04 - Environmental Science Methods

Question 1

building block of sugars and proteins. Found in animal waste & gas. Sink is in atmosphere, principal reservoir is ~700 G tonnes (as CO2), rock calcium carbonate (CaCO3)

Answer 1

Carbon

Question 2

circulation of water through bodies of water, the atmosphere, and land

Answer 2

Hydrological Cycle

Question 3

study of phenomena through systematic data collection, testable predictions

Answer 3

Science

Question 4

biology (ecology, botany, zoology), geology, geography (climatology), etc. are examples of?

Answer 4

natural science

Question 5

Viewing the environment as a source and spirit. Ecosystem understanding from long term local experiential knowledge of a people through oral communication

Answer 5

Indigenous World View

Question 6

complex, interacting, planetary conditions necessary for life. The cryosphere is the frozen portion of this.

Answer 6

Ecosphere

Question 7

gaseous gravitationally bound thin veil, from outgassing and biotic action. Involved in weather, climate, & the distribution of life.

Answer 7

Atmosphere

Question 8

waters in all realms (oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, and atmospheric water vapor), 1.36 billion km3, and the cryosphere (frozen matter)

Answer 8

Hydrosphere

Question 9

The rigid outer layer of Earth. Consisting of the crust and upper mantle, and it includes the solid landmasses, oceanic crust, and the top portion of the mantle.

Answer 9

Lithosphere

Question 10

The zone of earth where life exists. physical and chemical factors forming life, interconnected, web-spanning spheres
zone of living matter on Earth (animals, plants, bacteria, etc. in soil, water, air, …)

Answer 10

Biosphere

Question 11

HALEB

Answer 11

H - Hydrosphere
A - Atmosphere
L - Lithosphere
E- Ecosphere
B - Biosphere

Question 12

energy cannot be created or destroyed, merely changed

Answer 12

Law of Conservation of Energy

Question 13

Energy that is diffused/dispersed/difficult to gather, cool, most energies available to us

Answer 13

low-quality energy

Question 14

total energy of all moving atoms in a substance

Answer 14

heat

Question 15

energy that is easy to use but disperses quickly, e.g., hot fire, burning coal/gasoline

Answer 15

high-quality energy

Question 16

energy transformations decrease the quality of usable energy (can be seen in food chain)

Answer 16

law of entropy

Question 17

amount of energy in a system that is not available to do work. Its the measure of disorder/randomness of a system

Answer 17

Entropy

Question 18

classification of organisms in a community according to feeding relationships first trophic level includes green plants, second level includes herbivores, etc.

Answer 18

Trophic Level

Question 19

Producer VS Consumer

Answer 19

The producer is an autotroph capable of synthesizing organic material while a consumer is an organism consuming others for food. Phototroph is an example of a producer that makes food through photosynthesis

Question 20

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Consumers

Answer 20

Primary: First consuming organism in a food chain (rabbits eating grass)
Secondary: second consuming organism in a food chain (wolves eating rabbits)
Tertiary: organism at the top trophic level that consumes other organisms

Question 21

Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore

Answer 21

Herbivore: eats plants (primary consumer)
Carnivore: eats meat
Omnivore: both

Question 22

digest organic debris outside their body, absorb/release nutrients in the process

Answer 22

decomposer

Question 23

organism that feeds on other organisms

Answer 23

heterotroph

Question 24

super-predator, top of the food chain, e.g., big cats, raptors

Answer 24

Apex Predator

Question 25

nutrient/energy pathway in an ecosystem, from producer to consumer

Answer 25

food chain

Question 26

energy transfer among organisms directly dependent on solar radiation. Transfer of energy from plants (producers) to herbivores then to carnivores

Answer 26

grazing food chain

Question 27

nutrient/energy pathway source of dead plant/animal and wastes

Answer 27

Decomposer Food Chain

Question 28

organic waste, e.g., fallen leaves

Answer 28

Detritus

Question 29

Complex intermeshing of food chains in an ecosystem

Answer 29

Food Web

Question 30

Gross Primary Productivity, Net Primary Productivity, Net Community Productivity

Answer 30

GPP: total of energy produced by autotrophs (can produce their own food) over a time period
NPP: pFor lants, GPP minus energy used during cellular respiration
NCP: biomass rate of accumulation (respiration and predation)

Question 31

flooded coastal region inlet or stream mouth where salt water and fresh water mix

Answer 31

Estuary