Science Section I Flashcards
What is environmental science?
the study of the impacts of human activities on environmental systems
Example: analyzing the effects of deforestation on biodiversity
What are examples of large–scale human activities that impact the environment?
clearing land for agriculture, fishing the oceans for food, mining land for minerals and duels, and changing the climate through greenhouse gases
Example: deforestation for palm oil plantations
What are examples of small–scale human activities that impact the environment?
driving a car, turning on your lights, and choosing single–use products over reusable products
Example: using disposable plastic water bottles
What is an environment?
the sum of all conditions, living, and nonliving factors that surround an organisms
What is a local environment?
the area that immediately surrounds an organism
What is the global environment?
the sum of all aspects of Earth
What disciplines does environmental science cover?
biology, earth and atmospheric sciences, fundamental principles of chemistry and physics, human population dynamics, and biological and natural resources
What type of principle is environmental science?
a science–based discipline
What is a science–based discipline?
a discipline based on the scientific method
What is a system?
a set of living and/or nonliving components connected in a way where one change can affect other areas
What might you use to determine if a person is healthy?
their body temp, heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate
What is an environmental indicator?
a measure that reflects the environmental health of a system
Is there a single indicator that assesses the whole planet?
No
The same environmental indicator can tell a different story depending on what?
where and when the measurement is taken
What are the 6 main categories of environmental indicators?
- Biological diversity
- Human population growth
- Food Production
- Resource Consumption
- Global Temp and atmospheric greenhouse gas levels
- Pollution levels
What is biological diversity?
the diversity of genes, species, habitats, and ecosystems on Earth
What can help us measure the biological status of the planet?
the number of species on Earth and whether that number is increasing or decreasing
What is a species?
a group of organisms that is distinct from others in morphology, physiology, or biochemical properties
Example: lions, tigers, and leopards are different species
What is morphology?
body type
How many known species are on Earth?
1.8 million
About how many species are there actually on Earth?
more than 10x more than the known number (known: 1.8 million)
Why is the actual number of species higher than the known number of species?
because most species haven’t been identified or cataloged yet
What percent of the total number of species that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct?
99.9%
What periods of time are used to determine the background rate of extinction before humans played a role?
the quiet periods
What are the quiet periods?
Time periods with no massive environmental or biological upheaval
What are background extinctions now?
2 mammal extinctions per 10,000 species per 100 years
How much have humans accelerated extinction rates?
100x higher than background
What is the main cause of extinction today?
habitat degradation/loss
How many species per year are now going extinct?
roughly 40,000 species per year
The number of species on Earth is declining at a rate to rival what?
past mass extinction events
The Bengal tiger, snow leopard, and West Indian Manatee are all __________________ species.
endangered
What are endangered species?
species that are declining at a rate at which it will go extinct in the near future
The loss of which species can cause many other extinctions?
the keystone species
The extinction rate of species tells us what?
how biodiversity on Earth is increasing/decreasing, the state of land, water, and air
What can we conclude if we use species diversity as an indicator of environmental quality?
the environmental quality is getting much worse and is not sustainable
When did the global population reach 8 billion people?
November 2022
How babies are born each day?
378,000
How many people die each day?
148,000
How much does the human population increase each day?
230,000 people
Until which decade was the world population undergoing exponential growth?
the 1960s
How long is the human population predicted to increase?
50–100 years
What is the world population expected to be by the year 2150?
8–12 billion people
What is a major question regarding world population?
Can Earth sustain so many people?
The additional people will create a greater demand for what?
Earth’s finite resources
The additional people will also create what?
more pollution and waste
What type of crop provides more than half the calories eaten by humans?
food grains
What is worldwide grain production a result of?
land area under cultivation, quality of soils, energy, climatic conditions, human labor, water used for growing crops, and other influences
Therefore, a change in grain production for human consumption is what?
an environmental indicator
What are developed countries?
countries that have a stable economy, government, population, etc.
Ex: the US, Canada
What percent of the population lives in developed countries?
20%
How much of the world’s resources do the poorest 20% use?
less than 5%
How much of all meat and fish do people in developed countries consume?
45%
How much of all energy do people in developed countries use?
58%
How much of all paper do people in developed countries use?
50%
What are developed countries?
countries that have a stable economy, government, population, etc.
Ex: the US, Canada
How much of all paper do people in developed countries use?
84%
How much of all automobiles and trucks do people in developed countries use?
87%
The gases that trap heat and warm the Earth are known collectively as ________________ _______.
greenhouse gases
Why are greenhouse gases called this?
because they act like a greenhouse by trapping heat
What are the 2 main greenhouse gases?
methane and carbon dioxide (CO2)
What is the primary activity that produces CO2?
the combustion of fossil fuels
For the past 130 years, global temperatures show an overall __________.
increase
The increase in carbon dioxide during the last 2 centuries is caused by what?
human activities
What does anthropogenic mean?
a result of humans or human activity
What is the chemical symbol for lead?
Pb
Why is lead so useful?
because it is soft, malleable, and resists corrosion
What is the definition of malleable?
the ability to be shaped easily
What part of the human body does lead impair?
the human central nervous system
What is particularly sensitive to lead?
developing brains, usually found in children and fetuses
The amount of lead in the environment is an indicator of what?
the amount of pollution that has been introduced to an environment
What fossil fuels contain small amounts of lead?
oil and coal
Lead was used as an additive to what fuel?
gasoline
Why was lead added to gasoline?
to improve engine performance
When did Clean Air Legislation begin?
1975
What did clean air legislation do?
it caused car manufacturers to switch to making cars that used unleaded gas, significantly reducing lead emissions
True or False: There is no more lead in gasoline?
False, even though lead stopped being used as an additive, gasoline, coal, and oil still contain some lead
Lead was also a major ingredient in ________.
paint
How does paint made after 1960 compare with paint before?
paint made after 1960 contains significantly less lead
