Exam 2 Flashcards
Describe the theory of Plate Tectonics and its implications
Plate tectonics: A Geological Cycle
Theory that the Earth’s lithosphere is divided into plates which are in constant motion.
Tectonic Cycle: all the processes that build and break down the lithosphere.
Divergent plate boundaries: plates move apart ←→
Convergent: plates move towards →←
Transform fault boundaries: move sideways past each other. ↑↓
Fault Zones are where large movement has occurred, epicenter is the exact point on the surface above where it happened.
Outline the Rock Cycle
ROCK CYCLE
Igneous rocks form from cooling magma.
Sedimentary rocks form from weathering and erosion of any type of rock.
Heat and pressure of either igneous or sedimentary forms metamorphic.
Identify soil types based on soil textural triangles
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cg6SVLRPenLvSnq4hObiLRyy0ly7BUsLNGyWPfXdKV4/edit
Explain how soil forms and describe its characteristics
Soil forms from physical and chemical weathering of rocks and from organic materials. THE LAYERS:
O- organic (leaves, plants, animal bodies)
A- topsoil (organic material and minerals)
B- subsoil (primarily mineral material)
C- parent material (least weathered, closest to parent rock)
List and describe the five factors of soil formation
- Parent Material (underlying rock material)
- Climate (weather, temperature, precipitation)
- Topography (surface and slope)
- Organisms (plants and animals take and deposit nutrients in soil)
- Time (spent developing)
Describe the importance of soil in environmental science
Medium for plant growth
Primary filter for water
Habitat for living organisms
Filter for pollutants
Discuss the impact of mining on the environment
Surface: used to remove a mineral or ore deposit that is close to Earth’s surface (strip mining)
Erosion from this leads to particles in the air, contamination of water from percolate tailings, displaced soil, habitat destruction, and not as dangerous.
Subsurface: less dust but more fossil fuel emissions, acid mine drainage and contamination of water through tailings, not really any soil effects, habitat fragmentation, and hazardous to humans (diseases and dangerous mines).
Describe how elements and minerals are extracted for human use
Concentrated accumulations of minerals are called ores, which humans extract from subsurface and surface mining for industrial purposes (like coal, aluminum, iron, etc.).
- Understand the “tragedy of the commons” and how it applies to farming and agriculture, and even air pollution
- Implications? (negative externalities & maximum sustainable yield)
TRAGEDY: unregulated shared resources will be damaged or depleted because individuals have incentive to act in self interest; concentrated benefits & diffused costs.
Negative externalities: the cost of something not included in the purchase cost; cause the tragedy of the commons.
Maximum sustainable yield: amount of renewable resources that can be harvested without compromising future availability.
- Describe the primary benefits of a forest and how forest management philosophy has changed over time in the United States
Benefits of forests: hydrologic cycle (evapotranspiration), slows erosion (soil stability), increases infiltration, carbon sequestration and oxygen emitting, surface albedo changes.
Forest management before: forests were decimated! Little to no regulation over them so extreme logging. In 1891 congress began to set aside forest reserves. Lots of clearcutting.
Forest management now: Preservation (preserve ecosystems with no extraction) and utilitarianism (resource extraction to provide goods).
- Describe ecosystem services provided by forests
Ecosystem services provided by forests: clean air, renewable resources, wildlife habitat, economic opportunities, biodiversity, food, ALL OF THEM.
- Explain the impacts of agriculture on ecosystem services
UH
- Describe modern industrial agriculture techniques, particularly the implications of pesticide use, fertilizers, and irrigation
Agriculture Techniques:
Pesticides: synthetic or natural. Insecticides and herbicides. Some are persistent and do not leave ecosystems easily. They can bioaccumulate in animals in other ecosystems and contaminate systems from runoff.
Some pesticides cause pests to adapt to them, and then the bigs are stronger than they were before and are able to resist the pesticide.
Fertilizers: Organic→ organic matter duh.
Synthetic→ produced commercially (nitrogen fertilizers). Synthetic are more likely to be carried by runoff and in waterways into bodies of water and contaminate them.
Irrigation: relocating water to farmlands where it normally wouldn’t be present. Can cause waterlogging in soil and salination (more minerals in soil from water evaporating).
- Describe features of sustainable agricultural systems and contrast them with unsustainable aspects of our current food system
Sustainable Agriculture: produces enough food without destroying lands. Methods:
Soil erosion control, crop rotation, no till planting, alternative pest management.
Intercropping, crop rotation, agroforestry, contour plowing.
Unsustainable aspects we currently use: synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, monocropping, GMOS (potentially harmful to ingest).
- Describe integrated pest management strategies, why they are needed, and how they can look in practice
Integrated Pest management strategies:
Crop rotation
Habitat for species that prey on pests
Natural controls or smaller pesticide doses.
Needed because the chemicals can harm other wildlife and people, and also pests can evolve to pesticides and make them become useless.
Identify Earth’s natural sources of water
MOSTLY OCEANS, only about 2 percent freshwater.
Most freshwater is in glaciers or underground, only 2 percent of that is available to drink!
What are the terms in the simplified water budget?
P= ET + S + R
P= precipitation
ET= evapotranspiration
S= storage (infiltration)
R= runoff
Discuss how humans use water and manage water distribution
Protect groundwater, mostly take from there (just beneath soil)
Take from Aquiphers (below permeable rock) through wells.
Levees and dams to redirect and store water.
Irrigation (furrow, flood, etc.)
Identify the factors that will affect the future availability of water
Taking from confined aquifers too quickly (they restore slowly), heavy pumping can lead to cone of depression, salt water intrusion from overpumping (near ocean waters)
pollution
Describe types and sources of water pollution, provide examples of each
Physical, chemical, or biological change from:
Point source: distinct and confined locations (factories) that pipe leading from the plant directly into water.
Nonpoint: diffuse sources like farms or suburban areas.
Disease-causing-organisms: parasites, bacteria, viruses. Oxygen-demanding-waste: organic matter, sewage. Inorganic compounds: nitrates, sulfates, acid rain, fertilizers. Synthetic organic compounds: industrial cleaners, pesticides. Sediments, radioactive waste, thermal discharge.
Compare primary concerns of water pollution in the US vs. developing countries
US→ primary problem is nonpoint source pollution from cities, urbanization, industrialization, and agriculture. Lead in water and acid rain.
Developing countries→ point source pollution, direct dumping into waterways.
Explain the primary paths to the reduction of water pollution
EPA implementing regulations (like CWA) and permit programs (like National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System).
Point source regulation has been massively successful, but nonpoint source is harder to regulate (like fertilizers in people’s lawns, in farms, and from rain runoff).
