Midterm 1 Flashcards
(104 cards)
1
Q
System
A
- A group of interrelated components which operates as a whole.
- distinct from its surroundings
- dependant on scale (spatial, time)
2
Q
Closed system
A
One where an exchange of matter is not allowed, but an exchange of energy is
3
Q
Open system
A
Allows an exchange of both energy and mass. Most difficult systems to manage and most realistic when looking at earth
4
Q
Thermodynamics
A
Relationship between heat and other forms of energy
5
Q
1st Law of Thermodynamics
A
Energy can be transformed from one state to another and none is lost (cannot be destroyed)
6
Q
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
A
In being converted from one form to another, quality declines as entropy increases
7
Q
Entropy
A
Describes the progression of energy from highly ordered to less ordered (or chaotic)
8
Q
Feedback
A
Occurs when a change in one part of the system causes a change in another part of the system.
-output affects input
9
Q
Positive feedback
A
Enhancement or amplification
Ex) melting of arctic ice
10
Q
Negative feedback
A
Regulates
Ex) atmospheric CO2
CO2 boosts plant growth. Photosynthesis causes CO2 to fall in the atmosphere
11
Q
Steady state equilibrium
A
A balanced system
12
Q
Dynamic equilibrium
A
System that fluctuates around an average
13
Q
Threshold
A
Reached when a system moves far from equilibrium
14
Q
Metastable equilibrium
A
If a system exceeds a threshold, it will behave differently from its original behaviour
Ex) landslides
15
Q
Computer-based models
A
Allow the simulation of subsystems
16
Q
Models
A
Representative of systems
17
Q
Emergent property
A
Property which a collection or complex system has, but which the individual members do not have
18
Q
Deterministic chaos
A
Apparently random patterns, upon closer examination there is a scale dependent fractal pattern
19
Q
Self-organization
A
Occurs when a complex or stochastic system produces an ordered or regulated system
20
Q
Lithosphere
A
Land surface and rocks
21
Q
Biosphere
A
Life
22
Q
Atmosphere
A
Gaseous envelope
23
Q
Hydrosphere
A
Water
24
Q
Cryosphere
A
Ice and snow
25
Mineral
Naturally occurring inorganic substance with a fixed structure
26
Rock
Composed of minerals
27
3 major classes of rock
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock
28
Igneous
From molten rock
29
Sedimentary
From debris eroded from other rocks and other materials
30
Metamorphic
Rocks changed by heat and/or pressure
31
Intrusive igneous rocks
Cools at depth producing coarse texture
| -magma: within the earth
32
Extrusive igneous rocks
Cools at the surface producing fine texture
| -molten rock on the surface
33
Sedimentary rocks
- mostly found under water
- sediments are laid down in layers, and the compacted
- fossils can be found in sedimentary rock
34
Metamorphic rocks
Igneous or sedimentary rock alerted by intense heat and/or pressure
35
Using minerals determination:
1. Concentration in near surface layers of the Earth
| 2. Ease of converting the raw form into usable products
36
Fake news
News that is false.
37
Alternative facts
No such thing. Different opinions
38
Scientific theories
An explanation for an aspect of the natural world that has been extensively tested and supported under a wide range of conditions by a large number of scientists
39
Pseudoscience
Claimed to be scientific, but lacks evidence gathered by the appropriate scientific methods
40
Biodiversity
Variety and variability of living organisms
41
Intermediate disturbance hypothesis
Suggests that ecosystems under moderate disturbance have higher diversity
42
Species
A group of organisms that can breed with each other under natural conditions and produce offspring
43
Taxonomy
Discipline of naming and classifying life
44
Evolution
The process through which organisms have developed and diversified over the history of life on earth
45
Population
A group of interbreeding organisms that live together in a specific area
46
Genetic mutation
Any change that occurs in the DNA sequence of a gene
47
Adaptation
Inherited characteristics in the structure or function of an organism that make it better suited to a particular physical and/or biological setting
48
Natural selection
Occurs when, over generations, beneficial adaptations accumulate in a population that lead to improved reproductive success of the organism
49
Speciation
The process in which one species separates into two or more species.
-usually some type of geographic isolation involved
50
Species distribution
Total number of species in a certain area
51
Extinction
Species entirely lost
52
Extirpation
Species lost from an area
53
Ecologically extinct
Species in such small numbers it no longer fulfills its ecological role
54
IUCN
International Union for the Conversation of Nature
55
Vulnerable Species
Likely to become endangered unless threats are reduced
56
Endangered species
At risk for becoming extinct
57
Critically endangered species
Extremely high risk of extinction or population decline of more than 80% in 3 generations
58
Extinction causes
- habitat loss
- invasive species
- pollution
- overexploitation
- climate change
59
Why biodiversity matters
- maintains ecosystem function
- enhances food security
- provides drugs and medicine
- economic benefits through tourism and recreation
60
Ecosystem services
Services that nature performs for free
61
MEA
Millennium ecosystem assessment
62
Ecosystem economics
Add the value of ecologies to traditional economics
63
Sustainable scale
Do not overuse non-renewables
64
Mutualism
Beneficial to both organisms
65
Environmental Science
Study of the relationship between organisms and the physical environment
66
Ecosystem
Combination of all the living organisms in a given area and the physical environment in which they live
67
Ecosystem energy balance
Difference between the amount of energy that enters and leaves a system
68
Evaporation
Liquid water into watee vapor
69
Transpiration
Liquid water from soil and plants into atmosphere
70
Evatranspiration
Combination of both evaporation and transpiration
71
GPP
Gross Primary Production: organic carbon produced during photosynthesis
72
Autotrophic respiration
When photosynthetic organisms use the organic carbon they created to power their own cells during cellular respiration
73
NPP
Net Primary Production: how much organic carbon a plant accumulates over time
74
Heterotrophic respiration
Process of converting organic carbon to CO2 by organisms that consume organic material as food during cellular respiration
75
NEP
Net Ecosystem Production: the net total exchange of carbon between an ecosystem and the environment
76
What % of the atmosphere is oxygen?
20%
77
Soil
Mixture of mineral particles amd various types of organic and inorganic material
78
Biological components of soil
Microorganisms
Macroorganisms
Detritus
79
Physical components of soil
Clay
Silt
Sand particles
80
How does soil become soil?
Physical weathering
| Chemical weathering
81
Mineralization
Process of converting mineral elements in organic matter to inorganic forms accessible by plants
82
Soil organic matter
Carbon containing compounds found in soil
| Nitrogen and phosphorus most important
83
Provisioning services
Services human use
84
Cultural services
Serves the need of the culture
85
Regulating services
Wetlands, mangroves, forests, pollinators.
| STABILIZERS
86
Supporting services
Soil, decomposers, plants producing oxygen, habitat
87
Biome
Large area characterized by similar climate, plants and animals
88
Food production
Critical for developing more complex societies where some people specialize on food and others on other activities
89
Agriculture
- most animal and plant species are not suitable to domestication
- varied a lot between continents
90
The Big 5
```
Sheep
Goats
Cattle
Pig
Horse
```
91
Germs 4 factors
1. Diff in plants and animals at orgins of ppl in that area
2. Diffusion between continents
3. Diffusion within continents
4. Continental differences in area and total population size
92
Birth rate
Number of people born/1000 people in a year.
| Sometimes called CBR
93
Current world fertility rate
2.45
| Best predictor of future population growth
94
Replacement rate
2.1
95
Growth rate
Number of people added to a population over a given period of time, divided by the total number of people in that population
96
Current growth rate MDC
1.18
97
Current growth rate LDC
2.38
98
Common pool resources
Natural or human-made resource for which one person's use decreases it's availability to other people, and which preventing someone from using is difficult and costly
99
Tragedy of the commons
Degradation of a commonly held resource.
Issues with individual profit.
No benefit for preservation
100
How do we value the environment?
Direct use value, indirect use value, option value, existence value
101
GPI
Genuine process indicator
102
GNH
Gross national happiness
103
BLI
Better life index
104
HDI
Human development index
