Topic 1 Foundations
What is the specific difference between a transfer and a transformation within a system?
Transfer: A change in location (e.g., water flowing downstream).
Transformation: A change in chemical nature, state, or energy type (e.g., evaporation or photosynthesis).
What occurs to carbon stores in the ocean when increased atmospheric CO2 dissolves into the water, and how does this affect marine life with calcium carbonate shells?
The oceans act as a carbon sink by dissolving atmospheric CO2, This leads to ocean acidification (lowering of pH); The decrease in pH interferes with/reduces the ability of organisms (e.g., molluscs, corals) to deposit calcium carbonate for their shells/skeletons
What is speciation, and how does it occur in a population?
Speciation is the generation of new species through evolution. It occurs when a population becomes isolated and adapts differently to its environment until it can no longer interbreed with the original species.
What is the definition of water security?
Water security is having access to sufficient amounts of safe drinking water.
Define a "tipping point" and explain what happens to a system once this threshold is crossed.
The minimum amount of change required to destabilize a system.
Outcome: The system shifts to a new equilibrium or alternative stable state (often irreversible).
According to the tricellular model of atmospheric circulation, which three distinct "cells" influence the distribution of precipitation and temperature?
Hadley cell, 2. Ferrel cell 3. Polar cell
Distinguish between species richness and species evenness in a community.
Richness is the number of different species in a community. Evenness is how similar the population sizes of each of those species are.
Describe the process of eutrophication, specifically identifying the nutrients and organisms primarily involved.
Eutrophication occurs when water receives high inputs of nitrates and phosphates. This causes excessive growth of phytoplankton (algal blooms), followed by high rates of decomposition that lead to hypoxia (low oxygen) and the death of aquatic life.
How do the diversity of a system and the size of its storages affect its resilience against disturbances?
High diversity and large storages (e.g., a large forest vs. a single tree) increase resilience, allowing a system to better resist damage and recover from disturbances.
What is the fundamental difference between zonation and succession in terms of how they relate to time and space?
Zonation: A spatial phenomenon / change over distance (e.g., altitude, latitude, depth) at a specific moment in time, Succession: A temporal phenomenon / change over time in a specific area.
Identify three direct or indirect human influences that are adversely affecting biological diversity.
Direct: Overharvesting, poaching, and the illegal pet trade. Indirect: Habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and invasive alien species
Define aquaculture and identify two potential negative environmental impacts of this industry.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms (fish, molluscs, etc.). Impacts include loss of habitat, pollution from feed/antibiotics, and the spread of diseases or escaped species
What condition must be met regarding a population's ecological footprint and its area's biocapacity for that population to be considered sustainable?
Condition: For sustainability, the Ecological Footprint (demand) must be smaller than the Biocapacity of the area.
What defines the starting conditions of primary succession (such as on Surtsey) compared to secondary succession?
Primary Succession: Occurs on newly formed substratum where there is no soil or pre-existing community (e.g., bare rock, volcanic islands like Surtsey). Secondary Succession: Occurs on bare soil where a pre-existing community has been cleared (e.g., after fire or agriculture), but soil/seed banks remain
Name the organization that assesses global conservation status and list three criteria they use for their Red List.
1. Number of individuals
2. Rate of population increase or decrease
3. Breeding potential and geographic range
4. Known threats
Describe how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) support aquatic ecosystems and the fishing industry.
MPAs support aquatic food chains by providing shelter and spawning grounds, which helps maintain sustainable yields in surrounding areas.
Briefly describe the main goal of the Circular Economy (specifically the butterfly diagram concept) compared to a linear economy.
Goal: The Circular Economy aims to decouple economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. It moves from "take-make-waste" to "eliminate waste, circulate materials, and regenerate nature."
When using the Lincoln Index (M *N / R) to estimate the population size of mobile organisms, what does the variable R represent and what assumptions are made using this tool?
Variable R: Represents the number of marked individuals recaptured in the second sample.
Explain how the size and shape of a nature reserve can affect the success of biodiversity conservation
Large, circular reserves are generally more effective because they reduce edge effects and provide more interior habitat. Wildlife corridors are also vital for connectivity between areas.
Define aquaculture and identify two potential negative environmental impacts of this industry.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms (fish, molluscs, etc.). Impacts include loss of habitat, pollution from feed/antibiotics, and the spread of diseases or escaped species.