Ch 7 Test Flashcards
what is an ecological footprints?
the total area of healthy land and water ecosystems needed to provide the resources you use
what does an ecological footprint refer to?
individual and population uses and their waste
- energy
- food
- water
- shelter
- sewage
- greenhouse gases
How does the average American’s ecological footprint compare to the global average?
4 times larger
how to researchers determine American average ecological footprint?
- calculated the footprint for a typical citizen & multiply that by the size of the population
when does an ecological deficit occur?
when the footprint of a population exceeds the biocapacity of the area available to that population
what adds to your footprint
- size of your house
- heating and cool in your house
- amount of clothing purchased
when the Great Acceleration occur?
the 1950s
what is the great acceleration often referred to as?
Age of Humans
what are anthromes?
human-altered biomes
- globally significant ecological patterns created by long-term interactions between humans and ecosystems
- anthro = human
What is true about carbon dioxide levels?
atmospheric levels have been increasing since the industrial revolution
how is most carbon dioxide released?
through burning fossil fuels
what is climate change?
measurable long-term changes in averages of temperature, clouds, winds, precipitation and frequency of extreme weather events
- may describe increasing # of tornados
- includes global warming
what is global warming?
an increase in average global temperatures
what is are the two destructive effects of CO2 in oceans?
- lower pH
- loss of carbonate ions
How does pH relate to the ocean acidity?
- higher pH = less acidic
- lower pH = more acidic
how does a loss of carbonate ions affect wildlife in oceans?
- animals have trouble building and maintaining body structures (shells)
what do healthy forests do for the environment?
- protect fresh water
- absorb carbon dioxide
- moderate climate
what can soil erosion cause in mountain ranges?
mudslides that affect water quality in waterways
what part of deforestation can slow down/stop succession?
- slow = grazing and plowing
- stop = clearing for agriculture and destroying microbial communities
what do we consider old-growth forests?
non-renewable
what is monoculture?
involves planting large areas with a single highly productive crop year after year
what does monoculture enable?
efficient sowing, tending and harvesting of crops using machines
- impacts fresh water and fertile soil
what do dense communities produce and what can it effect?
large amounts of waste
- air, water, and soil resources
what is habitat loss?
when natural habitats are completely changed, species that once lived in the area can be lost due to human development
what is habitat fragmentation?
causes biodiversity loss and makes ecosystems more vulnerable to other disturbances
what is habitat restoration?
ecological restoration recreates conditions that resemble an ecosystem that previously exists
what can happen to organisms introduced to new habitats?
they can become invasive and threaten biodiversity
- carried there by human trade and travel
what are CFCs?
industrially produced gases
- banned for their impact on the ozone layer
what were CFCs used in and what was the impact?
- used as propellants in aerosol cans or coolants in refrigerators
- remain in atmosphere for a long time affecting the ozone layer
what is a pollutant?
a harmful material that can enter the biosphere
what is point source pollution?
when pollutants enter water supply through a single source
example: factories
what is a nonpoint source?
when pollutants enter water supplies from small sources
- examples: cars
what does biological magnification occur with?
DDT, mercury and PCB
- once ingested, it is not broken down or eliminated but collected in the body tissues
what is the relationship between the food chain, pollutants and trophic levels?
in a food chain, the concentration of a pollutant INCREASES as the number of organisms at a trophic level DECREASES
what does data show about climate change?
both the atmosphere and oceans have been warming
- sea levels are rising
- artic ice is melting
what is IPCC?
- 2014 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- an international organization established to provide the best scientific info on climate change
what information does the IPCC contain?
the data agreed upon by 2,500 climate scientists around the world
what happens as permafrost thaws?
plants and animals that were frozen in the ground begin to decay and release carbon dioxide and methane back into the environment
what is sustainable development?
using resources in ways that preserve ecosystem services
- recognizes the links between ecology and economics
how many goals has the united nations set for sustainable development and what do the goals aim for?
- 17 goals
- not only enable people to survive but improve their situtation
what is a renewable resource?
a resource that can be produced by a healthy ecosystem
example of a renewable resource?
- water
- single tree
what is a nonrenewable resource?
a resource that cannot be replenished or replaced by a natural process
example: fossil fuels
what is resilience?
the ability to deal with change
