MODULE 1 - UNIT 1 Flashcards
_______: refers to everything surrounding us and is composed of the four spheres of the earth namely:
- also defined as the total of all external factors, abiotic and biotic, that affect life.
environment
- atmosphere
- lithosphere
- hydrosphere
- biosphere
- components of the environment that are non-living physical and chemical factors such as air, water, soil, mineral, and sunlight.
- also includes processes like weathering, erosion, soil formation, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, etc.
abiotic components
- living biological factors such as plants, animals, microorganisms, and humans.
- also includes abiotic processes like predation, competition, and migration, to name a few.
biotic components
- interacting components that, together, make up an ecosystem
- their interactions are seen in
material and energy flows in the ecosystem
biotic and abiotic components
- occurs in biogeochemical cycles (aka _________) like the water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, sulfur cycle, and phosphorus cycle.
- nutrient cycles
MATERIAL FLOW
- occurs in the different trophic levels of the ecosystem that involve producers and consumers
energy flow
- responsible for sustaining life on earth
- disruption in any of these flows would have adverse consequences
material and energy flows
- Large ecosystems with distinct biotic and abiotic characteristics
- Although this differ in some respects such as _______, _______, ________, the one thing they have in common is their ability to provide a life support system for the organisms that thrive in them
climate
precipitation
temperature
BIOMES
For humans, the _________ is the most important resource for life.
_________: an applied science that makes use of ecosystem concepts and principles to identify, understand, and address environmental issues due to anthropogenic activities.
— covers a wide range of subject matters and issues related to our life support system.
- environment
- environmental science
There is a cultural element to environmental science since it deals, not only with the scientific aspects of the environment, but also with the social, political, and economic aspects.
It also uses information from various disciplines such as ecology, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, and information technology to analyze and address environmental issues, thus considered as ___________.
- interdisciplinary
ENVI SCIE is divided into several branches such as (3)
one goal of all these branches
- environmental engineering
- environmental chemistry
- atmospheric science
— provide solutions to environmental problems
three fundamental steps required to achieve their goal:
- knowledge about the life-supporting environment
- understand the problems that threaten the environment
- address the environmental issue
- knowledge about the abiotic and biotic components of the environment, as well as the different environmental processes, would provide the theoretical concepts required to understand how the natural and physical worlds interact.
- Example: trees absorb carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis and release oxygen in the process; the oxygen on the other hand, is important for respiration, which in turn releases carbon dioxide. This is part of the carbon cycle.
knowledge about the life-supporting environment
- To solve a problem, an environmentalist must know about it first.
- What are the causes of that environmental problem and what are its effects on both the natural and physical environments?
- Example: deforestation greatly reduces the number of trees that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; in effect, greenhouse gases are increased leading to global warming.
understand the problem that threaten the environment
- With the knowledge and understanding an environmentalist has gathered and developed, it is now easier to find solutions to the environmental problems, like natural resource management, conservation of ecosystem, preservation of biodiversity, and control of pollution.
- Example: The problem of deforestation can be dealt with the strict implementation of the Chainsaw Act of 2002 and, at the same time, promoting tree planting and reforestation activities.
address the environmental issue
Environmental science is important in enhancing people’s SPEAK Awareness.
Skill
Participation
Evaluation ability
Attitude
Knowledge
Awareness
- acquire skills for solving and identifying environmental problems
skill
- provide an opportunity for active involvement in addressing environmental problems
participation
- develop the ability to evaluate environmental measures and educational programs in terms of ecological, economic, social, and aesthetic factors
evaluation ability
- acquire a set of values and feelings of concern; motivation for active participation to improve and protect the environment
attitude
- gain a variety of experiences and acquire a basic understanding of the environment and its associated problems
knowledge
- acquire an awareness of the environment as a whole and its allied problems and
sensitivity
awareness
- study of the interaction of humans with the natural environment
(4)
environmental science
- climate
- soil landforms
- water sources
- other living organisms
- In ______, similar grain production to modern agriculture: 30 bushels/acre.
- Sumerians heavily relied on ________, the application of water to soil from another source.
- Sumeria
- irrigation
- _______ present in the irrigated water began building up in the soil, causing yields to decline to a half, then a fourth of original levels.
- Eventually, only salt-tolerant barley could be grown.
- Sumeria collapsed.
- Salt
The salinization of Sumeria is an example of:
- The Law of Unintended Consequences
— Decisions often have
unexpected effects - Resource Depletion
— Consuming natural materials faster than they can replenish
- marked the transition to coal power, electricity, and factory production
industrial revolution
Pamphlet published by an economist in 1833 describing a major cause of resource depletion:
________: resources that are
shared and not owned
Individuals neglect the well-being of society in the pursuit of personal gain.
- Commons
TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS
global examples of the tragedy of the commons
- pollution in the atmosphere and oceans
- climate change
natural resource classifications
- inexhaustible
- renewable
- non-renewable
- recyclable nonrenewable
- Cannot be used up
- Sunlight
inexhaustible
- Will be replaced, but often at a slower rate than they are used
- Soil, timber
renewable
- Not replaced within the human time scale
- Single-use
- Coal, oil, natural gas
nonrenewable resources
- Not replaced within the human time scale
- Can be reused repeatedly
- Minerals, metals
recyclable nonrenewable
During the ________, the _____________ was passed, allowing the federal government to protect cultural and natural resources
- progressive era
- Antiquities Act
National Land Designations
- national parks
- national forests
- national wildlife refuges
- _______: to be kept unaltered from their original state.
* No fishing, logging, hunting, or livestock grazing - _______: allow commercial logging and recreational hunting and fishing.
* Permit required to prevent overexploitation - _______: allow hunting and fishing with a permit, but no commercial activities.
- national parks
- national forests
- national wildlife refuges
- The same year the antiquities act passed, San Francisco experienced a massive earthquake and fire. As the city was rebuilt, a new water supply was needed
- The city applied to the federal government to build dams and reservoirs in the Hetch Hetchy and Lake Eleanor valleys in Yosemite.
- As a national park, a law would have to be passed granting the exemption.
__________ was the first public debate in environmental ethics –what moral relationship humans should have with the environment.
“Where conflicting interests must be reconciled, the question shall always be answered from the standpoint of the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run.” _________
- Hetch Hetchy
- Gifford Pinchot, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service
- Human-centered philosophy
- Human interests and well-being come first
- Advocated to build the dam
- The dam was built in 1914 and is still in use today
anthropocentrism
- Nature-centered philosophy
- Preserving ecosystems comes first
- Advocated to leave the valley untouched
ecocentrism
The __________, starting in the 1960s, ushered in a wave of public awareness and legislation…
(3)
- This movement was triggered by a series of environmental disasters in the previous decades
- modern environmental movement
- reducing air and water pollution
- Preserving ecosystems and biodiversity
- Promoting sustainability
- In ____, nuclear bomb testing in the Marshall Islands exposed native islanders and Navy sailors to radioactive fallout.
- This material was ___________, meaning it increased the risk of cancer
- In ____, air pollution from a zinc and steel plant caused a dense smog that sickened thousands in Donora, Pennsylvania.
- ________ is the introduction of particles and gases into the atmosphere that are harmful to living organisms.
- 1946
- carcinogenic
- 1948
- Air pollution
- In ____, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, documenting the impacts that pesticides like DDT were having on wildlife.
- DDT is persistent, meaning it is not biodegradable and will not break down naturally
- __________ is the complete loss of a species from the Earth
- In ______, The Population Bomb is published, blaming many environmental problems on human overpopulation and predicting a global famine.
*______: an extreme shortage of food
- 1962
- Extinction
- 1968
- famine
- In ______, oil-soaked debris caught fire in the Cuyahoga River, bringing the problem of water pollution to the public’s attention.
*________ is the contamination of lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater. - In _____, the city of Love Canal, New York was abandoned and demolished due to a leaking hazardous waste dump buried underneath it.
*__________ includes chemicals known to be dangerous to human health.
- 1969
- Water pollution
- 1978
- Hazardous waste
______: Enabled creation of National Parks
______: Restricts pollution of surface waters
______: Restricts pollution of the atmosphere
______: All federal projects must assess environmental impacts
- antiquities act (1906)
- clean water act (1968)
- clean air act (1970)
- environmental policy act (1970)
______: Identifies species at risk of extinction and makes plans for their recovery
______: Testing and treatment standards for tap water
______: Requires safe transport and storage of hazardous waste
______: Funds the cleanup of hazardous waste sites
- endangered species act (1973)
- safe drinking water act (1974)
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1980)
- CERCLA (1980)
_______: established in 1970 to enforce federal environmental laws
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Following the 1970s, environmentalism began to consider issues that affected the entire planet:
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTALISM
- biodiversity loss
- food production
- climate change
- human population growth
- economic inequality between nations
Countries are classified across an economic spectrum
demographic divide
- Economically poor
- Less educated
- Higher fertility rates
- Lower standard of living
- Lower rates of consumption
developing
- Economically wealthy
- More educated
- Lower fertility rates
- Higher standard of living
- Higher rates of consumption
developed
_________: per capita is the monetary value of the goods and services produced per person per year
_________: number of children born to an average woman over her lifetime
_________: number of years an average person will live
_________: amount of materials, energy, and services used per person
- gross domestic product (GDP)
- Total fertility rate
- life expectancy
- consumption
_________: amount of materials, energy, and services used per person
__________: estimated with an ecological footprint, the amount of land needed to support a person or country
(5)
- consumption
- consumption
- forest products
- carbon pollution
- cropland and pastureland
- build-up land
- fisheries
_________ predicts that the price of a resource will…
* _______ when supply is low and/or demand is high.
*_______ when supply is high and/or demand is low
- Supply and demand
- Increase
- Decrease
________: measures the expense of an action with the benefits it will bring.
*______ are “paid for” by people other than the sellers and buyers and are usually not included in these analyses.
- cost-benefit analysis
- Hidden costs
environmental worldviews
- planetary management
- stewardship
- environmental wisdom
- Humans “rule” the Earth
- Technology and ingenuity will prevent the loss of resources
- Economic potential is unlimited
planetary management
- Human needs come first but we must care for other species too.
- Conserve resources for future generations when possible.
- Prefer economic growth that does not harm the environment.
stewardship
- Humans are no more important than any other species
- Resources are finite, wastes do not “go away”
- Our survival depends on sustaining the Earth.
environmental wisdom
