Hsc 156 Exam #4

Front 1

What is acid disposition?

Back 1

Caused by sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides being released into the environment.
ex. coal burning power plans and motor vehicles.

Front 2

Explain the effects of acid rain.

Back 2

-leach nutrients in the ground
-kill nitrogen-fixing microorganisms that nourish plants
-kill fish
-release toxic metals

Front 3

What are acid rain controls?

Back 3

-fuel switching
-coal washing
-scrubbers
-fluidized bed combustion
-reduced consumption of electricity

Front 4

Describe the "greenhouse effect".

Back 4

Sun's rays strike the earth and some are converted to infrared radiation that is transmitted back into outer space.
Some of the infrared is absorbed by greenhouse gases insulating the earth.
More accumulations of greenhouse gases delays the release of infrared to outer space, leading to global warming.

Front 5

What are the greenhouse gases?

Back 5

-carbon dioxide
-water vapor
-methane
-nitrous oxide
-cfc's

Front 6

What is the role of CO2 in the greenhouse effect?

Back 6

-moderates the earths temperature
-without CO2 the earths temperature would be about 90 degrees cooler.
-increasing levels of CO2 will cause global warming

Front 7

Describe the major impacts of global warming.

Back 7

-diminishing crop yields
-loss of biodiversity
-rising sea levels
-human illness

Front 8

What was the Kyoto Protocol?

Back 8

In 1997, 161 nations met to discuss global warming. Required developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions >5%, exempted developing countries. Then in 2001, president Bush reversed his commitment to reducing emissions.

Front 9

Are there feasible alternatives to address the global warming concerns? what are they?

Back 9

Reduce CO2 emissions, walk or ride a bike, use public transit instead of driving, recycle.

Front 10

What is the ozone layer and where is it?
Is this good ozone or bad ozone?

Back 10

The ozone is generated in the stratosphere by the action of UV on O2. Amounts of ozone vary depending on location and season of the year. Most UV radiation is absorbed by the ozone layer. The existence of the ozone layer is of great biological significance.

Front 11

Explain the effects of destruction of ozone.

Back 11

-as CFC's are released into the sky, chlorine and bromine atoms convert ozone into oxygen, thus reducing the amount of ozone in the atmosphere
- then more UV penetrates the earth
- causes health effects, damages crops, and causes more smog

Front 12

What are UV health effects?

Back 12

-skin cancer
-damage immune system
-cataracts and eye blindness

Front 13

Discuss the problem with the "hole in the sky".

Back 13

The ozone layer is being destroyed by CFC's but Montreal Protocol is stabilizing it.

Front 14

What was the Policy Response-Montreal Protocol?

Back 14

The ozone layer being destroyed was a huge health threat, so it was aimed at controlling the chemicals responsible for the ozone layer depletion. Mostly CFC reduction, halt CFC's entirely by 1999.

Front 15

What are air pollutants?

Back 15

Substances in the atmosphere that have harmful effects on the environment and on animals, plants, and microbes.

Front 16

What is the difference between primary and secondary pollutants?

Back 16

Primary pollutants are released in a harmful form while secondary pollutants become hazardous after reactions in the air.

Front 17

Which source of air pollution is easiest to control?

Back 17

Particulates.
-phase out open burning refuse
-reduce particulates from industrial stacks to "no visible emissions"
-enforcement through permits

Front 18

What is an inversion?

Back 18

Warm air gets sandwiched between cold air, which prevents the warm air form rising and causing pollutants to stay near the ground.

Front 19

Describe the clean air act of 1970 and the amendments in 1990.

Back 19

Foundation of air pollution control efforts in the US, administered by the EPA. Calls for identifying the most widespread pollutants by setting ambient air standards.

Front 20

What are ambient air standards?

Back 20

Ambient air standards protect human health (primary) and protect materials, crops, climate, visibility, and personal comfort (secondary).

Front 21

What are two kinds of smog?

Back 21

Industrial smog- develops in urban areas.
Photochemical smog- mainly over cities, caused by chemical reactions in the sunlight.

Front 22

List some of the major air pollutants.

Back 22

-suspended particles
-VOC's
-carbon monoxide
-sulfur and nitrogen oxides
-ozone and other photochemical oxidants
-lead, mercury, and other heavy metals
-air toxics and radon

Front 23

What are the major sources of air pollutants in the US?

Back 23

-sulfur dioxide from burning fuel
-particulate matter sources (burning fuels, dust from ag. and construction and factory emissions)
-volatile organic compounds, primarily from factory emissions and transportation
-nitrogen oxides, from fuel burning and transportation
-carbon monoxide from transportation
-

Front 24

Describe the effects of air pollutants on humans.

Back 24

-chronic
-acute

Front 25

Describe effects of air pollutants on the environment.

Back 25

-plants can be effected by gaseous air pollutants, the ozone player and photochemical oxidants
-effect materials and aesthetics, walls windows, exposed surfaces and color change and material degradation

Front 26

What are pollution credits, there benefits and concerns?

Back 26

An industry is allowed to pollute so much based on past performance and if they pollute less they get a credit that can be sold to another company. The benefit is that companies try to pollute less since the credit can be sold, but the concerns are that the pollution will just be worse in some areas.

Front 27

Describe the progress on limiting air pollution from motor vehicles, and what is the main reason for the recent lack of progress.

Back 27

Catalytic converters on motor vehicles and mass transit or a bike. The main reason for lack of progress is Bush.

Front 28

What are some of the best ways to prevent air pollution?

Back 28

-cut fossil fuel use
-remove sulfur from coal
-covert coal to liquid fuel
-use more alternate energy sources
-use mass transit or bike

Front 29

Describe the problems with indoor air pollutants.

Back 29

Air inside often contains more pollution than outdoor air. Sources of indoor pollution are common household products like cigarettes, air fresheners, disinfectants, fuel powered heaters and moldy walls.

Front 30

What is radon?

Back 30

Natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water.
It is odorless, invisible, and tasteless.

Front 31

What are radon health risks?

Back 31

Radon has been linked with lung cancer.

Front 32

What is asbestos?

Back 32

Collective term for a group of six fibrous silicate minerals found almost worldwide.

Front 33

Describe asbestos abatement methods and which is now considered best.

Back 33

-encapsulation (best method)
-enclosure
-removal

Front 34

Lead as a toxic hazard, and what are some sources of lead exposure in the home?

Back 34

Lead interferes with blood cell formation, kidney damage, sterility, cause miscarriage, birth defects, cause injury to the central nervous system.
Lead is exposed in the home by glazed pottery, drinking water, house paint, and lead pipes and solder.

Front 35

What are some emerging problems with game animals?

Back 35

-more game animals are being killed on the road than by hunters
-in urbanized areas
-some animals have no predators but hunters
-cities have crossed the the line into the wild habitat and we can get diseases

Front 36

Describe the relationship between human and nonhuman populations.

Back 36

As the number of people increase the number of species left in the world decrease.

Front 37

What is an endangered species?

Back 37

A species that is in imminent danger of being extinct.

Front 38

What is a threatened species?

Back 38

A species judged to be in jeopardy, but not on the brink of extinction.

Front 39

What are the three major causes for extinction of animal species?

Back 39

-species intrusion (39%)
-hunting (23%)
-habitat destruction (36%)

Front 40

Habitat destruction is the most important factor for species destruction due to what four problems?

Back 40

-conversion: change from natural, cultivated, residential, or commercial
-fragmentation: remaining wild areas to small
-simplification: "managing" forests by removing dead trees, straiting steams
-population of habitat

Front 41

What was the Lacey Act of 1900?

Back 41

Basically prohibited the killing, selling, exporting, and importing of any prohibited species.
ex. Can't kill elephants for their ivory tusks.

Front 42

Describe the endangered species act of 1973.

Back 42

Endangered species must be put on a list and they are illegal to hunt and kill.

Front 43

What is the role of the US Fish and Wildlife Service in protecting endangered species?

Back 43

-list endangered or threatened species
-protect the habitat of endangered species
-certain species can not be hunted, killed, collected, or injured in the US

Front 44

What is the role of the National Marine Fisheries Service?

Back 44

Identifies and list endangered and threatened ocean species.

Front 45

What is the value of wild species?

Back 45

-Utilitarian (scientific value, agriculture, recreation, other commercial value)

-Intrinsic (wild species have value in their own right)

Front 46

What was CITES?

Back 46

A governing body that regulates international trade in and shipment of specified animal and plant products.
-prohibits trade with products of endangered species and list 675 species that can not be traded live or as wildlife products

Front 47

What is a renewable resource?

Back 47

Resource that replenish them selfs despite certain aspects being taken.

Front 48

Conservation

Back 48

Mange or regulate use so that it doesn't not exceed the capacity of the species or system to renew itself.

Front 49

Preservation

Back 49

Ensure the continuity of a species or system regardless of their potential utility.

Front 50

What is the Maximum Sustainable Yield?

Back 50

The highest possible use that the system can match its own rate of replacement or maintenance.

Front 51

Restoration

Back 51

Restoring natural systems that have been lost or damaged.

Front 52

The problem with aquatic wetlands.

Back 52

They are in danger from human activities.

Front 53

What is the commercial and ecological importance of forests?

Back 53

-lumber for houses
-biomass for fuel
-pulp for paper
(all worth about 300$ billion per year)

Front 54

What is the effect of road building on tropical rainforests?

Back 54

Provides access to previously unavailable forests, thus encouraging population migration and expansion.

Front 55

What is the status of forests resources and management in the US?

Back 55

Forests:
-cover 1/3 of the lower 48 states
-provide habitats for more than 80% of the country's wildlife
-most are threatened
-old growth forests have nearly disappeared

Front 56

What is the role of the US forest service?

Back 56

Manage 155 national forests.

Front 57

What reforms are needed for federal forests?

Back 57

-stop building roads in national forests
-reduce tree harvesting and wasting wood
-making sustaining biodiversity and ecological integrity the first priority of national forestry management

Front 58

What are some solutions for a sustainable forestry?

Back 58

-recycle paper to reduce the harvest of pulp-wood trees
-grow more timber on long rotations
-using road building and logging methods that minimize soil erosion and compaction

Front 59

What is the status of ocean ecosystems?

Back 59

-coral reefs, mangroves, and global fisheries are being endangered
-whales are still being hunted for research and many are endangered or threatened

Front 60

What is the importance of coral reefs and mangrove trees?

Back 60

-high biodiversity
-protect coastlines from storms and high waves
-nurseries for many fish species

Front 61

What is a debt. for nature swap?

Back 61

Developing countries that are in debt. agree to protect land instead of paying the money back. (1$ trillion dollars in loan)

Front 62

Explain the difference between "Wise Use" and "Private Trust".

Back 62

"Wise Use" is an environmental backlash that minimizes the extent of problems and encourages the exploitation of resources.

Trust-purchase or acquire land to remove it from use.