Unit 2.B Flashcards
Tropical rainforest characteristics
Decay occurs at slow rates
Poor nutrient soil
Warm temps throughout the year, lots of rain
Climbing or flying animals
Deforestation, overhunting, and farming
Temperate Deciduous forest characteristics
Even rainfall all year
Warm/hot summers but cool/cold everytime else
High nutrients bc of falling leaves
Most altered biome
Boreal Forest / Taiga characteristics
Regular rainfall throughout year
Very cold winters
High soil acidity and poor nutrients
Low plant diversity
Migratory birds
Temperate Rainforest characteristics
Long, wet winters but short drier winters
Clay and sandy soils
High nutrient soils
Migrating animals or hibernation
Climate change
Tropical Grassland (savanna) characteristics
Prolonged dry season
Hot summer, warm winters
Low minerals, high aluminum levels
Grasses die during dry season and return during wet
Temperate grassland (prairie) characteristics
Hot summers, cool winters
Extremely nutrient rich
Grasses die in winter, flowers are fast growing to complete life cycle b4 winter
Polar Grassland (arctic tundra) characteristics
Very cold
Organic matter is slow to decompose
Permafrost prevents snow/ice from permeating ground
Migrating mammals
Too cold for much human activity
Chaparral (Mediterranean) characteristics
Dry summers, wet winters
Not very fertile
Seeds require burning
Deep roots
Animals adapted to dry conditions
Desert characteristics
Rare precipitation
Slow nutrient cycle due to little bacterial activity
Takes decades to recover from disturbances
Nocturnal animals
Off-road vehicles, mining, oil drilling
Storm water definition
Rain that has touched the ground
Watershed definition
Areas of land where all the storm water washes to the same location
Point source pollution definition
Emitted by a single, large output of pollution.
Nonpoint source pollution definition
Emitted by a large number of small sources.
Eutrophication definition
Addition of nutrients into a body of water
Cultural eutrophication definition
Anthropogenic input of nutrients
Dead zone definition
Areas of water with so little oxygen that so many things die or can’t live.
Low dissolved oxygen levels
Turbidity def
How see-through water is
Biological oxygen demand (BOD) definition
The amount of oxygen required by organisms in a water amount.
Gray infrastructure definition
Traditional storm water management systems catch and move stormwater runoff towards a discharge point
Low impact development (LID) definition.
Stormwater management approach that attempts to mimic the natural hydrologic cycle
Uses runoff on the site where it falls
Urban sprawl definition
Low density development around cities and towns
Urban heat island definition
Concentrated heat from cars, factories, light, AC, dark roofs, etc. In cities
Smart growth definition
Collection of principles that address the negative impact of sprawl and encourage municipalities to manage growth and development better
Abesto’s definition
Thin, fibrous silicate material used as insulator
Carbon monoxide
Comes from broken exhaust systems on gas heaters, vehicles, generators, etc.
Radon-222 def
From decay of naturally occurring uranium in rocks and soils
Testing in basements
Particulate matter definition
Majority are from natural sources and anthropogenic sources like tobacco and coal combustion
VOCs def
Used in building materials. Has a pungent smell
Formaldehyde definition
Type of VOC used in wood, boards, glues, etc.
Suspected human carcinogen
What is the biggest reason for endangered species
Habitat loss
What is the edge effect
Warmer, dryer, and more variable conditions
What is the theory of island biogeography
It describes the roles of island size and distance from mainland in determining species richness of a community.
What does the theory of island biogeography say
Larger Islands closer to the mainland has an increase in species richness.
Name an example of a buffer zone
Costa Rica
What is a habitat corridor
It connects isolated reserves to maintain migration and movement of organisms within a larger habitat range
What is an ecological hotspot
A region with particularly high levels of species richness or endemic species, experiencing serious degradation
What is CITES
An agreement with 175 countries controlling international trade of threatened organisms
What is the Endangered Species Act
The U.S. FWS determines species’ status and protection, authorizes purchase of critical habitat, and development of recovery plans for each listed species
What is the Nation Environment Policy Act
Ensures any gov agency to consider environmental impacts before starting a federal project. Requires environmental impact statements
What is the Clean Zone on the Oxygen Sag Curve
High water quality
High dissolved oxygen levels
Low BOD demand
What is the Decomposition Zone on the Oxygen Sag Curve
High BOD- spikes
Algae bloom died or sewage added
Dissolved oxygen levels drop
Trash fish
What is the Septic Zone on the Oxygen Sag Curve
Only decomposers, no fish
Minimum of dissolved oxygen levels
All anaerobic bacteria
What is the Recovery Zone on the Oxygen Sag Curve
Trash fish
Dissolved oxygen levels improve and increase
BOD decreases
