Environmental Value Systems and Models

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Questions and Answers

Which process in the carbon cycle directly converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds?

Decomposition

Consumption

Photosynthesis (correct)

Respiration

What effect do human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation have on the carbon and nitrogen cycles?

They disrupt energy flows and alter nutrient cycles. (correct)

They promote biodiversity in ecosystems.

They enhance nitrogen fixation by bacteria.

They increase the efficiency of energy conversion.

Which component is NOT included in the storages of the nitrogen cycle?

Atmosphere

Soil

Photosynthesis (correct)

Fossil fuels

During which stage of ecological succession is gross productivity typically low?

Pioneer community Signup and view all the answers

Which factor primarily governs the distribution of biomes?

Insolation, precipitation, and temperature Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the term 'net primary productivity'?

Total productivity minus energy lost through respiration Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to changes in community composition along an environmental gradient?

Zonation Signup and view all the answers

R-strategist species are best suited to thrive in which type of community?

Pioneer community Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of primary producers in an ecosystem?

To convert light energy into chemical energy Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'trophic level' refer to in an ecosystem?

The hierarchical positions of organisms based on their feeding relationships Signup and view all the answers

Which process primarily contributes to the carbon cycle within ecosystems?

Respiration and photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

Net primary productivity (NPP) is calculated by which of the following equations?

NPP = Gross Primary Productivity - Energy lost through respiration by producers Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental role of biotic interactions in an ecosystem?

To influence population dynamics and carrying capacity Signup and view all the answers

What primarily happens to solar radiation as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere?

Some energy is reflected back into the atmosphere. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the correct description of the realized niche?

The actual conditions and resources a species utilizes Signup and view all the answers

How is net primary productivity (NPP) calculated?

By subtracting respiratory losses (R) from gross primary productivity (GPP). Signup and view all the answers

Which is an abiotic factor that would influence the productivity of an ecosystem?

Light intensity Signup and view all the answers

What does gross secondary productivity (GSP) represent?

The total energy or biomass assimilated by consumers minus fecal loss. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes herbivory in terms of its ecological impact?

It limits the reproduction of primary producers Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the flow of carbon through ecosystems?

It involves both storages and flows moving carbon between different forms. Signup and view all the answers

What factor limits maximum sustainable yields in ecological systems?

The net primary or net secondary productivity of a system. Signup and view all the answers

In the nitrogen cycle, which process converts nitrogen gas into a usable form for plants?

Nitrification. Signup and view all the answers

Which component is NOT a storage in the carbon cycle?

Human-built structures. Signup and view all the answers

What is a critical process wherein chemical energy is transferred between trophic levels?

Consumption of producers by primary consumers. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Environmental Value Systems (EVS)

Significant historical influences on the environmental movement include literature, media, environmental disasters, international agreements, and technological developments.
An EVS is a worldview/paradigm that shapes how individuals/groups perceive and evaluate environmental issues. It's influenced by cultural, religious, economic, and sociopolitical contexts.
EVSs are systems with inputs (education, experience, culture, media) that lead to consistent outputs (decisions, evaluations).
EVS types range from ecocentric (holistic, ecological and social wellbeing central) to anthropocentric (human-centered sustainability) to technocentric (optimistic about technology solving problems).
Deep ecologists are an example of an extreme ecocentric EVS, while cornucopians exemplify an extreme technocentric EVS.

Systems and Models

A system approach visualizes complex interactions (ecological or societal). System interactions produce emergent properties.
Systems can be categorized by size, levels, or processes.
Systems consist of storages and flows. Flows can be from transfer (change in location) or transformations (change in nature, state, or energy).
System diagrams use boxes for storages and arrows to show energy and matter flows. Open systems exchange energy and matter; closed systems only energy. Isolated systems exchange neither.
Ecosystems are open systems.

Energy and Equilibria

The first law of thermodynamics states energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be transformed.
The second law states a system's entropy (disorder) increases over time.
Entropy reductions in an energy transformation reduce available energy.
An ecosystem typically exists in a steady-state equilibrium in an open system, often maintained by stabilizing negative feedback loops.
Positive feedback loops can destabilize systems and push towards tipping points. Ecosystem resilience describes the tendency to avoid these points.
System stability can be affected by diversity and the size of storages.

Sustainability

Sustainability is using and managing resources that allow for natural replacement and ecosystem recovery.
Natural capital encompasses natural resources that produce natural income (goods/services).
Ecosystems provide life-supporting services (e.g., water, flood protection).
Environmental indicators measure sustainability on various scales (local-global).
ElAs (Environmental Impact Assessments) precede projects to evaluate impacts and propose mitigation strategies.
Ecological footprint (EF) calculates the area needed to sustain a population's consumption rate. Unsustainable populations have EF exceeding available area.

Humans and Pollution

Pollution is adding substances/agents to an environment faster than it can render them harmless, affecting organisms.
Pollutants can range from substances to energy (light, sound, thermal) and biological agents.
Pollution can be point-source (specific origin) or non-point-source. It can be primary or secondary.
Strategies to manage pollution occur at multiple levels (changing human activity, regulating pollutants, clean-up/restoration).

Species, Populations, Communities, and Ecosystems

A species is a group of interbreeding organisms sharing common characteristics.
A habitat is a species' normal environment.
A niche describes abiotic/biotic conditions and resources a species requires.
Populations are groups of the same species living and interacting in an area.
Communities are groups of populations interacting within a habitat.
Ecosystems combine the community with the physical environment.

Biomes, Zonation, and Succession

Biomes are large-scale ecosystems grouped by similar climatic conditions (aquatic, forest, grassland, desert, tundra).
Zonation describes community changes across environmental gradients. Examples include altitude, distance from shore, and tidal levels.
Succession is a directional directional change in community structure over time, from pioneer to climax communities.

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Description

Explore the concepts of Environmental Value Systems (EVS) and their historical influences on the environmental movement. This quiz covers different types of EVS, their inputs and outputs, and the significance of systems and models in understanding ecological and societal interactions.