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sustaining planet > exam 1 > Flashcards

exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

accuracy

A

correctness of measurements

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2
Q

precision

A

repeatability of results

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3
Q

scientific method

A
  1. Identify problem
  2. Form hypothesis
  3. Test it
  4. Interpret results-if hypothesis wrong, come up with new one
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4
Q

ind. variable

A

variable being changed

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5
Q

dependent variable

A

variable impacted by ind. variable (depends on it)

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6
Q

system

A

interdependent network – energy flows from one thing to another

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7
Q

state variables

A

store resources within systems
work together – sun creates photosynthesis for plant-bunny eats energy created by photosynthesis-fox eats bunny-fox decomposes-cycle restarts

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8
Q

positive feedback loop

A

increase in system variable–leads to further increases

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9
Q

negative feedback loop

A

suppresses change within system–keeps balance

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10
Q

feedback loops working together

A

fish tank – sunlight comes in, creates energy–fish eats food, processes energy from it, defecates–needs to replace that energy with more food (food-takes in oxygen, releases carbon dioxide)

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11
Q

elements

A

simple substances that can’t be broken down (96% of mass of living things – hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon)

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12
Q

atoms

A

smallest particles that have element characteristics

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13
Q

compounds

A

substances made up of different types of atoms

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14
Q

molecule

A

two or more atoms joined together

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15
Q

chemical bonds

A

chemical energy holding atoms together within molecules

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16
Q

ionic bonds

A

atoms with opposite charges bond (na – negative bond, cl – positive bond)

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17
Q

covalent bonds

A

atoms bond sharing electrons (water – hydrogen slight positive charge, oxygen slight negative – water is cohesive)

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18
Q

kinetic energy

A

energy in moving objects (ex. energy in water going down waterfall)

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19
Q

potential energy

A

stored energy (ex. energy in water waiting to go down waterfall)

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20
Q

chemical energy

A

energy stored in food or fossil fuels

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21
Q

first law of thermodynamics

A

energy can be transformed, not created/destroyed (same as matter)

22
Q

second law of thermodynamics

A

each energy transfer – less energy available. 10% of energy from source retained from level to level

23
Q

photosynthesis

A

captures energy – light dependent reactions in chloroplasts of plant cells. 6 carbon dioxide + 6 water + light reaction = 6 glucose (C6, H12, O6) + 6 oxygen gas.
glucose – primary fuel for metabolic processes

24
Q

cellular respiration

A

releases energy – splits hydrogen/carbon from glucose – combines them with oxygen, leads to carbon dioxide, water.
glucose + 6 oxygen = 6 water + 6 carbon dioxide + energy
animals get energy through cellular respiration – eat animals that already ate plants, get energy from that cellular respiration

25
Q

trophic structure

A

feeding relationships among species in a community

26
Q

trophic levels

A 
producers (plants)
primary consumers (rabbits eat plants)
secondary consumers (foxes eat rabbits)
tertiary consumers (eagle eats fox)
27
Q

10% rule

A

10% of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next

28
Q

biomagnification

A

toxin levels increase as toxin goes up trophic levels (bald eagles – DDT gets to them – eggs weren’t the right size/misshapen – issues with eggs hatching)

29
Q

water cycle

A

cycle of water through earth. human impacts – global warming – water evaporates, less water to go around

30
Q

carbon cycle

A

movement of carbon through the earth (human impacts – fossil fuels generates too much carbon for sinks to take in –excess carbon in air – global warming)

31
Q

nitrogen cycle

A

nitrogen fertilizer – puts excess nitrogen in system. fertilizer goes into ocean – ingested by small organisms

32
Q

natural selection

A

individuals with traits better suited for their environment pass on their traits to the next generation. leads to accumulation of desired traits over time

33
Q

evolution

A

species change over generations while competing for resources. those who have better traits are better competitors

34
Q

generalists

A

broad ecological niche – can tolerate many environmental factors

35
Q

specialists

A

narrow niche – specific habitat requirements, less reproductive frequency, less resilient to environmental factors, only found in one habitat

36
Q

selection pressure

A

favoring characteristics in individuals in a population – population shifts towards those over time

37
Q

directional selection

A

one trait favored/one eliminated

38
Q

stabilizing selection

A

narrowing range of trait

39
Q

disruptive selection

A

traits diverge towards two extremes

40
Q

competition

A

-/-. organisms compete for limited resources

41
Q

predation

A

+/-. predator/prey relationship

42
Q

co-evolution

A

species change together, adapt – flowers and pollinating organisms, etc.

43
Q

mutualism

A

+/+. both organisms benefit

44
Q

commensalism

A

+/neutral. one organism benefits, one organism gets no benefit or negative impact

45
Q

parasitism

A

beneficial for one species, detrimental to host

46
Q

disturbance

A

any force that disrupts established community. can be good and bad

47
Q

intermediate disturbance hypothesis

A

communities with intermediate disturbances have more species than those with high/low disturbance rates

48
Q

species richness

A

number of species in a community

49
Q

species evenness

A

individual abundance rate per species

50
Q

threats to biodiversity – hippo

A 
Habitat destruction
Invasive species
Pollution
Population
Overharvesting
51
Q

biodiversity hotspots

A

locations that contain 1,500 endemic species when totaled together

52
Q

environmental science

A

systematic study of environment + our correct role in it

sustaining planet (2 decks)

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