Ecology and Human Impacts on Earth's Systems Flashcards
The study of relationships between living things and their environment
Ecology
Scientific name of milfish (bangus)
Chanus chanus
ESWM stands for:
Ecological Solid Waste Management
A systematic administration of activities that provide for: segregation at source, segregated transportation, storage, transfer, processing, treatment
ESWM
Tons of garbage each day
432,000 tons
Percentage of garbage carted to landfills
80%
All discarded household, commercial waste, non-hazardous institutional and industrial
Solid waste
Biological solid waste that undergoes biological degradation under controlled condition (e.g., leftovers, seeds, twigs, branches, fruit and vegetable peelings)
Compostables waste
Any waste material retrieved from waste stream and free from contaminants that can still be converted into suitable and beneficial use (e.g., papers, plastics, glass, metal/aluminum)
Recyclable waste
Non-compostable or recyclable waste; disrupted ecologically through a long-term disposal facility or sanitary landfill (e.g., sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, worn out rugs, paints/thinners, household batteries, lead-acid batteries, spray canisters)
Residual
Household hazardous wastes
Special wastes
Special waste category comprising of radios, TV sets, etc.
Consumer electronics
Special waste category composing of stoves, refrigerators, etc.
White goods
6 R’s for solid waste management
Reduce, refuse, recycle, reuse, repair, rethink
A community of living organisms and their abiotic environment
Ecosystem
Factors that organisms compete for
Food, water, sunlight, space, and mineral nutrients
Least common ecosystem, occurring on only 1.8% of Earth’s surface
Freshwater ecosystems
The most common ecosystems, comprising 75% of Earth’s surface
Marine ecosystems
Percentage at which phytoplankton perform photsoynthesis on Earth
40%
A large-scale community of organisms, primarily defined on land by the dominant plant types that exist in geographic regions of the planet with similar climatic conditions
Biome
A dynamic state of an ecosystem in which biodiversity remains somewhat constant
Equilibrium
The ability of an ecosystem to remain at equilibrium in spite of disturbances
Resistance
The speed at which an ecosystem recovers equilibrium after being disturbed
Resilience
A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass os one organism eats another
Food chain
The levels in the food chain:
Producers, primary consumers, higher-level consumers, and decomposers
Also known as energy level in the food chain or food web
Trophic level
The base or foundation of the food chain consisting of photosynthetic organisms
Producers
Organisms that consume the producers that are herbivores
Primary consumers
Carnivores that ear primary consumers
Secondary consumers
Carnivores that eat other carnivores
Tertiary consumers
Organisms at the top of the food chain
Apex consumers
A concept that accounts for the multiple trophic (feeding) interactions between each species and the many species it may feed on
Food web
A food web that has plants or other photosynthetic organisms at its base, followed by herbivores and various carnivores
Grazing food web
Consists of a base of organisms that feed on decaying organic matter, including decomposers (break down dead and decaying organisms) and detritivores (consume organic detritus)
Detrial food web
Photosynthetic and chemosynthetic organisms capable of synthesizing their own food
Autotrophs
Photosynthetic autotrophs use sunlight as an energy source.
Photoautotrophs
Chemosynthetic autotrophs use inorganic molecules as an energy source.
Chemoautotrophs
The form in which photoautotrophs harness the Sun’s solar energy by converting it to chemical energy
ATP and NADP
Rate at which photosynthetic producers incorporate energy from the Sun
Gross primary productivity
The energy that remains in the producers after accounting for these organisms’ respiration and heat loss
Net primary productivity
The increasing concentration of persistent, toxic substances in organisms at each successive trophic level
Biomagnification
The six most common elements associated wit organic molecules:
Carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur
Geologic process that play a role in the cycling of elements on Earth
Weathering, erosion, water drainage, and the subduction of the continental plates
The recycling of inorganic matter between living organisms and their nonliving environment
Biogeochemical cycle
The area of the Earth where water movement and storage occurs
Hydrosphere
It is driven by the Sun’s energy as it warms the oceans and other surface waters.
Water cycle
Processes in the water cycle:
Evaporation and sublimation, condensation and precipitation, subsurface water flow, surface runoff and snowmelt, streamflow
A process where the plant will use some of the surface runoff for its own metabolism
Evapotranspiration
A significant reservoir of fresh water; exists in the pores between particles in sand and gravel
Groundwater
Major ways in which materials are cycled from land to water
Rain and surface runoff
The fourth most abundant element in living organisms
Carbon
The basic building block that autotrophs use to build multi-carbon, high-energy compounds, like glucose
Carbon dioxide
A byproduct of fixing carbon in organic compounds
Oxygen
Responsible for maintaining approximately 21 percent of the oxygen content of the atmosphere we observe today
Photosynthetic organisms
A process wherein heterotrophs acquire high-energy carbon compounds from the autotrophs by consuming and breaking them down
Respiration (to obtain cellular energy)
The most efficient type of respiration that requires oxygen obtained from the atmosphere or dissolved in water
Aerobic respiration
Where carbon is stored for long periods
Carbon reservoirs
Carbon is stored in soil as a result of the decomposition of living organisms.
Organic carbon
A resource either regenerated very slowly or not at all
Non-renewable
The movement of one tectonic plate beneath another in which carbon sediments from the ocean floor are taken deep within the Earth
Subduction
Ways though which nitrogen enters the living world
Free-living, symbiotic bacteria
Conversion of N2
Nitrogen fixation
Process that converts nitrogenous waste from living animals or from the remains of dead animals into ammonium by certain bacteria and fungi
Ammonification
Ammonium is then converted to nitrites through this process.
Nitrification
Occurs whereby bacteria convert the nitrates into nitrogen gas
Denitrification
A process whereby nutrient runoff causes the overgrowth of algae and a number of consequential problems
Eutrophication
A major component of nucleic acids and phospholipids, and as calcium phosphate
Phosphorus
Phosphate sources:
Volcanic ash, aerosols, mineral dust
An area in lakes and oceans near the mouths of rivers where large areas are periodically depleted of their normal flora and fauna
Dead zone
Found in the form of sulfur oxide (So2)
Atmospheric sulfur
Four major ways of depositing sulfur on land
Precipitation, direct fallout, rock weathering, geothermal vents
Sulfur falling directly from the atmosphere
Fallout
Dissolved form of sulfur when it rains
Sulfuric acid
Sulfur is released back into the atmosphere through this form.
Hydrogen sulfide
In this form, sulfur supports marine ecosystems.
Sulfates
A global issue resulting from the excessive use of artificial lights, which poses a threat to humans and animals.
Light pollution
A type of light pollution that happens when the brightness of a light is higher than the required brightness for the activity
Over illumination
Type of light pollution that interferes with our vision
Glare
The result of overly grouped bright lights
Light clutter
Usually can be seen in city areas where bright lights in crowded places reflect and brighten the sky
Skyglow
Any unwanted light affecting other areas where it is not needed
Light trespass
Caused by poor placement of light that can result in glares, light trespass, and light clutter
Poor planning
Results in an increase in demand for light
Overpopulation
Many people excessively use light even whot not needed.
Excessive use of light
Reflect lights from city areas, contributing to light pollution
Smog and clouds
Found in places with great traffic density particularly in metropolitan areas
Lights from motor vehicles
Affects people and causes light pollution in surrounding places
Nighttime lighting
The total amount of greenhouse gases we generate
Carbon footprint
Stated that there are 113 tons of hazardous waste produced every second
Ahsen Soomro
Refers to the presence on the land of any solid waste in such quantity, nature, and duration, as to endanger human health or welfare, animal or plant life, or property
Land pollution
Type of land pollution cased by specific events or series of events in a certain or small area
Point-Source pollution
Type that covers extensive areas and has a difficult-to-identify source
Diffuse pollution
Occurs when toxic chemicals from the land reach groundwater supplies
Groundwater poisoning
Happens when there is an overuse of chemical fertilizers, soil erosion triggered by running water, and other pest control measures
Soil pollution
The polluted land dries out and becomes more flammable, hence the loss of habitat for animals and humans.
Wildfire
Can be brought on due to exposure to toxic substances from the polluted land
Human health problems
Refers to the discharge of heated effluents from its significant contributors
Thermal pollution
Other term for thermal pollution
Thermal enrichment
A cause which is released from sewage systems into natural bodies of water
Urban runoff
Causes water bodies to rise and be exposed more to the sun’s heat
Soil erosion
Causes higher concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming
Deforestation
When a substance alters or contaminates the natural properties of the atmosphere
Air pollution
Types of air pollutants:
Physical, chemical, biological
Gases from automobile emissions, fires, and industrial processes
Noxious gases
A microscopic combination of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air
Particulate gases
Have a high vapor pressure and insoluble in water emitted during burning in large quantities by gasoline and natral gas
Volatile organic compounds
Abundant in vehicle and industrial emissions from fossil fuel combustion, cigarette smoke, and burning organic debris
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHA)
Three oxygen atoms produced when two primary pollutants create a photochemical reaction found in chemical emissions
Ozone
Harms plants and promotes the acidification of soils and water bodies
Acid rain
The natural aging process of lakes and some estuaries
Eutrophication
Reduces the object’s clarity, color, texture, and form
Haze
Can cause increased amounts of UV radiation to reach the Earth; can lead to diseases; damage sensitive crops
Ozone depletion
Caused by producing large amounts of some of the greenhouse gases
Global climate change
According to WHO, the largest single environmental risk
Air pollution
Percentage of the air pollution premature deaths from middle to low-income countries
88%
Deaths due to indoor air pollution in 2012
4.3 million
Deaths due to outdoor air pollution in 2012
3.7 million
6th most polluted air in Southeast Asia and the 29th overall
Philippines
Philippine air index in 2020
74.84
Out of 100, 000 people in the Philippines affected by air pollution
45.3
Instigation of pollutants or harmful substances in the air, water, soil, etc.
Pollution
Characterized by prolonged excessive noise in a area
Noise pollution
Noise pollution from volcano eruption, animal sounds
Natural-made
Those coming from sound systems, sound of cars
Man-made
The principal drive of the proliferation of fashion pollution
Fast fashion
The principal drive of the proliferation of fashion pollution
Fast fashion
The backbone of textile production
Polyester
Where sources from water bodies are contaminated by substances
Water pollution
Most common type of water pollution where water resources are contaminated by chemicals
Chemical pollution
Pesticides and fertilizers can seep into the ground, contaminating rivers and waterbeds underneath
Groundwater pollution
Naturally occurring form of water pollution
Microbiological pollution
Fertilizers contain a high concentration of nutrients which can cause algal blooming
Nutrient pollution
Oxygen-dependent species will die as algal blooms consume the oxygen in the planet.
Oxygen-depletion pollution
Can occur both naturally, accidentally, and intentionally
Surface water pollution
Contamination of waterways; works its way up the food chain and jeopardizes the health of larger animals
Bioaccumulation
Suffocation and starvation of marine animals
Plastic ingestion
Ocean acidification; makes it tougher for corals and shellfish to survive and interfering with the navigation and self-defense systems of some animals
Acidification
