Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

ENVI 101 > Old Material (to study for final) > Flashcards

Old Material (to study for final) Flashcards

Memorize by final exam 12/11

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Physics 101 flashcards Psychology 101 flashcards Chemistry 101 flashcards Biology 101 flashcards Organic Chemistry 101 flashcards Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Ecosystem Services

A

Resources provided by environmental systems that benefit people
Exs:
- trees provide oxygen, thermoregulation, food, habitats, lumber
- water provides hydration, habitat, thermoregulation, and transportation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is science?

A

A way of knowing and discovering how nature works by examining the structure of the natural world

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Steps of the Scientific Method

A

Question, Hypothesis, Experiment, Collect Data, Conclusion, Report Findings, Peer Review

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define Hypothesis

A

A testable explanation for an observation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is reliable science?

A

Peer-reviewed, well-documented methods, scientific consensus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the peer review process?

A

Submit work to a journal to show your peers exactly what you did so they can review it and make sure the methods are valid and sensical
This requires a lot of transparency

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Energy

A

The ability to do work

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the two kinds of energy? Examples?

A

Kinetic energy (in motion): flowing water, car driving
Potential energy (stored): coal, gasoline, molecules in food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Evolution

A

Process through which life forms change genetically over time, which occurs across generations through heritable traits

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Natural Selection

A

Individuals with certain genetic traits are more likely to survive and reproduce under a specific set of environmental conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the various kinds of interspecies interactions?

A

Competition, herbivory, predation, parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Competition

A

Using similar resources
Neg (-) effect on both species
Ex: hyena and vulture fighting for dead carcass

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Herbivory

A

Consumption of plants by animals
+ for animal, - for plant
Ex: cows eating grass

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Predation

A

Predator vs prey dynamic
+ for predator, - for prey
Ex: lion hunting zebra

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Parasitism

A

Parasite obtains nourishment from a host through prolonged close contact
+ for parasite, - for host
Ex: mites, lice, heartworm, common cuckoo (hijacks nest of the reed warbler)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Mutualism

A

Benefits both species
Ex: bees and flowers (pollen)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Commensalism

A

Benefits one species but has no effect on the other
Ex: whales and barnacles
Ex 2: epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Density Dependent Factors

A

Rely on population density
Ex: competition for resources, diseases, predation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Density Independent Factors

A

Doesn’t have to do with population
Ex: climate change, habitat destruction, natural disasters, pesticides

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are Hadley Cells? How do they impact climate?

A

Large atmospheric circulations where warm air rises at the equator, cools and moves outwards, then sinks at medium latitudes (30 degrees north and south), before moving back towards the equator and pulling moisture from the surface as it goes

This leads to rainforests at the equator and deserts just north and south of them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is Primary Productivity? Where is it highest/lowest?

A

Rate of biomass production through photosynthesis (essentially how much plant life there is)
Varies across ecosystems depending on nutrients, light, water, heat, etc.

Highest in swamps, marshes, estuaries, tropical rainforests, and temperate forests
Lowest in deserts, arctic, and open ocean

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Bioaccumulation

A

A particular animal/individual has a build-up or high concentration of contaminants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Biomagnification

A

The phenomenon where those that are higher on the food chain have higher levels of contaminants
Ex: DDT in water gets into algae, then goes to zooplankton, minnows, larger fish, and finally fish-eating birds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Environmental Impact Equation

A

I = PAT
Impact = Population size x Affluence x Technology

Affluence = resource use
Tech = how goods/services are developed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What are CAFOs? What are some problems associated with them?

A

Concentrated animal feeding operations

Concerns: zoonotic disease spread, antibiotic resistance, waste runoff, fecal contamination, methane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What are fisheries? Concerns with them?

A

Concentration of wild aquatic species suitable for commercial harvesting

Concerns: overfishing, habitat destruction (caused by nets), bi-catch

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What is aquaculture? Concerns with it? Potential innovations?

A

Farming fish

Concerns: waste, relying on wild populations to feed farmed fish, disease spread

Innovations: cameras to track feeding, using tides to disperse waste, nets

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What are farm subsidies? Concerns with them?

A

Government payments or support intended to help farmers stay in business

Concerns: Majority of funding goes to wealthy farmers with the biggest yields (that also have the biggest environmental impact), distorts planting decisions, + can be costly for American taxpayers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Soil Conservation Programs

A

Pays farmers to take some of their land out of agriculture to prevent soil erosion and help build up nutrients in the soil

Addresses some of the concerns with farm subsidies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Carbon Cycle

A

Pulled from atmosphere by plants (photosynthesis)
Stored in plants, soil, animals, and ocean
Carbon released back into atmosphere through respiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

How have humans altered the carbon cycle?

A

Releasing historically stored carbon by burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and over tilling

32
Q

Nitrogen Cycle

A

Majority is in atmosphere
Captured by plants through lightning strikes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil or on their root nodules

33
Q

Phosphorus Cycle

A

Majority in contained in rocks
Dissolved as water runs over said rocks
Water is absorbed by plants

34
Q

What can happen if farmers water their crops too much?

A

Soil Salinization: accumulation of salts in upper layers of soil, stunting plant growth

Waterlogging: accumulation of groundwater leads to rising water table and lack of oxygen in soil

35
Q

What are some alternatives to synthetic pesticides? Potential concerns?

A

Cultivation Controls - altering planting times and crop rotation

Biological Controls - using living things (like parasites, predators, bacteria, and viruses) to address pests
Concerns: can’t control population (control becomes pest), difficult to mass produce/apply, time lags

36
Q

What are Hydroponics? Benefits? Drawbacks?

A

Growing plants without soil by exposing their roots to nutrient-rich water

Benefits: year-round growing, water conservation, no runoff, efficient light, no pesticides, reuse abandoned spaces

Drawbacks: high electric bills to power lights

37
Q

Cross Breeding

A

Combining two sexually compatible species to create a new variety that has the desired traits of the parents

Uses existing traits

38
Q

Transgenesis

A

Adding new genes to the genome of a plant (that may come from a different species)
Must be done in a lab

39
Q

Gene Editing

A

Changing the genome of an organism using enzymes (editing what’s there, but not adding anything new from a different species)

40
Q

Invasive species

A

Non-native species that disrupt the ecosystem by outcompeting native populations or transmitting disease

41
Q

What are some examples of invasive species?

A

Zebra mussel: sharp, clog pipes and rudders
Round goby: reproduce fast = outcompete natives
Emerald ash borer: burrows into tree = killing it
Spotted lanternfly: feeds on sap = kills tree
Autumn olive: displaces native plants

42
Q

Clearcutting

A

Cutting down everything in an area (most environmentally damaging way of harvesting trees)

43
Q

Shelterwood and Group Selection

A

Harvesting select trees at specific intervals (shelterwood = smaller, group = larger)

Opens up areas of light for new plants to grow (that are protected by the larger trees)

44
Q

Single Tree Selection

A

Harvesting specific trees or kinds of trees, such as a certain species or a diseased tree

45
Q

National Forest System

A

National forests - used for logging, grazing, farming, recreation, oil extraction

46
Q

Bureau of Land Management

A

Large tracts of land used for mining, oil extraction, and grazing
Requires permits

47
Q

National Park Service

A

National Parks - used only for recreation such as camping, hiking, fishing, and boating

48
Q

National Wildlife Refuge

A

Managed by Fish and Wildlife Service - used to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants with minimal recreation (like photography, birding, fishing)

49
Q

Ecological Restoration

A

Bringing a landscape back to a former condition, ideally to what it was before human disturbance

50
Q

Rehabilitation

A

Rebuilding the community to a useful, functional state
Doesn’t aim to restore it to its original condition
Least invasive kind of restoration

51
Q

Remediation

A

Mild or nondestructive chemical, physical, or biological methods used to remove pollution

Bioremediation - use of living things (ex: sunflowers near Chernobyl)

52
Q

Reclamation

A

Extreme techniques used to clean up severe pollution in severely degraded or barren sites
Ex: Onondaga Lake

53
Q

Geology

A

Study of dynamic Earth processes on surface and in the interior

54
Q

What are the three zone of earth?

A

Core - hot iron + nickel
Mantle - less dense semi-liquid (magma)
Crust - complex mineral composition (continental and oceanic)

55
Q

Sedimentary Rock

A

Made of sediments (bits of weathered rock) that accumulate in layers through compaction

56
Q

Metamorphic Rock

A

Existing rock that has been exposed to heat, pressure, and/or fluids and is transformed

57
Q

Igneous Rock

A

Existing rock is melted into magma, which is then formed into rock through heat, pressure, and eventually cooling/crystallization

58
Q

What are Greenhouse Gasses? Examples? Sources?

A

Trap heat in atmosphere like blanket

Nitrous oxide
Water vapor
Methane - agriculture, CAFOs, fugitive emissions
Carbon dioxide - industry, construction, electricity, heat (basically anything that burns fossil fuels)

59
Q

Paris Climate Agreement (2016)

A

Countries sign on and are expected to lower their GHG emissions
Goal of limiting earth’s average temp increase to below 2 degrees

60
Q

COP 28

A

Move away from fossil fuels
Loss-and-damage fund (larger countries giving money to smaller ones that are affected more by climate change despite contributing less)

61
Q

Clean Air Act (1970)

A

Regulates 6 major air pollutants:
Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, lead, particulate matter, and ozone

62
Q

What are some clean air legislations? What are their effects?

A

Emission controls such as filters in power plants
Cap and trade - reduces sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere (can also be done for carbon)

63
Q

What percentage of water is fresh?

A

3% (mostly contained in ice)

64
Q

What are wetlands? What services do they provide?

A

Areas where the soil is covered in water or fully saturated either all year or seasonally, giving rise to hydrophytes

Importance: recreation, natural filters, flood management, nutrient storage, biodiversity

65
Q

What causes Dead Zones? Potential Solutions?

A

Agriculture and livestock runoff = eutrophication (excess of nutrients and algae) = hypoxia and dead fish

Solutions: reduce inputs and synthetic fertilizers; use cover crops to prevent soil erosion and encourage nutrient uptake

66
Q

Safe Drinking Water Act
Recent changes?

A

Set regulations/national standards for safe drinking water
Biden recently regulated PFAS (aka forever chemicals) found in common household objects

67
Q

Solar Energy

A

Panels with photovoltaic cells convert solar into electricity
Can be installed on homes or in open spaces

Solar Grazing = solar panels + livestock to maintain grass height

68
Q

Wind Energy

A

Kinetic energy captured by wind turbines (usually in offshore farms)

Concerns about birds can be addressed by: colored turbines, placement away from migration routes, detection systems

69
Q

Hydropower

A

Produce electricity from flowing water (in dams with turbines)
Produces a lot of consistent energy without CO2 emissions

Cons: climate change = droughts, land destruction to build dams, few suitable locations, expensive, affect downstream ecosystems

70
Q

Biomass/Biofuel

A

Made from living materials such as wood and agricultural products
Ethanol in made from sugarcane (Brazil) or corn (40% of it produced in US is for this purpose)

Concerns: emits CO2, deforestation, grassland conversion, space and resources needed for agriculture (including pesticides + fertilizers)

71
Q

Geothermal

A

Heat stored in the rocks, soil, and fluids of the mantle is harvested via heat pump systems or repurposed petroleum drilling tech

72
Q

Coal

A

Solid made from land plant remains
Pros: abundant and cheap
Cons: dirty, air pollution, destruction for mines, dangerous working conditions

73
Q

Oil

A

Used to make chemicals, paints, and plastics
Harvested in offshore drilling operations

Cons: oil spills in ocean, destruction of Canadian oil sands, indigenous displacement

74
Q

Nuclear Power

A

Controlled nuclear fission that occurs in a reactor
Pros: no carbon, lots of power, safety and regulation = less accidents
Cons: risky, radioactive waste, expensive, negative perception, strategic locations

75
Q

Natural Gas

A

Small organic compounds accumulate at top of coil/oil deposits and are harvested via fracking
Cons: mini-earthquakes, pollution, risk groundwater contamination

LNG: dependency + middle man dynamic in Germany

ENVI 101 (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions