BISC Final Exam Flashcards
Ecological Diversity
(Habitat or Ecosystem) - variety and degree of intricacy and interconnectedness of biotic and abiotic components within a given area (types of habitats, ecological niches, etc.)
Species Diversity
number of different types of organisms within an ecosystem
Genetic Diversity
variety of different versions of the same genes (alleles) within all the individuals of a population
- Food (Biodiversity)
Estimated 80,000 edible wild plant species + thousands of animal species & only a fraction cultivated or domesticated
Crops are the major food/nutrient source for the world (wheat, rice, corn & soy > 70% of world’s caloric intake
- Medicines (Biodiversity)
Lots of drugs used in the medical world are natural products even some antibiotics
- Cultural & Aesthetic
Biodiversity
Wildlife recreation adds >100
billion to U.S. economy annually
80 million people watch, photo,
feed + 40 million hunt & fish
Ecotourism supports state &
national economies- Ecological Benefits
Biodiversity = Ecosystem or Species Stability
Ability of ecosystem/species to withstand stress or loss of species/individuals
HIPPO due to human impact
H abitat Loss & Fragmentation I nvasive & Exotic Species Introductions P ollution P opulation Growth (Human) O verharvesting
Habitat Loss & Fragmentation
Clearing forest for resources/development
Conversion of grasslands to agriculture
Fragmentation is the division and reduction of habitat into small, isolated patches
Invasive & Exotic Species
Successful exotic and invasive species tend to be generalist, opportunistic species, such as rodents, weeds, insects, etc.
Many ecologists consider exotic and
invasive species the most pressing
hazard for biological communities in
the coming century
Pollution
Dichlorodiphenyltri-chloroethane (DDT), Polychlorinated Biphenyl’s (PCBs), & Lead Shot
Sedimentation, Terrestrial Runoff + CO2
Population Growth(Human)
World Population - 7.53 Billion People 75-80 Million Added per Year (1.1% Annual Increase) U.S. Population - 329 Million People (4.4% of World Population)
Over-harvesting
Animal products including horns, skulls and genitalia sold on black market as food, clothing, aphrodisiacs, etc.
About 75% of all saltwater tropical aquarium fish sold come from coral reefs of the Philippines and Indonesia, where they are commonly caught with dynamite or cyanide
Current Ideology on Preserving Biodiversity
- Shift toward Proactive instead of Reactive preservation of natural resources
- Focused beyond the Species Level of the “Organization of Life”
- Management Based on Ecological Designations and at Landscape Levels
- Planning for Centuries or In Perpetuity
- Supportive of Sustainable Development
U.S. National Park System
418 national parks, monuments, historic sites, and rec. areas
Total size - 85 million acres
331+ mil. visitors/yr
Human Demand Problems (Park)
Overcrowding & Visitor Demands for Facilities
Pollution, Noise and Environmental Degradation from Motorized Vehicles
Mining and Oil Interests Pressure for Drilling Rights (Texas Padre Island National Seashore, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Alaska Parks?)
Development Pressures at Boundaries
Wildlife Issues(Park)
Elimination and/or Reintroduction of Predators
Controlling excessive herds via Hunting
Increased human/animal interaction; nuisance animals or people?
Control of Exotic & Invasive Species
SLOSS Debate & Corridors
SLOSS debate - is it better to have Single Large Or Several Small preserves
Connecting blocks of Natural Habitat via Corridors
Single Large (Benefits)
- More Core Habitat & Less Edge
- Support Viable Populations of Area Sensitive Species
- Support Ecosystem Processes & Functions
- Provide Landscape Level Diversity
Several Small (Benefits)
- Benefit Species with Small Territories
- Insurance Against Disease, Calamity & Habitat Loss
- Provide Local Diversity
- Easier to Establish in Human Dominated Landscapes
Wilderness Areas
place of undeveloped land affected primarily by the forces of nature, where ecological processes and functions are uninterrupted by human impacts
Primarily located in Western U.S. & Alaska
Wildlife Refuges
Troubled system for wildlife preservation in U.S. centered on game species management
About 60% of all refuges ALLOW activities that are harmful to wildlife including timber harvesting, cattle grazing, haying, oil drilling, motor-vehicle recreation, & military exercises
More than 75% of U.S. refuges have water pollution problems
Ecotourism
- conservation/preservation of natural resources for adventure travel, exploration, and education
- Provides an option for native people to conserve/preserve resources while at the same time generating income
United Nations Educational, Scientific, & Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Core Area = Critical Species & Ecologically Functioning Systems; Limited Scientific Study
- “Pristine” Buffer Zone = Research Facilities & Ecotourism
- Peripheral Multiple-use Area(s) = Sustainable Resource Use & Habitation
Troposphere (Atmosphere)
5-11 miles
Air temp drops w/ altitude
Gravity holds air close to earth (75% atmosphere mass)
Horizontal & vertical convection currents distribute heat + moisture = weather
Stratosphere (Atmosphere)
next 20 miles
Similar to troposphere (diluted, no water, 1000x O3, & calm)
Mesosphere (Atmosphere)
next 20 miles
Thermosphere (Atmosphere)
begins at 50 miles
Ionized gasses heated by high energy cosmic & solar radiation
Ozone
Tropospheric O3
- Pollutant that is highly reactive and damages plant + animal tissues
Stratospheric O3
- Environmental Protector from skin cancer, genetic mutation, vegetation destruction (crop failure) by absorbing solar radiation (UV-A & UV-B radiation)
- Depleted by CFCs primarily over the poles (CFCs not produced there
1987 Montreal Protocol
international agreement to ban production of CFCs (Halogen containing pollutants e.g., Flourine, Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine) in developed and developing countries
Long Cycles
Ice Ages, Droughts
Caused by Milankovitch cycles (shifts in the earth’s orbit & axis), sunspot & radiation cycles, ocean currents
Short Term Changes
meteor impacts, volcanic eruptions & methane releases
