Biodiversity
What does SDI stand for?
Simpsons Diversity Index
What are the three pillars of sustainability?
Economic, socio-cultural, ecological
Is nuclear renewable?
NO
What are the main ghgs?
nitrous oxides, methane, CO2 & water vapour
Name one sampling technique
answer may vary:
- quadrats
- mark-recapture
- spotlighting
- lighttrapping
- camera traps
What are the two measurements needed to calculate the SDI?
Species Abundance & Species Richness
What is a stakeholder?
Any person/group that has a vested interest or is affected by an action or propsal
coal forms through the accumulation of plant material in wetland environments, its transformation into peat, and subsequent burial, compression, and chemical changes over millions of years.
What is an example a source of a natural ghg?
Answers may vary:
volcano, sun, respiration and decomposition of plants and ocean release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
What case-study did we look at for sustainable development? What was news about recently?
Seismic blasting at the Otway Basin - proposal was rejected!
What are the two methods of dating?
Numerical & Relative
Ecocentric, biocentric, technocentric, anthropocentric
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
states that energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system.
What is an example of a carbon sink (sequestering source)
ocean, forests, (anything that absorbs carbon dioxide)
What is one example of bias?
answers may vary:
Confirmation Bias: Favoring information that confirms preexisting beliefs while disregarding contradictory evidence.
Anchoring Bias: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions, even if it's irrelevant.
Availability Heuristic: Overestimating the importance or frequency of an event based on how easily it comes to mind, often influenced by recent experiences or media coverage.
Bandwagon Effect: Adopting beliefs or behaviors because they are popular or widely accepted, rather than based on independent analysis.
Hindsight Bias: The tendency to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred, leading to overconfidence in one's ability to predict outcomes.
Dunning-Kruger Effect: When individuals with low ability at a task overestimate their ability, while those with high ability may underestimate their competence.
Sunk Cost Fallacy: Continuing an endeavor or commitment based on previously invested resources (time, money, effort) rather than current rationality.
Overconfidence Bias: Holding an excessive level of confidence in one's own answers, judgments, or abilities.
Self-serving Bias: Attributing positive outcomes to one's own actions while blaming negative outcomes on external factors.
Status Quo Bias: Preference for the current state of affairs, leading to resistance to change even when change may be beneficial.
In-group Bias: Favoring individuals within one's own group (whether social, cultural, or professional) over those in other groups.
Framing Effect: Drawing different conclusions based on how information is presented, rather than just the information itself.
Why is genetic diversity important for a species’ survival?
Genetic diversity allows a species to adapt to changing environmental conditions, improving its chances of survival against diseases and environmental changes.
What is the difference between mitigation and adaptation strategies?
mitigation seeks to address the root causes of climate change, while adaptation focuses on adjusting to its impacts. Both strategies are essential for effectively managing climate change.
What is albedo? What has a higher albedo? Snow or rock?
Albedo is a measure of the reflectivity of a surface or body, typically expressed as a percentage or a decimal fraction. It quantifies how much solar energy is reflected back into space without being absorbed.
Higher = better reflective ability
What does GWP stand for?
Global Warming Potential
What is circular economy thinking?
Circular economy thinking is an economic and environmental model that aims to minimise waste and make the most of resources by creating closed-loop systems that use the outputs of other projects as inputs to produce more!
List a short, medium, and long-term ecosystem disruption?
Answers may vary.
Short term: Habitat loss, wildfires (anything months-years)
Medium: Pollution (years to decade)
Long-term: Climate change, sea level rise (over decades)
What is the difference between ecocentric and biocentric?
Bio favours all LIFE while eco focuses on nature and everything within the ecosystem (land, organisms, etc)
What is the difference between base and peak load energy?
What does the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) do?
IPCC plays a crucial role in enhancing the global understanding of climate change, guiding policy responses, and promoting international cooperation to address this pressing issue.
Name the six sustainability principles
conservation of biodiversity and ecological integrity; efficiency of resource use; intergenerational equity; intragenerational equity; precautionary principle; and user pays principle