Lecture 1 Flashcards
(20 cards)
Define the environment.
organism’s surroundings
What factors go into the study of the environment?
physical, chemical, biological factors
Why does environmental science have such relevance in the modern world?
- climate change
- food/water
- energy
- air quality
- biodiversity loss
- depletion of resources
Define sustainability.
balancing long term stability of an ecosystem in concert with human progress
How does worldwide income distribution affect issues of the environment?
More money = more ecological footprint
What three factors figure into the “triple bottom line?”
environmental
social
economic
(people, planet, profit)
Why must sustainability consider progress in all three tiers of the “triple bottom line?”
neglecting one can lead to short-term gains at the expense of long-term viability
Describe an ecosystem in terms of the inputs and outputs of mass and energy.
producers (plants) capture energy (sun) through photosynthesis
- energy flows through ecosystem by food chains
- sent back to the system by decomposition
Environmental science and policy is usually most effective when it involves international efforts. Why?
ecosystems are open, integrated systems
What is homeostasis?
systems adjust to changes to minimize system change
Describe positive and negative feedback.
positive feedback: amplifies change in a system
negative feedback: counteracts a change
Explain how change can occur even as a system remains stable.
seasons
- homeostatic mechanisms
What is an ecosystem service?
benefits that humans receive from natural ecosystem
What are some basic steps to sustainable living?
- resource management
- understanding limits
- maintaining balance and integration of ecosystems
- understanding natural change
Describe the steps of the scientific method.
- observation
- make hypotheses
- make predictions
- devise test of predictions
- carry out test
- analyze results
Distinguish between inductive and deductive reasoning. Where does the scientific method use inductive reasoning? Where does it use deductive reasoning?
deductive reasoning: drawing specific conclusion based on a generalization
- conclusion
inductive reasoning: using observations and facts to arrive at generalizations or hypotheses
- observation and hypotheses
What is a theory?
hypothesis that stands up to many challenges and has high predictive power
What is the importance of consensus in the scientific community?
represents collective agreement by experts in the field
What is the characteristic of systems-based thinking? Why is it important for environmental science?
allows for deeper understanding by recognizing intricate relationships
Distinguish between environmental science and environmentalism.
environmental science: rigor of scientific method to arrive at conclusions about the natural world
environmentalism: working to influence attitudes and policies that affect the environment
