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Questions and Answers
What percentage of marine species were lost during the Permian-Triassic extinction event?
What percentage of marine species were lost during the Permian-Triassic extinction event?
The spread of land plants in the Late Devonian period contributed to an increase in atmospheric CO2 levels.
The spread of land plants in the Late Devonian period contributed to an increase in atmospheric CO2 levels.
False
What event marked the transition from the Paleozoic Era to the Mesozoic Era?
What event marked the transition from the Paleozoic Era to the Mesozoic Era?
End of the Paleozoic Era
The Triassic-Jurassic extinction event was caused by _____ volcanic activity.
The Triassic-Jurassic extinction event was caused by _____ volcanic activity.
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What was one of the significant events that led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago?
What was one of the significant events that led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago?
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Match the extinction events with their causes:
Match the extinction events with their causes:
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Global cooling and widespread wildfires were factors that contributed to the loss of biodiversity after the Cretaceous period.
Global cooling and widespread wildfires were factors that contributed to the loss of biodiversity after the Cretaceous period.
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What was one of the major consequences of the Permian-Triassic event?
What was one of the major consequences of the Permian-Triassic event?
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What is the current estimated range of global species?
What is the current estimated range of global species?
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The extinction events mentioned typically led to a diversification of species afterwards.
The extinction events mentioned typically led to a diversification of species afterwards.
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The _____ phenomenon negatively affects current species loss due to human activities.
The _____ phenomenon negatively affects current species loss due to human activities.
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What percentage of terrestrial vertebrate species were lost during the Permian-Triassic extinction event?
What percentage of terrestrial vertebrate species were lost during the Permian-Triassic extinction event?
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Match the following threats with their descriptions:
Match the following threats with their descriptions:
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Which of the following factors does NOT affect species number estimation?
Which of the following factors does NOT affect species number estimation?
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The high biodiversity of tropical biomes is primarily due to the presence of glaciers.
The high biodiversity of tropical biomes is primarily due to the presence of glaciers.
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What major environmental issue is linked to the frequency of wildfires?
What major environmental issue is linked to the frequency of wildfires?
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What term describes the variety of species and the evenness of their abundance in an ecosystem?
What term describes the variety of species and the evenness of their abundance in an ecosystem?
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Genetic diversity only occurs between different species.
Genetic diversity only occurs between different species.
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What is the main purpose of conservation planning?
What is the main purpose of conservation planning?
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The probability that two individuals selected at random from a community belong to the same species is measured by ________.
The probability that two individuals selected at random from a community belong to the same species is measured by ________.
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Match the following terms with their definitions:
Match the following terms with their definitions:
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Which process describes the formation of new species from existing species over time?
Which process describes the formation of new species from existing species over time?
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Tectonic plate movements can cause mass extinctions.
Tectonic plate movements can cause mass extinctions.
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What is one effect of constructive plate margins?
What is one effect of constructive plate margins?
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Ecosystems with ________ diversity are often more resilient to changes and disturbances.
Ecosystems with ________ diversity are often more resilient to changes and disturbances.
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Which of the following is a consequence of genetic isolation?
Which of the following is a consequence of genetic isolation?
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Tectonic plate movements do not affect climate and food supply.
Tectonic plate movements do not affect climate and food supply.
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What is one method used for ecological research to understand biodiversity?
What is one method used for ecological research to understand biodiversity?
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The ________ extinction event led to the loss of 85% of marine species due to global cooling.
The ________ extinction event led to the loss of 85% of marine species due to global cooling.
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What is one primary factor that can lead to reduced biodiversity in an ecosystem?
What is one primary factor that can lead to reduced biodiversity in an ecosystem?
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Study Notes
Environmental Value Systems (EVS)
- EVS's are systems that shape an individual or group's perception of the environment and its resources.
- They are shaped by cultural, religious, social, political, economic, and environmental factors.
- An EVS provides a framework for individual or group opinions and views, influencing decisions about environmental resources.
Gaia Hypothesis
- Proposed by James Lovelock, the Gaia Hypothesis suggests Earth functions like a self-regulating living organism.
- It highlights how human activities disrupt Earth's self-regulating processes, potentially with negative consequences.
Ecocentrism
- Prioritizes the value of nature and the environment over human needs and interests.
- Believes all organisms and ecosystems have inherent worth.
- Associated with environmental movements and conservation efforts aiming to protect biodiversity.
Anthropocentrism
- Places human beings at the center of the universe.
- Believes humans have the right to use natural resources and ecosystems for their own benefit.
- Values biodiversity only when it offers economic/ecological advantages to humans.
Technocentrism
- Emphasizes technology and human ingenuity to solve environmental problems.
- Often overlooks environmental impacts.
- Believes technology can overcome environmental issues and maintain human well-being.
Types of EVSs
- General EVSs: encompasses various perspectives on environmental issues.
- Ecocentrists and Anthropocentrists: differ fundamentally regarding the inherent value of nature and human's rightful role
- Deep ecologists: extreme ecocentrists that believe nature has inherent worth regardless of human utility or impact.
- Environmental Cornucopian Managers: believe humans can be sustainably managed through technological advancements
- Soft Ecologists: environmentalists with a less extreme focus on environmental protection, suggesting that balance between economic benefit and environmental protection (sustainability) is critical
- Technocentrists: believe in human ingenuity to solve environmental problems.
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
- Outlined the harmful effects of the pesticide DDT.
- Increased awareness of environmental pollution and its impact on food chains.
Systems and Models
- Systems are complex sets of interactions (ecological, societal, or economic).
- Understanding how interactions change within systems reveals important dynamics.
- Studying systems in a reductionist way (individual parts in great detail) and holistic way (large-scale view of the system) allow for a great grasp of them.
- Systems can be categorized into open, closed, and isolated systems in terms of energy and matter interchange.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
- A systematic process for evaluating potential environmental (and social) impacts of a project.
- Aims to avoid or mitigate negative effects, and ensure environmentally sustainable practices.
- Involves scoping, baseline studies, impact assessment, mitigation measures, and public consultation.
Pollution
- Introduces harmful substances into the environment.
- Comes from natural and human sources.
- Can be categorized into point-source or non-point-source, and persistent or biodegradable.
- Has acute and/or chronic effects.
Effects of DDT
- DDT was a widely used insecticide, but its use was discontinued due to its environmental and health impacts.
- It biomagnifies in the food chain, meaning its concentration increases with each trophic level.
Species and Populations
- Species: Groups of organisms that can interbreed and share common characteristics.
- Habitat: The environment in which a species lives.
- Niche: The set of biotic and abiotic factors influencing an organism or population.
- Biotic factors include specific environmental interactions between living species.
- Realized niche: Specific factors considered in interaction with other species within the specific environment.
- Fundamental niche: Environmental factors considered in the absence of other species.
- Competition: Interactions between organisms for resources.
- Predation: Interaction where one species consumes another.
- Limiting factors: Factors that restrict population growth.
- Mutualism: Interdependency where both species benefit from one another.
- Impacts of disease: pathogens that infect individuals within a population.
Population Growth
- J-curve: Describes exponential growth in unlimited environments.
- S-curve: Describes logistic growth in limited environments, reaching a carrying capacity.
Communities and Ecosystems
- Community: All interacting populations in a specific area.
- Ecosystem: All the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components within a specific area.
Trophic Levels
- Producers (plants/algae): Produce their own food through photosynthesis.
- Primary consumers (herbivores): Consume producers.
- Secondary consumers (predators): Consume primary consumers.
- Tertiary consumers: Consume secondary consumers. (and so on)
Energy Flow & Matter Cycling
- Gross Primary Productivity (GPP): Rate at which plants store chemical energy from photosynthesis.
- Net Primary Productivity (NPP): Rate at which plants store energy after incorporating their respiration loss.
- Gross Secondary Productivity (GSP): Total energy or biomass absorbed.
- Net Secondary Productivity (NSP): Energy or biomass remaining after considering respiration loss.
- Decomposition: Break down of organic material.
- Bioaccumulation: Accumulation of pollutants/chemicals within an organism.
- Biomagnification: Increased concentration of pollutants through trophic levels in a food chain.
- Carbon Cycle: The continuous recycling of carbon in the atmosphere, living organisms, and environments.
Nitrogen Cycle
- Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere, largely inert but plays a significant biological role.
Biomes
- Biomes: Large-scale ecological communities.
- Aquatic (marine and freshwater): characterized by presence of water
- Terrestrial (forest, grassland, desert, tundra): defined by patterns of precipitation and temperature
Range shifts & biome changes
- Range shifts occur when species move to new areas as local conditions change due to environmental conditions.
- Biome changes occur when a biome transitions to a different biome type as its environmental factors change (e.g., a forest becoming a savanna)
Zonation
- Changes in an ecosystem based on environmental variations (e.g., altitude or latitude).
- Niches influence the species present at different points along a gradient.
Succession
- Primary Succession: Occurs on previously unoccupied land with little or no soil (e.g., after a volcanic eruption or glacial retreat).
- Secondary Succession: Occurs on previously inhabited land that has been disturbed (e.g., after a forest fire or flood).
- Processes driving succession include changes in energy flow, mineral cycling, and biodiversity.
- These changes lead to a stable climax community.
Reproductive Strategies
- R-strategists: High reproductive rate, small body size, short lifespan, and low parental investment (e.g., many insects).
- K-strategists: Low reproductive rate, large body size, long lifespan, and high parental investment (e.g., large mammals).
Measuring Components of Ecosystems
- Abiotic components: non-living features (e.g., light, temperature, wind) of an environment.
- Biotic components: living features (e.g., plants, animals) of an environment.
- Direct measurements: quantified and precise values (e.g., temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, light intensity).
- Indirect measurements: calculations that provide insights into factors that influence environmental health/dynamics (e.g., indicator species and species richness indexes).
Biodiversity
- Biodiversity: The variety of life in all its forms and levels of organization (genes, species, ecosystems).
- Factors affecting biodiversity: Geographic location; past/current history of land use, ecosystem changes and types.
Biodiversity Origins
- Biodiversity emerges from evolutionary processes –random genetic changes that are selected through natural selection.
- Mass extinction events profoundly alter the biodiversity in an environment, with severe and lasting effects.
Conservation of Biodiversity
- Ethical, ecological, environmental, economic, and aesthetic reasons can all motivate biodiversity conservation.
- Reasons include ecosystem stability, human needs, and the inherent value of life.
Conservation Strategies
- Conservation Strategies such as Protected Areas (PAs) and the use of CITES and the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) are frequently employed by international or national governing bodies.
- Identifying and protecting areas of high biodiversity are crucial for conservation.
- Conservation strategies using Flagship species in a Mixed Approach can help to promote conservation efforts.
- Captive breeding programmes and zoos can act as a safeguard for endangered species.
Water Systems
- Hydrological Cycle: A closed system where water is constantly recycled through evaporation, precipitation, and runoff.
- Access to freshwater: Factors like geographic location, climate, and infrastructure all correlate to water provision and access.
- Water pollution: Threats such as organic material, inorganic nutrients, industrial waste, contamination, and changes in water quality often severely impact water systems and need to be addressed.
Soil systems
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Soil: Mixture of mineral, organic material and liquid.
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Properties include porosity, permeability, and nutrient status.
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Soil degradation: Processes such as deforestation, overgrazing, urbanization, and intensive agriculture can greatly modify the health and functionality of different soil mediums.
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Soil conservation: essential for regulating and restoring healthy soil mediums that are depleted or degraded.
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Description
Explore the foundational concepts of Environmental Value Systems (EVS), including the Gaia Hypothesis, ecocentrism, and anthropocentrism. This quiz will delve into how these ideas influence perceptions of our environment and shape environmental policies and actions.
