Test 1 Flashcards
(168 cards)
1
Q
environmental science
A
a field of research that is used to understand the natural world and our relationship to it.
2
Q
environment
A
a biological (biotic) and physical (abiotic) surroundings in which any given living thing exists
3
Q
ecology
A
branch of environmental science focusing on the abundance and distribution of organisms in relation to their environment
4
Q
interdisciplinary science relys on
A
- natural and applied sciences (i.e., ecology, geology, chemistry, and engineering)
- Social sciences (i.e., anthropology psychology, economics)
- Humanities (i.e., art, literature, and music)
5
Q
empirical science
A
at investigates the natural world through systematic observation and experimentation
6
Q
applied science
A
that uses its findings to inform our actions and bring about positive change
7
Q
Ecosystem
A
is a community of organisms and its physical and chemical environment. An ecosystem functions as an integrated ecological unit
8
Q
an integrated system-
A
inflow-sunlight and materials like carbon and nitrogen, and water
outflow-heat and materials like carbon, nitrogen and water
9
Q
information literacy
A
presentation of scientific information and source reliability
10
Q
primary source
A
peer-reviewed scientific journals (i.e., Nature, Science, PNAS, etc.)
11
Q
secondary source
A
present and interpret info solely from primary sources (i.e., NY Times, some books, EPA, WHO
12
Q
teritary source
A
present and interpret some info from secondary source (i.e., Wikipedia, blogs, websites, news shows)
13
Q
science is
A
observable, testable,repeatable,falsifiable - all based on inductive reasoning and empire evidence
14
Q
hypothesis
A
- possible cause or mechanism that could explain observations and facts
- Must be measurable and testable.
- nondirectional
15
Q
two types of hypothesis
A
- Null hypothesis (H0) = no significant relationship or difference between X and Y
- Alternative/Research hypothesis (HA) = contrary to null
16
Q
prediction
A
educated speculation about outcome
- Each hypothesis has directional predictions
- Often has “If…, then…”formal
17
Q
Ways of testing a hypothesis
A
Ways of testing hypothesis: Controlled experiment = most common oTest or manipulation where all variables are the same (DVs) except for the one under investigation (IVs) •Control vs. experimental group
-Observations over time with zero manipulation
18
Q
step 1 of the process
A
Evaluate initial results
Reject or Fail to Reject ?
19
Q
step 2
A
Repeat the experiment to confirm results
-Replication è accumulation of evidence
increased validity , development of scientific facts, truths, and theories
-Also replicated by other scientists = peer reviewed
20
Q
proving a hypothesis
A
regardless of mounting evidence, hypotheses are never proven with absolute certainty
- Proof of that caliber only happens in math
- Provides proof until contradictory evidence arises
21
Q
science can lead to
A
Science can still however lead to valid conclusions
-Eventually supported results may be replaced with even more accurate ideas
22
Q
theories can
A
Provide a bigger picture of how some aspect of nature works
- Broader in scope and explain a wider variety of events
- Weaves together supporting evidence from multiple scientific fields
23
Q
darwins theory
A
repeatedly tested and provides solid generalizable explanation of how adaptations in all organisms evolved
24
Q
cause and effect
A
very event or outcome in nature has a source ØKey to hypothesis testing (i.e., “if…, then..
25
Consistency
if same conditions (causes) are set up, same results (effects) will occur
-General rules exist in nature, and rules will operate in a similar manner over and over
26
repeatability
regularly and reliably repeatable = more likely true -Makes science self-correcting
27
materilism
affects in natural world all have natural causes rather than supernatural ones
-Required assumption for science to work
28
Triple Bottom Line
the three P's
| -People, profit, and planet
29
substainaiblty
meeting the needs of the present in an equitable and fair fashion w/o compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own need
30
substainability means
ability to accommodate three important sources of change: Environmental changes ,
Our changing needs for ecosystem goods and services,
Our treatment of the environment and life
31
every enviroment has a
carrying capacity and every organism has an ecological footprint
32
the three undrlying problems in the enviroment
population growth , resource use, and pollution
33
health affects of pollution
air pollution, water pollution, and soil contamination
34
to create a more substainable future, we must avoid
socail traps
35
tragedy of the commons, time delay (over fishing over time), sliding reenforce ( putting pesticides on the plants)
provide a short term resolution but cause a problem in the longer run
36
wealth inequaity affects
sustainability
37
intrisnic value
value or worth of an object, organism, or species based on its mere existence
38
instrumental value
value or worth of an object, organism, or species based on its usefulness to humans
39
peoples world views determine there
enviromental ethics
40
biocentrism
life centered, humans and other species have a right to exist and are worthy of protection
41
ecocentrism
system-centered, value is given to the importance of the ecosystem
42
anthropocentrism
human centered, only humans have value
43
china is
China is the most populous nation in 2017 with more than 1.3 billion people
44
population density worldwide
7.6 billion people worldwide
45
india is
India is expected to soon surpass China and is projected to have 1.5 billion people by 2030.
46
compared to india, china has a
slower annual population growth rate
47
for most of human history, there have been.....
for most of human history, there have been less than 1 billion people on the planet
48
two time periods in human history where the global human population has hit a dramatic growth spurt.... which are
agriculture revolution and industrial revolution
49
exponential growth
exponential growth is a fundamental property of all populations and involves the underlying principle of compounding!!!
50
populations grow
exponentially
51
growth rate
how fast populations grow
52
linear growth
the projected size of the human population, if it proceeded at the same rate over time
53
exponential growth
the actual size of the human population overtime
54
J shaped curve is
exponential curve,growth that starts out slow but compounds quickly
55
positive components
```
increase pop size
Birth rate (BR)
Immigration rate (IR)
```
56
negative components
```
decrease pop size
Death rate (DR)
Emigration rate (ER)
```
57
growth rate is the “balancing” among .....
negative and positive components
58
growth rate
(BR – DR) + (IR – ER)
59
if BR and IR equals DR and ER, then pop is at
equilibrium
60
doubling time depends on
depends only on growth rate, not population size
61
the more people of reproductive age =
the higher the growth rate
also influenced by income and women's education level
62
the number of women and their fertility have the biggest impact on population ______
growth rates
63
= 48 out of 1000 infants die before age 1
developing countries
64
6 out of 1000 infants die before age 1
developed countries
65
as populations grow
amount of food and space available to each individual decreases
Waste products and pollution increases
Disease and parasitic transmission increases
Aggressive conflicts over resources increases
66
density dependent
grow worse with density or crowding
- harder to reproduce
- lower survival rate
67
food resources grow
linearly
68
carrying capacity
maximum number of individual an environment can support
69
logistic growth
population growth pattern that accounts for density dependant
70
logistic growth
starts off exponentially and STOPS when pop reaches carrying capacity
71
human carrying capacity
annual population growth is slowing down
72
8-15 billion people
most human carrying capacity ranges
73
ecological footprint
estimate of the area of land needed to supply human demands for resources
74
biocapacity
measure of the area and quality of land available to supply a population w/ resources
75
impact =
population x affluence x technology
76
ecosystem
one or more communities and their interaction with the physical environment (energy flow and nutrient cycling) around them
77
ecology
study of interactions among species and their physical environment (at the varying levels of complexity
78
biodiversity
the variety of species living in an ecosystem
79
species (population)
(localized) group of individuals that can actually or potentially interbreed to produce fertile offspring
80
individual
a single member of the population
81
population
a group of individuals of the same species living and interacting in the same region
82
community
all the populations ( plants, animals) living and interacting in an area. communities represent the "living" portion of the ecosystem
83
biome
a portion of the biosphere characterized by a distinct climate and a particular assemblage of plants and animals adapt to it
84
biosphere
the total area on earth ( air, land, or water) where living things are found
85
ecosystem
a specific portion of a biome consisting of the living ( biotic) and non-living (abiotic) environmental components that interact
86
energy can enter and leave earth as:
Solar radiation
Heat (terrestrial radiation)
Life depends on a constant input of new energy b/c once used it quickly degrades and no longer is useful to organisms
87
Matter stays in the biosphere cycling in and out of organisms (biomass) ....
environmental components
88
Life depends on the constant cycling ...
of matter resources
89
biomes are specific portions of the
biosphere determined by climate and identified by predominant fauna and flora.
90
three broad categories
terrestrial, marine, freshwater.
91
limiting factors
critical resource whose supply determines the pop size of a given species in a given ecosystem
92
range of tolerance
range of a limiting factor that allows a species to survive and reproduce
93
more narrow the range of tolerance =
less genetically diverse the pop = less likely pop will survive a change in conditions
94
main drivers of the carbon cycle are
photosynthesis and cellular respiration
95
oxygen cycle
movement of oxygen throughout the ecosystem
96
main drivers of the oxygen cycle
photosynthesis and cellular respiration
97
Nitrogen comprises 79% of our atmosphere, yet
no plant or animals can use it.
98
atmospheric N must undergo
nitrogen fixation
99
Only some bacteria species living in the soil can break ....
nitrogen down
100
Phosphorus poisoning can happen through
human activity can result in phosphorus poisoning
101
Phosphorus cycle
- not a gaseous cycle. Exists only in solid or liquid form, and depends on weathering of rocks to release PO4 into soil or water.
- needed by all organisms to make DNA. Microbes can breakdown organic material and release PO4 into soil.
102
atmosphere became inhospitable
- Nitrous oxide too concentrated, which reduced vitamin B12 synthesis to brain damaging levels
- Oxygen levels plummeted from 21% to 14% (barely enough to sustain life)
- Had to pump in outside air
103
more than 1/3 of fauna and flora went extinct
include most vertebrates and all pollinating insects
- Cockroaches and ants thrived
- Disease and morning glory vines killed other plants, including crops
- Tree brittle due to lack of wind stress
104
many organisms eat more than..
one trophic level
105
matter and energy move throughout a community through the
food web
106
Apex predators
are at the top of the pyramid and must be fewer in number
107
energy flow in a food web
not 100% effiecent
108
energy is lost every time one organism eats another....
On average, only about 10% is retained
| Meaning 90% is lost as indigestible material and heat
109
lost energy affects the entire food web......
energy available decreases significantly at higher trophic levels
Higher trophic levels therefore support fewer individuals (smaller populations)
110
ecosystem services
naturally occurring ecological processes that support our agriculture, technology, culture, etc.
Provisioning = provide us w/ resources
Regulating = regulate and stabilize ecosystem
Cultural = relate to quality-of-life issues
Supporting = services others depend on
111
human induced distributions to ecosystem services
- soil erosion due to land development, agriculture, forestry -Exploitation of predators (i.e., deer overpopulation)
- Altering biogeochemical cycles (i.e., global warming)
112
community ecology
study of all the populations living and interacting in an area
113
ecology
is the study of ones home or habitat
114
Every organism is an evolutionary product of their ecology, which includes:
Abiotic factors = temperature, water, shelter, etc.
Biotic factors = population/species abundance, access to mates, resource competition, or other organisms living sympatrically or occupying similar niches
115
sympatric
species living in the same geographic area
116
niche
specific set of resources, including biological (i.e., food sources, mates, nesting) and physical factors (i.e., temperature), a species uses to survive
-only one species can occupy a niche
117
ecological adaptations
Species adapt both their physiology and behavior to meet the challenges of their habitat
118
physical conditions
desert living nocturnal Kangaroo rats
Sympatric bamboo-eating, lemur spp.
Inuit people
119
limited shelter
Polygynous yellow-bellied marmots in Rocky Mountains White-fronted bee-eaters in Central Africa
120
competition
occurs when two or more sympatric species attempt to use the same resource resulting in a negative affect on both species
121
exploitation
occurs when one species benefits while the other is harmed
122
mutualism
occurs when both species benefit (analogous to cooperation)
123
benefit vs. harm measured by their effects on
- abundance (population size)
| - Distribution (where it can live) = territory/home range
124
esources must be in limited supply for species to compete
“Struggle for existence” forces competition
125
either species benefit, so try to avoid prolonged competition by:
niche species driving another to (local) extinction
| -One or both species change so they no longer use the same resource or occupy the same niche
126
competition is an unsustainable interaction so species adapt to reduce or eliminate it
both species benefit by avoiding competition
127
competitive Exclusion Principle
Suggests that two competitors cannot coexist
- Or two species cannot occupy the same niche
- Holds up best under laboratory conditions where variables are tightly controlled
128
Nature is more variable and dynamic both in time and space
lends more ecological “freedom” for species
-Reduced competition therefore relies heavily on niche separation and/or partitioning and can allow sympatric (closely related) species to coexist
129
character displacement
when species evolve a change in physical or behavioral characters that allows them to reduce competition
130
medium and small ground finch species -- Is an example of.......
- Generally have almost identical beak sizes, but live on two separate islands in Galapagos
- Two species do live together on Santa Cruz island and their beak sizes no longer overlap, allowing them to access different seed resources within the same habitat and coexist
character displacement
131
under what conditions does exploitation occur?
one species benefits at another’s expense
- Includes predator-prey relationships, browsing and grazing feeding patterns, parasitism, and disease Best interests of both species differ: Exploited species benefits by avoiding the interaction
- Exploiter depends on maintaining it
132
two exploitation effects commonly observed in nature
Population cycles can be linked
| Coevolutionary “arms race” may develop
133
population cycles
linked population cycles means each population increases and decreases regularly over time
134
predator-prey relationships p
provide a good example of population cycling (aka. boom and bust cycles)
ex:Canadian lynx vs. Snowshoe hare
135
Coevolutionary “arms race”
Promotes the coevolution of species
136
exploited species
develop defensive adaptations to prevent or avoid exploitation
137
exploiter species
in turn develops offensive adaptations that allow the exploitation to continue
138
plant-animal relationship
provides a good example of exploitation
| -Ex: Monarchs and milkweed secondary compounds
139
Nest parasitism
another good example
| Also called brood parasites
140
Cuckoo birds
are common nest parasites (40% of species)
- Some species have a defensive adaptation and can recognize via discrimination the egg is not their own species
- European cuckoo’s have evolved an offense adaptation to lay eggs that closely mimic, or resemble, another species egg
141
brown-headed cowbird
is North America’s most common brood parasite
| -Lay eggs in nests of 220+ species
142
species are cooperating to benefit, and are not
altruistic (selflessness)
143
er time, one species may become a “cheater,” keeping benefits but not providing any to the other species ...Examples are
robber bees, orchids w/ bee-like pheromones
144
animals as mobile agents for plants is a good example of
mutualism as animals provide a service and plant provides a renewable food resource
- Honeybees pollinating angiosperms
- Chimpanzees as seed dispersers
145
fig wasp and fig tree mutualism
each fig species has its own species of fig wasp, which leads to obligatory mutualism
146
our competition has driven many species to.....
complete or near extinction
-Ex: Neanderthals, orangutan
however, we open up new habitats for other species (i.e., cotton and boll weevil, grain silos and molds, mice, insects
147
pests
species that compete w/ us successfully for food and other resources
148
hunter-gather days, engaged directly in ______many species, driving several prey species to___
predator-prey relationships, extinction
Ex: Giant moa on New Zealand
Prey traditionally hunted for food, pelts, fur, and sport Now most food comes from domesticated plants and animals
149
develop useful products and ideas as a result of exploitative interactions .....ex....
- milkweed in cardiac medicine, caffeine in coffee beans, chemical defenses of most spices, hallucinogenic properties in plants
- We have created an arms race w/ pesticides and antibiotics
150
population dynamics
changes over time in population size and composition
151
minimum viable population
smallest number of individuals required for pop to persist and grown, ensuring long-term survival oSmaller pops have lower genetic diversity (inbreeding) oImportant to consider in conservation of endangered species
152
ecologically effective population
pop large enough to perform important ecosystem services to its community
153
population density
number of individuals per unit are
154
population distribution
location and spacing of individuals w/i their range
| -Effected by species characteristics, topography, and habitat makeup
155
clumped
groups or patches
| -Common in animals
156
random
spread out irregularly
- Common in homogeneous environments
- Wind (i.e., seeds) and water (i.e., coral larvae) dispersed species
157
uniform
spaced evenly
| -Rare in nature
158
populations have different growth rates, which are effected by:
- Growth factors Resistance factors
- Density dependent factors
- Biotic potential
- Max rate a pop can grow due to births if each member survives and reproduces
159
population size is determined by
growth and resistance factors
160
density dependent
factors exert more of an effect as population size increases
161
density independent
factors have the same effect regardless of population size
162
science that deals with the repair of damaged or disturbed ecosystem
nature is NOT static and approaches must be adaptive to deal with changes
163
ecological succesion
progressive replacement of plant (and then animal) species in a community over time due to the changing conditions that the plants themselves create
164
primary succesion
ecological succession that occurs in an area where no ecosystem existed before (i.e., bare rock with no soil)
165
pioneer species
plant species that move into an area during early stages of succession (i.e., lichens
166
secondary succesion
ecological succession that occurs in an ecosystem that has been disturbed
- occurs more quickly than primary succession because soil is present
- Natural process that “repairs” a newly damaged ecosystem (i.e., fire, clear cutting, etc.)
- More species-diverse ecosystems tend to be more resilient and are more likely to bounce back
167
climax species
species that move into an area at later stages of ecological succession and persist if their environment remains unchanged
168
forest ecological sucesion depends on
soil and light availability
