Environmental Science Notes PDF

# Environmental Science Notes ## Waste Management - **Avoid:** Least environmentally preferable. - **Reduce:** Most environmentally preferable. - **Re-use:** - **Recycle:** - **Recover:** - **Dispose:** - **Litter:** ### Invasive Species - An invasive species is one which is introduced by human...

# Environmental Science Notes ## Waste Management - **Avoid:** Least environmentally preferable. - **Reduce:** Most environmentally preferable. - **Re-use:** - **Recycle:** - **Recover:** - **Dispose:** - **Litter:** ### Invasive Species - An invasive species is one which is introduced by human activity and threatens an ecosystem by the native wildlife. - Examples: rhododendron, grey squirrel, Japanese knotweed. ### Methods of Waste Management | Method | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages | |---|---|---|---| | Landfill | Rubbish is dumped in designated sites | Convenient, Cheap, Can deal with large volumes | Attracts pests, Needs a lot of space, Possibility of dangerous fumes | | Incineration | Rubbish is burned in incinerators | Can deal with large volumes, No pests | Possibility of dangerous fumes | | Recycling | Reduce, reuse, or recycling of items | Saves money, No energy pollution | Not everything can be recycled, Takes effort from everyone | ## Endangered Species - Worldwide: Amur Leopard, Siberian Tiger - Ireland: Barn Owl, Corncrake ## Pollution - Pollution is the addition of harmful substances to the environment. - **Air Pollution:** Burning fossil fuels - **Water Pollution:** Dumping substances into rivers, lakes, streams - e.g. sewage, slurry, or litter. - **Soil Pollution:** Excess fertilisers or chemicals from factories in soil. ## Conservation, Pollution, and Waste Management - **Conservation:** The protection and wise management of our natural resources. E.g. animals, minerals, plants, and their habitats. - **Biodiversity:** The wide variety of organisms on planet Earth. - **Importance of Biodiversity:** - Trees soak up CO₂ and produce oxygen - Used to make medicines - Can reduce flooding, landslides, and coastal erosion ## Threats to Biodiversity - Climate change - Habitat destruction - Pollution: Harmful fertilisers. ## Conserving Biodiversity - Cut down CO₂ emissions - walk instead of drive. - Reduce pesticide use. - Protected areas: e.g National Parks. ## Adaptations - An adaptation is where an organism has characteristics that make it well suited to its environment. - Examples: - Dandelion: brightly coloured petals to attract bees for pollination. - Nettle: sting to prevent rabbits and other herbivores from eating it. ## Interdependence - Where two organisms rely on each other for some aspect of survival. - Examples: - Bees depend on dandelions for food, and the dandelion depends on the bee for pollination. ## Predation - One organism, the predator, catches, kills, and eats another organism, the prey. - Examples: Spiders eating ladybirds. - The predator must gain energy from the prey, so they use catching and killing it. ### Predator Adaptations - Eyes to the front - Good eyesight - Sharp claws and teeth - Camouflage ### Prey Adaptations - Eyes to the side - Good hearing - Camouflage - Stings/spikes ## Niche - The role a species plays in its ecosystem. - This includes: - Habitat of a species. - Food that species eats. - Time of day or year when that species is active. - Any organisms that compete with that species. - Any organisms that prey on that species. ## Energy in Habitats - The primary source of energy for all habitats on Earth is the Sun. - Without the Sun, no living parts of the habitat could exist. - Energy cannot be created - it can be changed from one form to another. - The energy can flow through the system by means of food chains and food webs. ## Food Webs - Food webs consist of two or more interlinked food chains. ### Grassland/Woodland Food Web - **Producers:** Buttercup, dock leaves, dead leaves - **Consumers:** - **Herbivores:** Greenfly, caterpillar, slug, woodlouse, earthworm. - **Carnivores:** Spider, thrush, blue tit, robin, badger, hawk. - **Decomposers:** Not shown, but examples could include bacteria and fungi. ## Competition - The struggle between individuals for the limited resources in a habitat. - Plants compete for: - Light - Water - Space - Minerals - Animals compete for: - Territory - Food - Mates ## Nutrition - Living organisms in an environment can be classified as either producers or consumers. ### Producers - Make their own food by photosynthesis. - Examples: Grass, dandelion, daisies, clover ### Consumers - Feed on plant material: Herbivores - rabbit, bees. - Feed on animals: Carnivores - fox, robin, spider, crows, mice. - Feed on plants and animals: Omnivores - hedgehog, earthworms. ### Decomposers - Break down dead plant and animal material: Fungi, bacteria, woodlice. ## Food Chains - A food chain is a group of organisms listed in the order in which one is eaten by another. - Examples: - Grass - Rabbit - Fox - Clover - Caterpillar - Robin - Owl ## Ecology - The study of how living organisms interact with each other and with their environment. - **Habitat:** Where an organism lives. - Example: The habitat of the dandelion is grassland. - **Population:** A group of organisms of the same species in a habitat. - Example: The population of dandelions in a grassland. - **Community:** All of the populations of organisms living in a habitat. - Example: Grass, dandelions, bees, earthworms in a grassland. - **Ecosystem:** Habitat + Community of organisms. ## Examples of Ecosystems **Global:** - Desert: hot, dry, lack of food. - Ocean: Salt water, dark, high pressure. - Tropical rainforest. **Irish:** - Grassland - Woodland: dark, decomposition, tree types. - Bogland: soil acidity - Swamp: wet, acidic. - River. ## Factors that Affect Organisms in an Ecosystem - Example: Tropical Rainforest: heat, humidity, rain.