Apes 2.5 - 2.7 Flashcards
Frequencies of natural disasters
Periodic (reg frequency), Episodic (irreg frequency), and Random
Resistance
Ability to remain unchanged when being subjected to disturbance
Resilience
Ability & rate of an ecosystem to recover from a disturbance and return to its pre-disturbed state
Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis
Species diversity is highest at intermediate level of disturbance
Metapopulations
Spatially distinct populations that are connected by occasional movements of individuals among them
Marine Mammal Protection Act
A 1972 US act to protect declining populations of marine mammals
Endangered species
A species that is in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future
Threatened species
Any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future
Convention on Biological Diversity
An international treaty to help protect biodiversity
Edge habitat
Habitat occurs where two different communities come together, typically forming an abrupt transition, such as where a grassy field meets a forest
Biosphere reserve
Protected area consisting of zones that vary in the amount of permissible human impact
Air Bubbles in Ancient Ice
Allows us to determine changes in greenhouse gas concentrations and temperatures over long periods by examining ancient ice
Positive feedback
The concentration of CO2 increases cause global temperature to increase too
Negative feedback
Increased plant growth decreases atmospheric CO2 levels
Three factors for descent with modification
Genes mutate, individuals survive & reproduce, populations evolve
Process/effects that have an impact on evolution
Earthquakes - isolate populations, and speciation.
Movement of continents - dispersal & speciation.
Asteroid - widespread extinction
Indicator species
Give early warning signs of damage or danger to a community
Keystone species
Have a larger impact on the community, if removed, than other species
Primary succession
Bare rock, right when new land is formed. Moss & lichens grow directly on rock
Point source
A distinct location from which pollution is directly produced
Secondary succession
Already established soil, but plant life removed due to disturbance.
Nonpoint source
A diffuse area that produces pollution
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
The amount of oxygen a quantity of water uses over a period of time at a specific temp. High BOD levels indicate water is polluted by wastewater
Eutrophication
A phenomenon in which a body of water becomes rich in nutrients
Cultural eutrophication
An increase in fertility in a body of water, the result of anthropogenic inputs of nutrients. More nutrients can lead to algal blooms, which deplete oxygen levels in water
Septic system
A relatively small and simple sewage treatment system, made up of a septic tank and a leach field, is often used for homes in rural areas
Septic tank
A large container that receives wastewaster from a house as part of a septic system
Sludge
Solid waste material from wastewater
Septage
A layer of fairly clear water found in the middle of a septic tank
Leach field
A component of a septic system, made up of underground pipes laid out below the surface of the ground
Manure lagoon
Human-made pone lined with rubber built to handle large quantities of manure produced by livestock
Sewage treatment plant
Great volumes of wastewater are handled by separating the sludge from the water and then using bacteria to break down both components
