Final Exam Flashcards
energy
fundamental physical entity, the capacity of a body or system to accomplish work
what are the two types of energy and examples of each
kinetic (motion) and potential (stored)
what does reliable science mean?
how consistently a method measures something
what is the peer review process?
when other experts in the field review other work to make sure it is accurate
geology
study of dynamic processes taking place on the earth’s surface and in its interior
what are the three different zones of earth?
core, mantle, crust
science
the systematic examination of the structure and functioning of the natural world, both physical and biological attribute
steps of scientific method
observation, question, hypothesis, predict, experiment/observation, conclusion
hypothesis
a testable explanation for an observation, proposed explanation for the occurrence of phenomenon
how do Hadley cells impact climate?
Larger atmospheric cells or circulations where air rises at the equator and then sinks at medium latitudes (warm air falls, collects moisture, forced up, distributes water, falls back down)
controls precipitation!
explains precipitation patterns seen at the equator
how does air circulation impact climate?
redistributes heat and moisture
What is the concept tragedy of the commons? who coined this term?
individuals with access to a public resource act in their own interest and ultimately deplete the resource
garrett hardin
What are potential solutions to tragedy of the commons?
government regulation or making public property private
list the soil layers
soil profile, organic, topsoil, subsoil, parent material, and bedrock
atomic number
determined by number of protons (top left corner)
mass number
total # of protons and neutrons in nucleus
preservationist
keeping something intact/free of damage
john muir
conservationist
protection of something but not off limits
gifford pinchot and teddy roosevelt
who help found the US wilderness society
aldo leopold
who wrote a book that led to regulation of pesticides
rachel carson
when was the first earth day?
April 22, 1970
dynamics of volcanos and an example
vent in surface which molten lava flows onto the ground and all states of matter are ejected into the atmosphere (magma rising through the lithosphere, reaches the earths surface through a crack/fissure); Mount Vesuvius
dynamics of earthquakes
breakage and shifting of rocks, occurs at a fault, lead to destruction of buildings, landslips, tsunamis
dynamics of tsunamis and an example
series of huge waves generated when the ocean floor suddenly rises or drops; japan tsunami (damaged nuclear reactors)
dynamics of glaciers
sheets of ice formed from deep snowpack, compressed into ice from weight; can form mounded hills or bodies of water when melted
molecules
two or more atoms of the same or different elements joined by chemical bonds
organic molecules
molecules that are carbon-based
why is the Great Salt Lake drying up?
climate change and too much water is being diverted to other sources before it can reach the lake
what are the effects of the Great Salt Lake drying up?
metals at bottom are being exposed to atmosphere and are considered cancerous, migratory bird hotspot which cause them to go endangered
What can be done to deal with water shortages in the Great Salt Lake?
make housing more expensive or make reservoirs
name and define biomes
terrestrial (treeless), boreal coniferous/taiga (cold winter, moist soil), chaparral (mediterranean climate), desert (tropical), semi-evergreen (precipitation throughout year)
ecological succession
the gradual change in species composition in a given terrestrial or aquatic system
primary succession
begins in environments that lack organic matter and have not been altered in any way
secondary succession
occurs at a location that was previously occupied by a community and then underwent a disturbance that removed all or part of the existing community
delta
area at the mouth of a river built up by deposited sediment, usually containing sediment, usually containing coastal wetlands and estuaries
why are our deltas sinking?
man-made structures reduce the flow of silt and funnel it through wetlands into the gulf of mexico + rise in sea level = deltas sinking
what ecosystem services do wetlands provide?
Large biodiversity of species
Help with reducing storm damage/coastal erosion (storing excess water from storms)
Filtering toxic pollutants rather than going out to sea
different types of species interactions
herbivory, predation, parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism
herbivory, predation, and parasitism
(+,-)
mutualism
(+,+), host and parasite both benefit from actions of host
commensalism
one species benefit and the other is unaffected (+,0)
ecological niche
total use of biotic and abiotic resources for a species in its environment
evolution
The process through which life forms change genetically over time
mutation
changes in the coded genetic information on your DNA
natural selection
individuals with certain genetic traits are more likely to survive and reproduce under a specific set of environmental conditions
coevolution
interactions between populations that impact their evolution
predator defenses (and the different types)
the characteristics that evolved in prey to avoid being detected, selected, and captured by predators
chemical, cryptic, and flashing
nuclear power
controlled nuclear fission reaction in a reactor
concerns around nuclear power and how to prevent nuclear meltdown
Low net energy yield
high costs
fear of accidents
long-lived radioactive wastes
role in spread of nuclear weapons technology
nuclear fuel cycle
Mining the uranium
Processing and enriching the uranium to make fuel
Using it in a reactor
Safely storing the radioactive waste
how do we extract non-renewables
surface mining - shallow mining, common
open pit mining - large pits
strip mining - horizontal mining close to surface
mountaintop mining - use of explosives
subsurface mining - below surface, shafts needed
block caving - V-shaped holes blown below so
deposit falls
hydrofracking
hydrofracking
oil and natural gas trapped between compressed layers of shale rock formations
environmental impacts of hydrofracking
Requires enormous volumes of water
Produces hazardous wastewater
Drilling for these wells can cause mini earthquakes
These could cause the release of hazardous wastewater into groundwater
Tap water contaminated, allowed some peoples water to light on fire!
cross breeding
-Choosing two parents to cross breed to get varieties they are looking for (traits, colors, etc.)
-seen in nature but can take a while, new combination of many genes
gene editing
-changing an existing gene already in the tomato plant, use an enzyme in a laboratory to modify DNA already in the cell in ways that are desirable
-changed one gene
transgenesis
-known as genetic engineering/GMO’s, you have someone in a lab working to insert a gene from one organism into another organism to get a desired trait
-added two new genes
integrated pest management
cultural
physical-mechanical (different planting times)
biological
chemical
CAFO and its problems
Concentrated (confined) Animal Feeding Operation
animals in cages at farms trying to produce a larger yield
major methane emitter
diseases to become resistant to antibiotics
issues exacerbated by agriculture
Top soil erosion
waterlogging (raising of water table)
soil salinization (accumulation of salts in the upper soil layers)
desertification (fertile land becomes desert)
difference between industrial and traditional agriculture
industrialized:
machinery/fossil fuel usage
on crop, large farms, profits
excess water
traditional:
energy from sun and human labor
enough for family survival
traditional subsistence agriculture
use energy from the sun with the labor of humans and draft animals to produce enough crops for a farm family’s survival with little left over
traditional intensive agriculture
higher crop yields by increasing human and draft animal labor, animal manure for fertilizer, and water
o Farmers can sell this food for income
Less emphasize of yield for traditional
hydroponics (pros and cons)
growing plants by exposing their roots to a nutrient-rich water solution instead of soil, usually inside a greenhouse
(+):conserve water
grow all year around
no nitrate runoffs
reducing carbon footprint
efficient land use
no pesticides/herbicides
fake lights more effective than sunlight (red and blue wavelengths)
(-): large energy consumption
how to restore soil fertility
organic fertilizer and crop rotation
trends in global population size and growth rate
pop size increasing while the growth rate is decreasing
pros of wind energy
reducing independency on nonrenewable resources
high net energy yield
wind is abundant
cons of wind energy
Not In My Backyard Campaign
loud
not aesthetic
kills birds, especially bats
what are scientists saying about climate change?
happening now, accelerating fast, need to act now
types of greenhouse gases
water vapor, nitrous oxide, methane, CO2
relationship with CO2 and temperature
rising CO2 comes with rising temperature
CO2 is a green house gas so it is trapping heat to raise temperatures
we need green house gases but we are emitting too many
carbon footprint
amount of CO2 generated by an individual, organization, or other entity
how are ice cores used to measure climate change
drilling into ice, we can see change overtime due to air bubbles and their CO2 concentration
how are annual tree rings used to measure climate change
the space in between the rings tells us how much the tree grew indicating warm temperatures as well as any natural disasters
how are pollen grains used to measure climate change
looking at pollen in wetlands and lake bottoms, scientists can tell what plants existed at a certain time period, indicating the climate and how its changed
how do we assess climate change
global rising temperatures
glaciers and sea ice melting
sea level rising due to melting glaciers
how do we identify which factors contribute to climate change
observed and consistent with human causes
What are international policy developments around climate change?
Paris Agreement - limiting earth’s avg. temp. increase to below 2 degrees C (not binding/no plan)
potential solutions to climate change
EPA regulations on power plants
auto industry regulations
carbon tax
carbon cap
geoengineering
clean energy tax credits
what are the major threats to honeybees?
spiders
climate change
pesticides (!)
cars
disease
birds
poor nutrition
biological extinction
when a species is no longer found on earth
background extinction rate
1 species lost per year for every 1 million species
What are we seeing with present-day rates of extinction?
rate of extinction is increasing 1000 times higher than background extinction rate
we are losing 10,000 species per year
biodiversity hotspots (and where are they found?)
places that hold a lot of biodiversity that are endangered due to the previous reasons
found in coral reefs, wetlands, tropical rainforests
endangered species and example
has so few individuals it could soon become extinct (blue lupin causing the carter blue butterfly to go extinct as well)
threatened species and example
has enough remaining individuals to survive in the short term but because of declining numbers, likely to become endangered in the near future
blue whale, giant panda
red list
overseen by International Union for Conservation of Nature
keeps track of endangered and threatened species
What are common characteristics for species that become endangered or go extinct?
Low reproductive rate
Specialized niche
Narrow distribution
Feeds at high trophic levels (eating consumers)
Fixed migratory patterns
Commercially valuable
Requires large territories, issue because we don’t have a lot of large, protected areas
Why should we try to sustain wild species and keep them alive?
Vital ecosystem services (birds, insects may provide insect pest control, pollinators) as well as the butterfly effect
right to live
economic services
de-extinction
bringing back species that have gone extinct
stewart brand’s thoughts on de-extinction
could help conservation as well as introducing old genes could save current species
How does habitat fragmentation impact extinction?
contributes as it creates barriers for species to disperse, locate food and find mates
more vulnerable to predators and disease
How do invasive species impact extinction
Nonnative species outcompete populations of many native species for food, disrupt ecosystem services, transmit diseases and lead to economic losses
emerald ash borer
burrow in bark, messing up nutrient flow in ash trees
symptoms: yellowing or browning of leaves, outer bark falling off
prevention: preemptively cutting down ash trees, don’t spread firewood
spotted lanternfly
infects and attacks orchid trees, emitting substance that attracts other bugs
lots in NY due to vineyards and apples
wild boar
hunted for sport, transported for this and escaped
invasive: generalists, rooting, wallowing, no natural predators and spreading disease to humans and livestock
How is poaching related to extinction? talk about video in class as well
Protected animals are illegally killed for their valuable parts or captured and sold live to collectors, targeting one species will lead to extinction
video: former poachers being offered jobs to take care of the animals instead of killing them
What are some of the different ways to delay or prevent extinction?
international treaties (CITES, Convention on Biological diversity)
US law (endangered species act - prohibits import, export or taking of wildlife and plants listed on red list)
seed banks
protected areas
zoos
policies vs. politics
policies - the laws and regulations enacted and enforced by government
politics - the process by which individuals and groups try to influence or control the policies and actions of government at the local, state, national, and international levels
policy lifecycle
Problem recognition –> research –> Policy formation –> budgeting –> Policy implementation –> monitoring –> Policy adjustment –> evaluation –> repeat!
environmental justice
Ideal, whereby every person is entitled to protection from environmental hazards regardless of race, gender, age, national origin, income, social class or political factors
What are examples of environmental justice issues?
hazardous wast landfills in poor/minority communities
minorities exposed to more led, diesel fumes, odors
water crisis in flint
What is the precautionary principle in policy?
better to be safe than sorry, putting laws in place to prevent anything worse from happening after first warning signs, no matter the percentage of risk
In general – how are policies made?
starts in house or senate
goes to committee
needs majority to pass in starting point
going to opposite house or senate
maybe goes to counsel
needs majority
president sign off
overridden veto by 2/3 of house and senate
three branches and how they relate to law
legislative - where bills are written
executive - where bills are signed into law
judicial - where bills are upheld/proven to be constitutional
NEPA
national environmental policy act
This law requires that federal agencies have to access any actions before going through with decisions (ex. Department of transportation wants to build a highway, follow NEPA, put together environmental impact statement (EIS) for this)
What are examples of some other environmental laws referring to the timeline given?
clean air act
clean water act
safe drinking water act
superfund law (hazardous waste)
What are some opponents and their reasoning for opposition to environmental laws?
corporate leaders who see profits threatened
citizens - laws threatening private property
government resent having to implement federal law due to understaffed or opposing opinions
what are examples we went over in class of some environmental NGOs and the work that they do
pesticide action - using alternatives
international rivers - protection and rights to near communities
women’s environment and development network - human and gender rights with environment
What research does Dr. Gupta do?
Interdisciplinary scholar working at the intersections of governance, development and justice in the context of global change
low income communities in Nepal, India
tried to understand how these communities set up their own structures
What is the European Green New Deal?
Set of policy initiatives by the European
Commission with the aim of making EU
climate neutral by 2050
How does Dr. Gupta discuss the U.S. and European Union in terms of climate leadership?
europe is constant while US has wavered due to leadership
What did Dr. Gupta discuss related to Tragedy of the Commons?
how selfish we have become
Elinor Ostrom - how tragedy is not inevitable, there are communities that have perfected/avoided this
to prevent this: regulation and private property rights
economics
A social science that deals with the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services to satisfy people’s needs and wants
Economic decisions are determined by:
Supply (the amount of a good or a service that is available)
Demand (the amount of a good or service that people want)
Price (the market value of a good or service)
What are different types of capital we went over?
natural, human, manufactured/built, social
natural capital
The natural resources and ecosystem services that support human life (ex. trees, sun)
human capital
Physical and mental talents of people who can provide labor, innovation, organizational skills, etc.
Manufactured capital/built capital
Things that can be manufactured/built that can come from natural capital to help aid us
social capital
Relationships built with other people
What’s the difference between neoclassical economics and ecological economics?
neo - The view that the earth’s natural capital as part of the human economic system and we can find substitutes for any resource or ecological service that is depleted or degraded (we can find subs)
eco - There are no substitutes for many natural resources – including clean water, clean air, soil, biodiversity and they provide important ecological services (unconditional growth is unsustainable)
(we cannot find subs)
What are different ways to value natural resources, including nonuse values?
constanza (valuing ecosystem services people get from using these resources)
nonuse - existence, aesthetic, option value
existence value
A value placed on an old-growth forest or endangered species just because it exists
aesthetic value
A value placed on a forest or species due to its beauty
option value
Willingness of people to pay and amount to protect some fore of natural capital, option to use or enjoy particular space
Why turn natural capital into monetary values?
puts it in language for everyone (especially policy makers) to understand
What is the difference between market pricing and full pricing?
market - what we pay (materials, labor, etc.)
full - what we pay plus other costs that in production/external (pollution, waste produced, etc.)
What are other economic tools that can be used to address environmental issues?
environmental indicators - GDP
GDI (genuine progress indicator) - GDP+volunteer/unpaid work
taxing pollution - green taxes
labeling environmental goods - greenwashing (-)
environmental ethics
what you believe about what is right and what is wrong in our behavior toward the environment
environmental worldviews
assumptions and beliefs that you have about how the natural world works and how you think you should interact with the environment
What are the different types of worldviews?
human - Focus on needs and wants of people
stewardship - humans have ethical responsibility to be caring and responsible
life - all forms of life have value
earth - all life have responsibility to preserve earth’s biodiversity
What are some critiques for these different types of worldviews?
human - naive
stewardship - arrogant ignorance
What are the different ways public lands are managed in the U.S.? How is this related to different worldviews?
National Park system (human and earth/life)
bureau of land management (human)
national forest system (human)
national wildlife refuges (earth/life)
What happened with Biosphere 2?
- 1991 – 8 individuals were put in a $200 million glass and steel enclosure designed to be a self-sustaining life support system
- Had artificial ecosystems and species of plants and animals
- Raised their own food through intensive agriculture
- Failed experiment, not enough oxygen because soil organisms were turning into CO2 too quickly
- ¾ animals went extinct, ran out of food
What has been found in terms of the impact of being in nature on overall human well-being and our understanding/care for the environment?
Sense of awe, humility, improve attention, memory, creativity, reduce anxiety and depression, a sense of place
What encompasses the sustainability revolution?
consuming less
recycle
focus less on doom and more on hope
energy efficiency
protection of natural capital and biodiversity
