Environmental Science Chapter 1-2 Study Guide

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Questions and Answers

What term describes the pattern of distribution of organisms in a population?

  • Abundance
  • Dispersion (correct)
  • Density
  • Habitat

Which cycle involves the circulation of nitrogen among air, soil, water, plants, and animals?

  • Phosphorus cycle
  • Oxygen cycle
  • Carbon cycle
  • Nitrogen cycle (correct)

What is called when a new species develops from an existing one?

  • Evolution
  • Hybridization
  • Speciation (correct)
  • Extinction

Which type of competition occurs between individuals of the same species?

<p>Intraspecific competition (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term is used for organisms that feed on dead material?

<p>Scavengers (C), Detritivores (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which relationship does one species benefit while the other is harmed?

<p>Parasitism (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of species is considered critical to the functioning of an ecosystem?

<p>Keystone species (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does diversity in an ecological context refer to?

<p>The variety of different species (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following gases is NOT classified as a greenhouse gas?

<p>Oxygen (O2) (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a closed system exchange?

<p>Neither energy nor matter with the surroundings (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which individual is known for promoting the establishment of natural reserves?

<p>George Perkins Marsh (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of feedback loop promotes an increase in a process or component?

<p>Positive feedback (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a species?

<p>Organisms that can interbreed naturally and produce fertile offspring (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is cherry picking in the context of information?

<p>Selecting only favorable evidence while ignoring non-supportive data (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between laws and theories in science?

<p>Laws are generalizations based on observations, while theories offer explanations for those observations (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of thinking involves evaluating and analyzing information critically?

<p>Critical thinking (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Natural Resources

Any natural material used by humans, such as water, petroleum, minerals, forests, and animals.

System

A network of interdependent components and processes that transfer materials and energy.

Closed System

A type of system that exchanges no energy or matter with its surroundings, rare in nature.

Open System

A type of system that exchanges energy and/or matter with its surroundings, receiving inputs and producing outputs.

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Throughput

The flow of energy and matter into or through a system.

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Feedback Loop

A process that either amplifies or diminishes a component or process within a system.

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Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed naturally and produce fertile offspring.

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Population

Groups of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical area and interbreed.

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Population Density

The number of individuals of the same species that live in a given unit of area.

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Population Dispersion

The pattern of distribution of organisms in a population, which can be even, clumped, or random.

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Carbon Cycle

The movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back to the environment.

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Nitrogen Cycle

The process in which nitrogen circulates among the air, soil, water, plants, and animals in an ecosystem.

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Phosphorus Cycle

The cyclic movement of phosphorus from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment.

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Habitat

Describes the place or set of environmental conditions in which a particular organism lives.

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Ecological Niche

Describes both the role played by a species in a biological community and the set of environmental factors that determine its distribution.

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Specialist

A species that has a narrow ecological niche and requires specific conditions to survive.

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Study Notes

Chapter 1

  • Environmental science study guide for semester 1, examination 2425

  • Critical Thinking: Involves critical analysis, creativity, logic, and reflection.

  • Scientific Method: Laws are observations occurring consistently, while theories explain why these occur.

  • Fields of Science:

    • Biology (zoology, botany, microbiology, ecology)
    • Earth science (geology, paleontology, climatology, hydrology)
    • Physics & Engineering
    • Chemistry (biochemistry, geochemistry)
    • Social sciences (geography, anthropology, sociology)

Chapter 2

  • Climate Change: Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.

  • Greenhouse Gases: Gases trapping heat in the atmosphere; examples: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases.

  • Natural Resources: Natural materials used by humans; examples: water, petroleum, minerals, forests, animals.

  • People: Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot were friends

Chapter 3

  • Systems: Interdependent components and processes transferring materials and energy.

  • Types of Systems:

    • Closed systems: Exchange no energy or matter.
    • Open systems: Exchange energy and/or matter.

Chapter 4

  • Habitat: The place or set of environmental conditions where an organism lives.

  • Dispersion: The pattern of organism distribution in a population, can be even, clumped, or random.

  • Ecosystem Cycles:

    • Carbon cycle: Carbon's movement from nonliving environments to living things, and back to nonliving environments.
    • Nitrogen cycle: Nitrogen's circulation among air, soil, water, plants, and animals in an ecosystem.
    • Phosphorus cycle: The cyclical movement of phosphorus from environment to organisms, and back to environment.

Additional Concepts

  • Ecological Niche: A species' role in a biological community, plus environmental factors influencing its distribution.
  • Generalists/Specialists:
    • Generalists thrive in varied conditions (e.g., black bear).
    • Specialists need specific conditions (e.g., giant panda).
  • Speciation: The development of a new species.
  • Taxonomy: The study of types of organisms and relationships.
    • Domains (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya)
    • Kingdoms within Eukarya (animals, plants, fungi, protists)
  • Competition:
    • Intraspecific: Competition within the same species
    • Interspecific: Competition between different species
  • Symbiotic Relationships:
    • Mutualism: Both species benefit.
    • Commensalism: One species benefits, the other is unaffected.
    • Parasitism: One species benefits, the other is harmed.
  • Keystone Species: Species playing a critical role in a biological community.
  • Biodiversity:
    • Diversity: Number of different species.
    • Abundance: Number of individuals of a particular species.
    • Core habitat: Relatively uniform environment free of edges.
    • Edge effects: Mixed environmental conditions where communities meet.

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Environmental Science Semester 1 Study Guide 2425 PDF

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