1. notes and revision Flashcards
evs
belief system that shapes the way one thinks
cornucopians
technocentrics that believe in the abundance of natural resources and the capacity of human ingenuity to overcome environmental limits.
differences between
ecocentrics
antropocentrics
technocentrics
Nature centrered
human centered
technology centered cornupians
The ecocentric worldview – **puts ecology and nature as central ** to humanity and emphasizes a less materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies.
●➔ The anthropocentric worldview – believes humans must sustainably manage the global system. This might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulation and legislation. Is human- centred – in which humans are not dependent on nature but nature is there to benefit humankind.
●➔ The technocentric worldview – believes that technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems. Environmental managers are technocentrists. Extreme technocentrists are cornucopians.
system
a collection of parts forming a functioning whole
synergy
the emerging of new properties from a system
open system
example
lets exchange of energy and matter eg forest
closed system
example
energy in but not matter in or out eg biosphere
isolated system
lets no matter or energy in and out. eg universe
transfer
Transfer refers to the movement of substances from one location to another
transformation
change in form or state of matter ie from liquid to gas
1st law of thermodynamics
energy can neither be created nor destroyed but can be converted from one form to another
feedback
this is when an output becomes an input of a system
2nd law of thermodynamics
entrophy increases overtime
entrophy is the measure of disorder in a system
equilibrium
“equilibrium” refers to a state of balance or stability in a system
1.
tiping point
negative feedback is overcome
positive feedback
system moves away from equilibrium
negative feedback
system moves towards equilibrium
factors affecting resiliance of a system
biodiversity
large population
climate
gaia hypothesis
the whole earth is an organism
resiliance
ability of a sysytem to return to its original state after a disturbance
EIAs
environmental impact assessments
assess the impacts of a project and mitigation strategies.
Millenium Ecosystem Assessment
acesses health of an ecosystem using environmental indicators
accessment using environmental indicators to find ways of conservivng theecosystem
uses science to access the environmental indicators to find ways of conservivng them eg using an indicator species to to find a disease and how to treat the population
pollution
this is the contamination of an environment with harmful substance that affects the health of organisms
acute pollutants
ocur for a short period of time
chronic pollutants
occur over a long period of time
differentiate the two types of pollution
3 differentiating points
point source comes from a single source
point sources more easily identifiable (than non-point source)
point sources are more easily managed (than non-point source)
e.g. point source such as a sewage pipe/factory smokestack/drainage ditch;
non-point source comes from multiple/dispersed sources;
e.g. non-point source such as runoff of fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural
land/soil erosion from improperly managed construction sites/oil and toxic
chemicals from urban runoff/vehicle-exhaust emissions;
primary pollutant
pollutant that hasnt reacted with other chemicals/factors in the environment
secondary pollutant
pollutant that reacts with other factors/chemicals in the environment.
For a named water pollutant, evaluate two management strategies to maintain the
sustainability of water sources. [7 max]
use alternatives to fertilizers
restoration of waterbodies
Strategy:
use alternatives to fertilizers
Advantage:
stops pollution of resource at source;
can save money spent on e.g. fertilizers
Disadvantage:
can impact food resource productivity;
difficulty in changing people’s behaviour/lifestyle
Strategy:
restoration of ecosystems
Advantage:
community/biodiversity is restored;
will encourage further pollution management to sustain system;
Disadvantage:
high cost of restorative strategies;
full restoration is uncertain/takes time
