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59 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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1. Differentiate between three different types of economies (89).
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Subsistence – people survive on what they can gather or grow
Capitalist market – interaction between buyer and seller determines prices. Centrally planned economies. – government carefully plans resources. |
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2. What contribution did Adam Smith make to the field of economics?
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Smith felt that when people are free to pursue their own economic self-interest in a
competitive marketplace, the marketplace will behave as if guided by “an invisible hand” that leads their actions to benefit society as a whole. |
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3. What is meant by ‘cost-benefit’ analysis and how can it be used in environmental science?
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In this approach, economists
total up estimated costs for a proposed action and compare these to the sum of benefits estimated to result from the action. If benefits exceed costs, the action should be pursued Can be applied same way in economics just substitute environment for cash. |
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4. What is meant by ‘external costs’ and how does it relate to environmental issues?
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Costs of a transaction
that affect people other than the buyer or seller. ▶ Human health problems ▶Property damage ▶ Declines in desirable features of the environment, such as fewer fish in a stream ▶ Aesthetic damage, such as from air pollution or clear-cutting ▶Stress and anxiety experienced by people downstream or downwind from a pollution source ▶ Declining real estate values resulting from these problems |
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5. What causes economic growth to occur. How sustainable is economic growth?
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More people. Not very because more people more resources used.
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6. How does an ecological economist differ from a neoclassical economist?
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neoclassical economics examines the psychological factors underlying
consumer choices, Ecological economists view the economy based on environment. |
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7. There were 14 ecosystem services listed on page 95. Be able to identify them.
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Nutrient cycling
Cultural uses Waste treatment Disturbance regulation Water supply Food provision Gas regulation Water regulation Recreation Raw materials Climate regulation Erosion control Biological control Habitat provision Pollination Genetic resources Soil formation . |
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8. What is meant by market failure?
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occurs when
markets do not take into account the environment’s positive contributions to economies. |
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Who wrote ‘Tragedy of the Commons? How does it represent a metaphor for management of environmental
resources? |
Garret Harding. If everyone uses the land irresponsibly it will all be gone.
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10. Describe the three stages of US environmental policy. 98
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Promoted development
Encouraged conservation Responded to pollution |
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11. Who was Rachel Carson and what contribution did she make to the US environmental movement?
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American writer of silent spring and scientist. Book enlightened people about negative ecological and health effects of pesticides and industrial
chemicals |
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12. Differentiate between the three types of policy approaches to environmental issues. 106
Lawsuits in the courts |
Lawsuits in the courts
- individuals sued polluters one case at a time. Command and control policy - and agency prohibits certain actions Economic policy tools - political scienctists, economists, and policy makers aim to set regulations often motivation is financial. |
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3. What does the equation I=P x A xT represent?
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4. The total impact on the environment results fom populationXaffluence(how much stuff you got)X technology
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`What is meant by ‘doubling time’? What is the equation to calculate doubling time? Be able to do the calculation.
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take the number 70 and divide it by global population growth rate. you get population doubling rate.
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What is the purpose of demography?
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The study of human population. To determine how humans will impact earth and how human population itself will do.
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1. Cite the four ways populations change.
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Birth death,immigration and emigration.
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6. How does population growth affect ecosystems?
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The more people the faster and harsher the impact to an ecosystem.
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7. The United Nations predicted the trajectory of world population growth. What is the quantitative difference between the high fertility level and the lowest level? What might cause the fertility levels to change?
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poverty. education.
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9. What is meant by ‘demographic transition’? How is that achieved? `
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Economic and cultural transition. Education and ealth care
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10. Be able to interpret the histograms on p. 119 and identify the characteristics of those populations that are more susceptible to rapid growth.
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The model in which young or old people are on a scale. Those with the most young experience the fastest growth. Everyone is same is stable. And those with lots of old folks are decreasing.
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11. Identify the stages of demographic transition. How does each stage impact the environment? Which stage is responsible for the greatest growth? 123`
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Preindustrial stage. Old timey days. Birth and death was high. Needed lots of kids.
Industrial stage Post industrial stage |
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12. What is meant by ‘family planning’?
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Planning how many children one will have, birth control, etc.
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13. On page 129, there was a discussion about fertility decline in Bangladesh? What was attributed to this decline?
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free contraceptives.
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14. What is meant by the term famine?
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large scale hunger
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16. What characteristics of a country make it more susceptible to famine?
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The darker a soil. the more organic matter is in it. The absence of rocks is real important.
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17. What are soil horizons?
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layers of soil in the ground.
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1. Which horizon is most important for the production of food?
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A horizon or topsoil
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19. Describe the six characteristics of soil discussed in the powerpoint.
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O horizon - organic top litter layer
A horizon - topsoil B horizon - subsoil C horizon - Weathered parent material R horizon - rock (parent material) |
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20. How have modern farming techniques impacted erosional processes?
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Farmers now use specific methods to prevent erosion such as terracing
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21. What is desertification?
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Form of land degradation in which 10% or more of productivity is lost to erosion
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22. There are photographs on p. 142 depicting appropriate cultivation methods. Be able to discuss which one should be used in a given instance.`
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Crop rotation
Contour farming reduces erosion on hillsides Terracing Intercropping Shelterbelts No till farming |
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23. What is the primary reason a farmer would use a particular cultivation strategy?
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Because of the location of the land and to precent erosion
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24. What happens when fertilizers are over applied?
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it can pollute the crops.
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25. What problems have emerged due to inappropriate irrigation practices?
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Waterlogging – to much water drowns the plants
Salinization- salt accumulates in the soil |
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26. How does overgrazing affect the soil?
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It impedes plant growth and the replacement of biomass
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27. What is meant by the ‘green revolution’?
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Introduced farming techniques and technology into the agricultural world of developing nations
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28. Who was the ‘father of the green revolution’?
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Norman Borlaug
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29. What did the ‘father of the green revolution’ do that was so important?
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He introduced Mexican farmers to a new strain of wheat which was resistant to problems and grew the wheat production in mexico within two decades
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30. How does resistance to pesticides negatively impact the human population?
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Health risks. If it does this to pests, what will it eventually do to us?
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31. Discuss pesticide resistance in the context of gene flow?
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If a pest is resistant to a chemical and mates with another resistant insect it will be passed to their offspring.`
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What is IPM? What are the advantages relative to traditional methods of pesticide control?
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Integrated Pest Management. Resists pests in multiple ways.
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32. In what ways could biotechnology help increase the future of food? How could it impact food production?
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It could make crops so easy to grow… however the genes are patented and make farmers not want to grow it.
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32. What are the negative impacts of GM crops.
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Expensive to create. Not sure of their outcomes, patented genes.
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Differentiate between the four types of environmental hazards.
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physical
chemical biological cultural |
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What is ‘toxicology’?
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`The science that examines the effects of chemicals on humans and other organisms
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Describe the concept of ‘risk assessment’ in the context of exposure to environmental hazards.
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You have to weigh the costs. Which is greater the human development or the cost to the environment. If the cost to the environment is to high we have to say sorry can’t build a dam here.
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What are the two factors that relate to the severity of pollutant exposure?
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Dose and Duration`
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Differentiate between acute and chronic exposure.`
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Acute is for a short period of time. And chronic is for a long period of time.
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Identify the four health risk categories.
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Age
Gender Genetic predisposition Chronic health |
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What is meant by a ‘persistant’ pollutant?
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A pollutant that is ongoing and not going away
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Differentiate between bioaccumulation and biomagnifications
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bioaccumulation: fat and oil solubable toxicants accumulate in fatty tissues.
Bio magnification: each individual predator consumes many individuals from the trophic level beneath it, so with each step up the food chain, concentrations of toxicants become magnified. |
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How can toxic substances threaten ecosystem services?
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They pollute animals which either kills or destroys the cycle.
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What is a ‘threshold’ in the context of dose-response analysis?
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The amount of a chemical it takes to be harmful`
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Identify and describe the three dose response curves (218).
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Linear curve. The percent affected correlated with the dose.
Dose response curve with threshold: exists below which doses have no measurable effect. Unconventional dose response curve: not a straight line. U or J shaped. Show that the affects are complex. `` |
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How does endocrine disruption pose a challenge for toxicology?
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It affects hormones which affects reproduction
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Differentiate between perceived and actual risk.`
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Risk we think we might have versus the risk that is actually there.`
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How is the field of probability used in quantifying risk? 220
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It puts a number in perspective which helps us understand the risk.
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Differentiate between the two approaches for determining safety (222).`
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Innocent until proven guilty approach
Precautionary approach. In determining how safe a substance is. |
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What is the scope of the Toxic Substances Control Act?
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An act that regulats chemicals imported and or in the US.
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