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86 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Define:
ENVIRONMENT |
circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or a group of organisms
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Define
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE |
the systematic study of our environment and our place in it
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Define
ECOLOGY |
study of organisms, the impact of the environment on them, and the impact on the environment
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The difference between inductive and deductive reasoning
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Inductive: discovers general principles
Deductive: use general principle as a 'guide' |
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Scientific Theory (Steps)
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1. Identify question
2. Form hyptohesis 3. Collect data 4. Interpret results 5. Report for peer review 6. Publish findings |
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Define
SCIENTIFIC THEORY |
an explanation supported by an overwhelming body of data and experience
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Define
NATURAL EXPERIMENT MANIPULATIVE EXPERIMENT (examples) |
Natural: cannot test hypothesis directly. (Study of mountain building)
Manipulative: chemicals affecting tadpoles |
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Define
PARADIGM |
overacting models of the world that guide our interpretation of events
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Define
PARADIGM SHIFT |
when majority of scientists accept that the old explanation no longer explains new observations very well
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Define
SOUND SCIENCE |
follows the principals outlined in this chapter for precision, reliability, reproductivity, and skepticism (Large body of peer-reviewed data)
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Major Causes of Environmental Degradation (2)
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-Population growth
-Resource extraction and use (burning fossil fuels) |
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Define
SUSTAINABILITY |
progress in human well-being that we can extend or prolong over many generations, rather than just a few years. We can argue it by making it available to everyone, not just priveledged groups.
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Define
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT |
amount of productive land required to support a person throughout their lifetime
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Define
MATTER |
everything that takes up space and has mass
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Define
ENERGY |
the capacity to do work
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Define
POTENTIAL ENERGY |
stored energy that is latent but available for use
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Define
KINETIC ENERGY |
the energy contained in moving objects
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Define
1st Law of Thermodynamics |
energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed
Ex: eating |
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Define
2nd Law of Thermodynamics |
Entropy: the tendency of all natural systems to move towards a state of increasing disorder
Ex: body breaking down sugar and turning it to energy |
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Define
ELEMENT |
substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical reaction
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Define
ATOM |
smallest particle that exhibits the characteristics of an element
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Define
MOLECULE |
a combination of two or more atoms
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Define
COMPOUND |
a molecule made up of two or more kinds of atoms held together by chemical bonds
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Define
IONIC BOND |
formed when one atoms gives up an electron to another atom
NaCl |
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Define
COVALENT BOND |
formed when two or more atoms share electrons
Water |
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Define
ACIDS (example) |
compounds that readily release hydrogen ions (H+) in water
Ex: battery acid |
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Define
BASES |
substances that readily take up hydrogen ions (H+) and release hydroxide ions (OH-) in solution
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Function of an ENZYME
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catalysts that speed up the rate of chemical reactions in living systems (biological system)
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Different trophic levels of a Community
(4) |
4. Territary Consumers (top carnivores
3. Secondary Consumer (carnivores) 2. Primary Consumer (heribivores) 1. Producers (photosynthetic plants, algae, bacteria) Consumers that feed at all levels-- parasites, scavengers, decomposers |
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Energy Pyramid
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.1%-- top carnivores
1.8%-- primary carnivores 16.1%-- herbivores 24.2%-- decomposers 100%-- producers (How energy is lost from one trophic level to another) (Organisms lose energy through waste and is stored in muscles) |
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WATER CYCLE
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supports life on earth . moisture is taken in by animals for respiration
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NITROGEN CYCLE
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amino acida, peptides, and proteins contain N and are essential for life
-78% of air contain nitrogen |
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PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
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comes from minerals-- responsible for providing energy for chemical reactions
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CARBON CYCLE
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-make up of organic molecules
-chemical bonds provide metabolic pathways -CO2 gets converted into carbon that is found in food. later it is recycled through organisms |
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Environmental factors that determine the survival of reproduction of a species.
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1. Temperature
2. Competitors 3. Food Availability 4. Shelter 5. Parasite |
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Define
ACCLIMATION ADAPTION |
changes in an individual due to non-permanent physiological modifications
Ex: climbing a mountain |
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Define
EVOLUTION ADAPTION |
gradual changes in a species due to changes in genetic material and consumption
Ex: monkeys |
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Define
NATURAL SELECTION |
genetic combinations best adapted for present environmental conditions that tend to become abundant
(fruit fly eyes) |
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Define
HABITAT |
place or set of environmental conditions in which a particular organism lives
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Define
ECOLOGICAL NICHE |
the role played by a species in a biological community how and organism make a living or its role in the colmmunity
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Organisms Role in Community
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-how it interacts with other organisms
-obtains food -deals with parasites -environmental tolerances -deals with competitors |
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Resource Partitioning
(why it occurs) |
occurs because overtime niches can evolve as species develop new strategies to exploit resources
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Define
LAW OF COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION |
no two species will occupy the same niche and compete for the same resources in the same habitat for very long
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COMMENSALISM SYMBIOSIS
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1 member benefits, other neither benefits nor harmed
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MUTUALISM SYMBIOSIS
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both members benefit
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PARASITISM SYMBIOSIS
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a form of predation where one species benefits and the other is harmed
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3 TYPES OF SYMBIOSIS
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Commensalism, Mutualism, Parasitism
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KEYSTONE SPECIES
(define and importance) |
species that play essential community roles.
-Important because these species provide to other organisms that they are so critical to whole communities Example: giant kelp |
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EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
(population) |
the unrestricted growth in a population (biotic population)
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CARRYING CAPACITY
(population) |
the max number of individuals of any species that can be supported by a particular ecosystem on a sustainable basis
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POPULATION OSCILLATIONS
(occurrence) |
predator and prey relationship.
When a prey decreases, predator will not have as much food and will die. When a predator dies the prey will reproduce a lot to rebuild population |
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R Selected and K selected
Life History -Growth, life-span, environment, # of offspring, parental care |
R: rapid growth, short life-span, transient environment, large number of offspring, no parental care.
K: slow growth, long life-span, stable environments, small number of offsprings, parental care |
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EDGE EFFECT
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the environmental biotic conditions at the edge of a habitat, associated with habitat fragmentation are generally detrimental to species diversity.
Ex: temp, moisture levels, predator species |
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CORE HABITAT
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interior area of habitat- habitat not impacted by edge effects- some species prefer core habitats.
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Causes of OVERPOPULATION (2)
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1. Resource depletion
2. Environmental degradation |
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Define
FECUNDITY |
physical ability to reproduce
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Define
FERTILITY |
the actual production of offspring
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Define
CRUDE BIRTH RATE |
number of births per year per thousand years
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Define
TOTAL FERTILITY RATE |
number of children born to an average woman during her reproductive life
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Define
ZERO POPULATION GROWTH |
occurs when births and immigration just equal death and emigration
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Define
PRONATALIST PRESSURES |
factors that increase peoples desire to have children
Ex: religion |
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Define
BIRTH REDUCTION PRESSURES |
factors that tend to reduce fertility
Ex: BC pill |
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OPTIMISTIC VIEW
(world population) |
world population will stabilize during this century
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PESSIMISTIC VIEW
(world population) |
poorer countries of the world are caught in a 'demographic trap'- helping poor countries will only further threaten the earths resources
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SOCIAL JUSTICE VIEW
(world population) |
overpopulation due to lack of justice, not resources
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Define
BIOMES |
are broadly defined life zones with similar environments
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Distribution of organisms mainly depend on... (2)
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Temperature and precipation
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3 Essential Types of Biodiversity
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genetic, species, ecological
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Define
GENETIC DIVERSITY |
variety of different versions of a species with the same genes (fish)
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Define
SPECIES DIVERSITY |
number of different kind of organisms within an ecosystem
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Define
ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY |
complexity of a biological community (number of niches, trophic levels)
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Define
HOTSPOTS |
where there is biodiversity and they are mainly located around the equator
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Benefits of Biodivesity
(4) and examples |
1. Food
2. Drugs/Medicines- fungus= penicillen 3. Ecological Benefits 4. Aesthetic & Cultural Benefits- bird watching =$29 mill to US economy |
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Define
EXTINCTION why is mass extinction a problem |
elimination of a species. Mass extinction is a problem now because humans are acceleration the process and we are losing thousands of species a year
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REDUCTIONS IN BIODIVERSITY
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1. Habitat destruction (building roads, dividing land
2. Hunting and fishing 3. Commercial products and live specimens 4. Predator and pest control 5. Exotic species introduction 6. Disease, pollution 7. Genetic assimilation |
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Define
BIOMES |
are broadly defined life zones with similar environments
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Distribution of organisms mainly depend on... (2)
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Temperature and precipation
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3 Essential Types of Biodiversity
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genetic, species, ecological
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Define
GENETIC DIVERSITY |
variety of different versions of a species with the same genes (fish)
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Define
SPECIES DIVERSITY |
number of different kind of organisms within an ecosystem
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Define
ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY |
complexity of a biological community (number of niches, trophic levels)
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Define
HOTSPOTS |
where there is biodiversity and they are mainly located around the equator
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Benefits of Biodivesity
(4) and examples |
1. Food
2. Drugs/Medicines- fungus= penicillen 3. Ecological Benefits 4. Aesthetic & Cultural Benefits- bird watching =$29 mill to US economy |
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Define
EXTINCTION why is mass extinction a problem |
elimination of a species. Mass extinction is a problem now because humans are acceleration the process and we are losing thousands of species a year
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REDUCTIONS IN BIODIVERSITY
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1. Habitat destruction (building roads, dividing land
2. Hunting and fishing 3. Commercial products and live specimens 4. Predator and pest control 5. Exotic species introduction 6. Disease, pollution 7. Genetic assimilation |
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PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY
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1. Hunting and fishing laws
2. Endangered species act 3. Recovery plans 4. Reintroduction of species 5. Minimum viable population 6. Pirate land and critical habitat 7. Reauthorization of the ESA 8. International wildlife threat |
