Topic 1
What is the First Law of Thermodynamics?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed
What name is given to the first species which arrive during primary succession?
Pioneer species
Define humus.
material formed from decaying leaves and other organic matter
List the layers of the atmosphere moving away from the earth's surface.
Tropsphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere
Using the figure, state 2 ecosystem types that run alongside the St Lawrence River
Mixed and boreal forest
Which feedback mechanism tends to return an equilibrium back towards its starting point?
Negative
What is the name of the process through which a non-polar pollutant increases in concentration as it moves up through a food chain?
Biomagnification
In horizon layers, which horizon is the most fertile layer?
Topsoil (A) is the most fertile layer, teeming with life. It's a mix of minerals from the parent rock below, along with decomposed organic material from the O horizon. This layer is crucial for plant growth.
O
A
B
C
R
Draw a positive feedback loop, showing the effect of climate change at glaciers.
Warming -> Ice melts -> Albedo decreases -> more solar radiation is absorbed -> more warming
Which greenhouse gas lasts the longest in the atmosphere?
A: CFCs
B: Methane
C: Water vapour
D: Carbon dioxide
A
Provide one example of system, and one example of models used when studying ecosystems?
Systems: Rainforest ecosystem (open),
nitrogen cycle, the carbon cycle, and the hydrological cycle (closed);
*An isolated system is a hypothetical concept
Model: food chains; food webs; pyramids of numbers, biomass & productivity, predator-prey curves; negative & positive feedback; diversity indices
Lions and Leopards feed on gazelles. This is an example of ______ competition.
Interspecific
Distinguish Detritivores and Saprotrophs.
Detritivores are organisms that ingest detritus and digest it internally. Saprotrophs are heterotrophs that secrete enzymes to externally digest detritus and then absorb the resulting nutrients.
eg) Earthworms=d, fungi/decomposer bacteria=s
Which of the following is a mitigating strategy used to reduce the impact of climate change?
A. Building higher walls/dykes around sea side cities to reduce flooding from rising sea levels.
B. Adapting building codes to future climate conditions and extreme weather events.
C. Converting public transit busses from gasoline to electric.
D. Encouraging residents to install water saving technology in areas where water has become scarcer.
C
Others are all adaptive strategies.
Outline how Nitrogen eventually eneds up in the body of the hourse.
This N₂ is "fixed" by bacteria in the soil;
Plants (like the grass and clover in a pasture) absorb these nitrates from the soil through their roots;
The cow eats these plants (grass, clover).
Outline two reasons between anthropocentric and eco-centric EVS on climate change.
An anthropocentric (human-centered) EVS may prioritise human well-being and economic considerations, viewing climate action with caution
An eco-centric EVS may place intrinsic value on nature and prioritise urgent action and behaviour change.
Define transect.
A line or path along which organisms and environmental conditions are recorded at regular intervals.
State one factor that may affect the speed of soil erosion.
slope, precipitation, wind, loss of vegetation cover, tillage, invasive species altering soil biota, etc.
Compare and contrast the causes of stratospheric ozone depletion and global warming [3]
Simiparities:
a. Both stratospheric ozone depletion and global warming are human caused phenomena;
b. CFCs, HCFCs and Halons are both ODSs and GHGs so cause both ozone depletion and global warming.
Differences:
c. Stratospheric ozone depletion is caused by the release of a halogen atom from an ODS in the stratosphere;
d. Global warming is caused by the release of greenhouse gases which accumulate in the troposphere;
e. Ozone depletion occurs in the stratosphere while global warming occurs in the troposphere;
f. ODSs are man-made chemicals that are leaked from man-made items like air conditioning units or refridgerators while GHGs are the result of combustion, or natural processes;
Look at 2 figures. Explain one reason which has led to lower levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the areas around Ottawa, Kingston and Cornwall (2)
Higher areas of natural forest are present in these areas; This means the vegetation can absorb more runoff;
If atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, what happens to coral reef? Include at least 5 steps.
Atmospheric CO₂ increases
More CO₂ dissolves in oceans
Ocean acidification increases (pH drops)
Fewer carbonate ions available
Coral calcification decreases (weaker coral skeletons)
Coral reefs degrade or die
(then Biodiversity decreases and carbon-storing organisms decline)
Outline the transfers and transformations of energy as it enters and flows through the first trophic level of a food chain.[4]
Transfers: [3 max]
solar/light energy absorbed by plants (credit other references to producers such as leaves or chloroplasts;
stored as chemical energy or glucose;
chemical energy moved from leaves or plant to other plant parts such as roots;
chemical energy biomass of plant eaten by herbivores or transferred to decomposers;
heat energy radiated from plant into atmosphere;
Transformations: [3 max] (hint, make sure student has actual transformation process written down!)
conversion of light to chemical energy in photosynthesis;
conversion of chemical to heat energy in respiration / all metabolic processes release heat (heat loss);
conversion of chemical to heat energy through decomposition;
Outline one positive and one negative outcome of the Green Revolution.
Pros: increase in food production (doubled), caloric intake/nutrition increase, decrease poverty despite pop. growth
Cons: soil degradation, monoculture/genetic narrowing, rely on fossil fuels, unequal benefits, increase in input costs might harm small business, increase rural-urban migration, might lose traditional knowledge.
Outlinie the role of the atmosphere in maintaining a stable climate. [3]
Greenhouse gases such as ases like carbon dioxide and water vapor absorb outgoing longwave radiation, preventing excessive heat loss and maintaining the Earth's average temperature;
Global circulation patterns, such as the Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells, transfer heat from the equator towards the poles
Clouds and aerosols reflect some incoming solar radiation, moderating the energy reaching the Earth's surface
Explain how the tragedy of the commons concept can be applied to international climate change agreements (2)
- Each nation may acts in short-term self-interest by continuing to emit greenhouse gases (GHGs)…benefits economically
- The negative environmental cost (climate change) of this pollution is a negative externality that is shared by the entire global community. Because the benefit of polluting is local/private, but the cost of environmental degradation is dispersed and shared it is essentail action at a global level is taken.