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Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a way to reduce your carbon footprint?
Which of the following is NOT a way to reduce your carbon footprint?
Primary succession occurs in a previously disturbed area that has some soil left.
Primary succession occurs in a previously disturbed area that has some soil left.
False (B)
What is the leading cause of biodiversity loss?
What is the leading cause of biodiversity loss?
Habitat loss
As you move up a food web, the amount of biomass and available energy ______.
As you move up a food web, the amount of biomass and available energy ______.
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Which of the following best describes environmental science?
Which of the following best describes environmental science?
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Match the type of biodiversity with its definition:
Match the type of biodiversity with its definition:
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What happens to a population when there is high life expectancy and low infant mortality?
What happens to a population when there is high life expectancy and low infant mortality?
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Non-renewable resources can be naturally replenished over time.
Non-renewable resources can be naturally replenished over time.
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Water treatment facilities help to spread infectious diseases.
Water treatment facilities help to spread infectious diseases.
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What are the three main types of fossil fuels?
What are the three main types of fossil fuels?
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Rising global temperatures and more extreme weather events are consequences of ______.
Rising global temperatures and more extreme weather events are consequences of ______.
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What are two benefits of ecotourism?
What are two benefits of ecotourism?
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The phrase 'The dose makes the poison' means that the ______ dictates the effect of the poison.
The phrase 'The dose makes the poison' means that the ______ dictates the effect of the poison.
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Match the resources with their type:
Match the resources with their type:
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Why have some bird species migrated further north?
Why have some bird species migrated further north?
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Which is an example of a chemical hazard?
Which is an example of a chemical hazard?
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Name four greenhouse gasses.
Name four greenhouse gasses.
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Economic activity has no impact on the environment.
Economic activity has no impact on the environment.
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Which of the following is NOT a benefit typically associated with urbanization?
Which of the following is NOT a benefit typically associated with urbanization?
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The study of how poisons affect an organism's health is called epidemiology.
The study of how poisons affect an organism's health is called epidemiology.
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What is the term for a nonnative species that spreads widely in a community?
What is the term for a nonnative species that spreads widely in a community?
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A chart that shows the age distribution of a population is called a(n) ______.
A chart that shows the age distribution of a population is called a(n) ______.
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Match the following terms with their descriptions:
Match the following terms with their descriptions:
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Which term describes the process of breeding and raising organisms under controlled conditions?
Which term describes the process of breeding and raising organisms under controlled conditions?
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Brackish water is defined as water with a high salt content.
Brackish water is defined as water with a high salt content.
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What is the name of the thin layer of gas that surrounds Earth?
What is the name of the thin layer of gas that surrounds Earth?
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The largest population a given environment can support is known as its ______
The largest population a given environment can support is known as its ______
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Which of the following terms best describes a substance or disease that prevents a fetus or embryo from developing normally?
Which of the following terms best describes a substance or disease that prevents a fetus or embryo from developing normally?
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Study Notes
Environmental Science as an Interdisciplinary Field
- Environmental science combines various scientific disciplines, including ecology, economics, biology, and political science.
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
- Renewable resources: Naturally replenish at a rate at least equal to their rate of consumption. Examples: solar energy, wind energy, hydro power, tides, and sustainably harvested timber.
- Non-renewable resources: Form at a rate much slower than their rate of consumption, thus potentially depleting them. Examples: coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy (uranium).
Resource Consumption Over Time
- Human resource consumption has significantly increased alongside population growth.
Economics and the Environment
- Economic production relies heavily on environmental resources.
- Increased resource extraction from the environment can negatively impact the environment.
Plant and Animal Migration Due to Global Warming
- Changing climates and rising temperatures are forcing plant and animal species to migrate to more suitable habitats.
- Examples include birds moving further north during migration for cooler temperatures.
Greenhouse Gases
- Carbon dioxide
- Methane
- Nitrous oxide
- Ozone
Fossil Fuels
- Fossil fuels are nonrenewable, formed from the remains of prehistoric plants and animals.
- Types: coal, oil, natural gas.
Climate Change Consequences
- Rising global temperatures
- More extreme weather events (hurricanes, droughts, storms)
- Loss of biodiversity
- Increased health risks (heat stress, spread of disease)
Factors Determining Climate Conditions
- Latitude
- Earth's tilt
- Temperature
- Precipitation
Environmental Science Solutions
- The ban on DDT helped to recover the bald eagle population, which had declined due to weakened eggs resulting from DDT's movement through the ecosystem.
Water Shortages Despite Abundance
- A small percentage of Earth's water is fresh and easily accessible.
- Water distribution is uneven globally, some areas experience more rainfall while other areas require special water management.
- Competition and conflicts over water resources arise.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
- Use energy-efficient appliances.
- Conserve water (shorter showers).
- Reduce waste (less plastic, recycling).
Human Sprawl and CO2 Emissions
- Human sprawl increases driving distances, leading to higher fuel consumption and increased CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
Primary vs. Secondary Succession
- Primary succession: Occurs on bare, newly exposed surfaces with no existing soil (e.g., volcanic rock). Requires the development of soil by pioneer species.
- Secondary succession: Occurs in areas that have been disturbed but retain some soil from a previous ecosystem (e.g., after a forest fire).
Biomass, Energy, and Organisms in Food Webs
- Biomass and available energy decrease as you move up a food web from producers.
- There are always more producers than any other trophic level in an ecosystem.
Factors Affecting Primary Productivity
- Light intensity
- Water availability
- Temperature
- Nutrient levels
- High net primary productivity: tropical rainforests
- Low net primary productivity: deserts
Types of Biodiversity
- Genetic diversity: variation within a species.
- Species diversity: variety of different species in an area.
- Ecosystem diversity: different ecosystems within a region.
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
- Climate change
- Invasive species
- Pollution
- Habitat loss (leading cause)
Population Changes with High Life Expectancy and Low Infant Mortality
- Population size increases with longer lifespans and lower infant mortality rates.
Water Treatment and Infectious Disease
- Water treatment plants filter and disinfect water to remove infectious agents.
- Treatment steps include filtering and disinfection to kill bacteria.
- Stored water reservoirs are routinely monitored.
Hunting, Harvesting and Biodiversity
- Hunting/harvesting specific harmful species can increase biodiversity in areas overrun with harmful invasive species.
Ecotourism Costs and Benefits
- Costs: overtourism, wildlife destruction.
- Benefits: economic development for local communities, environmental conservation, and environmental education.
Single-Species Management vs. Ecosystem Diversity Protection
- Management of specific endangered species (e.g., Endangered Species Act, captive breeding programs, habitat restoration) focuses on individual species.
- Protecting entire ecosystems considers various interacting species and environmental factors.
Biodiversity Protection in the United States
- US Endangered Species Act (ESA): protects endangered and threatened species.
- Wildlife reserves and national parks.
"The Dose Makes the Poison"
- The effect of a substance depends on the amount consumed or absorbed. Anything can be harmful in excessive amounts.
Hazards to Human Health
- Chemical hazards: lead paint exposure
- Biological hazards: contracting salmonella
- Physical hazards: loud noises
- Ergonomic hazards: prolonged computer use
Urbanization Drivers
- Job opportunities
- Access to education and healthcare
- Public transportation and convenience
- Recreation and entertainment
Vocabulary Terms (Concepts)
- Environmentalism: social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world.
- Ethics: study of moral principles.
- Cost-benefit analysis: comparing the costs and benefits of a decision.
- Geosphere: Earth's rocky parts (above and below the surface).
- Hydrosphere: Earth's water.
- Atmosphere: Earth's gaseous envelope.
- Biosphere: Earth's living components and their environments.
- Biogeochemical cycles: nutrient movement through the environment.
- Feedback loop: describes cause-and-effect relationships in systems.
- Global warming: increased Earth's surface temperature.
- Carbon footprint: total CO2 emissions from an individual, group, or region.
- Ecosystem: all living organisms and their physical interactions in an area.
- Habitat: specific area where an organism lives.
- Fresh vs. saline/brackish water: varying salt levels in water.
- Resource partitioning: different species sharing common resources.
- Biomass: total living organic matter at a trophic level.
- Biome: grouping of ecosystems with similar conditions.
- Net primary productivity: organic matter remaining after cellular respiration.
- Extirpation: local extinction.
- Captive breeding: breeding organisms in controlled conditions.
- Species survival plan: zoo/aquarium plan to protect a species.
- Biodiversity hotspot: area with high native biodiversity.
- Endangered Species Act: US law protecting biodiversity.
- Wildlife corridor: habitat connection across an area.
- Age structure diagrams: graphical representations of population age distributions.
- Life expectancy: average lifespan.
- Population density: number of individuals/unit area.
- Carrying capacity: maximum population an environment can support.
- Demographic transition model: theory of population change with decreasing birth and death rates.
- Invasive species: non-native species that take over an area.
- Toxicology: study of poisons.
- Infectious disease: disease caused by pathogens.
- Carcinogens: cancer-causing substances.
- Teratogens: substances that harm embryonic development.
- Neurotoxins: substances that damage the nervous system.
- Epidemiology: study of disease occurrence.
- Urbanization: population shift to cities.
- Green building design: sustainable building practices.
- Sprawl: outward expansion of low-density development.
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Description
This quiz explores the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science, focusing on renewable and non-renewable resources. It also examines the impact of human consumption on the environment and the economic implications of resource extraction. Test your knowledge on how global warming affects plant and animal migration as well.
