ENVI LEC Long Test #1 Reviewer PDF

ENVI LEC Long Test #1 Reviewer Module 1: Embracing Environmental Science ★ What is Environmental Science? “The systematic study of the environment” ○ Environmentalism– concern for the environment, has social and political movements, an advocacy ○ Envir...

ENVI LEC Long Test #1 Reviewer Module 1: Embracing Environmental Science ★ What is Environmental Science? “The systematic study of the environment” ○ Environmentalism– concern for the environment, has social and political movements, an advocacy ○ Environmental Science– scientific study, pure and applied science ○ In environmental science, we look at the interactions between humans and its environment ○ A pure and applied science Scientific phenomena Problem solving “To solve environmental issues, we need both a scientific framework as well as our own skills and experiences” ○ Science is interdisciplinary ★ Science and Scientific Thinking What is Science? A methodical and logical approach to studying the world A continuing process of change 7 Basic Principles of Science 1. Testable Questions ○ Questions should be experimented on, they should be tested. 2. Parsimony ○ The simpler the better. 3. Repeatability ○ Tests should be performed over and over again. 4. Uniformitarianism ○ Starts with a phenomena. Work from the ground up. Deals with the past, present, and future. 5. Uncertainty ○ Hypothesis should fail to reject. Deals with probability. 6. Elusive Proof ○ Science should always be debunked. 7. Empiricism ○ Science should rely on observation and experience. ○ Good Science– has a valid and strong premise with sound conclusions  ○ Bad Science– has a valid and strong premise but with misleading conclusions ; the mistake can be fixed ○ Pseudoscience– is misleading but has sound conclusions ★ Science vs. Pseudoscience ○ Demarcation Problem (by Karl Popper)– there is a blurred line between good science and pseudoscience, they have same paradigms but of different degrees Good science aims to be falsified. Pseudoscience aims to be proven true. Pseudoscience Red Flags Science should always be trying to debunk itself. Pseudoscience does not. Pseudoscience only agrees with science that agrees with it. There is a lack of statistics and proof. Pseudoscience fails to uphold the 7 principles of science. Placebo effect. ★ Major themes, advances, and directions of environmental science ○ Conservation– nature as a resource, responsible use of natural resources ○ Preservation– protecting the environment from human activity 1. 1700s ○ Environmental stewardship as an economic necessity 2. 1800s ○ Pragmatic, utilitarian conservation ○ Environment should be conserved as it holds natural resources that humans use 3. 1900s ○ Biocentric preservation ○ Nature should exist for nature ○ Other organisms have fundamental rights 4. Modern Environmentalism ○ Movement started by the impact of pollution ○ Considers environmental resources and pollution 5. Global Environmentalism ○ Social justice in decision-making regarding the environment ○ Environmental issues should have global solution ○ An environment benefiting everyone  ○ Sustainable Development– development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations ★ Science and Technology ○ Science develops technology that develops science ○ Science & Objectivity– humans are naturally biased, it is up to us to initiate scientific thinking ○ Science, politics, society– we need different expertise in science, science is also politicized Module 2: Understanding the Natural World ★ Introduction to Systems Thinking “An interconnected set of elements that are coherently organized and are able to achieve something. The system must contain the following: elements, interconnection, and a function/purpose” ○ Closed vs Open Closed– materials circulate and energy flows Open– materials flow through the system and there is a transfer of energy ○ Static vs Dynamic Static– elements are constant Dynamic– elements are ever changing ○ Simple vs Complex Simple– elements perform one function Complex– elements perform multiple effects ○ System Thinking– a paradigm to recognize various phenomenon as a set of interconnected elements that interact with each other to create a dynamic whole Looking at the big picture Taking a wider perspective Looking for root causes and improvements Examining how things relate Peeling back the layers of the onions Challenging and changing our paradigms ★ Levels of Biological Organization 1. Atom ○ Smallest and most fundamental unit of matter 2. Molecule ○ At least two atoms held together by chemical bonds 3. Macromolecule  ○ Large molecules formed by individual molecules using polymerizations 4. Organelle ○ Molecules surrounded by membranes. Every organelle carries out a different function 5. Cell ○ Fundamental unit of structure and function in life 6. Tissue ○ Group of cells with similar functions that carry out the same function 7. Organ ○ Collection of tissues that perform a common function 8. Organ System ○ Group of organs with related functions 9. Organism ○ Living things 10. Population ○ Same species in the same area 11. Community ○ Sum of populations in an area 12. Ecosystem ○ Living things interacting with each other and its environment ○ Ecosystem processes are built over space and time 13. Biosphere ○ Collection of ecosystems Principle of Emergent Properties– new properties arise from arrangement and interactions between system components (the whole is greater than the sum of its parts) ★ Energy flow in ecosystems, ecological succession ○ Ecosystem– living things interacting with one another and its environment An open system Have one-way energy flow and cycling of materials ○ Energy– the ability to do work, it flows one-way Biotic– food chain Abiotic– radiation, convection, conduction Why is it a one-way process? Law of Thermodynamics Law of Conservation of Energy (1st Law)– energy cannot be broken, it can only be transferred Entropy in the Universe is always increasing (2nd Law)– when energy is transferred, it releases heat  A constant supply of energy is needed to sustain ecological processes 10% Rule– only 10% of energy is transferred What happens to energy that is transferred? Production– energy is converted into biomass (organic matters in living things, fixed carbon) Food Chains– a linked feeding series Food Webs– interconnected food chains Bioaccumulation– pollutants accumulate Biomagnification– pollutants transfer ○ Ecosystems are dynamic systems– they are always changing and need to always be changing ○ Ecological Succession– when an ecosystem is destroyed, it takes a long long time recover Primary Succession– new ecosystem Secondary Succession– reestablished ecosystem After 100 years Pioneer species (small autotrophs, easily adaptable to environment) After 100 more years Species go through photosynthesis and respiration (beginning of energy flow) and decomposition Middle successional species (small growing organisms like butterflies) After another 100 years Middle successional species (small growing organisms like rabbits) 100 years or more later Trophic levels and food webs are established More efficient nutrient cycling Increase of energy flow and biomass Late successional species (higher biomass and more diverse organisms like cow) Hundreds and hundreds of years later Climax community (mature, stable, ecosystems) Complex food webs Energy flow Nutrient and material cycling ★ Biogeochemical cycles ○ 6 Fundamental Building Blocks of Life: Sulfur, Phosphorus, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Hydrogen How do biogeochemical cycles work? Chemicals need to go through different areas of earth ○ Water Cycle Makes water available for all Regulates weather Transports chemicals and nutrients Landscaping Human impacts to water cycle Deforestation Water dams ○ Carbon System Needed for photosynthesis Fossil fuels Anchor of all organic substances  Human impacts to carbon cycle Burning fossil fuels (so much carbon in the atmosphere) Air pollution Global warming ○ Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogenous bases in DNA 78% of the earth’s atmosphere Essential for plant structure ○ Phosphorus Cycle Building blocks of DNA ATP Needed for plant nutrients Component of cell membrane, bones, teeth, etc There is no atmosphere in phosphorus Human impacts to carbon cycle Eutrophication– increase of nitrogen and phosphorus in the hydrosphere which leads to fish kill (lack of oxygen in the water) Human impacts disrupt the ecosystem process by altering the distribution of matter and energy, causing an imbalance. ★ Ecosystem Interactions An organism’s survival depends on finding its unique role and function in the ecosystem ○ Organism– individual that occur in one place and time ○ Species– group of organisms that have similar genetics and are always evolving ○ Ecological Niche– a special role in an ecosystem, sum of all adaption of the organism Fundamental Niche– total environment a species can potentially exploit Realized Niche– resources the species utilizes in the presence of others Generalist– easily adaptable, can survive in various habitat conditions Specialist– exclusive in a specific location ○ Limiting Factors– environmental conditions that limit the growth of an organism ○ Law of the Minimum– there is always a single factor that determines whether or not an organism can survive in a location ○ Law of Tolerance– the minimum and maximum levels of what a species can take ○ Competitive Exclusion Principle– no two coexisting species can have the same niche Competition– happens in niche overlaps Resource Partitioning– species with similar niches divide resources in a single habitat ○ Coevolution– two species closely interacting that is affects each other’s evolutionary processes ○ Symbiosis– a beneficial for at least one species in the interaction Mutualism– both benefit Commensalism– one benefits, one does not Parasitism– one benefits, one is negatively affected ★ Biomes and Biodiversity ○ Totality of all species on earth and their ecosystems ○ Genetic Diversity– same species, different genetics ○ Species Diversity– same ecosystem, different species ○ Ecosystem Diversity– same place, different ecosystems ○ Ecosystem processes & species interactions -> evolution/time -> biodiversity How is biodiversity measured? Species Richness– number of species in a given area Evenness– relative abundance of species Species Diversity– species richness + evenness Why do we study biodiversity? Ecological Complexity– maintains all the aspects that compose an ecosystem (niche, biological interactions, trophic levels, etc) Redundancy– sustains a community, several species perform a function in a similar way Ecosystem Service– any benefits our ecosystem provide to people Biodiversity Hotspot– the Philippines is a biodiversity hotspot What threatens biodiversity? (HIPPO) Habitat Destruction Invasive Species ○ Species that overtake resources that are then taken away from local and endemic species ○ Disrupts local ecosystem Pollution Population (of Humans) Overharvesting ○ Illegal wildlife trade ○ Overharvesting of species How is biodiversity protected? National Integrated Protected Areas System Act (NIPAS) ENIPAS Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act Captive breeding programs Community-based area management Preserving genetic stock Biodiversity conservation on campus