enviro march exam Flashcards
What is the definition of environment?
The surroundings or conditions in which an organism lives.
What is the definition of environmental science?
The study of interactions between humans and their environment.
What are the goals of environmental science?
- Understand how natural systems work
- Understand human impacts on the environment
- Develop solutions to environmental problems
What is an ecological footprint?
A measure of human demand on Earth’s resources.
How do ecological footprints differ in developed vs. less developed countries?
- Developed countries: Larger footprints due to higher consumption and waste
- Less developed countries: Smaller footprints due to lower resource use
What is sustainability?
Meeting present needs without compromising future resources.
What are the three components of sustainability?
- Environmental
- Economic
- Social
What is greenwashing?
When companies falsely advertise products as environmentally friendly.
What is environmental justice?
The fair treatment of all people in environmental policies and practices.
How do you calculate percent change?
New Value−Old Value/Old Value×100
What is graphical analysis?
Interpreting graphs to identify trends and relationships in data.
How do nutrients and energy flow through ecosystems?
- Nutrients: Recycled through biogeochemical cycles
- Energy: Moves in one direction, usually lost as heat
What is ecology?
The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment.
What is an ecosystem?
A community of living and nonliving things interacting in a specific area.
What are biotic factors?
Living factors (plants, animals, bacteria).
What are abiotic factors?
Nonliving factors (temperature, water, sunlight).
What are the types of species interactions?
- Predation
- Competition
- Interspecific Competition
- Intraspecific Competition
- Symbiosis
- Parasitism
- Commensalism
- Mutualism
What is resource partitioning?
When species divide resources to reduce competition.
What is the difference between food chains and food webs?
- Food Chain: Linear sequence of energy flow
- Food Web: Interconnected food chains showing energy movement
What are trophic levels?
Levels in a food chain/web (producers, consumers, decomposers).
What is the 10% Rule?
Only 10% of energy moves to the next trophic level; 90% is lost as heat.
What are the three types of ecological pyramids?
- Numbers Pyramid
- Energy Pyramid
- Biomass Pyramid
What are autotrophs?
Organisms that make their own food (ex: plants).
What are heterotrophs?
Organisms that eat other organisms for energy.
What is photosynthesis?
The process that converts sunlight into glucose.
What is cellular respiration?
The process that converts glucose into energy (ATP).
What is a positive feedback loop?
A process that enhances changes (ex: melting ice).
What is a negative feedback loop?
A process that stabilizes a system (ex: predator-prey balance).
What is ecosystem productivity?
- Gross Primary Productivity (GPP): Total energy made by producers
- Net Primary Productivity (NPP): Energy available after producers use some
What is the equation for Net Primary Productivity?
NPP = GPP - Respiration.
What is a biome?
A large region with distinct climate, plants, and animals.
What are the characteristics of a tropical rainforest?
Hot, wet, high biodiversity.
What are the characteristics of a tundra?
Cold, dry, permafrost.
What are the characteristics of a desert?
Hot/cold, dry, low biodiversity.
What defines lakes in terms of nutrient levels?
- Oligotrophic: Low nutrients
- Eutrophic: High nutrients
What are wetlands?
Areas that filter water and prevent flooding.
What are coral reefs known for?
High biodiversity and sensitivity to climate.
What is the water cycle?
- Evaporation
- Condensation
- Precipitation
What is the carbon cycle?
- Photosynthesis
- Respiration
- Fossil fuels
What is the nitrogen cycle?
- Nitrogen fixation
- Nitrification
- Denitrification
What is the phosphorus cycle?
- Weathering
- Absorption by plants
- No atmospheric phase
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life in an area, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity.
What are the three levels of biodiversity?
- Genetic Diversity
- Species Diversity
- Ecosystem Diversity
Why is biodiversity important?
- Increases resilience to environmental changes
- Provides ecosystem services (air/water purification, pollination, etc.)
What is species richness?
Number of species in an ecosystem.
What is species evenness?
How evenly species are distributed.
What is the Theory of Island Biogeography?
- Larger islands = More biodiversity
- Closer islands = More immigration and species diversity
What is ecological tolerance?
Range of conditions an organism can survive in (ex: temperature, salinity).
What is natural selection?
Process where organisms with beneficial traits survive and reproduce.
What are the 5 primary causes of biodiversity loss (HIPPCO)?
- Habitat destruction
- Invasive species
- Pollution
- Population growth (humans)
- Climate change
- Overexploitation (hunting, fishing, etc.)
What is an invasive species?
A non-native species that disrupts ecosystems by outcompeting native species.
What is primary succession?
Starts from bare rock (ex: volcanic eruption).
What is secondary succession?
Begins with soil intact (ex: after a wildfire).
What is carrying capacity?
The maximum population an environment can support long-term.
What are r-selected species?
Species that produce many offspring and have a short life (ex: insects).
What are K-selected species?
Species that produce few offspring and have a long life (ex: elephants).
What are density-dependent factors?
Factors that depend on population size (ex: disease, food).
What are density-independent factors?
Factors that affect all populations equally (ex: natural disasters).
What are the three types of survivorship curves?
- Type I: High survival in youth, die old (ex: humans)
- Type II: Constant death rate (ex: birds)
- Type III: High death rate in youth (ex: fish, insects)
What is the formula for population growth rate?
(Births + Immigration)−(Deaths + Emigration)/Total Population×100
What is the rule of 70?
Doubling Time (years) = 70 ÷ Growth Rate (%).
What are the stages of demographic transition?
- Pre-Industrial: High birth & death rates, slow growth
- Transitional: Death rates drop, birth rates high, rapid growth
- Industrial: Birth rates drop, population growth slows
- Post-Industrial: Low birth & death rates, stable population
What are the layers of the Earth?
- Core (Inner & Outer)
- Mantle
- Crust
What are the types of plate boundaries?
- Divergent: Plates move apart (ex: Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
- Convergent: Plates collide (ex: Himalayas, subduction zones)
- Transform: Plates slide past (ex: San Andreas Fault)
What are the three types of rocks?
- Igneous: Formed from cooled magma (ex: basalt, granite)
- Sedimentary: Formed from compressed sediments (ex: limestone)
- Metamorphic: Formed from heat/pressure (ex: marble, slate)
What is the difference between weathering and erosion?
- Weathering: Breakdown of rock
- Erosion: Movement of rock material
What is the soil profile?
- O Horizon: Organic matter
- A Horizon: Topsoil
- B Horizon: Subsoil
- C Horizon: Weathered rock
What are the four main soil properties?
- Porosity: Space between particles
- Permeability: Water movement through soil
- Texture: Sand, silt, clay composition
- Fertility: Nutrient content
What causes El Niño?
Weakening trade winds cause warm water to move eastward, disrupting weather patterns.
What is the Tragedy of the Commons?
When shared resources are overused and depleted.
What is sustainable agriculture?
Farming methods that protect soil, water, and biodiversity.
What is desertification?
The process where fertile land becomes desert due to overuse.
What is the Green Revolution?
A period of agricultural advances (high-yield crops, fertilizers, GMOs).
What are GMOs?
Genetically Modified Organisms with altered DNA for specific traits.
What is aquaculture?
Farming aquatic organisms for food.
What is clear-cutting?
Removing all trees (high erosion, habitat loss).
What is selective logging?
Cutting only some trees (more sustainable).
What are nonrenewable energy sources?
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas).
What are renewable energy sources?
Solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass.
What are the pros of fossil fuels?
Cheap, reliable.
What are the cons of fossil fuels?
Pollution, finite supply.
What are the pros of nuclear energy?
No air pollution, efficient.
What are the cons of nuclear energy?
Radioactive waste, risk of accidents.
What are the pros of solar energy?
Renewable, no emissions.
What are the cons of solar energy?
Expensive, dependent on sunlight.
