04 - Environmental Science Methods Flashcards
building block of sugars and proteins. Found in animal waste & gas. Sink is in atmosphere, principal reservoir is ~700 G tonnes (as CO2), rock calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Carbon
circulation of water through bodies of water, the atmosphere, and land
Hydrological Cycle
study of phenomena through systematic data collection, testable predictions
Science
biology (ecology, botany, zoology), geology, geography (climatology), etc. are examples of?
natural science
Viewing the environment as a source and spirit. Ecosystem understanding from long term local experiential knowledge of a people through oral communication
Indigenous World View
complex, interacting, planetary conditions necessary for life. The cryosphere is the frozen portion of this.
Ecosphere
gaseous gravitationally bound thin veil, from outgassing and biotic action. Involved in weather, climate, & the distribution of life.
Atmosphere
waters in all realms (oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, and atmospheric water vapor), 1.36 billion km3, and the cryosphere (frozen matter)
Hydrosphere
The rigid outer layer of Earth. Consisting of the crust and upper mantle, and it includes the solid landmasses, oceanic crust, and the top portion of the mantle.
Lithosphere
The zone of earth where life exists. physical and chemical factors forming life, interconnected, web-spanning spheres
zone of living matter on Earth (animals, plants, bacteria, etc. in soil, water, air, …)
Biosphere
HALEB
H - Hydrosphere
A - Atmosphere
L - Lithosphere
E- Ecosphere
B - Biosphere
energy cannot be created or destroyed, merely changed
Law of Conservation of Energy
Energy that is diffused/dispersed/difficult to gather, cool, most energies available to us
low-quality energy
total energy of all moving atoms in a substance
heat
energy that is easy to use but disperses quickly, e.g., hot fire, burning coal/gasoline
high-quality energy
energy transformations decrease the quality of usable energy (can be seen in food chain)
law of entropy
amount of energy in a system that is not available to do work. Its the measure of disorder/randomness of a system
Entropy
classification of organisms in a community according to feeding relationships first trophic level includes green plants, second level includes herbivores, etc.
Trophic Level
Producer VS Consumer
The producer is an autotroph capable of synthesizing organic material while a consumer is an organism consuming others for food. Phototroph is an example of a producer that makes food through photosynthesis
Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Consumers
Primary: First consuming organism in a food chain (rabbits eating grass)
Secondary: second consuming organism in a food chain (wolves eating rabbits)
Tertiary: organism at the top trophic level that consumes other organisms
Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore
Herbivore: eats plants (primary consumer)
Carnivore: eats meat
Omnivore: both
digest organic debris outside their body, absorb/release nutrients in the process
decomposer
organism that feeds on other organisms
heterotroph
super-predator, top of the food chain, e.g., big cats, raptors
Apex Predator
nutrient/energy pathway in an ecosystem, from producer to consumer
food chain
energy transfer among organisms directly dependent on solar radiation. Transfer of energy from plants (producers) to herbivores then to carnivores
grazing food chain
nutrient/energy pathway source of dead plant/animal and wastes
Decomposer Food Chain
organic waste, e.g., fallen leaves
Detritus
Complex intermeshing of food chains in an ecosystem
Food Web
Gross Primary Productivity, Net Primary Productivity, Net Community Productivity
GPP: total of energy produced by autotrophs (can produce their own food) over a time period
NPP: pFor lants, GPP minus energy used during cellular respiration
NCP: biomass rate of accumulation (respiration and predation)
flooded coastal region inlet or stream mouth where salt water and fresh water mix
Estuary
