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Enviormental Science > Midterm 2 > Flashcards

Midterm 2 Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

The pH scale quantifies the
_____ or ______ of a solution.

A

acidity or alkalinity

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2
Q

______have a pH of below 7

A

acids

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3
Q

_______ have a pH of above 7

A

bases

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4
Q

kinetic energy

A

the energy of motion

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5
Q

divergent plate boundaries

A

plates move apart as
magma rises to the surface and cools

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6
Q

rock

A

any solid aggregation of minerals

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7
Q

minerals

A

any naturally occurring solid element or inorganic
compound with a crystal structure, distinct chemical composition, and
physical properties

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8
Q

the rock cycle

A

Over time, rocks and their minerals
are heated, melted, cooled, broken
down, and reassembled

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9
Q

Rock that forms when lava or magma
cool is called

A

igneous rock

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10
Q

Minerals may seep through
them and cement particles
together,

A

sedimentary rock

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11
Q

earthquake

A

a sudden release of energy at a tectonic plate boundary

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12
Q

formed where molten rock, ash, or
hot gas erupts through the Earth’s surface

A

volcano

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13
Q

landslides

A

occur when large
amounts of rock or soil collapse
and flow downhill

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14
Q

a series of waves in a water body
caused by the displacement of a large volume
of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake

A

tsunami

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15
Q

a person’s or group’s
beliefs about the meaning, purpose,
operation, and essence of the world

A

world view

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16
Q

knowledge, beliefs, values, and learned ways of life shared
by a group of people
– Economics
– Religion and spiritual beliefs
– Similar experiences
– Individual interests
– Political ideology

A

culture

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17
Q

an individual with strong interests in the outcome of
a decision that results in gain or loss for that individual

A

vested interest

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18
Q

the
intimate knowledge of a particular environment possessed
and passed along by those who have inhabited an area for
many generations
– Medicinal properties of local plants
– Migration habits of local animals
– Geographic and microclimatic variations

A

Traditional or indigenous ecological knowledge

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19
Q

ethics

A

the study of good and bad, right and wrong

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20
Q

ethical standards

A

criteria that help differentiate right
from wrong

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21
Q

catagorial imperative

A

“Golden rule”; a type of ethical
standard

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22
Q

utilitarian principle

A

something right produces the most
benefits for the most people

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23
Q

intrinsic value

A

inherent right to exist

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24
Q

application of ethical standards to
relationships between human and non-human entities

A

Environmental ethics

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25
Q

we must meet our current needs without
compromising the availability of natural resources or the quality of life
for future generations

A

sustainable development

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26
Q

Anthropocentrism

A

only humans have rights

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27
Q

biocentrism

A

certain living things
also have value

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28
Q

ecocentrism

A

whole ecological
systems have value

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29
Q

Transcendentalism

A

viewed
nature as a direct manifestation
of the divine

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30
Q

holds that we should
protect the natural environment in a pristine,
unaltered state

A

preservation ethic

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31
Q

holds that humans should
put natural resources to use but also that we
have a responsibility to manage them wisely

A

conservation ethic

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32
Q

deep ecology

A

humans are inseparable
from nature
– since all living things have equal value,
they should be protected

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33
Q

The Land Ethic” in 1949
– humans should view themselves and
“the land” as members of the same
community

A

Aldo Leopold

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34
Q

ecofeminism

A

the patriarchal structure of society is the
root cause of both social and environmental problems

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35
Q

the study of how people decide to use scarce
resources to provide goods and services in the face of
demand for them

A

economics

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36
Q

people get their daily needs directly from
nature; they do not purchase or trade

A

substance economy

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37
Q

buyers and sellers interact to
determine prices and production of goods and services

A

capitalist market economy

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38
Q

mixed economy

A

governments intervene to some extent

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39
Q

takes a holistic view of the
linkages between environment and economy, applying the
principles of ecology to the study of economics.

A

ecological economics

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40
Q

essential services support the life
that makes economic activities possible
Environment and Economy Are Intricately
Linked

A

ecosystem services

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41
Q

cost-benefit analysis

A

the costs of a proposed action are
compared to the benefits that result from the action

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42
Q

Four of the fundamental assumptions of neoclassical
economics have implications for the environment:

A
  1. Resources are infinite or substitutable.
    – 2. Long-term effects should be discounted.
    – 3. Costs and benefits are internal.
    – 4. Growth is good.
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43
Q

Ecological economists argue that ……

A

civilizations do not overcome their
environmental limitations in the long run

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44
Q

Environmental economists argue that….

A

economies are unsustainable
if population growth is not reduced and resource use is not made more
efficient and within capacity of the environment

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45
Q

economies that do not grow and
do not shrink but rather are stable and mirror natural
ecological systems

A

steady state economy

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46
Q

total monetary value of final goods
and services produced in a country

A

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

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47
Q

differentiates between desirable
and undesirable economic activity

A

Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)

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48
Q

greenwashing

A

consumers are misled
into thinking companies are acting sustainably

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49
Q

the idea that a
resource held in common that is accessible to all and
is unregulated will eventually become overused and
degraded

A

the tragedy of commons

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50
Q

a government giveaway of cash or resources to
encourage a particular activity

A

subsidy

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51
Q

green taxes

A

taxes on environmentally harmful activities

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52
Q

tells consumers which brands use
environmentally benign processes

A

ecolabelling

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53
Q

the IPAT model

A

represents how our total impact
(I) on the environment results from the interaction
of population (P), affluence (A), and technology

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54
Q

demography

A

Principles of population ecology can be applied to
the study of statistical changes in the human
population

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55
Q

Demographers study several characteristics of the
human population:

A

 Size
 Distribution
 Age structure
 Sex ratio
 Rates of birth, death, emigration, and
immigration

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56
Q

describe the relative numbers of
individuals in each age class within a population

A

Age structure diagrams
population pyramids

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57
Q

A pyramid with a wide base denotes a potential for

A

rapid future growth

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58
Q

A pyramid with an even age distribution indicates

A

a stable population

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59
Q

A pyramid with a narrow base indicates

A

a shrinking population

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60
Q

migration

A

describes the
movement of individuals
between countries

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61
Q

immigration

A

is people
entering a country.

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62
Q

emigration

A

is people
leaving a country.

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63
Q

the average number
of children born per woman during her lifetime.

A

Total fertility rate (TFR)

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64
Q

the TFR that keeps
the size of a population stable. For humans,
this is 2.1

A

replacement fertility

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65
Q

the average
number of years a person in an age group is
expected to live, due to a drop in infant
mortality.

A

life expectancy

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66
Q

Countries still industrializing will pass through a
series of stages of economic and cultural
change

A

demographic transition

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67
Q

During the pre-
industrial stage,

A

death rates are high
due to widespread
disease,
rudimentary health
care, and unreliable
food supplies

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68
Q
A
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69
Q

Death rates
decline during
the….

A

transitional period

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70
Q

The population
growth stabilizes
or begins to
shrink during the

A

post industrial stage

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71
Q

the effort to plan the number
and spacing of one’s children

A

family planning

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72
Q

contraception

A

is a deliberate attempt to prevent
pregnancy despite engaging in sexual intercourse

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73
Q

birth control

A

ncludes all efforts to reduce the
frequency of pregnancy

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74
Q

If humanity’s ecological footprint exceeds Earth’s
biocapacity, it is termed an ——-

if the footprint is less, there is an —– ——

A

ecological deficit.
ecological reserve

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75
Q

soil

A

a system consisting of
disintegrated rock, organic
matter, water, gases,
nutrients, and microorganisms

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76
Q

mycorrhizae

A

form mutualistic relationships
with plants

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77
Q

Parent material is broken down into smaller particles by

A

weathering

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78
Q

results from wind, rain, freezing, and
thawing

A

physical weathering

79
Q

occurs as water or gases chemically
alter rock.

A

chemical weathering

80
Q

nvolves living things such as
lichens producing acid or tree roots rubbing against rock

A

biological weathering

81
Q

Partially decomposed organic matter in soil is called

A

humus

82
Q

Weathering and the accumulating of organic
matter are influenced by

A

climate
topography
organisms
parent material

83
Q

The movement and sorting of soil particles
create distinct layers called

A

soil horizons

84
Q

The entire cross-section of soil is the

A

soil profile

85
Q

Minerals dissolved or suspended in water can
be transported downward in a process called

A

leaching

86
Q

order of horizons

A
  1. O, A, B,C,R,W, PERMAFROST
87
Q

O horizon

A

peat deposits

88
Q

A horizon

A

topsoilB

89
Q

B horizon

A

subsoil,
hardpan

90
Q

C horizon

A

broken parent
material

91
Q

R horizon

A

unaltered
parent material

92
Q

W horizon

A

distinct layer
of water in some soils

93
Q

Permafrost layer (horizon)

A

some arctic
soils contain a perennially
frozen layer

94
Q

particles are the
smallest, less than 0.002
millimeter in diameter.

A

clay

95
Q

is the largest, between
0.05 and 2 millimeter in diameter

A

sand

96
Q

particles fall in between
clay and sand

A

slit

97
Q

Soil with an even mixture of
each particle is called

A

loam

98
Q

have few pore spaces and
are sticky, making it difficult for air
and water to pass through

A

clay soils

99
Q

allow water to pass
through too quickly, requiring
frequent irrigation

A

Sandy soils

100
Q

with medium-sized pores
are considered the best for
agriculture

A

loam soils

101
Q

land used for grazing
livestock

A

rangeland

102
Q

land used to raise plants for human
use (food, animals and biofuels) – most of food
and fiber

A

cropland

103
Q

Subsistence (Traditional)

A

the work of cultivating, harvesting, and distributing
crops was performed by human and animal muscle power

a) Low capital and energy input
b) More land area and human labour
c) Shifting cultivation, slash and burn, nomadic

104
Q

Industrialization (modern)

A

large-scale mechanization and fossil fuel consumption
into agriculture.

a) Higher capital/yield, energy input, irrigation, synthetic
fertilizers, chemical pesticides
b) Less land area and human labour
c) Monoculture – required to be efficient

105
Q

Material & energy intensive
Requires:

A

 Machinery
 Fuels
 Commercial fertilizers
 Water
 Commercial pesticides

106
Q

was a period of technology transfer initiatives
that saw greatly increased crop yields, began in the early 20th
century and spread globally until the late 1980s

A

green revolution

107
Q

sustainable agriculture

A

is farming in such a way to
protect the environment, aid and expand natural
resources and to make the best use of nonrenewable
resources

108
Q

he artificial provision of
water beyond what is
received by precipitation is

A

irrigation

109
Q

fertilizers

A

contain nutrients (N,P,K,..)
essential for plant growth

110
Q

inorganic fertilizers

A

are mined (P)
or synthetically manufactured (N)

111
Q

organic fertilizers

A

are made of the
remains or wastes from organisms,
including manure, crop residue,
charcoal, fresh vegetation, and
compost

112
Q

composT

A

is a mixture produced
when decomposers break down
organic matter in a controlled
environment.

113
Q

is the practice of
monitoring soil nutrient levels and only applying
fertilizer when it is needed

A

PRECISION AGRICULTURE

114
Q

is the process by
which male plant sex cells
(pollen) fertilize female plant
sex cells (ova, or egg cells)

A

pollination

115
Q

institutions that preserve seed types to
preserve this genetic diversity

A

seed banks

116
Q

Land degrations

A

a deterioration of land that
diminishes its productivity and biodiversity and impairs the functioning of its ecosystems

117
Q

soil degration

A

is the
deterioration in quality and
productivity of soil

118
Q

the removal of material from one place
and its transport to another by wind or water

A

erosion

119
Q

deposition

A

When eroded material is left at a new location

120
Q

desertification

A

a land degradation
where more than 10% of productivity is lost

121
Q

the process of farmers alternating the type of
crop grown from one season to the next

A

crop rotation

122
Q

creates level platforms on very
steep terrain to slow water erosion.

A

terracing

123
Q

involves planting
alternating bands of different crops.

A

intercropping

124
Q

are rows of trees or
shrubs that serve as windbreaks

A

shelterbelts

125
Q

educes the amount of
plowing, since it leaves soil surfaces bare and exposed
to wind

A

conservation tillage

126
Q

farming eliminates tilling altogether, leaving
crop residues behind

A

no till

127
Q

the guarantee of an adequate,
safe, nutritious, and reliable food supply

A

food security

128
Q

lack regular access to enough safe and
nutritious food for normal growth and development and an
active and healthy life

A

lack regular access to enough safe and
nutritious food for normal growth and development and an
active and healthy life

129
Q

a shortage of specific nutrients,
such as lipids, proteins, vitamins, or minerals

A

malnutrition

129
Q

receiving too many calories per
day) has grown in developing countries due to the
abundance of cheap junk food and sedentary
lifestyles

A

overnutrition

130
Q

huge pens designed to
provide high-energy feed to animals
living in high densities

A

feedlots

131
Q

any organism that damages crops or
livestock

A

pest

132
Q

any plant that competes with crops

A

weed

133
Q

include synthetic chemicals that kill
insects (insecticides), plants (herbicides), and fungi
(fungicides).

A

pesticides

134
Q

biological control

A

here natural
predators or parasites are
introduced to eliminate the
pest.

135
Q

combines
biocontrol, chemical pesticides, habitat alteration,
crop rotation, transgenic crops, alternative tillage
methods, and mechanical pest removal

A

integrated pest management

136
Q

refers to any process where scientists
directly manipulate an organism’s genetic material (D N A)

A

genetic engineering

137
Q

involves the selection by
humans of organisms that have desirable traits

A

Traditional selective breeding

138
Q

the use of radiation to increase mutation
rates in organisms to allow the emergence of new traits more
quickly.

A

mutagenesis

139
Q

An organism with DNA from another species is called

A

transgenic

140
Q

For crops to be considered organic . . .

A

he land must be free of prohibited substances for 3 years.
 Crops must not be genetically engineered.
 Crops must not be irradiated to kill bacteria.
 Sewage sludge cannot be used.
 Organic seeds and planting stock are preferred.

141
Q

examines all inputs and
outputs across all stages of an item’s production,
sale, and use to determine fossil fuel consumption

A

lifecycle analysis

142
Q

the practice of growing plants in
water-based nutrient-rich solutions instead of soil

A

hydroponics

143
Q

the variety of life across all levels of
biological organization (genes through
ecosystems)

A

biodiversity

144
Q

a set of organisms that share unique
characteristics, can breed, and produce fertile
offspring.

A

species

145
Q

species diversity

A

the number or
variety of species in the world or in a
particular region

146
Q

the
number and variety of ecosystems

A

ecosystem diversity

147
Q

where different types
of habitats intermix

A

ecotones

148
Q

is searching for organisms that might provide new foods,
medicines, or other products

A

bioprospecting

149
Q

if a keystone species like a top predator is lost,

A

consequences
will cascade down the entire food chain

150
Q

If an ecosystem engineer is lost,

A

the entire structure of an
ecosystem can change.

151
Q

species that are of particular concern because
of characteristics that make them particularly sensitive to
human activities or natural events

A

vulnerable

152
Q

the loss of a species from one
area, but not the entire world

A

extirpation

153
Q

the pace
at which organisms independently go extinc

A

background extinction rate

154
Q

abitat loss most commonly
occurs through gradual,
piecemeal degradation called
__________________
* This makes habitats smaller
and prevents movement of
organisms between habitats

A

habitat fragmentation

155
Q

prioritizes regions most important
globally for biodiversity

A

Biodiversity hotspots

156
Q

forest

A

any ecosystem with a high density of trees

157
Q

high-latitude, cold, dry climates with short growing seasons

A

boreal forest

158
Q

temperate forest

A

mid-latitude forest, seasonal climate with winter vs.
summer growing season

159
Q

equatorial-latitude forest, wet, tropical climate

A

tropical forests

160
Q

classifications of forests based on their predominant tree
species

A

forest types

161
Q

the upper level of leaves and branches in the treetops

A

canopy

162
Q

the middle portion of the forest

A

subcanopy

163
Q

The shaded lower level consisting of shrubs and small trees

A

understory

164
Q

contains groundcover plants.

A

forest floor

165
Q

natural forest left uncut by people

A

primary forest

166
Q

have
sprouted and grown to partial maturity since the old-growth trees
were cut

A

secondary forests

167
Q

greements to pay off a developing
country’s debt in exchange for preserving forests

A

debt for nature swaps

168
Q

the practice of managing society’s demand for
forests against maintaining them as ecosystems

A

forestry

169
Q

where all the
trees are cut at once

A

clear cutting

170
Q

leaves some seed-producing trees to
reseed the harvested area.

A

seed tree approach

171
Q

eaves some mature trees behind to
shelter growing seedlings

A

shelterwood approach

172
Q

maintain uneven-aged stands by removing
only some trees.

A

shelter maintain

173
Q

a field that assesses environmental factors
(or hazards – 4 types: cultural, physical, biological and chemical) that
can influence our health and quality of life

A

environmental health

174
Q

result from the place we live, our socioeconomic status, our
occupation, our behavioral choices (e.g., smoking, drug use, crime, etc.

A

cultural environmental hazards

175
Q

Infectious and noninfectious diseases cause the majority
of human deaths worldwide

A

biological disease

176
Q

toxic chemicals manufactured in tissues of
living organisms, often used as defense against others

A

toxins

177
Q

indoor chemical hazards

A

asbestos
radon
PBDEs
lead poisoning

178
Q

the study of the effects of poisonous
substances on humans and other organism

A

toxicology

179
Q

examines the environmental factors that
can influence the exposure of organisms to contaminants
and potential effects

A

ecotoxicology

180
Q

maximum dose with no discernable effects, and is
observed when the body’s organs can metabolize or excrete a
toxicant at low doses but get overwhelmed at high doses

A

threshold level

181
Q

carcinogens

A

substances or
types of radiation that cause cance

182
Q

ubstances that cause genetic mutations in the D N A
of organisms

A

mutagens

183
Q

specifically cause birth defect

A

teratogens

184
Q

overactivate the immune system, causing an immune
response when one is not necessary

A

allergens

185
Q

things like heavy metals that damage the nervous system

A

neurotoxins

186
Q

block one or more steps in important
biochemical pathways

A

pathway inhibitors

187
Q

the introduction of contaminants into an environment that
causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem; i.e.,
physical systems or living organism

A

pollution

188
Q

large-scale comparisons
among groups of people
– Involve tracking groups of people for a long period of
time and looking for observable differences in rates of
deaths, cancer, and other health problems

A

epidemiological studies

189
Q

Chemical mixtures interact by:

A

Additivity
 Response = sum of individual effects
– Synergy
 Response > sum of individual effects
– Antagonism
 Response < sum of individual effects
* Complicates interpretation of multiple chemical
exposure studies

190
Q

the quantitative measurement of risk and the
comparison of risks involved in different activities or substances

A

risk assessment

191
Q

product manufacturers must
prove a product is safe

A

innocent until proven guilty approach

192
Q

substances are harmful until they
are shown to be harmless

A

precautionary principle approach

193
Q
A

Enviormental Science (3 decks)

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