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env 101 > exam2- chaps 3, 7, 9 > Flashcards

exam2- chaps 3, 7, 9 Flashcards

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1
Q

biosphere

A

the region of our planet where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on Earth

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2
Q

transpiration

A

the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis

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3
Q

runoff

A

water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers

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4
Q

limiting nutrient

A

a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients

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5
Q

nitrogen fixation

A

a process by which some organisms can convert nitrogen gas molecules directly into ammonia

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6
Q

disturbance

A

an event, caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in changes in population size or community composition

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7
Q

resilience

A

the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance

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8
Q

watershed

A

all of the land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland

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9
Q

tragedy of the commons

A

the tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted because people act from self-interest for short-term gain

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10
Q

clear-cutting

A

a method of harvesting trees that involves removing all or almost all of the trees within an area

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11
Q

environment impact statement (EIS)

A

a document outlining the scope and purpose of a development project, describing the environmental context, suggesting alternative approaches to the project, and analyzing the environmental impact of each alternative

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12
Q

urban sprawl

A

creation of urbanized areas that spread into rural areas and remove clear boundaries between the two

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13
Q

malnourished

A

having a diet that lacks the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals

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14
Q

food insecurity

A

a condition in which people do not have adequate access to food

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15
Q

famine

A

the condition in which food insecurity is so extreme that large numbers of deaths occur in a given area over a relatively short period

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16
Q

industrial agriculture (agribusiness)

A

agriculture that applies the techniques of mechanization and standardization; also known as industrial agriculture

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17
Q

salinization

A

when the small amounts of salt in irrigation water becomes highly concentrated on the soil surface through evaporation

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18
Q

organic fertilizers

A

composed of organic matter from plants and animals

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19
Q

synthetic (inorganic)

A

produced commercially

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20
Q

monocropping

A

the prominent agricultural practice in the US where wheat and cotton are typically grown in monocrops of 405 hectares

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21
Q

pesticides

A

substances that kill or control organisms that we consider pests

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22
Q

insecticides

A

targets species of insects and other invertebrates that consume crops

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23
Q

herbicides

A

target plant species that compete with crops

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24
Q

broad-spectrum

A

ability to kill many different types of pests

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25
selective
pesticides that focus on a narrower range of an organism
26
persistant
pesticides that remain in the environment for a long time
27
bioaccumulation
the process where pesticides such as DDT accumulate in the fatty tissue of predators
28
resistant
when organisms survive a pesticide or have a few individuals not susceptible
29
genetically modified organisms (GMO)
manipulation of genes so production can be rapidly produced with desirable traits that may be impossible to develop using traditional breeding techniques
30
conventional agriculture
agriculture that applies the techniques of mechanization and standardization; also known as industrial agriculture
31
desertification
the process in which soil becomes very poor in nutrients, and no longer is able to be used for sufficient farming
32
sustainable agriculture
fulfills the need of food and fiber while enhancing the quality of the soil, minimize use of nonrenewable resources, and enhances economic viability for farmer
33
fishery
a commercially harvestable population of fish within a particular ecological region
34
bycatch
the unintentional catch of nontarget species while fishing
35
aquaculture
farming aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish, and seaweeds
36
aquifers
a permeable layer of rock and sediment that contains groundwater
37
water table
the uppermost level at which the water in a given area fully saturates rock or soil
38
groundwater recharge
a process by which water percolates through the soil and works its way into an aquifer
39
saltwater intrusion
an infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure has been reduced from extensive drilling of wells
40
floodplain
the land adjacent to a river
41
oligotrophic
low dissolved nutrient concentration
42
mesotrophic
moderate of dissolved nutrient concentration
43
eutrophic
high dissolved nutrient concentration
44
impermeable surfaces
pavement or buildings that do not allow water penetration
45
levee
an enlarged bank built up on each side of a river to prevent flooding
46
dikes
a body of rock, either sedimentary or igneous, that cuts across the layers of its surroundings
47
reseviour
a body of water created by blocking the natural flow of a waterway
47
dam
a barrier that runs across a river or stream to control the flow of water
48
aqueducts
a canal or ditch used to carry water from one location to another
49
desalination (desalinization)
the process of removing the salt from salt water
50
point sources
a distinct location from which pollution is directly produced
51
nonpoint sources
a diffuse area that produces pollution
52
wastewater
water produced by human activities including human sewage from toilets and gray water from bathing and washing of clothes and dishes
53
dead zones
in a body of water, an area with extremely low oxygen concentration and very little life
54
eutrophication
a phenomenon in which a body of water becomes rich in nutrients
55
septic system
a relatively small and simple sewage treatment system, made up of a septic tank and a leach field, often used for homes in rural areas
56
septic tank
a large container that receives wastewater from a house as part of a septic system
57
leach field
a component of a septic system, made up of underground pipes laid out below the surface of the ground
58
manure lagoons
human-made ponds lined with rubber, built to handle large quantities of manure produced by livestock
59
acid deposition
acids deposited on Earth as rain and snow, or as gases and particles that attach to the surfaces of plants, soil, and water
60
thermal pollution
nonchemical water pollution that occurs when human activities cause a substantial change in the temperature of water
61
maximum contaminant levels (MCL)
the standard for safe drinking water established by the EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act
62
gray water
wastewater from baths, showers, bathrooms, and washing machines
63
what elements do all living things have within themselves
C, H, N, O, P (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus)
64
what is corn sweat
the process by which corn plants release moisture into the air to stay cool; it brings the midwest a surge in humidity every summer
65
ocean acidification
increased carbon in the water affects the pH of the water (and therefore marine life)
66
denitrification
removal of the nitrates or nitrites from soil, air, or water by chemical reduction (like certain bacteria)
67
why might a farmer plant soy with no intent to harvest
to add nitrogen to the soil
68
what are somethings that are leading to dead zones in water
organic v. nonorganic crops wastewater treatment; sceptic systems
69
green revolution (aka the 3rd agriculture revolution) resulted in what developments + spanned what time period
mechanization, irrigation, fertilizers, monocropping; 1940s-60s
70
cons of the green revolution
- deforestation, timber was not as profitable as using the area as farm land - mechanization increased the burning od fossil fuels - irrigation caused water logging that killed off bacteria, some of which helped with denitrification - over fertilization resulted in runoff that disrupted the nutrient cycle and lead to dead zones - monocropping lead to a loss in biodiversity, pesticides too
71
benefits of GMOs
- greater yields of a crop due to salt resistance, drought resistance, pest resistance - higher quality products: more nutritious, larger, fewer pesticides
72
what are some methods of sustainable agriculture
(not industrial agriculture) intercropping; crop rotation; agroforestry; contour plowing; no-till agriculture; organic agriculture
73
organic agriculture
bans GMOs but not pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics (does it require a limitation?)
74
how much of population gets their main source of protein from fish
30%
75
urban blight (aka urban decay)
the sociological process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude; usually caused by ageing, neglect, and lack of financial support for maintenance
76
how much of the u.s. is monocultured grass lawns
50,000,000 acres (50 million) out of 1.9 billion acres
77
CSA (farming)
community sustainable agriculture
78
what percent of fisheries globally had collapsed as of 2006
30%
79
four federal land management agencies and their top focuses
national park service- recreation and conservation fish and wildlife services- wildlife conservation, hunting u.s. forest service- timber harvesting, cattle grazing bureau of land management- cattle grazing, mining, timber harvesting
80
what are the two leading water quality laws in the u.s.
clean water act (1972) safe drinking water act (1974, 1986, 1996)
81
what is nutrient cycling
movement and conversion of matter in the biosphere (closed system)
82
what percent of carrying capacity level can an organism be harvested down to and still keep the maximum sustainable yield
50%
83
what is the difference between ecosystem resistance and resilience
resilience refers to how quickly an ecosystem can bounce back from disturbance resistance means there is no effect to energy and matter
84
what is the definition of a fishery collapse
population decline of 90%
85
define the difference between confined and unconfined aquifers
confined aquifers are stuck underground with a recharge area, unconfined has an opening on surface
86
what are the two leading water quality laws in the usa
clean water act, safe drinking water act
87
what does CAFO stand for
concentrated animal feeding operation
88
list three benefits of CAFOs
improve feeding efficiency, takes up less space, increase % of food energy converted to biomass
89
what does the idealized exponential growth model look like
population size on y-axis and time on x-axis: the right half of a 'U'
90
what does the idealized logistic growth model look like
population size on y-axis and time on the x-axis: goes up like the right half of a 'U' and then forever goes to a point along the y-axis

env 101 (5 decks)

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