intro to environmental engineering Flashcards by Aliya Baya

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The biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism, or population, and includes
particularly the factors that have an influence in their survival, development and
evolution.

ENVIRONMENT (BIOPHYSICAL)

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The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures,
machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in
combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design;
orto forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions

ENGINEERING

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The application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural
environment (air, water, and/orland resources), to provide healthy water, air, and land
for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites. It
involves waste water management and air pollution control, recycling, waste
disposal, radiation protection, industrial hygiene, environmental sustainability, and
public health issues as well as knowledge of environmental engineering law. It also
includes studies on the environmental impact of proposed construction projects

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

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In the late 19th century, the major objective was to eliminate

waterborne disease

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What are the COMPONENTS OF THE
ENVIRONMENT?

Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere

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The earth’s outer layer consisting of the soil and rocks. The soil is ended upon non-living and natural matter.

Lithosphere

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There are 2 types of lithosphere
namely

oceanic lithosphere and continental lithosphere

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This comprise all water possessions both surface and ground water.
Only less than 1% of water resources are obtainable for human
exploitation

Hydrosphere

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It is the state of layer adjoining the earth and extends up to 500 kms above the earth’s
shell

Atmosphere

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which is a gaseous
wrap, protects the earth from cosmic radiations and provides life supporting oxygen

atmosphere

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plays a major role in asserting the heat balance of the earth by gripping the
re-emitted radiation from the earth

atmosphere

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is a shell encompassing the earth’s surface where all the living things
subsist. This segment extends from 10000 m underneath sea level to 6000 m above sea level.

Biosphere

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ROLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS

Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians,
engineers, and other specialists, and experts in law and business to address environmental
problems

Provide technical-level support for
environmental remediation and litigation
projects, including remediation system design
and determination ofregulatory applicability

Inspect industrial and municipal facilities and
programs in order to evaluate operational
effectiveness and ensure compliance with environmental
regulations

Assess the existing or potential environmental
impact of land use projects on air, water, and
land.
ROLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS
* Design systems, processes, and equipment for
control, management, and remediation of
water, air, and soil quality
* Develop and present environmental
compliance training or orientation sessions.
* Develop site-specific health and safety
protocols, such as spill contingency plans and
methods forloading and transporting waste
Serve on teams conducting multimedia
inspections at complex facilities, providing
assistance with planning, quality assurance,
safety inspection protocols, and sampling.
* Monitor progress of environmental
improvement programs.
* Provide administrative support for projects by
collecting data, providing project
documentation, training staff, and performing
other general administrative duties

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a community of organisms interacting with each other and with their environment such that energy is exchanged and systemlevel processes, such as the cycling of elements, emerge

ecosystem

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include living organisms, the dead organic matter
produced by them, the abiotic environment within which the
organisms live and exchange elements (soil, water, atmosphere),
and the interactions between these components

ecosystems

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embody the concept that living organisms
continually interact with each other and with the environment to
produce complex systems with emergent properties, such that
“the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” and “everything
is connected“

Ecosystems

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THE NATURALENVIRONMENTIN WHICH AN ORGANISM LIVES

HABITAT

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CONSISTS OF A GROUP OF ORGANISMS THAT LOOK ALIKE AND HAVE SIMILAR
CHARACTERISTICS,SHARETHESAMEECOLOGICAL NICHE AND ARECAPABLEOFINTERBREEDING

SPECIES

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CONSISTSOFORGANISMSLIVINGIN THESAME HABITAT ATTHESAMETIME

POPULATION

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A NATURALCOLLECTION OFPLANT AND ANIMALSPECIESLIVING WITHIN A DEFINED
AREA OR HABITATIN AN ECOSYSTEM

COMMUNITY

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THEFUNCTION OF AN ORGANISM OR THE ROLEITPLAYSIN AN ECOSYSTEM

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

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what are the functions of ecosystem?

production
Respiration
Consumption
Decomposition
Abiotic decomposition
Biotic decomposition (biodegradation)

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the metabolic breakdown of
materials into simpler components by living organisms

Biotic decomposition (biodegradation)

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process in which a substance is completely destroyed, used up, or incorporated or transformed into something else. It acts as a regulator for production and decomposition

Consumption

degradation of a substance by chemical or physical processes

Abiotic decomposition

responsible forthe breakdown of complex structures

Decomposition

process of unleashing bound energy for utilization

Respiration

creation of new, organic matter. The synthesis and storage of organic molecules during the growth and reproduction of photosynthetic organisms

Production

organisms, such as plants, that produce their own food are called autotrophs. The autotrophs convert inorganic compounds into organic compounds. They are called producers because all of the species ofthe ecosystem depend on them

Producers -

all the organisms that can not make their own food (and need producers

consumers/heterotrophs

In an ecosystem _____ are called consumers because they depend on others. They obtain food by eating other organisms. There are different

heterotrophs

Those that feed directly from producers, i.e. organisms that eat plant or plant products are called

primary consumers

Organisms that feed on primary consumers are called

secondary consumers

Those who feed on secondary consumers

tertiary consumers.

Consumers are also classified depending on what they eat.

herbivores carnivores omnivores

are those that eat only plants or plant products. Example are grasshoppers, mice, rabbits, deer, beavers, moose, cows, sheep, goats and groundhogs

Herbivores

on the other hand, are those that eat only other animals. Examples of carnivores are foxes, frogs, snakes, hawks, and spiders

Carnivores

- are the last type and eat both plants (acting a primary consumers) and meat (acting as secondary or tertiary consumers

Omnivores -

corresponds to the different levels or steps in the food chain. In other words, the producers, the consumers, and thedecomposers are the main trophic levels

Trophic level

What is the energy flow in the ecsystem?

1st Trophic Level (10, 000 kcal) 2nd Trophic Level (1000 kcal) 3rd Trophic Level (100 kcal) 4th Trophic Level (10 kcal

In the energy flow system what percent of energy is lost in the transfer of heat? How much is utilized?

90 percent and 10 percent

TRANSFER OF FOOD ENERGY FROM THE SOURCE THROUGH A SERIES OF ORGANISMS IN A PROCESS OF REPEATED/SEQUENTIAL EATING OR BEINGEATEN PATTERN

FOOD CHAIN

What are the classification of feeding relationships?

Grazing food chain Detritus food chain

– starts from plants to grazing herbivores to carnivores

Grazing food chain

starts from dead organic matter to microorganismssuch as bacteria,fungi,etc

Detritus food chain

REFERS TO THE INTERCONNECTED OR INTERLOCKING RELATIONSHIPS AMONG FOOD CHAINS IN AN ECOSYSTEM

FOOD WEB

CONSTITUTE THE OVER – ALL STRUCTURE OF DEPENDENCY AMONG THE LIVING ELEMENTS

FOOD PYRAMID

OTHER BASIC ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES

1. diversity 2. Distribution 3. Population Density 4. Dominance 5. Limiting Factors –

environmental factors, chemical and physical factors etc.

Limiting Factors

species that have a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. Such species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem and helping to determine the types and numbers of various other species in the community. The most important species

Keystone Species

the degree to which a specie is more numerous than its competitors in an ecological community, or makes up more of the biomass. Most ecological communities are defined by their dominant species

Dominance

the number of individuals of a population per unit of living space (say, number of trees per hectare of land)

Population Density

used to describe the process by which a person moves into a country for the purpose of establishing residency. In such a case, the individual is not a native of the country which he immigrates to

Immigration

process by which a person leaves his place or country of residency, to relocate elsewhere. In this case, the individual moving is referred to as an emigrant

Emigration

is movement to a country

immigration

movement from a country)

emigration

variety of habitats, living communities, and ecological processes in the living world. It also refers to the extent that an ecosystem possesses different species

Diversity

POPULATION PRINCIPLES AND ISSUES characteristics

1. NAtality 2. Mortality 3. Sex ratio 4. Age Distribution -

the proportionate numbers of persons in successive age categories in a given population

Age Distribution -

the ratio of males to females in a population. The sex ratio varies according to the age profile of the population

Sex ratio

sex ratio is generally divided into four:

1. primary sex ratio 2. secondary sex ratio 3. tertiary sex ratio — 4. quaternary sexratio

— ratio at fertilization

primary sex ratio

ratio at birth

secondary sex ratio

ratio in sexually active organisms

tertiary sex ratio

ratio in post-reproductive organisms

quaternary sexratio

the ratio of deaths in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 per year

mrtality

- an incidence of ill health. It is measured in various ways, often by the probability that a randomly selected individual in a population at some date and location would become seriously ill in some period of time

Morbidity

the birthrate, which is the ratio of total live births to total population in a particular area over a specified period of time; expressed as childbirths per 1000 people (or population) per year. It may also refer to the inherent ability of a population to increase

natality

What are the kinds of organism interactions?

1. Compeition 2. Predation 3. Symbiosis

two species share a requirement for a limited resource which reduces fitness of one or both species

competition

one species feeds on another which enhances fitness of predator but reduces fitness of prey

predation

close long lasting relationship of 2 different specie

symbiosis

What are the three categories of symbiosis?

1. Parasitism 2. Commensalism 3. Mutualism

two species provide resources or services to each other which enhances fitness of both species

Mutualism

one species receives a benefit from another species which enhances fitness of one species; no effect on fitness of the other species

commensalism

one species feeds on another which enhances fitness of parasite but reduces fitness of host

parasitism

what are the 2 kinds of parasites?

ectoparasites and endoparasites

liveon thebodies of the host (ex. molds, flies, lice)

ectoparasites

liveinside the bodies of the host (ex. Tapeworms, bacteria, fungi)

Endoparasites

The orderly process of community development that involves changes in species, structure, and community - It results from the modification of the physical environment by the community

succession

occurs in essentially lifeless areas—regions in which the soil is incapable of sustaining life as a result of such factors as lava flows, newly formed sand dunes, or rocks left from a retreating glacier

primary succession

pioneering specie in primary succession, aids in pedogenesis (the formation of soil)

lichens

the formation of soil

lichens

occurs in areas where a community that previously existed has been removed; it is typified by smaller-scale disturbances that do not eliminate all life and nutrients from the environment

Secondary succession

a community in a final stage of succession

climax community

describe the flow of matter from the nonliving to the living world and back again. As this happens, matter can be stored, transformed into different molecules, transferred from organism to organism, and returned to its initial configuration. The implications of material cycles are profound. There is essentially a finite amount of matter on Earth (with some input from meteors and other astronomical objects)

material cycles or nutrient cycles

what are the examples of materials/ nutrient cycles?

carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle, phosphorus cycle, sulfur cycle

What does carbon cycle do?

The carbon cycle is how carbon moves between the air, land, water, and living things. Plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from the airto make food through photosynthesis. Animals then eat the plants, taking in carbon. When plants and animals die or release waste, decomposers break them down, releasing carbon back into the soil or air. Also, when humans burn fossil fuels like coal and oil, more CO2 is released into the air. This carbon cycle helps balance the amount of carbon on Earth, which is important for keeping the planet's climate stable

where does carbon moves?

-from the atmosphere to plants -moves from plants to animals -rom plants and animals to the ground -from living things to the atmosphere -from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when fuels are burned -from the atmosphere to the oceans

What dos the oxygen cycle do?

The oxygen cycle is how oxygen moves between the air, living things, and the Earth. Plants release oxygen into the air during photosynthesis, a process where they make food from sunlight. Animals and humans breathe in this oxygen to live, and when we exhale, we release carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is then used by plants, which start the cycle again by producing more oxygen. The oxygen cycle helps keep the air breathable and supports life on Earth.

What is the nitrogen cycle?

Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process through which nitrogen is converted into many forms, consecutively passing from the atmosphere to the soil to organism and back into the atmosphere. Most of the nitrogen is in the air, but plants can't use it directly. Special bacteria in the soil "fix" nitrogen from the air, turning it into a form plants can absorb through their roots. Animals then eat the plants and get nitrogen to help grow. When plants and animals die or release waste, other bacteria break them down, returning nitrogen to the soil and air.

Important processes in the nitrogen cycle include

fixation, ammonification, nitrification and denitrification

What does the phosporus cycle do?

Unlike other cycles, phosphorus doesn’t move through the air. It starts in rocks, and over time, weathering breaks down the rocks, releasing phosphorus into the soil. Plants absorb this phosphorus to grow, and animals get it by eating plants. When plants and animals die or release waste, the phosphorus goes back into the soil or water. Over time, it can end up in sediments and form new rocks, continuing the cycle.

refers to a group of processes by which surface rock disintegrates into smaller particles or dissolve into water due to the impact of the atmosphere and hydrosphere. The weathering processes often are slow (hundred to thousands of years).

Weathering

Weathering processes are divided into three categories:

physical weathering chemical wethering biological weathering

What are examples of physical weathering?

abrasion, thermal explansion and contraction, wetting and drying

what are examples of chemical weathering?

hydrolysis, oxidation - reduction

what is an example of biological weathering?

lichen

what are the top 4 reservoirs for phosphorus are?

1. sediment (lithosphere) 2. soil (lithosphere) 3. oceans 4. mineable rock (lithosphere)

What does the sulfur cycle do?

Sulfur is stored mostly in rocks and minerals, and when these break down through weathering, sulfur is released into the soil. Plants absorb sulfur from the soil, and animals get it by eating plants. When plants and animals die or release waste, sulfur is returned to the soil. Some sulfur also goes into the air from volcanic eruptions and burning fossil fuels, eventually coming back to the earth through rain

____ is produced naturally as a result of volcanic eruptions and through emissions from hot springs. It enters the atmosphere primarily in the form of ____, then remains in the atmosphere in that form or, after reacting with water, in the form of _____

sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid

* On Earth's surface, sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid react with metals to form

sulfates and sulfides

from plants is eventually passed on to animals that eat those plants. It is, in turn, converted from plant proteins to animal proteins.

organic sulfur