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BIO 117 > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

what is environmental science?

A

The science of understanding how the natural world works, how the environment affects us, and how we affect the environment

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2
Q

renewable resources

A

sunlight
wind energy
wave energy

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3
Q

nonrenewable resources

A

crude oil
natural gas
coal

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4
Q

ecological footprint

A

represents the total area of biologically productive land and water needed to produce the resources and dispose of the waste for a given person or population.

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5
Q

scientific method

A 
Make observations
Ask Questions
Develop a hypothesis
Make Predictions
Test the predictions
Analyze and interpret the results
Writing up the results
Peer Review
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6
Q

ethics

A

involves the study of good or bad; right from wrong

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7
Q

3 ethical perspectives

A

anthropocentric
biocentric
ecocentirc

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8
Q

anthropocentric

A

considers the effects of environmental actions on humans only

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9
Q

biocentric

A

considers the effects of environmental actions on all living things

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10
Q

ecocentric

A

considers the effects of environmental actions on all components of our environment, both living and nonliving

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11
Q

forefathers of environmental ethics in the industrial revolution (transcendentalists)

A

Thoreau

Emerson

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12
Q

Emerson and Thoreau view nature as what

A

a direct manifestation of the divine, emphasizing the soul’s oneness with nature and God

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13
Q

forefathers of american preservation and conservation movements

A

Muir

Pinchot

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14
Q

Muir

A

we should protect the environment in a pristine unaltered state
preservation

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15
Q

Pinchott

A

founded the US Forest service, came up with a plan use/ conservation plan for natural resources
conservation

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16
Q

economics

A

study of how we decide to use our resources to provide goods and services in the face of demand for tgem

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17
Q

neoclassical economics

A

economics of production and consumption of goods which considers the environment only as a resource to produce goods

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18
Q

4 fundamental assumptions with neoclassical economics

A

resources are infinite and sustainable
all costs and benefits are internal
the future is discounted
all economic growth is good and sustainable

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19
Q

Environmental and Ecological Economics

A

Recognizes that human economics and the environment are critically interdependent
ecosystem services are necessary to sustain the eocnomy

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20
Q

enviormental economics

A

we can continue to keep our economies growing and use new technologies to limit the impacts to the environment

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21
Q

ecological economics

A

Supports a greater degree of sustainability,

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22
Q

external costs

A

costs of doing business that affect individuals other than the buyer or seller

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23
Q

types of external costs

A

health problems
property damage
water pollution

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24
Q

montreal protocol

A

Reduced the emissions of airborne chemicals (CFCs) which deplete the ozone layer (adopted by 160 nations)

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25
paris agreement
aimed at reducing co2 emissions
26
mitigation
fixing things
27
a system
A network of relationships among components that interact with and influence one another Exchange of energy, matter, or information Receives inputs of energy, matter, or information; processes these inputs; and produces outputs
28
lithosphere
rock and sediments
29
atmosphere
the air surrounding the planet
30
hydrosphere
all water on earth
31
biosphere
planets living organisms plus the nonliving parts the interact with
32
feedback loop
a systems output serves as input to that same system
33
negative feedback
the input and output essentially neutralize one another’s effects, exerting a stabilizing effect on a system. most systems in nature involve negative feedback loops
34
positive feedback
Drives a system further to one extreme than another, destabilizing a system. Common in natural systems altered by human action. In time, positive feedback destroys a system. increased output=increased input
35
deadzone
too much algae results from excess nitrogen | too much algae, too much decay, too many bacteria which take the oxygen from the bottom
36
a deadzone is the result of...
positive feedback loop destroying an ecosystem
37
an element is
a substance that is made up of one kind of atom
38
an atom is
the smallest unit of matter
39
molecules
two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds
40
compounds
molecules made of more than one elements
41
structural spheres on earth contain?
enviormental systems
42
all structural spheres include
ecosystems geologic cycles hydro logic cycles nutrient cycles
43
ecosystem
Defined as all the interacting organisms (plants and animals) and abiotic factors occurring within a system
44
nutrient cycle
The movement of nutrients through ecosystems Involves two main types of pools (reservoirs) Source Sink
45
the most valuable ecosystem service the earth provides for free
water cycle
46
reservoir
a location where nutrients remain for varying amounts of time (residence time)
47
source
a reservoir that releases more materials than accepts
48
sink
a reservoir that accepts more than it releases
49
flux
the rate at which materials move between reservoirs
50
oceans hold how much of earths water?
97%
51
fresh water hold show much of earths water and includes what?
3% | glaciers, snow, ice caps
52
less than 1% of earths water is...
readily usable as surface water, groundwater, or rain
53
evaportaion
converts liquid to gas
54
transpiration
release of water by plants
55
precipitation
condensation of water vapor that falls by gravity
56
runnoff
flow of water from the watershed into lakes, streams, rivers, and reservoirs
57
infilitration
movement of water from soil into groundwater
58
largest reservoir
atmosphere
59
water table
the upper limit of groundwater held in a aquifer | aquifer
60
aquifer
spongelike regions of rock and solids that hold groundwater
61
humans have what to the rate which fixed nitrogen enter soil and is taken up by plants using nitrogen fertilizers?
doubled
62
humans doubling the rate of nitrogen entering soil has also
doubled our ability to produce food
63
carbon cycle
carbon is a necessary component in the molecular structure of all living things Moves organic nutrients (contain carbon!) through the environment
64
carbon is an organic material that
is naturally sequestered in sediments as coal, oil, and gas
65
sequester
hold or hide away
66
phosphorus cycle
key components of nucleic acids molecule | rocks can release it to water
67
westward expansion
provided the distribution of land to private citizens
68
approaches to implementation of environmental policies
``` command and control subsidy green taxes marketable emission permits market incentives ```
69
command and control
sets strict legal limits and threatens large fines for violations
70
aldo leopold
father of modern ecology and environmental ethics | The Land Ethic
71
Rachel Carson
Silent Spring
72
Silent spring
negative and ecological health effects of pesticides and industrial chemicals
73
agricultural revolution
people began to grow crops, domesticate animals, and live on farms and in villages produced more food and had more kids
74
industrial revolution
moved to an urban society provision by the mass production of factory-made goods and fossil fuels
75
overshoot
consuming more resources than are being replenished
76
enviormental science is interdisciplinary
uses natural sciences, social sciences, and environmental studies
77
science
systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it
78
science is also used to refer to
the accumulated body of knowledge that arises from this dynamic process of observing, questioning, testing. and discovery
79
before a researcher publishes finding they must submit their work for
peer review
80
conservation ethic
an ethic holding that people should put natural resources to use but also have a responsibility to manage them wisely
81
preservation ethic
ethic holding that we should protect the natural environment in a pristine, unaltered state
82
land ethic
argues that humans should view themselves and the land itself as member of the same community and that humans are obligated to treat the land ethically
83
environmental justice
the fair and equitable treatment of all people with respect to the environmental policy and practice regardless of income race or ethnicity
84
sustainability
living within our planets means such that earth can sustain us and all of life for the future
85
hypoxic conditions
phytoplankton die, settle to the bay bottom, , are decomposed by bacteria and oxygen in the wate ris depleted (deadzones)
86
photosynthesis
take in co2 and release oxygen
87
cellular respiration
breaks down glucose and produces atp
88
5 ecosystem services
``` cycle carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients regulate temp and precipitation store and regulate water supplies form soil pollinate plants ```
89
energy v matter
energy flows in one direction
90
what role does photosynthesis play in the carbon cycle?
Pulls carbon out of the atmosphere and surface water and breaks the bonds in CO2 and H2O to produce oxygen and glucose.
91
what role do car play in carbon cycle?
Release more carbon into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels.
92
what role does the oceans play in the carbon cycle?
Are the 2nd largest reservoir in the carbon cycle.
93
what role does the earths crust play in the carbon cycle?
Sedimentary rock is the 1st largest reservoir in the carbon cycle.
94
how has human activity altered the hydrylogic cycle?
By damming rivers, we have slowed the movement of water from the land to the sea, and we increase evaporation by holding rivers in reservoirs.
95
how ha shuman activity altered the phosphorus cycle?
By damming rivers, we have slowed the movement of water from the land to the sea, and we increase evaporation by holding rivers in reservoirs.
96
how has human activity altered the nitrogen cycle?
the overapplication of nitrogen-based fertilizers can strip the soil of other vital nutrients,
97
how has human activity altered the carbon cycle?
through our use of fossil fuels as an energy source. people added a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through the combustion of oil, coal and natural gas
98
contributions the environment makes to the economy
solar power | wind power
99
What are ecosystem services?
services are direct and indirect contributions by the ecosystem that improve human quality of life
100
Give several examples of services. Describe how some economists have tried to assign monetary values to ecosystem services.
bees providing pollen
101
neoclassical economists
most often use a cost-benefit approach
102
environmental economists
modifies neoclassical economics to address environmental challenges
103
ecological economists
applies the principles of ecology and systems to economics.
104
Describe two major justifications for environmental policy
regulate resource use | minnimize pollution
105
three problems that environmental policy seeks to address.
the tragedy of the commons, free riders, and external costs.
106
sustainable development
development that "meets the needs of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".
107
green taxes
tax on environmentally harmful activities and products

BIO 117 (3 decks)

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