Midterm Flashcards
Factors that contributed to easter island env collapse
-island env Overexploitation Erosion of cleared land Degradation of soil and water Stratified society: unable to adapt to changing conditions
Contemporary human stressors on global environment
Pop growth Consumption of resources Waste production Alteration of global biophysical processes (ex global temp change) Alien chemicals & organisms
Tragedy of the commons
When individs exploit a shared resource independently and rationally to a point where it becomes unavailable to some or all
Alien chemicals
Ex. Cfcs
International trade
Purple loosestrife
Ash borer
Cumulative change
Similar types that happen in different parts
Impact adds up
Deforestation, biodiversity loss, desertification, toxicity,etx
Systemic change
Global change/ function/impact
Cant modify one component
Ex. Atmospheric systems
Ocean circulation, greenhouse gas emissions
Earth
Set of complex, interconnected systems
Changes in one system causes change in another
Enlightenment
Break away from creationism, focus on empiricism
Environment/climactic determinism
Human behaviour and activities are dictated by the physical env
Ex. Being promiscuous, relaxation in tropical climate
Post-war quantitative science: a revolution
New technologies developed during war allowed for increased scientific measurement of environmental features
Rote learning
Memorization based on repetition
Contrast to critical thinking
Ecosystem
Interaction btwn biotic and abiotic communities
Abiotic factors-conditions
Temp, ph, wind, salinity, etc
Abiotic factors- resources
Water, light, minerals, oxygen
Inorganic matter
May contain C but lack the carbon bonds found in organic matter
Organic matter
Compound made up of carbon atoms (and usually hydrogen) and may contain nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur or phosphorus.
Biome
Large regions of biotic communities with major vegetation and species types
Depends on abiotic factors
TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
Groupings of similar ecosystems
Evolution
Gradual change in species over time
Artificial selection
Humans selecting traits
Ex, dog breeds, food
Species
Group of similar orgs that can reproduce fertile offspring
Lamark
Soft inheritance
Org can pass characteristics it acquired during lifetime
Habitat
Abiotic and biotic conditions to which a species is adapted
Ecological niche
How organism/ or pop responds to distribution or resources and competitors
Fundamental niche
With no competitors
Humans
Realized niche
Competition btwn species
Specialists
Species found in only certain location bc of specific requirements
Ex koala
Generalists
Broad tolerance to many environments
Racoons, humans, squirrels
Open system
Energy and matter free to exchange with surroundings
Closed system
Only energy flows. Matter is conained
Positive feedback loop example
Ice caps melting
Warmer temp- melting of ice-more sunlight absorbed by water and land–
Ecotone
Transition area btwn ecosystems
More diversity in species
Less species but more diversity
Optimal range and limits of tolerance
Temperature at which species can survive/grow
Climate
Temperature Humidity Atm pressure Wind Rainfall
Factors that limit ecosystems
Climate
Geology
Water availability
Altitude
Geology
Nutrients available from weathered rock/ soil
Physical surface conducive to growing plants?
Altitude
1 alt: 800 km lat
Complexity
Many interacting agents
While hard to predict, have a good deal of structure
(Not chaos)
Entropy
State of disorder
Increases if you stop adding energy (cleaning your room ex)
