Environmental Value Systems
What is a system?
A system is a set of interacting or interdependent components that form a complex whole.
Define a biome.
A biome is a large ecological area on Earth characterized by specific climate conditions and plant/animal communities.
What is an ecological niche?
An ecological niche is the role and position a species has in its environment, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other species.
Describe the concept of a trophic level.
A trophic level is a position in a food chain or web, determined by the number of energy transfers from primary producers to top-level consumers.
What is environmental racism?
Environmental racism refers to the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalized communities, often due to systemic inequality.
Define an Environmental Value System (EVS).
An EVS is a worldview or paradigm that shapes how individuals or societies perceive environmental issues and make decisions regarding resource use.
What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?
Producers (e.g., plants) convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.
What is a food web?
A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem.
Draw and describe a pyramid of energy.
A pyramid of energy illustrates the energy available at each trophic level, with the highest energy at the base (producers) and decreasing energy at higher levels.
Discuss the impact of human activities on carbon cycles.
Human activities such as burning fossil fuels increase carbon emissions, disrupting natural carbon cycling and contributing to climate change.
Compare open, closed, and isolated systems with examples.
Open systems exchange matter and energy with their environment (e.g., a forest ecosystem); closed systems exchange energy but not matter (e.g., Earth); isolated systems do not exchange either (theoretically, none in nature).
Describe the role of decomposers in an ecosystem.
Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and maintaining ecosystem health.
Explain the relationship between predators and prey.
Predators hunt and eat prey, regulating population sizes and contributing to the balance of ecosystems.
How is energy lost in a food web?
Energy is lost as heat during metabolic processes, and only a fraction moves to the next trophic level.
Describe bioaccumulation and its effects.
Bioaccumulation is the buildup of toxins in an organism, which can lead to health problems and impact entire food webs.
Explain how systems thinking can be applied to environmental issues.
Systems thinking allows us to see how various components of the environment interact and influence one another, helping to identify solutions for environmental issues.
Differentiate between abiotic and biotic factors.
Abiotic factors are non-living components (e.g., water, soil), while biotic factors are living organisms (e.g., plants, animals).
Define mutualism and provide an example.
Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit (e.g., bees and flowering plants).
What is a pyramid of biomass, and how does it differ from a pyramid of numbers?
A pyramid of biomass shows the total mass of living organisms at each trophic level, while a pyramid of numbers shows the count of individuals at each level.
How does climate change affect biodiversity?
Climate change alters habitats, disrupts ecosystems, and threatens species survival, leading to decreased biodiversity.
What are the three main types of Environmental Value Systems?
Anthropocentric, Technocentric, Ecocentric.
Define biodiversity and explain its importance.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a given ecosystem, crucial for ecosystem resilience and functioning.
What is a keystone species and give an example?
A keystone species has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance (e.g., sea otters).
Describe the concept of energy flow in an ecosystem.
Energy flows through an ecosystem in a one-way stream, from producers to various levels of consumers.
Discuss a negative impact of invasive species on local ecosystems.
Invasive species can outcompete native species for resources, leading to declines in biodiversity and ecosystem stability.