Foundations of Environmental Science
What is the environment?
the sum total of all the conditions and living and nonliving factors that surround an organism
What concept of evolution did Charles Darwin synthesize?
natural selection
In November 2022, what number did the human population reach?
8 billion
What is the greenhouse effect?
natural process that leads to warming of area underneath something that traps heat
What kind of feedback loop is the human-elephant population system?
positive feedback loop (move away from stable point)
how much food is grown per hectare
What three elements are most abundant in plants and animals and often called the “building blocks of life”?
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
Name TWO causes of soil degradation.
erosion, compaction from machines, nutrient depletion from intensive use of land, irrigation, chemical damage
What is the downside of nuclear energy?
it produces radioactive waste
What are the three species present in Organ Cave, West Virginia?
isopod, amphipod, crayfish
What is the formula for net flux?
Net Flux = Inputs - Outputs
What is the name of Earth's largest mass extinction event?
Permian-Triassic Extinction
What is the name of the Roman water commissioner who wrote of the polluted state of the Tiber River?
Sextus Julius Frontinus
What is the common unit of energy used to compare energy sources?
British thermal unit (Btu): heat needed to raise 1 lb of water by 1°F
Name ONE input-output system of Mono Lake.
natural water system; salt-balance system; ecological system; water-use system
What is the major source of lead contamination in the U.S. today?
drinking water (from lead pipes and corroding plumbing material)
What single-celled animal did Russian biologist Georgy Gause use to experiment with the way resource and habitat limitation regulate population growth?
Paramecium
What are the three methods of cutting trees?
clearcutting, selective cutting, shelterwood cutting
What is the equation used to calculate risk?
Risk = probability of exposure to hazard * probability of harm once exposed
How does the number of butterfly species compare with the variety found in logged and non-logged areas in Borneo?
the total number of species has little variation between areas while there is considerable variation in the variety
According to the resource guide, how many species have been identified and cataloged by humans?
1.8 million
Name FOUR types of terrestrial biomes identified in the resource guide. (there are 10)
1. tropical rainforest 2. tropical dry forest
3. temperate rainforest 4. temperate broadleaf forest
5. boreal coniferous forest 6. temperate grassland
7. tropical scrub forest and savanna
8. Mediterranean 9. desert 10. tundra
What is eutrophication?
excessive growth of algae in a body of water due to oversupply of nutrients
What are the six criteria pollutants identified by the Clean Air Act of 1970?
sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter, ozone
What act adopted by Congress in 2000 was the restoration plan for the Florida Everglades a part of?
Water Resource Development Act