HUMAN ECOLOGY Flashcards
(91 cards)
1
Q
It is the science of relationships between living organisms and their environment
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Ecology
2
Q
It is about relationships between people and their environment.
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Human ecology
3
Q
In human ecology this is perceived as an ecosystem.
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environment
4
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This is everything in a specified area -the air soil, water, living organisms and physical structures, including everything built by humans.
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An ecosystem
5
Q
The living parts of an ccosystem - microorganisms, plants and animals (including humans) - are its ____
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biological community
6
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The living parts of an ccosystem - (3)
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microorganisms
plants
animals (including humans)
7
Q
It is everything about people, their population and the psychology and social organization that shape their behavior.
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The social system
8
Q
It is a central concept in human ecology because human activities that impact on ecosystems are strongly influenced by the society in which people live.
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The social system
9
Q
This represent the interconnected nature of living organisms and their world.
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Ecosystems
10
Q
This could be as small as a drop of pond water or as big as the Amazon rainforest.
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An ecosystem
11
Q
What are the critical concepts of what makes an ecosystem function?
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the organic and inorganic components interactions with each other.
12
Q
The ____ of an ecosystem are all of the nonliving elements.
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abiotic components
13
Q
Examples of abiotic components
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water, the air, the temperature and the rocks and minerals that make up the soil
14
Q
____ of an ecosystem might include how much rain falls on it, whether it is fresh water or salt water, how much sun it gets or how often it freezes and thaws.
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Abiotic components
15
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The _____ of the ecosystem both live on and interact with the abiotic components
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biotic components
16
Q
These are the living organisms in the ecosystem that take in energy from sunlight. and use it to transform carbon dioxide and oxygen into sugars.
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Producers
17
Q
Plants, algae and photosynthetic bacteria are all examples of ___
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producers
18
Q
Producers form the base of the food web and are generally the ____ in the ecosystem by weight, or biomass.
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largest group
19
Q
This act as an interface with the abiotic components of the ecosystem during nutrient cycles as they incorporate inorganic carbon and nitrogen from the atmosphere.
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Producers
20
Q
These are living organisms in the ecosystem that get their energy from consuming other organisms.
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Consumers
21
Q
They eat plants
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Herbivores
22
Q
They eat other animals
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Carnivores
23
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They eat plants and animals
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Omnivores
24
Q
Who are part of food chains and webs? (3)
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Producers, consumers, decomposers
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These are the living component of the ecosystem that breaks down waste material and dead organisms.
Decomposers
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Are earthworms an example of a decomposer?
Yes
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Are algae an example of a decomposer?
No
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Are dung beetles an example of a decomposer?
Yes
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Are fungi an example of a decomposer?
Yes, many species of it are
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Are bacteria an example of a decomposer?
Yes, many species of it are
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They perform a vital recycling function, returning nutrients incorporated into dead organisms to the soil where plants can take them up again.
Decomposers
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Do decomposers harvest the last of the sunlight energy initially absorbed by producers?
Yes
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They represent the final step in many of the cyclical ecosystem processes
Decomposers
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Adaptation has three related meanings in biology: (3)
1) Dynamic evolutionary process
2) a state reached by the population during that process
3) phenotypic or adaptive trait
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fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness.
Adaptation: Dynamic evolutionary process
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it is a ____, with a functional role in each individual organism that is maintained and has been evolved by natural selection.
phenotypic or adaptive trait
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Organisms face a succession of environmental challenges as they grow, and show adaptive plasticity as traits develop in response to the imposed conditions. This gives them resilience to varying environments. What is this
Adaptation
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It is the scientific study of nature, with the aim of protecting species, their habitats and ecosystems from extinction.
Conservation
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The Different Types of Conservation (4)
1. Environmental Conservation
2. Animal Conservation
3. Marine Conservation
4. Human Conservation
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It refers to the environment being used in a way that is sustainable.
Environmental conservation
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It is the practice of protecting endangered wild animal species, along with their habitats.
Animal conservation
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It is the protection of species and ccosystems that live in occans and seas.
Marine conservation
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They are in danger and certain procedures need to be put in place to keep them alive—like the Tsa’ Chila tribe in Ecuador
Human conservation
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It is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time. It is caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions.
Climate change
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The health effects of a changing climate is likely to be:
Overwhelmingly negative
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This affects social and environmental determinants of health - clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter.
Climate change
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Certain human activities have been identified as primary causes of ongoing climate change, often referred to as—
global warming
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The impacts of climate change include all these except:
A) alarming temperatures
B)changes in precipitation
C) increases in the frequency or intensity of some extreme weather events
D) rising sea levels
E) bountiful harvest
E) bountiful harvest
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Warmer average temperatures will lead to hotter days and more frequent and longer heat waves. These changes will lead to an increase in ___.
heat-related deaths
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What is an adaptive response to the heat?
Air-condition
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Warmer temperatures and shifting weather patterns can worsen ____, which can lead to asthma attacks and other respiratory and cardiovascular health effects.
air quality
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Scientists project that warmer temperatures from climate change will increase the frequency of days with unhealthy levels of _____, a harmful air pollutant, and a component in smog.
ground level ozone
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People exposed to higher levels of ____ are at greater risk of dying prematurely or being admitted to the hospital for respiratory problems,
ground-level ozone
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It can damage lung tissue, reduce lung function. and inflame airways This can aggravate asthma or other lung discases. Children, older adults, outdoor workers, and those with asthma and other chronic lung diseases are particularly at risk.
Ground-level ozone
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It is the term for a category of extremely small particles and liquid droplets suspended in the atmosphere.
Particulate matter
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Fine particles include those smaller than____.
2.5 micrometers
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particulate matter that occur naturally are (3)
dust, wildfire smoke, and sea spray
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Inhaling ____ can lead to a broad range of adverse health effects, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular discase.
fine particles
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Climate change may affect ____. In addition to lengthening the ragweed pollen season, rising carbon dioxide concentrations and temperatures may also lead to carlier flowering, more flowers, and increased pollen levels in ragweed.
allergies and respiratory health
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The people most at risk include children, older adults, people with disabilities or medical conditions, and the poor during these times
Extreme weather events
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These are illnesses that are transmitted by disease vectors, which include mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.
Vectorborne diseases
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Changes in temperature, precipitation, and extreme events increases the geographic range of diseases spread by ___ and can lead to illnesses occurring carlier in the year,
vectors
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Examples of vectors:
Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas
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People can become ill if exposed to _____. Climate change increases the risk of illness through increasing temperature, more frequent heavy rains and runoff, and the effects of storms.
contaminated drinking or recreational water
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Climate change and the direct impacts of higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are expected to affect ____.
food safety and nutrition
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Climate impacts can affect exposure to waterborne pathogens such as ____(3) and toxins produced by ____(2) and chemicals due to human activity.
Waterborne pathogens:
bacteria
viruses
parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia
Toxins produced by:
harmful algal and cyanobacterial blooms in the water
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Changing water temperatures mean that ____ will be present in the water or in seafood at different times of the year, or in places where they were not previously threats.
waterborne Vibrio bacteria and harmful algal toxins
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_____ resulting from increases in extreme precipitation, hurricane rainfall, and storm surge will increasingly contaminate water bodies used for recreation (such as lakes and beaches), shellfish harvesting waters, and sources of drinking water.
Runoff and flooding
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_____can damage or exceed the capacity of water infrastructure (such as drinking water or wastewater treatment plants), increasing the risk that people will be exposed to contaminants.
Extreme weather events and storm surges
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Higher air temperatures can increase cases of _____ and other bacteria-related food poisoning because bacteria grow more rapidly in warm environments. These diseases can cause gastrointestinal distress and, in severe cases, death.
Salmonella
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Higher sea surface temperatures will lead to higher ____ in seafood
mercury concentrations
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Increases in extreme weather events will introduce _____ into the food chain through storm water runoff.
contaminants
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______ in the air can act as a "fertilizer" for some plants, but lowers the levels of protein and essential minerals in crops such as wheat, rice, and potatoes, making these foods less nutritious.
Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide
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Any changes in a person's physical health or surrounding environment can also have serious impacts on their ___.
mental health
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Individuals with mental illness are especially vulnerable to ____; studies have found that having a pre-existing mental illness tripled the risk of death during ____
extreme heat
heat waves
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Three factors contribute to vulnerability:
sensitivity
exposure
adaptive capacity
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It refers to the degree to which people or groups are affected by a stressor such as higher temperatures
sensitivity
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It refers to physical contact between a person and a stressor
exposure
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It refers to an ability to adjust to or avoid potential hazards.
adaptive capacity
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Populations of concern: (10)
Communities of color
Low income
Immigrants
Limited English proficiency
Children
Pregnant women
Older adults
Occupational groups
People with disabilities
People with chronic medical conditions
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They face disproportionate vulnerabilities due to a wide variety of factors, such as higher risk of exposure, sociocconomic and educational factors that affect their adaptive capacity, and a higher prevalence of medical conditions that affect their sensitivity. (4)
Communities of color
Low income
Immigrants
Limited English proficiency
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They are vulnerable to many health risks due to biological sensitivities and more opportunities for exposure (due to activities such as playing outdoors).
Children
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They are vulnerable to heat waves and other extreme events, like flooding.
Pregnant women
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They may have greater sensitivity to heat and contaminants, a higher prevalence of disability or preexisting medical conditions, or limited financial resources that make it difficult to adapt to impacts.
Older adults
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The outdoor workers, paramedics, firefighters, and transportation workers, as well as workers in hot indoor work environments, will be especially vulnerable to extreme heat and exposure to vector borne diseases. What are they called?
Occupational groups
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They can be very vulnerable during extreme weather events, unless communities ensure that their emergency response plans specifically accommodate
them.
People with disabilities
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They are typically vulnerable to extreme heat, especially if they are taking medications that make it difficult to regulate body temperature.
People with chronic medical conditions
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These can be particularly threatening for people reliant on certain medical equipment.
Power outages
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It is everything about people, their population and the psychology and social organization that shape their behavior.
The social system
91
