Environmental Science Midterm

Front 1

Environmental Science is the study of...

Back 1

How the natural world works; how the environment affects humans and vice versa

Front 2

Natural resources

Back 2

Substances and energy sources needed for survival

Front 3

Renewable resources

Back 3

Perpetually available; renew themselves over short periods of time

Front 4

Non-renewable resources

Back 4

Can be depleted

Front 5

Tragedy of the Commons (1968)

Back 5

Unregulated exploitation causes resource depletion; no one has the incentive to care for a resource; everyone takes what he or she can until the resources

Front 6

Ecological footprint

Back 6

The environmental impact of a person or population

Hint 6

We are using 30% more of the planets resources that are available on a sustainable basis!

Front 7

Environmentalism

Back 7

Environmental activism activism; a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world

Front 8

Observational (descriptive) science

Back 8

Scientists gather information about something not well known or that cannot be manipulated in experiments

Front 9

Hypothesis-driven science

Back 9

Research that precedes in a structured manner using experiments to test hypotheses through the scientific method

Front 10

The scientific method

Back 10

1) observation

2) questions

3) hypothesis

4) predictions

5) testing

6) results

Front 11

Theory

Back 11

A consistently supported hypothesis semicolon a widely accepted explanation of one or more cause-and-effect relationships

Front 12

Ethics

Back 12

The study of good and bad, right and wrong; the set of moral principles or values how the by a person or society that tells us how we ought to behave

Front 13

Environmental Ethics

Back 13

Application of ethical standards to relationships between human and non-human entities

Front 14

Anthropocentrism

Back 14

Only humans have rights; anything not providing benefit to people has no value

Front 15

Biocentrism

Back 15

Certain living things also have value; development is ALWAYS opposed; all life has ethical standing

Front 16

Ecocentrism

Back 16

Whole ecological systems have value; values the well-being of species, communities, or ecosystems; holistic

Front 17

Preservation Ethic

Back 17

Unspoiled nature should be protected for its own inherent value. We should protect our environment in a pristine state, because it promotes human happiness and fulfillment. *John Muir*

Front 18

Conservation Ethic

Back 18

Use natural resources wisely for the greatest good for the most people. Utilitarian standard that calls for prudent, efficient, and sustainable resource extraction and use. *Gifford Pinchot*

Front 19

Land Ethic

Back 19

Healthy ecological systems depend on protecting all parts. Humans should view themselves and the land as members of the same community. *Aldo Leopold*

Front 20

Ecofeminism

Back 20

The patriarchal (male-dominated) society is a root cause of both social and environmental problems

Front 21

Environmental Justice

Back 21

Involves the fair treatment of all people with respect to the environment, regardless of race, income, or ethnicity. The poor and minorities are exposed to more pollution, hazard, and environmental degradation.

Front 22

2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Back 22

The most comprehensive scientific assessment of the condition of the world's ecological systems.

*humans have drastically altered ecosystems. These changes have contributed to human well-being and economic development, but at a cost. Environmental degradation could get much worse. Degradation can be reversed, but it requires work.

Front 23

Sustainable development

Back 23

Using resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability of resources.

Front 24

Sustainability

Back 24

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs

Front 25

Ecosystems

Back 25

Integrated systems of living and nonliving parts in processes

Front 26

"systems thinking"

Back 26

Recognizes connections among the pieces of a larger integrated system

Front 27

Clean Water Act (1948)

Back 27

Establishes basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into water, and regulates quality standards for surface waters

Front 28

Rachel Carson "Silent Spring"

Back 28

Called attention to pesticides, especially DDT

Front 29

Safe Drinking Water Act (1974)

Back 29

EPA sets standards for drinking water quality

Front 30

Superfund Act (CERCLA) (1980)

Back 30

Managing clean up of the nation's worst hazardous waste sites and responds to local and national environmental emergencies

Front 31

Point source pollution

Back 31

Pollution from a specified location that can be regulated

Front 32

Sulfur dioxide

Back 32

Combustion of sulfur sulfur-containing fuel, especially coal; irritates respiratory tract; acid rain

Front 33

Nitrogen oxides

Back 33

Motor vehicle ; responsible for yellowish-brown smog; irritates respiratory tract; acid rain; contribute to ozone

Front 34

Ozone

Back 34

Produced by sunlight acting on other air pollutants; irritating to eyes and respiratory system; increases mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases

Front 35

Lead

Back 35

Damages nervous system, blood, and kidneys. Was used in leaded gasoline, banned in the 1980s. has decreased dramatically as an air pollutant.

Front 36

Endangered Species Act (1973)

Back 36

To protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend.

Front 37

Flint, Michigan

Back 37

Elevated levels of lead in drinking water because of use of old pipes and no testing of those pipes.

Front 38

Most abundant element in the universe?

Back 38

Hyrogen, Helium

Front 39

Most abundant element in Earth's crust?

Back 39

Oxygen, silicon

Front 40

Keeling Curve

Back 40

Measurement of CO2 on Earth

Front 41

Greenhouse Effect

Back 41

Earth's atmosphere traps more heat at Earth's surface

Front 42

Shortage of potable water

Back 42

<1% of water on earth is fresh water

Front 43

Arsenic

Back 43

#1 contaminant of concern by Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry

-lung, skin, bladder, cardiovascular, kidney, liver, neurological, reproductive, etc

Front 44

Bangladesh and Arsenic

Back 44

Largest poisoning of a population in history. 1970s tubewells installed to provide pure water to prevent morbidity. 1993 some aquifers contain naturally occurring arsenic at 50x maximum acceptable level. Now there's 30 million people at risk for severe health problems.

Front 45

Types of water pollutants...

Back 45

Pathogens, organic waste, chemical pollutants, sediments, nutrients, etc.

Front 46

Watersheds

Back 46

Areas that share a common drainage network

Front 47

Pathogens

Back 47

Most serious water pollutant. Related to poor sanitary conditions.

- typhoid fever, cholera, salmonellosis, diarrhea, infectious hepatitis, more.

Front 48

Sediments

Back 48

Rock, clay, anything a river is picking up as it moves through the landscape towards the ocean

Front 49

Gold King Mine Spill

Back 49

EPA disturbed a "soil plug" - 190 tons of solids (including several forms of toxic metals such as lead and arsenic) - low pH, high iron

Hint 49

Orange Rivers

Front 50

Soil is comprised of...

Back 50

Mineral and organic matter; contains living matter; can support vegetation

Front 51

Weathering

Back 51

Physical (1) and Chemical (2) alteration of rocks

Front 52

Physical Weathering

Back 52

Breakdown into smaller pieces of identical material

-frost action

-pressure release

-thermal

-salt crystal growth

-abrasion

-organic activity

Front 53

Chemical Weathering

Back 53

Chemical decomposition

-solution

-oxidation

-hydrolysis

-acid rain

Front 54

Processes of Soil Formation

Back 54

-Weathering

-decomposition and humification

-leaching

-translocation

-capillary action

Front 55

Hypoxia

Back 55

Too many nutrients, not enough oxygen/sunlight. Overgrowth (algal blooms)