Intro to Environmental Science
The idea that Earth is a closed system with limited resources is:
What is Spaceship Earth?
Name one characteristic of developing countries.
Rapid population growth
simple agriculture-based economies
low incomes
weak social support systems
A _____________ is a testable explanation for a question or problem.
What is a hypothesis?
The government agency that enforces environmental laws.
Environmental Protection Agency
A __________ is an ecosystem that is made up of only one species. Where is it typically found?
monoculture, in agriculture
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary study that includes which of the following fields?
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
All of the above
Name two characteristics of developed countries
High incomes
Low population growth
Industrial economies
High consumption
Stronger social support systems
A ____________ is a well-supported explanation of a scientific phenomenon.
__________ is the process that scientific papers go through before publishing
A scientific theory
peer review
A __________ punishes polluting companies, while a __________ rewards companies for reducing their environmental impacts
1. regulation 2. incentive
Name two things genetic diversity protects species from.
environmental change
ultimately, extinction
Define and give one example of a nonrenewable resource. Define and give one example of a renewable resource
Nonrenewable = used up much faster than it is replaced. ex. coal, oil, fossil fuels
Renewable = a resource that replaces itself relatively quickly. ex. water, wind, solar
What are the two root causes of most environmental issues?
- Resources being used up faster than they can be replaced
- Human population growth is too fast for the environment
Why are experimental controls important?
They help scientists isolate and test a specific experimental variable
Why are environmental policies necessary?
They protect from individual interests (tragedy of the commons)
Name the three levels of biodiversity
genetic diversity
species diversity (biodiversity)
ecosystem diversity
Describe the main environmental issues during these different periods of human history: pre-history (hunter-gatherers), Agricultural Revolution, and Industrial Revolution
Pre-history: overhunting, habitat degradation
Agricultural Revolution: population growth, habitat degradation
Industrial Revolution: pollution, resource depletion
Describe the Tragedy of the Commons
Our natural resources are "commons," meaning that are shared between all of us. Individuals have motivations to take more than they need, but it is in society's long-term interest to conserve resources for future generations. Pits short-term individual interests against long-term societal needs
What is the difference between an independent and dependent variable?
Independent variable is what you are changing in an experiment
Dependent variable is what you measure in an experiment (changes as a result of your independent variable)
Be able to define and identify these for your test.
Describe Cap-and-Trade.
Cap-and-Trade sets a limit (cap) on what companies can pollute. If a company goes over the limit, it can trade for permits that companies that don't go over the limit earn. This combines incentives and regulations to reduce pollution emissions.
What is the difference between conservation and preservation? Name the places associated with both
conservation allows for some sustainable human usage, while preservation protects ecosystems from humans
conservation = national parks
preservation = national forests
Name two causes of each discussed in class: air pollution, water pollution, and biodiversity loss.
air pollution: airplane/car emissions, industry
water pollution: agricultural run-off, industrial waste
biodiversity loss: deforestation, overpopulation, climate change, ocean acidification
What are two reasons it is important to consider the economics of environmental issues?
Economics also influence what solutions to environmental issues are feasible (some solutions may be too expensive).
Inductive reasoning uses individual data points to form general principles (starts in and goes out)
Deductive reasoning uses broad, general principles to draw conclusions about individual data points (starts out and goes in)
Name the four ecosystem services and give examples and/or definitions of them
Provisioning - providing natural resources like food
Supporting - supporting ecosystem functions
Cultural - recreational activities like hiking or skiing (non-material benefits to humans)
Regulating - providing flood protection or control
Name five benefits of biodiversity
Balance of Earth's cycles
Food chain stability
Disease protection
food
medicine
ecotourism
consumer products