EnviSci Quiz PDF

Introduction: Environmental Science Today we hear people from all walks of life using the terms ecology and environment. Students, homeowners, politicians, planners and union leaders speak of "environment issues" and "ecological concerns. Often these terms are interpreted in different ways, so we n...

Introduction: Environmental Science Today we hear people from all walks of life using the terms ecology and environment. Students, homeowners, politicians, planners and union leaders speak of "environment issues" and "ecological concerns. Often these terms are interpreted in different ways, so we need to establish some basic definitions. Our lives are very much affected by environmental science every day. The knowledge and technology ology we have are products of environmental sciences, the study of how humans interact with their environment and what can be done to improve these interactions. Science and the Environment Science, derived from knowing in Latin is a process for producing knowledge. It depends on making precise observations of natural phenomena on formulating reasonable theories to make sense out of those observations. Science rests on the assumptions that the world is knowable and that we can learn about how things work through careful empirical study and logical analysis. Moreover, because science provides information about both materials and mechanisms in the world around us find practical solutions for many problems. Environment (from the French environner: to encircle or surround) can be defined as: (1) The circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or a group of organisms; (2) The social and cultural conditions that affect an individual or a community. Since humans inhabit the natural world as well as the "built or technological, social and cultural world, all constitute important parts of our environment. (Figure 1.1) Environment, as a broad term, encompasses all that surround us, natural world in which we live, and all the things that are produced by people. We, humans have used the world's environment, including its resources, with little knowledge or understanding of the consequences of our actions. Environmental Science is the systematic study of our environment and place in it. A relatively new field, environmental science is highly interdisciplinary. It integrates information from biology. chemistry, geography, agriculture, and many other fields. To apply this information to improve the ways we treat our world, environmental scientists also incorporate knowledge of social organization, politics, in the humanities. In other words, environmental science is inclusive and holistic. Environmental science is also mission-oriented: it implies that we all have a responsibility to get involved and try to do something about the problems that we have created. The 7 Environmental Principles We need to learn about our ecosystem because this is the only way we can protect and take care of our planet and take action to our environmental problems. 1. Nature knows best This is the most basic principle of all the principles. We humans have to understand nature and follow its rules, because if we want to ensure a continuous and steady supply of resources, one must not go against natural processes. If we, humans, caused any disruption in the cycle of nature, this can bring imbalance to our ecosystem. 2. All forms of life are important Each organism plays a fundamental role in nature. It is easy to appreciate the beautiful organisms like butterflies, especially if one knows their important role in pollination. The giant ones like elephants. the whales, the alligators are the ones we respect mixed with fear or wonder and the products they produce. But when it comes to unlovely, squirmy, and troublesome creatures, this principle is unusually overlooked. 3. Everything is connected to everything else In an ecosystem, all biotic and abiotic components internet with each other to ensure that the system is sustained. Any intrusion from outside may cause an imbalance and collapsing of the system. 4. Everything changes The environment is constantly changing. Organisms also develop through time. However, with our current technology, we have affected these natural changes that these changes now causes problematic events to us. Humans should rethink their relationship with the environment. Because what we believe that is beneficial to the environment often turn out to be catastrophic. 5. Everything must go somewhere Everything ends up elsewhere. It doesn't just disappear. For example, if you throw a piece of candy wrapper away, it disappears from sight but does not cease to exist. It ends up elsewhere. Gases released in the atmosphere may spread but it will end up a component of the atmosphere and can be brought down by rains. Any particular type of waste should always be a concem to us. It may be a pollutant or a resource depending on certain factors. Be a responsible person and throw your trash in a proper place. 6. Ours is a finite earth Earth's resources can be classified as either renewable or non-renewable. Renewable resources are those that can be easily replenished by natural cycles (e.g. water, air, plants, animals) while non- renewable resources are those that cannot be replenished through natural cycles. Although renewable resources can be replenished, it is important to understand that these are renewable only if they are not overused and not destroyed from factors such as pollution. 7. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God's creation Among all creatures, humans are the only ones made in God's image and have been given the right to have dominion over all His creations. Being the most intelligent and gifted with reason, humans are capable of manipulating creation to their own advantage. Yet, creation exists not to be ravaged or abused but to be taken care of. Humans cannot exist without nature. They are co-natural with the environment they live in. If the environment they live in is destroyed, with it will go Homo Sapiens. Ecology and Environmental Science Ecology (from the Greek elkes meaning house or dwelling, and logos meaning discourse) is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of life and the interactions between organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism includes physical properties, which can be described as the sum of local abiotic factors such as insolation (sunlight), climate and geology, and biotic factors, which are other organisms that share its habitat. The term ecology or oekologie was coined by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel in 1866, when he defined it as "the comprehensive science of the relationship of the organism to the environment". Haeckel did not elaborate on the concept, and the first significant textbook on the subject was written by the Danish botanist, Eugenius Warming. For this early work, Warming is often identified as the founder of ecology. Ecology and environmental science are closely related disciplines, and familiarity with the principles of one is essential to fully understanding the other. The main difference between ecology and environmental science is that the latter is a more overarching field that incorporates many elements of Earth and life sciences to understand various natural processes. Ecology, on the other hand, is usually more focused on how organisms interact with each other and with their immediate surroundings. Both sciences provide very important information about nature and what people can do to better protect the planet and conserve resources. Scales of Ecology Ecology at many scales. Within the discipline of ecology, researchers work at five broad levels, sometimes discretely and sometimes with overlap: organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere. Scales of Ecological Organization Blosphere  Ecosystem Community Population Organism There are five Levels of Organization, and all levels are listed according to their size in increasing order from small to large. Organism It is the lowest level of organization, which includes both unicellular and multicellular organisms. All the living species in this level exhibit all the characteristics required for the existence of life. Population A population is a group of individuals of a single species living together within a particular geographic area. They interbreed and compete with each other for resources. Community It refers to the several populations that interact and inhabit a common environment and are interdependent. Ecosystem It is a set of all living species and abiotic components existing and interacting in a given area. There is an interaction with both living and nonliving components of the environment. Biosphere It is the highest level of organization. It is the global ecological system which consists of all the living organisms and other factors which support life. The biosphere mainly refers to the part of the earth's crust. Biomes of the Earth A natural unit of living and non-living components that interact to form a stable system in which the exchange of materials follow a circular path. Habitat place where an organism lives and able to survive and reproduce. Provides a certain species or population with food, shelter, temperature, water and whatever it is that they need to survive. Niche-functional role and position of an organism in the ecosystem. Succession-progressive change in plant and animal life of an area. The Land Biomes The climate and other physical conditions of an area determine the type of climax community that can develop in that area. Areas that are similar in climate and other physical conditions develop similar types of climax communities. The term biome refers to a large geographical region that has a particular type of climax community. In case of land, or terrestrial biome, the climax community is defined by the dominant type of plant life found there. The species may vary from one part of biome to another, but the general type of plant life, or vegetation is the tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, grassland, desert, and tropical rainforest. 1. Tundra located nearest to the polar region. Summer are short and winter are long and dark. Extensive treeless plain that extends across Northern Europe to Asia and Northern America. Vegetation includes lichens, mosses, grasses and low-growing shrubs. Few animals adapted to cool temperature live in tundra, polar bears, caribou, and musk ox; during summer, insects and birds migrate the biome. 2. Deserts-located at about 30 degrees, in both Northern and Southern hemispheres. Support organisms adapted to arid conditions. Extreme environment, where rainfall is less than 50 cm per year. Plant are succulents, or shrubs with woody stems and small leaves. Animals require little water or are adapted in storing water such as kangaroo, rat, roadrunner, insects, lizards and snakes. 3. Taiga (Boreal forest) - located just below the tundra extending in a broad belt across northern Eurasia and North America. A coniferous forest that receives between 10 to 40 inches of rain per year. The trees present have usually thick protective leaves and bark, as well as needle like leaves that can withstand snowfall. Common animals present include grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, and moose. 4. Tropical rain forest usually found in regions near the equator. The richest biomes in terms of biodiversity. The climate is always warm with plenty of rainfall about 190 cm per year. Has a complex structure with many levels of life, from simplest bryophytes and epiphytes to woody vines and giant trees. Insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are well represented. Characteristics of Philippine forests. 5. Temperate deciduous forest - located south of the taiga in eastern North America, eastern Asia and much of Europe. With moderate climate and relative high rainfall. Deciduous, broad-leaved trees are the dominant plants. Dominated by deciduous trees, oak, beech and maple. Amphibians and reptiles are found, together with some other vertebrates as squirrels, rabbits, foxes, deer, and bears. 6. Grassland (Savanna) - characterized by deep, rich soil perfect agriculture, an absence of trees, and presence of large herds of grazing animals. Located in regions where a relatively cool dry season is followed by a hot, rainy one. Dominated by grasses that can adapt to changing temperature and can tolerate high degree of grazing, flooding, drought and sometimes fire. Supports large group of grazers (zebras and wild beasts) and browsers (giraffes), and predators (cheetahs and lions). The Aquatic Biomes The Term biome is also applied to communities that develop in aquatio environments. They include the marine biome, freshwater biome, or communities of organism inhabiting lakes and streams, and estuaries. The temperatures of the aquatic biome do not vary as much as land biomes do. Light intensity, amounts of gases (O, and CO₂) dissolved in water, and the availability of nutrients (organic and inorganic) are some of the abiotic factors which affect the living things found in the aquatic bicenes, (Figure 1.4) AQUATIC BIOMES Marine Biome Ocean occupy 70% of the earth's surface The largest and most diverse of the ecosystems. The marine algae supplies most of the Earth's oxygen and absorbs much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The great reservoir of living things and of nutrients. The study of marine habitats is called oceanography. Divisions of the Ocean: A. Pelagic division includes the Open Sea-generally cold. Mammals such as dolphins and whales can be found here as wells as many species of fishes. 1. Neritic province shallow above the continental shelf, with more nutrients and organisms because sunlight penetrates the waters up to the bottom. Subdivided into three zones: a. supratidal (above the high tide mark) b. intertidal (between high and low tide) connects the ocean to land due to the rising and falling of tides. c. subtidal (below the low tide mark) 2. Oceanic province the region of the open sea beyond the continental shelf, above the oceanic basins. Subdivided into four zones: a. euphotic zone (depth up to 120 m, upper part of the ocean into which light can penetrate) b. bathyal zone (depth up to 3,000 ocean in complete darkness) c. abyssal zone (depth up to 4,000 m, deepest and coldest part of the oceans highly pressurized) d. hadal zone (depth beyond 4,000 m) B. Benthic division includes the depths of the sea-light hardly penetrates; water is very cold. Subdivided into three zones: 1. continental shelf in the sublittoral shelf — the floor of the neritic province. 2. continental slope in the bathyal zone — a sudden drop of the ocean floor from the continental shelf up to the abyssal plain. 3. abyssal plain in the abyssal zone — the ocean floor of the abyssal zone, interrupted by many underwater mountain chains called oceanic ridges. 2. Coral reefs mostly found in warm shallow waters. Can be found as barriers along continents such as Australia's Great barrier reef, fringing islands, and atolls. Estuary-bodies of water flowing in one direction. Rivers and streams usually get their start from lakes and springs and travel all the way to their mouths, usually to another water channel such as the ocean. -Fresh Water Characterized by having a low salt concentration than the marine biome. The most convenient and cheapest source of water for domestic and industrial needs. The study of freshwater habitats is called limnology. Types of fresh water biomes: 1. Lotic or running water-bodies of water flowing in one direction. Channel such as the ocean, rivers and streams usually get their start from lakes and springs and travel all the way to their mouths, usually to another water. a. Rapid zone-shallow water where velocity of current is great enough to keep the bottom clear of silt and other loose materials providing a firm substrate. b. Pool zone deeper water where velocity of current is reduced and silt and other loose materials settle to the bottom providing a soft substrate. 2. Lentic or standing water-ponds and lakes may have limited diversity of species since both bodies of water are isolated from other sources like rivers and oceans. Lakes and ponds are divided into three zones: a. littoral zone-topmost zone near the shore of a lake or pond, the warmest zone. b. limnetic zone-near-surface open water, well lighted. c. profundal zone-deep-water part of the lake; much colder and denser, little light penetrate here. What is Climate? A pattern or cycle of weather conditions such as temperature, wind snowfall, precipitate, humidity, and clouds of an area over time. The sun's heat reaches the different parts of the earth at different times throughout the year which results to variations in weather and climate. The Different Climate Zones: 1. Tropical zone a. The region that extends from the equator to about 30 degrees north and south latitudes. characterized by a hot climate and strongly monsoonal weather patterns. b. The tropical zone la la charact c. The zone includes hit desserts and tropical rain forest. Temperate zone 2. a. Extends from 30 degrees to about 60 degrees north and south latitudes. b. The temperature is cooler than in the tropical zone and changes with the season. c. During summer, the temperature changes from warm to hot, while during winter, the temperature is from cool to cold. d. Precipitation falls as rain or drizzle during summers; and snow or freezing rain during winters. 3. Polar zone a. Extends beyond 60 degrees north and south latitudes. b. Winters are long and extremely cold. c. While summers are short and cool. d. All precipitation is frozen. e, Ice and snow covers are extremely thick.. Factors that affect global and regional climate: 1. The distance of the nearest body of water. Those areas near an ocean or lake tend to have a cooler summers and milder winters. 3. Altitude. The higher the altitude, the lower is the temperature. 2. Land formations and mountain ranges. Mountains receive more rainfall than in lying areas because the temperature here is lower than the temperature at sea level. Apply What You Have Learned After finishing the lesson, you are now confident in answering the following questions. Be as specific as you can be. 1. What is the main concern of studying environmental science? 2. What's the definition of Environment?. What do people de to protect the environment? 3 4. Why biomes are important in our life? 5. What is the most important part of a biome?