Midterm 1

Question 1

Why does an island of a given size tends to have lower species diversity than a continental area of a similar size?

Answer 1

Skill #3—Explaining Causes

a. identify possible causes
b. search for possible evidence
c. determine which cause is most likely.

It is harder for species to access that land size, it allows for more species to access the mainland. There is also surrounding land next to the given mainland area.

geologic history - volcanos may disrupt
Dominant species

Question 2

Types of environmental Science

Answer 2

Biology
Chemistry 
Geosciences
Social Sciences
Law
Agriculture

Question 3

What percentage of species may go extinct by the end of this century

Answer 3

25-50%

Question 4

Synergism vs Antagonism

Answer 4

Synergism: synergism refers to the effect caused when exposure to two or more chemicals at as time results in health effects that are greater than the sum of the effects of the individual chemicals.

Antagonism is the opposite of synergism. It is the situation where the combined effect of two or more compounds is less toxic than the individual effects

Question 5

Exotic Species

Answer 5

Invasive species not native to the ecosystem

Question 6

5 Components to addressing environmental Problems

Answer 6

Scientific Assessment

Risk Analysis

Public Education

Political Action

Legislation

Question 7

Inductive reasoning

Answer 7

Inferences made from a set of specific observations to reach a general conclusion

Question 8

Deductive Reasoning

Answer 8

From generalities to specifics

Question 9

Example of Scientific method question

Answer 9

How does sunlight the growth of a plant?

Question 10

What is the hallmark of hypothesis formation?

Answer 10

Simplicity

Question 11

Control Group

Answer 11

Necessary for comparison

Question 12

Silent Spring

Answer 12

Rachel Carson - wrote book open wild life management, began enviro movement

Use of DDT pesticides proved to be harmful.

Question 13

Four Environmental Ethical Theories

Answer 13

Anthropocentrism
Biocentrism
Ecocentrism
Environmental Theocentrism

Question 14

Anthropocentrism

Answer 14

Derived from human interests alone

if environments are preserved, its for our benefit

Question 15

Biocentrism

Answer 15

Life-centered
assumes the rights of every organism
Hierarchy of species value

Question 16

Ecocentrism

Answer 16

Considered the environment as a whole

Question 17

Environmental Theocentrism

Answer 17

An eclectic philosophical approach to environmental stewardship – balance between three other positions

Question 18

Ecology

Answer 18

The scientific study of the interactions among organisms and between them and their abiotic environment

Question 19

The first law of thermodynamics

Answer 19

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed although it can be transformed from one form to another

Question 20

The second law of thermodynamics

Answer 20

As each energy transformation occurs, some of the energy is changed to heat energy that is released into the cooler surroundings. Entropy.

Question 21

Gross Primary Productivity

Answer 21

The rate at which energy is captured during photosynthesis

Question 22

Net primary productivity

Answer 22

Is the energy that remains in plants after cellular respiration (measured in biomass) and which is available for the next trophic level.

Question 23

Symbiosis

Answer 23

any intimate relationship between members of two or more species

Question 24

Bayesian mimicry

Answer 24

Fly pretends to be a bee

Question 25

Aposematism

Answer 25

Warning colouration - colored opposite to environmental

Question 26

Commensalism

Answer 26

+0 a symbiotic relationship where one benefits while one is neither harmed nor benefitted

Question 27

Fundamental vs Realized Niche

Answer 27

Fundamental niche is the potential unrealized ecological niche, aka anywhere it COULD live. A realized niche is the lifestyle that an organism actually pursues and the resources it uses

Question 28

Resource Partitioning

Answer 28

Results from natural selection in favor of members of species that avoid resource overlap or reduce competition

Question 29

Succession

Answer 29

Predictable process of community development overtime

Question 30

Primary Succession

Answer 30

Succession that brings with bare mineral surfaces. Bare rock eventually turns to a developed surface

Question 31

Secondary Succession

Answer 31

Succession that begins with the destruction or disturbance of the vegetation of an existing ecosystem. Developed ecosystems face disasters and recover

Question 32

Give the most common causes why species are declining and going extinct

Answer 32

``` Habitat loss or fragmentation overexploitation of species pollution introduction of exotic species removal of keystone species over abundant native species ```