the ecosystems producing them must be protected
What is the HDI?
Human Development Index -assesses the human well-being of nations -health education basic living standards
What are the three types of intangible capital?
Human: populations physical, psychological, and cultural attributes (abilities, education,talents) Social: societal and political environment (govt., laws, court systems) Knowledge: can be transferred to others (libraries, schools,universities)
What reduces resource use and pollution costs?
Incentives -The Cap and Trade systems of SO2 emissions -User fees (pay as you throw) for waste disposal
Consumers
Live on the production of others -Obtain energy from feeding on and breaking down organic matter made by producers
New Species are only formed by...?
Modification of existing species - not from scratch
For every factor there is an...?
Optimum Range -certain level where organisms grow or survive best -organsims do less well at higher or lower levels -they do not survive at extremes
PES
Payments for Ecosystem Services -establishes monetary value for ecosystem services -beneficiaries pay landowners to maintain a service instead of converting their land to another use
A community is named for its..?
Plants -they are easily observed -vegetation indicates environmental conditions
Keystone Species
Play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem biotic structure -prevent other species from taking over an area -allow other, less-competitive species to flourish -Ex. Sea otters -removing them can cause the ecosystem to collapse
What are three types of capital that determine a nations wealth?
Produced, natural, and intangible capital
Enzymes
Proteins that promote the synthesis or breaking of chemical bonds
What are three types of goods and services
Provisioning Service: goods like food and fuel Regulating Services: Processes like flood protection Cultural Services: Nonmaterial benefits like recreation
Other populations show an
S-curve -in populations controlled by complex relationships between species -Cycles of lower and higher numbers around K
Detritus is organic and high in potential energy for:
Scavengers (vultures): decomposers that break down large pieces of matter Detritus feeders (earthworms): decomposers that eat partly decomposed matter Chemical decomposers (fungi and bacteria): decomposers that break down molecule-sized matter
What was Rachel Carson's book called and what did it describe?
Silent Spring; it described the effects of pesticides on the enviorment -Fish, farm animals and even people died In the early 1960s pesticides and herbicides were widely used on crops, forests, and lawns
Intragenerational equity
The Golden Rule -making possible for others what is possible for you -meeting the needs of the present with out harming future generation -needed for sustainable development
The Endangered Species act calls for recovery of...?
Threatened Species: populations are declining rapidly Endangered Species: populations are near the critical number
How do 2 species develop from 1?
They must be reproductively isolated: the original populations separate in 2 populations -preventing the subpopulations genes from mixing
Oxidation
a chemical reaction that loses electrons -usually accomplished by the addition of electrons
landscapes
a cluster of interacting ecosystems
Sulfur is made up of...?
a component of proteins, hormones, vitamins -often linked with oxygen -most is in rocks, minerals, ocean sediments
species
a group of individuals that share a certain characteristic -but are distinct from other groups
Fermentation
a modified form of respiration of some decomposers (bacteria and yeasts) Breaks down glucose in the absence of oxygen Releases ethyl alcohol, methane gas, acetic acid
habitat
a place where species is adapted to live -it is defined by the plant community and physical environment
Paradox
a statement exhibiting contradictory or inexplicable aspects and qualities
Ecotone
a transitional region between ecosystems -shares species and characteristics of both ecosystems -may have more or fewer species than the ecosystem
Constant population growth rate
adding a constant number of individuals over each period of time -simplest type of growth to model -is not generally found in nature -but its a good comparison to other growth patterns
What does a well done analysis consider?
all costs and benefits -including external costs
What is the MDG?
all united nation member countries adopted the Millennium Development Goals -to reduce extreme poverty and its effects on human well-being
ecosystems
an interactive complex of communities and the abiotic factors affecting them -forests, grasslands, wetlands, coral reefs, humans
resource
any factor consumed by an organism -water nutrients, light, oxygen, food, space -a factor can be both a condition and resource (plants use water as a resource, but one water is a condition)
law of limiting factors
any factor outside the optimal range will: -cause stress and limit growth, reproduction,and survival of a population -It may be a problem of too much or too little -they can change over time
condition
any factor that varies in space and time but is not used up (temperature, wind, pH, salinity)
J-Shaped explosions
are often followed by crashes -results from unusual disturbances -introduction of foreign species, elimination of a predator -a suddenly changed habitat, arrival in a new habitat
Territory
area defended by an individual or group
Shadow Pricing
assesses what people might pay for a particular benefit
What are the 4 spheres of the earth
atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere -biosphere interacts with and depends on the other 3 spheres
law conservation of matter
atoms do not change -they are not created or destroyed
zones of stress
between optimal range and high or low limit of tolerance
Competition
both species are harmed Interspecific Competition: between diff. species Intraspecific Competition: Between the same species
Mutualism
both species benefit
organic compounds
chemical compounds making up tissues of living organisms -very large complex molecules -mainly carbon hydrogen and oxygen
community
collection of species living together in an area
Microclimate
conditions in a specific, localized area Temperature and moisture may be different from the overall climate of the region Creates variations of ecosystems in a biome The Greater Yellowstone region is in the northern temperate forest biome
top-down regulation
control of a population by predation
Bottom-up regulation
control of a population occurs as a result of scarcity of a resource
Detritus
dead plant material (leaves, etc.), fecal wastes, and dead bodies Most ecosystem energy goes through this food web
Sustainable Development
development or progress that meets the needs of the present -it incorporates equity: meeting the needs of the present while considering future generations
Variable Environments support..?
diversity -support species with different niches -competitors in the same area have diff. niches
Facilitation
drives succession forward by improving conditions for subsequent species Succession does not go on indefinitely
natural capital
ecosystem capital + non-renewable mineral resources -major element in nations wealth \ -economic system promoting sustainablity
What represent a major form of a nations wealth?
ecosystem capital in a nation and its income generating capacity
What supports human life and economic well-being?
ecosystem goods and services -wast breakdown, climate regulation, erosion control, pest management, maintenance of nutrient cycle
Biomes
ecosystems having similar vegetation and climactic conditions
external cost
effects of a business process not included in the usual calculations of profit and loss
movement of matter requires
energy absorption or release -change in matter and energy cannot be separated
kinetic energy
energy in action or motion -light, heat , physical motion
potential energy
energy in storage -gasoline
What caused new species to arise?
evolution -species classifications are changed to reflect this
benefit-cost analysis
examines the need for a proposed regulation -describes alternatives to a proposed action -compares costs of the proposed action to the benefits that will be achieved through a benefit-cost ratio -builds efficiency into a policy (so society won't pay more than necessary)
Synergistic effects
factors that interact to cause a greater effect than expected -pollution may increase vulnerability to disease
Fitness
features (traits) that adapt an organism for survival and reproduction -a populations gene pool is tested by selective pressures exerted by environmental resistance
Omnivores
feed on both plants and animals
Secondary consumers
feed on primary consumers Third (tertiary), fourth (quaternary), or higher level
what are species grouped in
genera -which are grouped into families, orders, classes, phyla, kingdoms, and domains
What happens within a plant
glucose produced during photosynthesis: -is the backbone for all other organic molecules -Provides energy to run cell activities -is stored for future use -Each stage of these reactions use enzymes
Produced capital
goods and services -major focus of most economic planning
population growth curves
graph how populations grow and are used to determine: -how fast a population could grow -the population size now and in the future
What is the GDP?
gross domestic product
GDP
gross domestic product -GNP minus net income from abroad -compares rich and poor countries -assesses economic process
What is GNP?
gross national product -all goods and services produced and consumed by a country the most common indicator of health and wealth
Exponential growth
growth at a constant rate of increase -doubling time remains constant -r= the number of offspring individuals can produce in a given time if resources are unlimited -the number of times you can multiply "e" by itself
As population approaches K
growth slows -the population remains steady and growth =0 -the maximum rate of population growth occurs halfway to K
Nitrogen Cycle
high in demand by aquatic and land pant -unique cycle -air is the main reservoir of nitrogen -nonreactive nitrogen:most organisms cannot use it
biosphere
huge system formed by all living thing
synthetic organic compounds
human made
What is the environmentalists Paradox?
human well-being has improved but natural ecosystems that provide us with goods and services have declined
A system is sustainable
if it can continue indefinitely with out depleting material or energy resources
How does energy flow through ecosystems?
in one way direction -replenished by sunlight -nutrients are recycled and continually reused through biogeochemical cycles
Aerobic Respiration (oxygen less)
in sediments of lakes, marshes, swamps, and animal guts Cattle and termites have fermenting bacteria
Organic Phosphate
incorporated into organic compounds by plants from soil or water -cycle through the food chain -broken down in cell respiration or by decomposers
Density dependent factor
increases with increased population density -diseases, predation, food shortages -environmental resistance increases mortality -only factor that can regulate a population
population
individuals that make up an interbreeding, reproducing group -it refers to only individuals of a species in an area(grey wolves in Yellowstone National Park) -species would be all grey wolves in the world
Food Web
interconnection of food chains to form complex feeding relationships
Type II Survivoship
intermediate survivorship pattern (squirrels)
economic activity
involves the circular flow of money and products -money flows between households and businesses
limiting factor
is any factor that limits growth
Sustainable society
is in balance with the natural world -continues for generations without depleting resources -Does not produce more pollution than nature can absorb
Population size depends on
its biotic potential and environmental resistance -populations biotic potential remains constant -environmental resistance changes
Density independent factor
its effects are independent of the density of the population -spring freeze, fire is not involved in maintaining population equilibrium
biome
large area with the same climate and vegetation -can often be predicted by rainfall and temperature -there are no sharp boundaries between biomes
What is an organism composed of?
large compounds -proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids
What is the official species name and how many parts?
latin -2 parts -the genus name and species descriptive term
environmental public policy
laws and regulations that deal with a society interactions with the environment -developed at all levels of govt -purpose it to promote the common good to improve human welfare and protect natural world -addresses prevention or reduction of solution -as well as the use of natural resources
Short-term impact on a population
leads to density-dependent regulation of a population -through territoriality -through self-thinning: crowded organisms become less numerous as they get bigger
Long-term impact
leads to long-term changes as the species adapts to its environment -traits of organisms that are better able to compete, survive, and reproduce are passed on to offspring
K-Strategies
lower biotic potential -care for and protect young -larger longer lived well adapted to normal environmental fluctuations -population fluctuate around carrying capacity -also called equilibrium species
natural organic compounds
make up living organisms
Type III Survivorship
many offspring that die young -few live to the end of their life oysters
Entropy
measures the degree of disorder in a system -without energy input, everything goes toward entropy -increasing disorder releases heat from the system
temperature
measures the molecular motion in a substance
Biological Evolution
modification of the gene pool of a species by natural selection over generations
inorganic compounds
molecules or compounds with neither carbon-carbon nor carbon-hydrogen bonds
Heterotrophs
must consume organic material to obtain energy Consumers: eat living prey Decomposers: scavengers, detritus feeders, and chemical decomposers that eat dead organic material
Mitigation
must reduce CO2 emissions -but short term economic impacts of reducing fossil fuel use conflict with long-term impacts of climate
mineral
naturally occurring solid made by geological processes -atoms in minerals are bonded by an attraction between positive and negative charges
Population density
number of individuals per area
Secondary Succession
occurs in an area cleared by a disturbance (fire, floods, humans) Plants and animals from surrounding areas reinvade the area Starts with pre-existing soil An example of secondary succession: Abandoned agricultural fields in the eastern United States return to deciduous forests
free-market (capitalistic) economy
occurs with democracy
Commensalism
one benefits, the other is not affected orchids live on trees but do not harm them
Amensalism
one is unaffected, the other is harmed black walnut tree chemicals can kill other plants
Predation
one member benefits the other is harmed
Survival of the fittest
one of the forces in nature leading to evolutionary changes in a species -individuals in a competing group that survive and reproduce show superior fitness to the environment
Respiration
organic molecules are broken down inside each cell -produces energy -the revers photosynthesis -oxygen taken in through lungs -occurs in plants and animals
Predator
organism that does the feeding
Prey
organism that is fed on
chemical energy
potential energy contained in chemical and fuels
Natural law
principles by which we can define and predict the behavior of matter and energy -trying to make something work contrary to the natural law is failure
R-Strategies
produce lots of young but leave their survival to nature -results in low recruitment -rapid reproduction, rapid movement, short life span -adapted to a rapidly changing environment -boom and bust populations -weedy or opportunistic species, usually small -housefly, dandelion, cockroach
Autotrophs
produce organic material from inorganic matter by using an external energy source Also referred to as producers Green plants, some single-celled organisms and chemosynthetic bacteria
Net GDP
production of goods and services minus capital depreciation
Primary Production
production of organic matter through photosynthesis and growth of producers
Life history
progression of changes in an organisms life -age at first reproduction length of life -visualized in a survivorship curve
The interplay of environmental resistance and biotic potential drives what 2 reproductive strategies?
r-strategies and k-strategies
What do chemical reactions do?
rearrange atoms to form different kinds of matter
what is the 4 stages of policy life cycle?
recognition, formulation, implementation, and control
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
reports its assessment of climate change every 5 years -The Fourth Assessment Report -input from thousand of experts and hundreds of authors
Carnivores
secondary consumers or higher order meat eaters
What do higher HDI values show?
show progress has been made -but high population growth and fertility rates still plague many developing countries
What do the compounds contain?
six key elements -carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur
economic system
social and legal arrangements people construct to satisfy their wants and needs -improve well being
Chemosynthesis
some bacteria use energy in inorganic chemicals To form organic matter from CO2 and H2O
logistic growth
some process slows growth so it levels off near carrying capacity -results in an S-shaped curve
Second law of Thermodynamics
some usable energy is lost in an energy conversion
Competitive exclusion principle
species cannot survive if they compete directly in many aspects
Carbon Cycle
starts with the reservoir of carbon dioxide in the air -becomes organic molecules in organisms -Carbon is retired by plants and animals into the air or is deposited in soil as detritus(dead organisms)
Recruitment
survival through early growth stages to become part of a breeding population -Young must survive and reproduce to have any effect on population size
What do biomes describe
terrestrial systems -aquatic and wetland ecosystem are determined by depth, salinity, and permanence of water
energy
the ability to move matter -heat energy in a substance measures the movement of atoms and molecules in matter
Calorie
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree celsius
Environmental Resistance
the biotic and abiotic factors that limit a populations increase -Biotic = predators parasites competitors lack of food - Abiotic = unusual temperatures, moisture, light, salinity, pH, lack of nutrients, fire -Can also lower reproduction
Model
the compilation of multiple observations that show how a natural system works
J curve
the curve of exponential growth -under unlimited conditions organisms with a high "r" have rapid population growth -Such growth is called an "EXPLOSION"
Biomass Pyramid
the different levels of producer and consumer mass
Resource Partitioning
the division of a resource and specialization in diff. parts of it -intense competition divides resources even further
range of tolerance
the entire range allowing growth
Climax Ecosystems
the final stage of succession Even these communities can change if new species are introduced or old ones are removed Patches of disturbance open space for new growth Adjoining ecosystems in the same environment can be at different successional stages
Biotic community
the grouping of populations in an area -all vegetation, animals, and microscopic organisms -it is determined by Abiotic (nonliving chemical and physical) factors (water, climate, salinity, soil)
limits of tolerance
the high and low end of the range of tolerance
What must be considered as part of the nations wealth?
the market value of natural assets an services must be considered
Carrying Capacity
the maximum population of species a habitat can support without being ruined
critical number
the minimum population base allowing the survival and recovery of a population -the group is necessary to provide critical interactions between members -If pop. falls below this number surviving becomes more vulnerable, breeding fails, extinction is almost inevitable
Biotic Potential
the number of offspring produced under ideal conditions -Measured by "r" (the rate at which organisms reproduce) -Varies tremendously from less than 1 birth/year to millions/year
The Regulatory Right to Know Act
the office of management and budget must report to congress -estimates costs and benefits of federal rules -do benefits and regulations exceed the cost?
Energy changes..?
the position or state of matter -explosive releases energy that causes matter to move -heating water causes to boil and change state
Policy Life Cycle
the predictable course of policy development in democratic societies
economic production
the process of converting the natural world to the manufactured world -resources from the environment are transformed by labor capital -resources reenter the environment as waste
Primary Succession
the process of initial invasion and progression from one community to another Occurs in an area lacking plants and soil (e.g., a retreating glacier)
Natural Selection
the process of specific traits favoring survival of certain individuals
economics
the social science that deals with -the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services -the theory and management of economies or economic systems
ecology
the study of all processes influencing -the distribution and abundance of organisms -interactions between living things and the enviornment
Niche
the sum of all conditions and resources under which a species can live -what the animal eats, where it feeds and lives, how it responds to abiotic factors -Species coexist in an area but have separate niches
Biomass
the total combined (net dry) weight of organisms Each higher trophic level has about 90% less biomass If one acre of grassland has 907 kg (2,000 lbs) It has 90.7 kg (200 lbs) of herbivores It has 9.7 kg (20 lbs) of primary carnivores
Ecological Succession
transition from one biotic community to another Pioneer species: colonize a newly opened area first Species can create conditions favorable to other species and less favorable to them
Symbiosis
two species live close to each other
Risks of losing biodiversity
we threaten well-being when we diminish biodiversity -it is the mainstay of agricultural crops and medicines -helps maintain natural systems(enabling them to recover after a disturbance) -provides essential goods and services -Aesthetic and moral arguments for biodiversity
Sulfur enters the by
weathering of rocks, volcanic activity, fossil fuels burning, mining of metals
Population density of a species is greatest
where all conditions are optimal
centrally planned economy
with dictatorship
