Science Pentathlon Flashcards
What is environmental science?
Environmental science is the study of the impacts of human activities on environmental systems.
What types of human activities are included in environmental science?
Large-scale actions and everyday individual actions, such as:
* Clearing land for agriculture
* Fishing the oceans for food
* Mining for minerals and fuels
* Emitting greenhouse gases
Define the term ‘environment’.
The environment is the sum total of all the conditions and living and nonliving factors that surround an organism.
What is a local environment?
A local environment is the area immediately surrounding an organism or person.
What can an environment encompass?
An environment can be as small as a pond or as large as a complete mountain range or an ocean.
What is the global environment?
The global environment is the sum of all the aspects of the Earth.
What disciplines does environmental science integrate?
Environmental science integrates:
* Biology
* Earth and atmospheric sciences
* Chemistry
* Physics
* Human population dynamics
* Biological and natural resources
What is the scientific method in the context of environmental science?
The scientific method in environmental science includes observations, hypothesis testing, field and laboratory research, and other practices.
What is a system?
A system is a set of living and/or nonliving components connected in such a way that changes in one part of the system affect other parts.
Give examples of systems in environmental science.
Examples of systems include:
* The Earth
* An ant colony
* A lake ecosystem
* A farm
What are environmental indicators?
Environmental indicators are measurements used to determine the health of an environment or system.
Fill in the blank: If we wanted to determine whether a person is healthy, we might measure body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and _______.
respiration rate
What is an environmental indicator?
A measure that reflects the environmental health of a system.
What can the amount of new growth on trees indicate?
The health of a forest.
Is there a single indicator that effectively assesses the whole planet?
No.
What factors can affect the interpretation of the same environmental indicator?
When or where the measurement is taken.
Why are rates of change important for environmental indicators?
They help determine if growth is increasing or decreasing and how fast changes are occurring.
List the six categories of environmental indicators.
- Biological diversity
- Human population growth
- Food Production
- Resource consumption
- Global temperature and atmospheric greenhouse gas levels
- Pollution levels
What does overall biological diversity describe?
The diversity of genes, species, habitats, and ecosystems on Earth.
How many known species are there on Earth today?
Approximately 1.8 million.
What is the estimated actual number of species on Earth?
Likely more than ten times the known number.
What percentage of species that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct?
Roughly 99.9 percent.
What are current ‘background’ extinction rates estimated to be?
Two mammal extinctions per 10,000 species per one hundred years.
