Environmental Science Final

Front 1

ecology

Back 1

how living things interact w/each other and their nonliving environment

Front 2

agriculture

Back 2

practice of growing, breeding, caring for plants/animals that are used for food etc

Front 3

closed system

Back 3

the only thing that enters the atmosphere in large amounts is sun’s energy. only thing that leaves is heat.

Front 4

natural resource

Back 4

any natural material used by humans

Front 5

renewable resource

Back 5

can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes

Front 6

nonrenewable resource

Back 6

forms at a much slower rate than the rate it is consumed

Front 7

resouces are depleted when

Back 7

a large fraction of the resource has been used up

Front 8

pollution

Back 8

an undesired change in air, water/soil that adversely affects the health survival or activities of humans/organisms

Front 9

biodegradable pollutants

Back 9

can be broken down by natural processes ( ie newspapers, sewage)

Front 10

when are degradable pollutants a problem

Back 10

when the accumulate faster than they can be broken down into

Front 11

nondegradable pollutants

Back 11

pollutants that cannot be broken down by natural processes

Front 12

biodiversity

Back 12

number and variety of species that live in an area

Front 13

Tragedy of the Commons, Thomas Hardin

Back 13

argued the main difficulty in solving environmental problems is the conflict between the short-term interests of individuals & long term welfare of society. People more likely to take better care of their own property rather than public.

Front 14

law of supply and demand

Back 14

more demand= worth more

Front 15

cost-benefit analysis

Back 15

balances the cost of an action against the benefits

Front 16

developed nations us _____% of the world’s resources but makes up ___20% of the world population

Back 16

75, 20

Front 17

ecological footprint

Back 17

hows the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country

Front 18

sustainability

Back 18

condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely

Front 19

observation

Back 19

a piece of information we gather using our senses

Front 20

hypothesis

Back 20

testable explanation for an observation

Front 21

prediction

Back 21

logical statement about what might happen if the hypothesis is correct

Front 22

experiment

Back 22

procedure designed to test a hypothesis under controlled conditions

Front 23

variable

Back 23

factor of interest

Front 24

experimental group

Back 24

group that receives experimental treatment

Front 25

control group

Back 25

group that doesn’t get experimented on

Front 26

data

Back 26

information a scientist gathers during an experiment

Front 27

5 types species interactions

Back 27

mutualism
commencialism
symbiosis- at least 1 benefits
predation
parasitism

Front 28

commencialism

Back 28

one benefits, other unharmed

Front 29

dispersion

Back 29

relative distribution of indiv's in given amnt space

Front 30

growth rate

Back 30

births minus deaths

Front 31

mutualism

Back 31

both benefit

Front 32

reproductive potential

Back 32

max # of offspring each member of pop may produce

Front 33

generation time

Back 33

avg amount of time it takes for each species to reach reproduction age

Front 34

limiting resource

Back 34

resource used at same rate ecosystem produces it

Front 35

niche restriction

Back 35

each species uses less of the niche they're capable of using

Front 36

explain experimental method

Back 36

1) observe
2) form hypothesis
3) perform experiment
4) interpret data
5) repeat experiment
6) communicate results

Front 37

describe earth's layers

Back 37

1) lithosphere- tectonic plates
2) asthenosphere- mantle rock, tectonic plates float
3)mesosphere
4) outer core
5) inner core

Front 38

describe layers of atmosphere from farthest to nearest

Back 38

4) thermosphere- ionosphere, absorb radiation
3) mesosphere- coldest
2) stratosphere- temp rises w/altitude...ozone layer
1) troposphere- weather, temp decs w/alt

Front 39

3 ways energy from sun reaches Earth

Back 39

1) conduction- heat source touching something colder to transfer energy
2) radiation- energy transferred across space
3) convection- heat w/aircurrents

Front 40

solar energy reaches the Earth thru

Back 40

electromagnetic radiation

Front 41

pack ice

Back 41

forms when winds/waves drive together frozen seawater into a large mass

Front 42

how does ocean regulate earth temperature

Back 42

absorb and store energy from sunlight

absorbs over 1/2 solar radiation reaching earth

absorbs and releases energy more slowly than land

Front 43

a little more than ____% of all water on Earth is

Back 43

freshwater

Front 44

groundwater is less than ___5 of all water

Back 44

1%

Front 45

land surface where water enters aquifer

Back 45

recharge zone

Front 46

biosphere

Back 46

narrow layer around earth's surface where life can exist

Front 47

in a closed system...

vs open system

Back 47

only energy enters environment

open system: both matter and energy exchange between system + surrounding environ

Front 48

ecosystem

Back 48

all of the organisms living in an area tog w/their phys environment

Front 49

5 basic components ecosystem

Back 49

energy
mineral nutrients
water
living organisms
oxygen

Front 50

biotic factors

Back 50

living and once living parts of ecosystem

Front 51

population

Back 51

all members of same species living in ecosystem at the same time

Front 52

community

Back 52

group of various species that live in same plae and interact

Front 53

natural selection

Back 53

unequal survival and reproduction that results from having/lacking specific traits

Front 54

evolution

Back 54

change in genetic characteristics from one generation to the next

Front 55

adaptation

Back 55

inherited trait increasing chance of suvival

Front 56

name the 6 different kingdoms

Back 56

archaebacteria
eubacteria
plants
protists
animals
fungi

Front 57

how many cells do bacteria have

Back 57

1

Front 58

archaebacteria

Back 58

single celled
no nuclei
reproduce by dividing in 1/2
harsh environments


ex methanogens, extreme thermophiles

Front 59

eubacteria

Back 59

single celled
lack cell nuclei
reproduce by diving in 1/2
common

proteobacteria, cyanobacteria

Front 60

fungi

Back 60

absorb food thru body surface
usually on land
have cell walls

yeast, mushroom, rust

Front 61

protists

Back 61

most single celled
most in water

seaweed, algae (phytoplankton)

Front 62

plants

Back 62

many cells, cell walls, photosynthesis

Front 63

gymnosperms

Back 63

seeds not enclosed in fruit
thin leaves- less water loss
produce pollen (sperm)

Front 64

animals

Back 64

many cells
no cell walls
ingest food
land and water

Front 65

cellular respiration

Back 65

process of breaking down food to yield energy

cells absorb oxygen and use it to release energy from food

Front 66

bottom feeders get food from

Back 66

hydrogen sulfide

Front 67

what do nitrogen fixing bacteria do

where are they found

Back 67

fixes atmospheric nitrogen into chemical compounds

in nodules on the roots of plants called legumes

Front 68

gradual process of change and replacement of the types of species in a community

Back 68

ecological succession

Front 69

primary succession

Back 69

succession occuring in a place where no ecosystem has previously existed

Front 70

pioneer species

Back 70

the first organisms to colonize any newly available area

Front 71

old field succession

Back 71

secondary succession ex.

farmland abandoned...annual plants, preennials, shrubs, pine forest, mature oak forest...

small to big b/c bigger plants take away sun from smaller plants

Front 72

biome

Back 72

large region characterized by a specific CLIMATE and certain types of plant/animal COMMUNITIES

Front 73

plants determine ________

Back 73

plants determine organisms

Front 74

epiphytes

Back 74

plants that use entre tree surface as a place to live

Front 75

temperate rainforest
where
climate
forest floor

Back 75

N.Am, Aust, NZ
lots of precip, mod temp, high humidity
lush ferns

Front 76

temperate deciduous forest
where
climate
soil

Back 76

30 to 50 N lattitude
variety of seasons, lots of rain
rich

Front 77

taiga
where
climate
conifers

Back 77

N. Hemisphere
cold
waxy, thin- retain moisture
small- helps make snow fall off

Front 78

savanna
where
climate
plant adaptations

Back 78

Africa, W. India, N.Austrailia, sm pts of S.Am
wet+dry season
horiz root system, broad leaves to provide shelter, thorns

Front 79

temperate grassland
where
climate
soil+plants+animals

Back 79

interiors of continents (prairies- N.Am, steppes- Russia, pampas- S.Am)

mod precip

most fertile soil, prairie grass, wildflowers, dense root system, grazers

Front 80

chaparral
where
climate
plants+animals

Back 80

coastal areas w/Med climate; 30 degrees N/s equator

warm, dry summer; mild, wet winter

camouflage, scattered tree communities

Front 81

desert
where
climate
adaptations

Back 81

Sahara, Gobi (china), great basin (us)
less than 25cm precip
water nt deep (roots along surface), estivating (buryiing in ground +sleeping), thicky, fleshy leaves, wax coating (stop H2O loss), thick scaly skins

Front 82

tundra
where
climate
other features

Back 82

north of Arctic Circle
short summer
permafrost, bogs+swamps, shallow, wide roots, close to ground, migration, one of the most fragile

Front 83

wetland

Back 83

land that's periodically underwater

Front 84

freshwater vs marine

Back 84

freshwater: wetland,river,lake,pond

maine: marsh, swamp, coral reef, ocean

Front 85

what factors determine which organisms live in which areas of the water

Back 85

temperature, sunlight, oxygen, nutrients

Front 86

plankton

Back 86

organisms that float near ocean surface

zooplankton+phytoplankton

phytoplankton- make most of food

Front 87

eutrophication

Back 87

increased amount of nutrients in aquatic ecosystem

more plants+algae= more bacteria=less oxygen available= other orgs die

Front 88

eutrophic lake

Back 88

lake w/large amount of plant growth due to nutrients

Front 89

two main types of freshwater wetlands

Back 89

marshes- nonwoody plants (cattails)

swamps- woody plants (trees/shrubs)

Front 90

why are wetlands good?

Back 90

absorb pollution
prevent flooding- absorb extra water
fish spawning ground
wildlife home
recreation= fishing, photography

Front 91

freshwater marshes
where?

Back 91

southeastern US ie. Florida everglades

low, flat lands, little movement
reeds, rushs
nutrient rich benthic zone

Front 92

brackish marsh vs white salt marsh

Back 92

brackish- slightly salty

white salt- saltier

Front 93

freshwater swamp
what sort of land?
animals

Back 93

flat, poorly drained, often near stream
woody plants
amphibians, American alligator

Front 94

rhizod

Back 94

rootlike structures that anchor mosses to rocks

Front 95

river old vs young

Back 95

young-mostly mountain snow melt, cold+full of oxygen


later wider,warmer, slower, less oxygen

Front 96

estuaries
define
what must orgs tolerate
why are ports prevalent on estuaries?

Back 96

where river freshwater mixes with ocean salt water

nutrients fall to bottom

tolerate change sin salinity

protected harbour, ocean access, river connection....ie NYC, Shanghai, Bombay

Front 97

salt marshes
where?
what do they do?

Back 97

shoreline gulf of Mex, Atlantic coast of US

develop in estuaries where rivers deposit mineral rich mud

absorb pollutants, protect inland areas

Front 98

where are mangrove swamps found

Back 98

swamps along coasts of trop+ subtropical areas

warm

Front 99

barrier islands

Back 99

typically parallel to shore

protect mainland and coastal wetland

Front 100

how are coral reefs made

Back 100

coral polyps secrete limestone which accumulates.

Front 101

where are coral reefs found

Back 101

clear, warm saltwater w/light

shallow tropical seas

Front 102

biotic potential

Back 102

fastest rate populations may grow

Front 103

carrying capacity

Back 103

max population an ecosystem can support indefinitely

Front 104

four stages of demographic transition

Back 104

1.preindustrial
2.transitional- better hygiene,edu,nutrition
3. industrial
birthrate stabilizes bt larger pop
4. post industrial
birthrate drops below replacement level

Front 105

infrastructure

Back 105

basic facilities that support a community

Front 106

what do ppl need to live

Back 106

clean water
burnable fuel
land

Front 107

arable land

Back 107

land that can be used to grow crops

Front 108

species diversity

Back 108

difference btwn populations of species and diff species

Front 109

ecosystem diversity

Back 109

variety of habitats, communities, ecological processes within and btwn ecosystems

Front 110

genetic diversity

Back 110

all the different genes in memers of a population

Front 111

germ plasm

Back 111

any form of genetic material

Front 112

habitat conservation plan

Back 112

attempts to protect species across large areas of land thru trade offs/cooperation