Unit 1: Ecosystems
What term describes all the living and nonliving things in a particular area?
Ecosystem
What is the term for the number of species in a given area?
Species richness
What is the term for the number of individuals per unit area?
Population density
What is the process by which water moves between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere?
Water (Hydrologic) Cycle
What is an example of a tragedy of the commons resource?
Fisheries, pastureland, groundwater, air
Name one renewable energy source.
Solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass
What is the most common gas in Earth's atmosphere?
Nitrogen
What is one example of point-source pollution?
Factory wastewater pipe, oil spill
What is the term for a long-term change in Earth's average temperature?
Climate change
What is the ultimate source of energy for most ecosystems?
The Sun
What is one way biodiversity benefits humans?
Food, medicine, ecosystem services, cultural value
What type of growth curve shows rapid growth without limits?
Exponential growth
What are the three main particle sizes in soil?
Sand, silt, clay
What is one example of sustainable forestry?
Selective cutting, replanting, reduced-impact logging
Name one nonrenewable energy source.
Coal, oil, natural gas,nuclear
Name one primary air pollutant.
Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates
What is eutrophication?
Nutrient enrichment of water, causing algal blooms
Name one greenhouse gas besides CO2
Methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor
Name one biotic factor and one abiotic factor.
(Answers Vary)
Biotic: tree, deer, bacteria
Abiotic: water, sunlight, temperature
What is a keystone species?
a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically
What is carrying capacity?
Maximum population size an environment can sustain
What causes Earth's seasons?
Tilt of Earth's axis
What is monoculture?
Growing only one type of crop over a large area
What is the main greenhouse gas released when burning fossil fuels?
Carbon dioxide
What causes acid rain?
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides combining with water
What is one type of solid waste pollution?
Plastic, paper, food waste, hazardous waste
What is ocean acidification?
Decrease in ocean pH due to increased CO2 absorption
In a food chain, what type of organism is always at the base?
Producers/Autotrophs
What is the term for the ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbance?
Resilience
What is one density-dependent limiting factor?
Competition, predation, disease, food availability
What type of plate boundary occurs when two plates slide past each other horizontally?
Transform boundary
Name one pollutant commonly found in agricultural runoff.
Nitrates, phosphates, pesticides, sediment
What is one environmental benefit of renewable energy?
Reduced GHG emissions, lower air pollution, sustainable supply
What law regulates air quality in the U.S.?
Clean Air Act
Name one method to reduce water pollution.
Wastewater treatment, buffer zones, reducing fertilizer use
What is one climate change mitigation strategy?
Reforestation, renewable energy use, carbon capture
What is the term for the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem?
Biodiversity
Name two major threats to biodiversity.
Habitat destruction, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species, climate change
What is the formula for population change?
(Births + immigration) - (deaths + emigration)
Which soil particle type has the highest water-holding capacity?
Clay
Name two environmental impacts of industrial agriculture.
Soil degradation, water pollution, pesticide resistance, biodiversity loss
Name one disadvantage of wind or solar power.
Intermittency, land use, wildlife impacts, high initial costs
What is thermal inversion?
Reversal of normal air temperature layers, trapping pollution near surface
Difference between primary and secondary wastewater treatment?
Primary removes solids; secondary uses biological processes
Name one major consequence of melting polar ice.
Sea level rise, habitat loss, changes in ocean circulation