Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Enviormental Science > Midterm 1 > Flashcards

Midterm 1 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Environment

A

consists of all living and non living things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

focus on natural sciences aspects

the study of how the natural world works, how the environment effects us and how we. effect it

A

envi sci

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

not a scientific study, social movement dedicated to protect the natural world

A

environmentalism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Biotic

A

Living, natural, animals and plants, biosphere (one of earths major subsystems)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Abiotic

A

non living, natural, atmosphere (air) hydrosphere (water), geosphere (land)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Biosphere

A

All living organisms; plants, animals, microbes… organic matter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Atmosphere

A

gaseous envelope <100km thick
* supports life
Nitrogen (N): ~ 78 %
Oxygen (O): ~ 21 %
Argon (Ar): ~ 0.93 %
Carbon dioxide (CO2): ~ 0.035 %
Other gases (H2O, ozone…): ~ 0.035 %

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Geosphere

A

rocks, soil, sediments - 30 % of Ea rth’s surface area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle

A

lithosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

the technosphere encompasses parts modified by humans interactions of
the anthroposphere with other subsystems of earth = environmental systems

A

anthrosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

network of relationships between parts/elements/components that interact
and function as a unit

A

system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

process of systems move in opposing directions at equivalent rates

A

dynamic equillibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Inexhaustible renewable natural resources

A
  • Sunlight
  • Wind energy
  • Wave energy
  • Geothermal energy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Exhaustible renewable natural resources

A
  • Agricultural crops
  • Fresh water
  • Forest products
  • Soils
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Non renewable natural resources

A

Crude oils
* Natural gas
* Coal
* Copper, aluminum, and
other metals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

replaced over short periods, replenished within reasonable use

A

renewable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

finite, over long periods, geologic timeframes, supply diminishes with use

A

non renewable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Ecosystem services

A
  • The purification of water and air
  • Cycling of nutrients
  • Recycling water flow
  • Flood prevention
  • Reducing erosion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

‘Measure of the ability of a system to support life’
-Number of individuals of a particular species that can be sustained by
biological productivity of a system

A

Carrying capacity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Ecological footprint

A

a method that determines how dependent humans are on natural resources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Biocapacity

A

the capacity of a country, region or world to produce useful biological
materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Natural Capital

A

Earth’s accumulated wealth of natural resources and ecosystem services.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

a systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it

A

science

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

scientists gather basic info about organisms, materials, and/or systems

A

descriptive science

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

used to construct explanations of how a certain phenomena works and why they occur

A

hypothesis driven

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

a technique for testing ideas with formalized steps

A

scientific method

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

2 identical groups are tested for the effects of the independent variable

A

controlled experiment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

the researcher controls the independent variable

A

manipulated experiment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

takes place when a controlled experiment is not possible and the dependant variables are naturally occurring

A

natural experiments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What do scientists look for among variables?

A

correlation and statistical relationships

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Paradigm

A

dominant scientific view

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Paradigm Shift

A

occurs when one of the views change as a result of new ideas and evidence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Overpopulation types

A

people and consumption

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Sustainability requires:

A

understanding all affects of our actions on all living things

acknowledging earths resources are finite

knowing true environmental and societal costs

sharing responsibility

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Sustainable solutions must be:

A

global
recognize global interconnections
emphasize clean energy choices
maximize recycling and production efficiency’s
preserve biodiversity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Homostasis

A

Steady state
tendency od sustems to maintain constant or stable internal conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

resistance

A

strength of systems tendency to remain constant-resist disturbance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

resilience

A

measure of how readily a system will return to its original state after a disturbance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

system characteristics not evident in the components alone

A

emergent properties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Earths major subsystems

A

geosphere
atmosphere
biosphere
hydrosphere
anthrosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

physical and chemical foundation for life

A

heat energy
nutrients
moisture retention
mass transfer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Hydrosphere

A

all water
essential to life
mass energy transport

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

the study of interaction of organisms within their abiotic environment

A

ecology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

the study of energy and material flow among biotic and abiotic components

A

ecosystem ecology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

ecosystem inputs:

A

carbon
nutroents
water
energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Organic material of which living organisms are formed

A

biomass

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

assimilation if energy by autotrophs

A

gross primary production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

conversion of solar energy ti chemical energy by autotrophs

A

primary production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

energy remaining after respiration by plants, and is used to generate biomass

A

net primary production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

biomass generated by heterotrophs

A

secondary production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

ecosystems whose plants rapidly convert solar energy to biomass

A

high net primary production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

macronutrients

A

nutrients required in relative larger amounts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

nutrients

A

elects and compounds required for survival that are consumed by organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

transitional zones between 2 ecosystems In which elements of different ecosystems mix

A

ecotones

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

nutrient cycle

A

the movement of nutrients through ecosystems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

pools

A

where nutrients reside for varying amounts of time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

flux

A

movement of nutrients among pools (to or from the reservoirs), which change over
time and are influenced by human activities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

sources

A

pools that release more nutrients than they accept; releases more than received

58
Q

sinks

A

accept more nutrients than they release

59
Q

evaporation

A

water moves from aquatic land systems to air

60
Q

transpiration

A

release of water vapour by plants

61
Q

precipitation

A

condensation of water vapour as rain or snow

62
Q

Water reservoirs

A

gain by inflow, lose by outflow

if inflow=outflow, reservoir size contain, maintaining balance is complex

63
Q

aquifers

A

underground reservoirs of spongelike regions of rock and soil that hold groundwater

64
Q

The carbon cycle

provides the _______ for all living things

carbon is found in ____,_____,____, and ______.

________ moves carbon from air to organisms

________returns carbon to air and oceans

__________ returns carbon to the soil.

A

foundation

carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and bones

photosynthesis

respiration

decomposition

65
Q

4 main reservoirs

A

atmosphere
oceans
land surface
geosphere

66
Q

specializes in bacteria
crucial to all organisms
78% of our atmosphere but N2 gas is not a useable form

A

nitrogen cycle

67
Q

Nitrogen fixation

A

nitrogen gas is made into ammonia by nitrogen fixing bacteria

68
Q

bacteria that convert ammonium ions first into nitrite ions then to nitrate ions

A

nitrification

69
Q

convert nitrates in soil or water to gaseous nitrogen, releasing it back into the atmosphere

A

denitrifying bacteria

70
Q

Human impacts on the nitrogen cycle

A

smog
emissions
feretilizers
runoff
groundwater contamination

71
Q

The phosphorus cycle

A

circulates key plant nutrient
hey component of cell membranes DNA RNA ATP and ADP

72
Q

food webs

A

plants take up phosphorus when it is dissolved in water -pass up through food webs

73
Q

human impacts on the phosphorus cycle

A

released to surface water by fertilizers and animal wster

not removed during wastewater treatment

eutrophication and O depletion

lost for long periods of time if released in oceans

millions of years before recycled

74
Q

the process of nutrient overrichment, blooms of algae, increased production of organic matter, and ecosystem degration

A

eutrophication

75
Q

genetic changes in organisms across generations

A

evolution

76
Q

the process by which traits that enhance survival and reproduction are passed more frequently to future generations than those that do not

A

natural selection

77
Q

4 main observations about the natural world

A

high reproductive capacity
heritable variation
limits on population growth
differential reproductive

78
Q

the special characteristics that enable plants and animals to be successful in a particular environment

A

adaptation/adaptive traits

79
Q

physical features of an organisms which can help it survive in its environment

A

structural adaptations

80
Q

extinction

A

loss of species from earth
genetic material lost forever
impact on biological resource
eventual fate of all species

81
Q

typical type of species loss
result of natural selection

A

background extinction

82
Q

atypical species loss
sudden, catastrophic loss of large numbers of species

A

mass extinction

83
Q

species that face threats that may cause it to become extinct within a short period

A

endangered species

84
Q

species whose population has declined to a point that it may be a risk of extinction

A

threatened species

85
Q

totality of an organisms adaptations, resource use, and lifestyle, describes role in a community/ecosystem

A

ecological niche

86
Q

how populations of organisms respond to their environment

A

population ecology

87
Q

population growth is limited by

A

environmental pressures
reproductive success/failure
overpopulation

88
Q

Biodiversity speciation
process by which new species arise due to geologic isolation

A

allopatric

89
Q

biodiversity speciation
process by which new species evolve from a single ancestral species while inhabiting the same geographic region

A

sympatric

90
Q

classifications of species

A

domain
kingdom
phylum
class
order
family
genus
species

91
Q

interaction among organisms vying for the same limited ecosystem resources

A

competition

92
Q

competition between individuals in a single species

A

intraspecific

93
Q

competition between individuals in a different species

A

interspecific

94
Q

variation of a competitive relationship in which one species is harmed and the other is unaffected

A

amenalism

95
Q

potential idealized ecological niche

A

fundamental niches

96
Q

actual niche organism occupies in an ecosystem

A

actual niches

97
Q

one species excludes another from a niche though resource competition

A

competitive exclusion

98
Q

co-existing species occupy different niches, leading to characteristic displacement

A

resource partitioning

99
Q

competing species evolve physical characteristics that reflect their reliance on the portion of resource use

A

characteristic displacement

100
Q

processes by which individuals of one species capture, kill, and consume their prey

A

predation

101
Q

animal defences

A

fleeing
mechanical
chemical
living in groups
camoflage

102
Q

relationship in which one parasite depends on their host for nourishment or other benefits

A

parasitism

103
Q

hosts and parasites become locked in a duel of escalating adaptations

A

coevolution

104
Q

________exploit plants

A

herbivores

105
Q

exploitation in which animals feed on the tissue of plants

A

herbivory

106
Q

defences of herbivory

A

chemical - toxins, distasteful parts
physical - tones, spines, protected by other animals

107
Q

2 or more species benefit from their interaction

A

mutualism

108
Q

mutualism in which the organisms live close in physical contact

A

symbiosis

109
Q

bees, bats, birds, and other transfer of pollen from one flower t another, fertilizing its eggs

A

pollination

110
Q

one species benefits while one is unaffected

A

commensalism

111
Q

plants that create shade and leaf litter allowing seedlings to grow

A

facilitation

112
Q

an assemblage of speeches living in the same place at the same time

A

community

113
Q

people interested in how species coexist and relate, change in community, and why patterns exist

A

community ecologists

114
Q

energy biomass flow trophic level

A

producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, decomposers/detrivores

115
Q

1st trophic level

A

producers

116
Q

organisms that capture solar energy for photosynthesis to produce sugars and manufacture organic compounds as energy resource

A

producers

117
Q

organisms that consume producers and consumers

A

consumers

118
Q

2nd trophic level

A

consumers

119
Q

third trophic level

A

secondary consumers

120
Q

predators at the highest t level, consume secondary consumers, also carnivores.

A

tertiary consumers

121
Q

4th trophic level

A

tertiary consumers

122
Q

omnivores

A

consume plants and animals

123
Q

organisms that feel off of non living organic matter

A

detrivores/ decomposers

124
Q

scavenges waste products and dead bodies

A

detrivores

125
Q

break down leaf litter and other non living material

A

decomposers

126
Q

transfers occur along food chain or webs

A

biomass

127
Q

relationship of how energy/biomass is transferred up to the trophic levels

A

food chain

128
Q

visual map of feeding relationships and energy flow

A

food webs

129
Q

graphically shows relative energy value of each trophic level

A

ecological pyramid

130
Q

main types of ecological pyramids

A

numbers
biomass
energy

131
Q

a species that has a particular strong or far reaching impact. In ecological community, if they are removed its impact with have large ripple effects and will alter large portions of the food web.

A

keystone species

132
Q

the predictable series of changes in a community following a disturbance

A

succession

133
Q

a disturbance dramatically alters, but does not destroy all local organisms

A

secondary succession

134
Q

the first species tp arrive in a primary succession area

A

pioneer species

135
Q

general succession pattern

A

lichen-mosses-grass-shrubs-forests

136
Q

the community resulting from successful succession

A

climax community

137
Q

none native organisms that spread widely and become dominant in a community

A

invasive species

138
Q

controlling invasive species

A

toxins
depriving of oxygen
stressing them
dying them out
remove manually

139
Q

returning an area to its unchanged conditions

A

ecological restoration

140
Q

major regional complex of similar communities recognized by plant type and vegetation structure

A

biome

141
Q

shows an areas mean monthly temperature and precipitation

A

climatographs

142
Q

10 major terrestrial biomes

A

tundra
boreal forrest
temperate deciduous forrest
temperate grasslanfs
temperate rain forests
tropical dry forests
tropical rain forest
savannah
desert
Mediterranean

143
Q

aquatic ecosystems are shaped by:

A

water temp, salinity, dissolved nutrients

water action, currents, depth

substrate type

animal and plant life

Enviormental Science (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions