Exam 1 Flashcards
Observation
Make observation
Hypothesis
Testable statement that’s a possible explanation to question
Experiment
Testing hypothesis
Scientific method
Systematic process of gaining knowledge
Environmental science
Study of human and environmental interactions
Multidisciplinary
Combining several scientific areas
Biotic
Living thing
Abiotic
Non-living things
Conservation
Wise use of resource
Renewable
Easily replenished in human time scale
Non-renewable
Can’t be easily replenished in human scale
Sustainability
Meeting current demand without compromising future
Ecological footprint
Impact person leaves on environment
Ecosystem services
Natural process that’s beneficial
First law of thermodynamics
Matter not created or destroyed but changes forms
Second law of thermodynamics
Without energy input = disorder
Thomas Malthus
Î population = famine
No marriage and moral restraint
Paul Ehrlich
Î population = resource war
Stop having kids & adopt from environmental deficient places
Garrett Hardin
Human overconsumption of resource
Overconsumption by many = overuse
Potential energy
Stored energy
Kinetic energy
Energy in motion
Entropy
Measure of disorder in system
Tragedy of commons
Public resource
Unregulated use
Overuse
Self-interest
Resource depletion/destruction
Photosynthesis
Raw materials: carbon dioxide, water, energy
Products: glucose, oxygen
Respiration
Raw materials: glucose and oxygen
Products: carbon dioxide, energy, water
Autotroph
Plants
Heterotroph
Consumer
Precipitation
Any water that falls from sky
Infiltration
Water falls on pours surface
Runoff
Water runs off surface of land
Evaporation
Liquid to gas
Transpiration
Water’s movement through plant
Condensation
Gas to liquid
Nitrogen fixing bacteria
Bacteria convert nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen
Hater Bosch process
Industrial method of converting nitrogen gas and hydrogen to ammonia
Weathering
Breakdown of rocks andminerals
Eutrophication
Interaction uf living things and nutrients in aquatic environment
Dead zone
Low oxygen of water
Producer
Makes energy throughphotosynthesis
Consumer
Eats other organisms for energy
Decomposer
Breaks down dead organisms
Natural selection
Organism being selected by environment
Mutation
Naturally occurring change In DNA
Evolution
Process of change in organism over time
Population
Organism of same species in the same place at same time
Species
Group of organism with similar characteristics that produce fertile offspring naturally
Habitat
Natural environment of organism
Niche
N-dimensional hyperspace that defines all habitat and resources used by all species
Speciation
Change in genetic traits over many generations
Extinction
Organism can’t compete or has no niche
Biodiversity
Variety of organisms on Earth
Community
All population interactions in given area
Tropic levels
Hierarchical levels in an ecosystem
Tropic transfer efficiency
Measure of how much energy is passed from one level to the next
Logistic growth curve
Describes how population grow in ecosystem over time
Carry capacity
Population of organism levels off
Density dependent limiting factors
Limits population as it grows
Density independent limiting factors
Limiting factors are random that limit population
Biotic potential
Time and effort needed to make and raise offspring
R-selected
Population thrives on short-term environmental conditions
K-selected
Population thrives on constant environment conditions
Biomagnification
Main amount of toxin at producer level isn’t broken down
Bioaccumulation
Organism takes toxin from environment
Invasive species
Non-native organism that enters ecosystem outcompetes natives
Ecology
Relationship between organisms and environment
