Exam #3 Flashcards
Endemic species
Species that are only found in specific environments or restricted locations
Species richness
number of different types of organisms
Species evenness
how the quantity of each organism compares to each other in an area (butterflies equal to dragonflies)
Structural diversity
More structurally complex environments have higher biodiversity (mountains v. flat desert)
Genetic diversity
Amount of genetic variation within individuals in a population (how many variations of a finch within a forest)
Topography
More topographic variation (more variation in landscape) allows for more species
Islands and patches
Isolated habitats with no corridors to similar habitats, have less biodiversity
Invasive species
Non-native species, can increase biodiversity if they don’t have competition or predators
Preserves and protected areas
Purpose is to maintain biodiversity, based on principles of island biogeography
Migration corridors
They connect fragmented habitats (ex: hedgerows for hedgehogs)
Pleistocene
Glacial period before holocene with alternating cold and warm phases
Holocene
Glacial period we are currently in, warm phases
Milankovitch cycles
Earth’s orbit and tilt change every 100,000 years, and this leads to glacial and interglacial phases
Green Sahara v. Sahara today
Used to be green because there was water without clouds above it, allowing for rain cycle, but its a desert today because of underground water replacing surface water
Effects of volcanic eruptions
Spews ash into the air, which blocks sunlight from hitting the ground, leads to colder atmosphere. Volcanic eruptions cool down the climate, and it can last for years
Greenhouse effect
Gases trap heat radiation from Earth’s surface
Consequences of global warming (especially sea level rise)
- Ocean levels get higher as glaciers melt because of rising heat
- Islands are at risk
- Rainfall is both increasing and decreasing
Climate change mitigation: sustainable future v. business as usual
Business as usual: If we take no actions
Sustainable future: Stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at current levels
Transportation conservation
More people on public transit
Transportation (fuel) efficiency
Hybrid technology, electric cars, lighter materials, renewable energy
Air pollution
Gases or particles present in high enough concentrations to hurt humans, other organisms, or buildings/art
Smog
Thick air pollutant that is a mix of smoke and fog, trapped air that can’t move up or down, cold air trapped beneath warm air above
Height of emissions
Increasing height of smokestacks moves pollutants away from ground –> wind speeds faster high up –> higher wind speed moves pollutants away (less smog)
Acid deposition (acid rain)
Tall smokestacks move exhaust away from power plant –> exhaust contains sulfur, nitrogen oxides that dissolve in water –> once they dissolve in water, sulfuric and nitric acids form –> acids fall = acid deposition
Lead pollution in air and mitigation
Smoke stacks added “scrubbers” to stop pollutants from being released into the atmosphere. This is the solution to acid rain.
Air Quality Index
Measure daily quality of air (high levels are dangerous)
Hydrologic cycle
Water moves from one source to another (driven by solar energy + gravity): Rain from a cloud –> into a lake –> evaporates back into the atmosphere –> starts again
Where is most of Earth’s water?
97% in the ocean, can’t use it bc its energy+money consuming to desalinate it, 3% trapped in ice
Groundwater
30% of Earth’s freshwater in rocks and soil beneath ground (in aquifers, sediment, rock)
Aquifers
Formed in the past when it was water, extracted using wells+pumps, can be drained+polluted
Mitigating too much water
If we take all the water out, the ground will collapse and create a cave
Overdrawing groundwater
There is a limited amount of groundwater, and if it is overdrawn, it will not be replenished because groundwater and aquifers can take thousands of years to form
Subsidence
Land caves in as we take too much water out, happens over time and very slowly
Sinkholes
Land caves in because we take too much water out, happens all at once and very quickly
Uses of wastewater
Treated wastewater can be used to irrigate crops, landscaping, and injected back into groundwater to limit saltwater intrusion
Origins of agriculture
Climate became warmer –> longer plant growing season –> human pop. size increased –> humans became sedentary
Animal domestication: how do we identify it?
Human-impact evidence (sheeps with smaller horns, less dangerous), meaty parts are bigger
Lactose intolerance
Can’t process lactose, inherited
Plant domestication: how do we identify it?
Larger seeds, larger fruit, more benefit to humans
Agroecosystem
Ecosystem includes crops and domestic animals, physical, environments, and communities of organisms associated with them (ex: a crop)
Goal of agroecosystem
Use as much primary production as possible from ecosystem for human use
Harvest index
Fraction of produced food that can be used by humans
Primary energy
Energy contained in natural resources (coal, oil, sunlight, wind, uranium)
Secondary energy
The result of energy conversion (electricity)
Energy conversion efficiency
Some forms of energy conversion are more efficient than others. Coal needs to be burned so that we can use it, and when coal is burned 70% of the energy is lost as heat so only 30% can be used for electricity. Some types of coal are more efficient when burned than others.
Nonrenewable energy
Exists in limited quantities or from sources that are replenished at rates well below the rate of consumption (ex: fossil fuels)
Renewable energy
Not depleted when used (ex: sun, wind)
Where does coal come from?
Formed hundreds of million years ago –>plants falling into swamps, getting covered with sediments –> pressure pushed water out and plants closer together –> pressure + time led to coal formation
How do we find coal?
Underground mining and surface mining (mountain tops removed to expose coal)
Where does oil/natural gas come from?
Organisms live in shallow water hundreds of million years ago –> compacted over millions of years –> produces oil (takes a long time so we can’t create coal)
Where does nuclear energy come from?
Fission: splitting of an isotope of uranium is used to heat pressurized steam –> steam turns generator turbines = electric power
Pros and cons of nuclear power
Pro: few greenhouse gases
Cons: uranium mining, waste management danger
Nuclear waste
Used fuel rods remain radioactive, placed in repositories, sealed in geologic nuclear repository (deep in mountains)
Toxic testing and regulation
Chemicals in products, tested to make sure safe for humans
Citizen science
Flint water crisis
