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ENVI 101 > EXAM 1 > Flashcards

EXAM 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the study of environmental science about?

A

the interactions between physical, chemical, and biological components of earth’s natural environment

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2
Q

ecology

A

the study of the relationships of organisms with their environment

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3
Q

ecosystem

A

one or more communities of organisms that are interacting with their environment as a unit

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4
Q

What are different types of human impacts on ecosystems?

A

Agriculture, Fossil fuels, Pollution, waste, Land development, Fires

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5
Q

What is the concept tragedy of the commons?

A

individuals with access to a public resource act in their own interest and ultimately deplete the resource

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6
Q

What are potential solutions to tragedy of the commons?

A

government regulation or making public property private

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7
Q

What has caused increases in environmental degradation?

A

pollution, economic growth and over population

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8
Q

What are the three main factors comprising the environmental crisis?

A

(over) population, (excessive consumption) resources, and environmental quality

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9
Q

What is the formula to evaluate human impact on the environment?

A

impact formula: I = P x A x T

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10
Q

What does the I stand for in the impact formula?

A

total environmental impact of human population

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11
Q

What does the P stand for in the impact formula?

A

population size

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12
Q

what does the A stand for in the impact formula?

A

estimate of per-capita affluence in resource use

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13
Q

What does the T stand for in impact formula?

A

degree of technology development

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14
Q

What are the three E’s?

A

environment, economy, equity

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15
Q

Sustainability

A

the capacity of the earth’s natural system to support life and human social systems to survive or adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely

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16
Q

sustainable development

A

development of economic system that uses natural resources in ways that do not deplete them

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17
Q

Examples of sustainable development

A

recycling, using water more effectively, harvesting energy for renewable resources

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18
Q

natural resource and examples

A

materials and energy provided by nature that are essential and useful to human life; land

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19
Q

ecosystem services and examples

A

natural services provided by healthy ecosystems that support life and human economies at no cost to us; trees

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20
Q

natural capital and examples

A

The natural resources and ecosystem services that support human life; minerals

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21
Q

science

A

the systematic examination of the structure and functioning of the natural world, both physical and biological attribute

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22
Q

steps of scientific method

A

observation, question, hypothesis, predict, experiment/observation, conclusion

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23
Q

hypothesis

A

a testable explanation for an observation, proposed explanation for the occurrence of phenomenon

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24
Q

data

A

information/measurements collected

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25
Q

sample size

A

number of observations

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26
Q

sum

A

total of your measurements

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27
Q

mean

A

average

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28
Q

standard deviation

A

How much the actual measurements deviate from the average

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29
Q

standard error

A

Tells us how accurately our sample represents a population

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30
Q

names of graphs

A

scatter, line, bar

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31
Q

scientific theory

A

structured explanation to explain a group of facts or phenomena in the natural world

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32
Q

what does reliable science mean?

A

how consistently a method measures something

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33
Q

what is the peer review process?

A

when other experts in the field review other work to make sure it is accurate

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34
Q

matter and examples

A

Any substance that occupies space and has mass and can exist in three physical states – solid, liquid, and gas; air

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35
Q

element and examples

A

substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical reactions; hydrogen

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36
Q

compounds and examples

A

substances that contain 2 or more elements; salt

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37
Q

parts of atoms

A

protons, neutrons and electrons

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38
Q

atomic number

A

determined by number of protons (top left corner)

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39
Q

mass number

A

total # of protons and neutrons in nucleus

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40
Q

isotopes

A

different forms of an element that have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons and masses

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41
Q

ions

A

atom/group of atoms with one or more net positive or negative electrical charges

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42
Q

molecules

A

two or more atoms of the same or different elements joined by chemical bonds

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43
Q

organic molecules

A

molecules that are carbon-based

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44
Q

what are the main four types of molecules?

A

carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids

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45
Q

monomer for carbohydrates

A

monosaccharides

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46
Q

monomer for lipids

A

1 glycerol and 3 fatty acids

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47
Q

monomer for protein

A

amino acids

48
Q

monomer for nucleic acids

A

nucleotide

49
Q

energy

A

fundamental physical entity, the capacity of a body or system to accomplish work

50
Q

what are the two types of energy and examples of each

A

kinetic (motion) and potential (stored)

51
Q

what is the first law of thermodynamics/law of conservation of energy?

A

when energy is converted from one form to another, no energy is created or destroyed

52
Q

concept of energy efficiency

A

measure of how much work results from each unit of energy put into a system

53
Q

trophic level

A

hierarchy in ecosystem about food and energy chain

54
Q

name the different levels of the trophic level

A

producer -> primary -> secondary -> tertiary

55
Q

inputs for photosynthesis

A

carbon dioxide

56
Q

output for photosynthesis

A

oxygen

57
Q

input for aerobic respiration

A

stored chemical energy

58
Q

output for aerobic respiration

A

energy to produce life processes

59
Q

how does energy transfer through trophic levels?

A

when organic molecules from one organism are eaten by another organism

60
Q

what happens to energy as you travel up trophic levels?

A

decreases

61
Q

what is GPP?

A

(gross primary productivity) the rate at which an ecosystem’s producers convert solar energy into chemical energy stored in their compounds found in their tissuestherateofphotosynthesis

62
Q

What is NPP?

A

(net primary productivity) Energy directed toward growth and reproduction of primary producer

63
Q

How do we assess NPP?

A

standing biomass: NPP = GPP - respiration

64
Q

why do we see different levels of NPP across different ecosystems?

A

due to the type of plants, temperature, and precipitation

65
Q

Where do we see NPP the highest and lowest?

A

highest = wet and warm ecosystems
lowest = desert and tundra

66
Q

geology

A

study of dynamic processes taking place on the earth’s surface and in its interior

67
Q

what are the three different zones of earth?

A

core, mantle, crust

68
Q

mineral

A

naturally occurring chemical element or inorganic compound that exists as a crystalline solid

69
Q

rock

A

solid combination of one or more minerals

70
Q

what are the different types of rock

A

sedimentary, metamorphic, igenous

71
Q

describe the rock cycle

A

crystallization, metamorphism, and erosion and sedimentation

72
Q

examples of geological activity related to tectonic plates

A

divergent (away from each other), convergent (towards each other), transform (parallel to each other)

73
Q

dynamics of volcanos and an example

A

vent in surface which molten lava flows onto the ground and all states of matter are ejected into the atmosphere (magma rising through the lithosphere, reaches the earths surface through a crack/fissure); Mount Vesuvius

74
Q

dynamics of earthquakes

A

breakage and shifting of rocks, occurs at a fault, lead to destruction of buildings, landslips, tsunamis

75
Q

dynamics of tsunamis and an example

A

series of huge waves generated when the ocean floor suddenly rises or drops; japan tsunami (damaged nuclear reactors)

76
Q

dynamics of glaciers

A

sheets of ice formed from deep snowpack, compressed into ice from weight; can form mounded hills or bodies of water when melted

77
Q

what is the breakdown of water on planet earth?

A

ocean (97.4%), freshwater (3%), surface water(2.3%), groundwater (0.32%)

78
Q

zone of saturation

A

spaces in soil below a certain depth are filled with water (important for wells and farming)

79
Q

water table

A

top zone of saturation

80
Q

aquifers

A

a body of porous rock or sediment saturated with groundwater, recharged naturally by precipitation or by nearby lakes, rivers, and streams

81
Q

what are the general processes in the hydrologic cycle?

A

precipitation, runoff, evaporation, atmospheric circulation

82
Q

why is the Great Salt Lake drying up?

A

climate change and too much water is being diverted to other sources before it can reach the lake

83
Q

what are the effects of the Great Salt Lake drying up?

A

metals at bottom are being exposed to atmosphere and are considered cancerous, migratory bird hotspot which cause them to go endangered

84
Q

What can be done to deal with water shortages in the Great Salt Lake?

A

make housing more expensive or make reservoirs

85
Q

atmosphere

A

thin blanket of gases surrounding the earth

86
Q

composition of the two main gases in the atmosphere

A

nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)

87
Q

different layers of the atmosphere

A

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

88
Q

defining features of the troposphere and stratosphere

A

troposphere- 20km, closest and overall supports life
stratosphere- 20-50 km, protective ozone layer that filters around 95% of harmful UV radition

89
Q

difference between weather and climate

A

climate is long-term (temperature and humidity overall) vs. weather is short-term (temperature and humidity at a specific time)

90
Q

how does solar radiation influence seasonal change as well as regional climate?

A

angled contact = more light less heat
straight contact = less light more heat

91
Q

how does the tilt of earth’s axis influence seasonal change as well as regional climate?

A

cause seasons due to where the rays of the sun cover most surface area

92
Q

how does the rotation of the earth on its axis influence seasonal change as well as regional climate?

A

cause day and night

93
Q

how do Hadley cells impact climate?

A

Larger atmospheric cells or circulations where air rises at the equator and then sinks at medium latitudes (warm air falls, collects moisture, forced up, distributes water, falls back down)

94
Q

how does air circulation impact climate?

A

redistributes heat and moisture

95
Q

rain shadow effect (mentioning leeward and windward)

A

more precipitation on windward (where wind comes from) than leeward (where wind isn’t)

96
Q

what is the urban heat island effect?

A

urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas (1-7 degrees higher during the day)

97
Q

what are the causes and possible solutions of the urban heat island effect?

A

increased areas of black pavement, not enough trees to cool down/shade areas; plant more trees, add more shade structures, paint rooftops white

98
Q

soil

A

complex and variable mixture of fragmented rock, organic matter moisture, gases, and living organisms that covers almost all terrestrial landscapes

99
Q

how does soil form and what factors impact its formation?

A

mechanical weathering of rocks –> chemical weathering of the broken down rocks; parent material, biotic factors, climate, topography and time

100
Q

what are the three different types of soil?

A

sand, silt, and clay

101
Q

which kind of soil is the largest, smallest, and can hold the most water?

A

sand, clay, clay

102
Q

loam

A

well-suited for plant-growth, allows water to pass through; 40-40-20 (sand, silt, clay)

103
Q

list the soil layers

A

organic, topsoil, subsoil, parent material, and bedrock

104
Q

what are the prominent soil orders in NY?

A

inceptisol, alfisol, and spodisol

105
Q

how did soil erosion cause the dust bowl?

A

topsoil was dry and easily eroded by the wind due to the mass tilling the land, causing dust to travel with wind

106
Q

what were the greater effects of the dust bowl?

A

mass migration and established the natural resources conservation service

107
Q

carbon cycle process and how humans impact it

A

from the atmosphere to plants to soil/minerals to atmosphere again; pollution and deforestation

108
Q

nitrogen cycle process and how humans impact it

A

When plant dies, bacteria break down plants and releases it back into the atmosphere; eutrophication (when sunlight is blocked, causing plants underwater to die) plants cannot absorb carbon

109
Q

phosphorus cycle process and how humans impact it

A

Water runs over rocks – erodes the inorganic compounds – carries to soil, absorbed by roots – then transferred through the food system; eutrophication

110
Q

do you know the tree ID’s based on its leaves?

A

yes

111
Q

what are the different vegetation layers of the environment?

A

canopy (shading), understory (shading but smaller), shrub (woody plants), herb (low-light/shade tolerance), forest floor (forest nutrient recycling)

112
Q

preservationist

A

john muir

113
Q

conservationists

A

gifford pinchot and teddy roosevelt

114
Q

who help found the US wilderness society

A

aldo leopold

115
Q

who wrote a book that led to regulation of pesticides

A

rachel carson

116
Q

when was the first earth day?

A

aprill 22, 1970

117
Q

who coined the term tragedy of commons

A

garrett hardin

ENVI 101 (5 decks)

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