Midterm

Question 1

Environmental Science

Answer 1

An interdisciplinary study of
1. How the earth (nature) works and has survived and thrived (ENST 210)
2. how humans interact with the environment (ENST 303)
3. how SHOULD humans interact with nature (ENST 395)

Question 2

What does Grady assume?

Answer 2

1. Humans have changed the environment in significant ways
2. Science can describe many of these changes accurately
3. Everyone has an interest in environmental protection:
   - we disagree about the nature of environmental problems
   - we disagree about the best solutions

Question 3

Ecological Sustainability

Answer 3

Capacity of the earth’s natural systems that support life and human economic systems to survive or adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely

Question 4

Sustainable Development

Answer 4

Meeting the current and future basic needs of its people in a just and equitable manner without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their basic needs

Question 5

Triple Bottom Line of sustainability

Answer 5

Focusing on economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social justice

Question 6

Calvin’s definition of sustainability

Answer 6

Sustainability emerges from choices that, on balance, promote economic vitality, social equity, and a flourishing natural environment both now and for generations to come

Question 7

Ecological Principles of Sustainability

Answer 7

1. Rely on Solar Energy
2. Protect Biodiversity: genes, species, ecosystems, and ecosystem processes
3. Protect Chemical Cycles: nutrient circulation
   MEMORIZE THESE

Question 8

Social Principles of Sustainability

Answer 8

1. Politics: win-win results
2. Economics: full-cost pricing
3. Ethics: responsibility to future generations

Question 9

Natural Capital

Answer 9

Types:
1. Inexhaustible (ex Sun)
2. Renewable (ex Trees)
3. Nonrenewable (ex Coal)

Question 10

Sustainable living

Answer 10

Living off the earth’s natural income without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it

Question 11

Natural Capital & Sustained Yield

Answer 11

How much can you harvest now to continue to have that same harvest in perpetuity
- only take when there are plenty of plants and they’re healthy
- minimize harm, share what you’ve taken, and reciprocate the gift
- “take what is given to you”

Question 12

Tragedy of the Commons

Answer 12

Prècis Breakdown

Question 13

What is Science?

Answer 13

1. Make an observation and identify a question
2. Propose a hypothesis
3. Test your hypothesis
4. Gather data from your test
5. Interpret your results
6. Report for Peer Review

Question 14

Correlation and Causation

Answer 14

Type 1 Error: False positive
Type 2 Error: False Negative

Question 15

Myths of Science

Answer 15

1. Provides proof/certainty
2. Remains purely objective
3. Limited only by the amount of data

Question 16

Systems Thinking

Answer 16

A system is an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something
- elements
- interconnectedness
- purpose of function

Question 17

How to identify a system:

Answer 17

A) Can you identify parts
B) Do the parts affect each other
C) Do the parts together produce an effect that is different from the effect of each part on its own
D) (Usually) Does the effect, the behavior over time, persist in a variety of circumstances

Question 18

How to influence a system:

Answer 18

Find the right leverage points

Question 19

Five Axioms of Sustainability

Answer 19

1. Any society that continues to use critical resources unsustainably will collapse
2. Population growth / growth in rates of resource consumption cannot be sustained
3. To be sustainable, the use of renewable resources must proceed at a rate that is less than or equal to the rate of natural replenishment
4. To be sustainable, the use of nonrenewable resources must proceed at a rate that is declining, and the rate of decline must be greater than or equal to the rate of depletion
5. Sustainability requires that substances introduced into the environment from human activities be minimized and rendered harmless to biosphere functions

Question 20

Four Earth Systems:

Answer 20

1. Atmosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Lithosphere (Geosphere)
4. Biosphere

Question 21

Atmosphere

Answer 21

Ozone layer, which filters out UV radiation
We evolved to see visible light–animals with night vision can see what we call UV light

Question 22

Hydrosphere

Answer 22

Sublimation and evaporation put water in the atmosphere
1% freshwater, 2% icecaps, 97% oceans

Question 23

Lithosphere

Answer 23

We’re mostly interested in the crust
Tectonic plates–convergent and divergent boundaries

Question 24

Biosphere

Answer 24

Biosphere -> Ecosystem -> Community -> Population

Question 25

Ecosystem

Answer 25

A set of organisms within a defined area...interacting with one another and with their nonliving environment of matter and energy

Question 26

Life in an ecosystem is sustained by...

Answer 26

flows of matter and energy

Question 27

Trophic levels

Answer 27

Producers -> Primary consumers -> secondary consumers -> tertiary consumers Underneath are decomposers and detritus feeders

Question 28

Productivity in ecosystems

Answer 28

Swamps and marches, tropical rainforest, temperate forest, taiga, savanna, agricultural land, woodland, temperate grassland, tundra, desert scrub, extreme desert

Question 29

Chemical Cycles

Answer 29

SEE SLIDES

Question 30

Climate:

Answer 30

Average weather

Question 31

Key factors that determine climate:

Answer 31

1. Uneven distribution of solar energy 2. Rotation of the earth on its axis 3. Properties of air, water, and land

Question 32

Climate: Hadley Cells

Answer 32

0-60: Polar caps 60: temperate deciduous forest and grassland 60-30: Desert 30-0: Tropical deciduous forest 0: Tropical rainforest

Question 33

Biome:

Answer 33

Large...regions, each characterized by a particular type of climate and a certain combination of dominant plant life

Question 34

Terrestrial biome:

Answer 34

determined largely by precipitation and temperature

Question 35

Marine biome:

Answer 35

Determined largely by light, temperature, and nutrients

Question 36

Freshwater biomes:

Answer 36

determined largely by light, temperature, and nutrients

Question 37

Oligotrophic and Eutrophic lakes

Answer 37

Oli: low in plant nutrients, high in oxygen in the deep parts Eu: too many nutrients in the water--high plant growth uses up oxygen and marine animals die

Question 38

Ecosystem Roles:

Answer 38

Native, nonnative, indicator, keystone

Question 39

Evolution:

Answer 39

populations evolve when genes mutate and give some individuals genetic traits that enhance their abilities to survive and to produce offspring with these traits

Question 40

Process of evolution:

Answer 40

1. Genetic diversity and mutations 2. Natural selection and adaptation (some die) 3. Differential reproduction rates (survivors reproduce)

Question 41

Speciation

Answer 41

Formation of new species 1. Geographic isolation 2. Reproductive isolation

Question 42

Extinction & Extirpation

Answer 42

Extinction: gone over the whole world Extirpation: gone in a local area

Question 43

Keystone species

Question 44

indicator species

Question 45

K and R reproduction

Question 46

Inertia vs Resilience: Moderate vs severe effects

Answer 46

Ecological Inertia: ability of an ecosystem to survive moderate disturbances Ecological Resilience: ability of an ecosystem to be restored (potentially drastic measures) after a severe disturbance

Question 47

3 components (Cody): Spirit, love, hope