Humans In The Environment

Question 1

Biological diversity (biodiversity)

Answer 1

variety of living organisms with regard
to
genes, species, and ecosystems.

Question 2

current biodiversity numbers

Answer 2

Currently decreasing at an alarming rate (50 to 500 times the natural
rate of background extinction)

Question 3

cause of bad biodiversity numbers

Answer 3

human activities
 Destruction of natural habitats
 Activities that produce acid rain precipitation or pollution
biotic pollution
Unregulated hunting
 Commercial harvest- removing organisms from the wild for use
deforestation

Question 4

biotic pollution

Answer 4

introduction of a foreign species into an area

where it is not native, upsetting the balance of species

Question 5

term for foreign species–biotic pollution

Answer 5

invasive species

Question 6

deforestation

Answer 6

temporary or permanent clearing of forests for agriculture or other uses

Question 7

consequences of deforestation

Answer 7

(IBSI) Increases soil erosion, decreasing soil fertility, loss of biodiversity, Surface runoff flowing into rivers and streams increases global temp, Increase global temperature by releasing carbon store in trees as CO2,
increasing the greenhouse effect, higher CO2 levels

Question 8

Slash and burn agriculture

Answer 8

farmers cut down trees, allow
them to dry, then burn the area and plant crops in the fertile soil
immediately after burning. Soil productivity declines rapidly
afterward, and farmers must move to a new area and repeat the
whole process

Question 9

why deforest?

Answer 9

Slash and burn agriculture

Question 10

Global climate change

Answer 10

Earth’s average surface temperature has increased 1.1

degree F during 20th century

Question 11

Why are CO2 and other gases

accumulating in the atmosphere?

Answer 11

due to burning of fossil fuels-

coal, oil, gas. Deforestation also leads to

Question 12

CFC

Answer 12

chlorofluorocarbons

Question 13

Ozone

Answer 13

O3

Question 14

what gases aside from CO2 are accumulating in atmosphere

Answer 14

methane, ozone, CFC

Question 15

greenhouse effect

Answer 15

CO2 and other gases
accumulating in the atmosphere absorb heat in the atmosphere, warming the
atmosphere and ocean

Question 16

why is it called the greenhouse effect?

Answer 16

Similar to the way glass traps radiation in a greenhouse

Question 17

What does global climate change lead to?

Answer 17

Change in precipitation patterns, range of habitats, more heat related deaths, Glaciers thawing=change in sea level,

Question 18

How to improve global climate change

Answer 18

Stabilize CO2 emission

Question 19

Ozone (define)

Answer 19

Form of oxygen naturally produced in stratosphere, shields surface from uv rays

Question 20

Stratosphere

Answer 20

Upper part atmosphere

Question 21

Ozone hole

Answer 21

Over Antarctica where levels decrease every year, been very rapid

Question 22

What chemical causes ozone hole?

Answer 22

CFCs, used in aerosols, ACs, refrigerators, drift up to stratosphere, broken down by UV rays and release Cl2. Sunlight promotes chemical reaction in which the Cl2 breaks ozone into O2.

Question 23

Consequences of ozone hole

Answer 23

Harms organisms–humans skin cancer, cataracts, weak immune system, ecosystems disrupted bc it kills algae, may damage crops and forests

Question 24

Help ozone hole

Answer 24

Reduce CFC

Question 25

Acid rain production-

Answer 25

Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil) release pollutants into the air that
contain sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. these substances react with water and produce sulfuric acid and nitric acid.

Question 26

how does the acid get to earth (acid rain)

Answer 26

These substances kill plants and animals and lakes, river, and land
when they return to the surface of the Earth through
precipitation

Question 27

Desertification-

Answer 27

Overgrazing of grasslands that border deserts turn the grasslands into deserts

Question 28

result of desertification

Answer 28

Agricultural habitats decrease

Natural habitats are lost

Question 29

biological magnification

Answer 29

As one organism eats another, it becomes more and more concentrated

Question 30

Where in pollution does biological magnification occur?

Answer 30

DDT

Question 31

DDT

Answer 31

pesticide

Question 32

eutrophication

Answer 32

Lake can be polluted with runoff fertilizer or sewage- adding
abundant nutrients.

Question 33

eutrophication- stimulates

Answer 33

algal blooms

Question 34

algal blooms

Answer 34

massive growths of algae, which reduce
oxygen supplies through respiration. After they die, they are
consumed by detritivorous bacteria, which further reduces the
oxygen. This causes Oxygen starvation for many animals, and algae blocks the sun, so whole lake dies.