Elec 302 - Environmental Science BSEd & BEEd PDF

**Elec 302 -- Environmental Science BSEd & BEEd**\ Kim Louie Cabillo Riveral\ Summary Discussion/ Simplified **Biogeochemical Processes.** **1. Nitrogen Cycle** - **Nitrogen Fixation**: The process by which atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) is converted into forms usable by plants (e.g., ammonia)....

**Elec 302 -- Environmental Science BSEd & BEEd**\ Kim Louie Cabillo Riveral\ Summary Discussion/ Simplified **Biogeochemical Processes.** **1. Nitrogen Cycle** - **Nitrogen Fixation**: The process by which atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) is converted into forms usable by plants (e.g., ammonia). **2. Photosynthesis** - **Light-Dependent Reactions**: These reactions produce **oxygen** as a byproduct of converting solar energy into chemical energy. - **Chlorophyll**: This pigment **absorbs light energy**, which is essential for photosynthesis. - **Primary Carbon Dioxide Removal**: **Photosynthesis** removes CO₂ from the atmosphere. **3. Waste Heat** - Common sources include **refrigerators and air conditioners**. - **Thermal Pollution**: Excessive heat released into the environment can disrupt ecosystems. - **Thermoelectric Generators**: Devices that convert waste heat into electricity. **4. Water Cycle** - **Evaporation**: The process of transforming water from liquid to vapor. - **Transpiration**: Plants release water vapor into the atmosphere. - **Primary Energy Source**: **Solar energy** drives the water cycle. **5. Carbon and Energy Flow** - **Cellular Respiration**: Plants, animals, and fungi release **carbon dioxide** through respiration. - **First Law of Thermodynamics**: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. In ecosystems, energy flows in one direction and is not recycled. **6. Phosphorus Cycle** - The primary source of phosphorus for plants is **soil and rocks**, not the atmosphere. **7. Sulfur Cycle** - **Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)** is primarily released through **volcanic eruptions**. - **Acid Rain**: Excessive sulfur in the environment leads to acid rain, which harms ecosystems. **Biomes and Ecosystems** **1. Coral Reef** - **Rainforests of the Sea**: **Coral reefs** are often called the **rainforests of the sea** because of their **high biodiversity**. These underwater ecosystems are built by coral polyps and provide habitat for a vast array of marine life such as fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. - **Ecological Importance**: Coral reefs protect coastlines by reducing wave energy, making them essential for preventing erosion and storm damage. They also support fisheries and tourism industries. - **Threats**: Coral reefs are vulnerable to **climate change**, particularly **ocean warming** and **acidification**, which can cause coral bleaching, leading to the death of corals and the collapse of the reef ecosystem. **2. Desert** - **Characteristics**: **Deserts** experience **extremely low precipitation** and have **drastic temperature variations** between day and night. While they can be incredibly hot during the day, they cool down significantly at night. - **Flora and Fauna**: Only plants and animals well-adapted to conserve water can survive here. For instance, cacti store water, and animals like the camel are adapted to go long periods without drinking. - **Types of Deserts**: Hot deserts (e.g., Sahara) and cold deserts (e.g., Gobi Desert) are found around the world. **3. Grassland** - **Dominated by Grasses**: **Grasslands** are characterized by open areas dominated by **grasses and herbaceous plants** with very few trees. Rainfall is typically moderate but insufficient to support forests. - **Types**: Grasslands include prairies in North America, savannas in Africa, and steppes in Eurasia. - **Flora and Fauna**: These ecosystems support large herbivores such as bison, antelope, and elephants, with predators like lions and wolves. Grasslands are also home to burrowing animals such as prairie dogs and insects. - **Human Impact**: Many grasslands are used for agriculture due to their fertile soils. **4. Lake** - **Standing Freshwater**: A **lake** is a large body of **standing freshwater** surrounded by land. Lakes are larger and deeper than ponds and support a variety of plants and animals, such as fish, amphibians, and aquatic birds. - **Ecological Importance**: Lakes act as habitats for numerous species, are sources of freshwater for human consumption, and play a role in nutrient cycling and local climate regulation. - **Human Impact**: Lakes are often affected by pollution and overuse for agriculture and water supply. **5. Mangrove Forest** - **Coastal Ecosystem**: **Mangrove forests** grow along tropical and subtropical coastlines and consist of salt-tolerant trees. These ecosystems provide **nurseries for marine species**, such as fish and shrimp, making them vital for sustaining coastal fisheries. - **Ecological Role**: Mangroves serve as a **barrier** against coastal erosion and storm surges, protecting inland areas from flooding. They also sequester large amounts of carbon, helping in climate regulation. - **Threats**: Coastal development, deforestation, and rising sea levels threaten mangrove ecosystems. **6. River** - **Flowing Water Ecosystem**: **Rivers** are ecosystems characterized by **flowing freshwater**. They often begin in high-altitude areas and flow towards lakes, seas, or oceans. - **Ecological Importance**: Rivers transport nutrients and sediments, shape landscapes, and provide essential habitats for fish, birds, and other wildlife. - **Human Uses**: Rivers are crucial for water supply, irrigation, transportation, and energy production (e.g., hydroelectric power). **7. Taiga** - **World's Largest Land Biome**: The **taiga**, also known as the boreal forest, covers vast regions of the northern hemisphere, including parts of Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia. - **Climate and Vegetation**: This biome has cold winters and short summers, with the dominant vegetation being coniferous trees such as spruces, pines, and firs. - **Flora and Fauna**: Taiga ecosystems are home to animals like wolves, bears, and moose. These animals have adapted to survive the harsh winter conditions. - **Human Impact**: Logging and oil exploration pose threats to this biome, and climate change may cause shifts in the distribution of species. **8. Temperate Deciduous Forest** - **Four Seasons**: **Temperate deciduous forests** experience **four distinct seasons**: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. These forests are found in parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. - **Flora and Fauna**: The trees in these forests, like oaks, maples, and birches, shed their leaves in autumn to conserve water during winter. The forest floor is rich in nutrients from decaying leaves, supporting diverse animal life, including deer, foxes, birds, and insects. - **Human Impact**: These forests have been heavily altered by human activities such as agriculture and urbanization. **9. Tropical Rain Forest** - **Biodiversity Hotspot**: **Tropical rain forests** are warm and wet year-round, supporting an **incredibly diverse range of species**. These forests house **more than half of the world's terrestrial species**, making them one of the most biologically rich ecosystems on Earth. - **Climate**: The climate is characterized by high rainfall and constant warm temperatures, allowing plants to grow rapidly and support a wide array of animal species. - **Ecological Importance**: Tropical rain forests play a significant role in **carbon sequestration** and oxygen production, making them vital for regulating the Earth's climate. - **Threats**: Deforestation for agriculture, logging, and urban development poses serious threats to these ecosystems. **10. Tundra** - **Cold and Frozen Biome**: The **tundra** is one of the coldest biomes, with **permafrost** (permanently frozen ground) and **short growing seasons**. This biome is located in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. - **Flora and Fauna**: Due to extreme cold, plant life is limited to low-growing species like mosses and lichens. Animals such as reindeer, Arctic foxes, and polar bears have adapted to survive the cold. - **Climate Change**: The tundra is extremely sensitive to global warming, as melting permafrost can release large amounts of greenhouse gases, further accelerating climate change. **Ecology** **1. Adaptations in Organisms** - **Northern Regions**: Organisms have **white and gray** colors for camouflage in snowy environments (e.g., polar bears, Arctic foxes). - **Tropical Regions**: Organisms display a **spectrum of colors** for communication, mating, and camouflage (e.g., parrots, frogs). **2. Photosynthesis** - Converts **light energy** into **glucose** and **oxygen**, using **carbon dioxide** and **water**. - **Chlorophyll** captures sunlight, enabling plants to produce food, which supports the entire food chain. **3. Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)** - Released from **volcanic eruptions** and fossil fuel combustion. - Contributes to **acid rain** and air pollution, affecting ecosystems and human health. - **Volcanic SO₂** also contributes to short-term climate cooling. **4. Decomposition** - Breaks down **organic material** into nutrients, which are reused by living organisms. - Decomposers like bacteria and fungi are essential for **nutrient cycling** and maintaining **soil fertility**. **Other Concepts** **1. Lentic** Lentic refers to **standing water** ecosystems, such as lakes, ponds, and wetlands. - **Characteristics**: - **Still Water**: Water is generally not moving, which allows for stratification (layering) based on temperature and light penetration. - **Biodiversity**: Lentic systems often support diverse aquatic life, including fish, amphibians, and a variety of plant species. - **Nutrient Cycling**: These ecosystems play a crucial role in nutrient cycling, especially in areas where decomposition occurs at the bottom. **2. Lotic** Lotic refers to **flowing water** ecosystems, including rivers, streams, and creeks. - **Characteristics**: - **Moving Water**: Water flows in a single direction, impacting the types of organisms that can thrive there. - **Habitat Diversity**: Lotic systems exhibit a variety of habitats, including riffles (shallow, fast-flowing sections) and pools (deeper, slower-moving areas). - **Oxygen Levels**: Flowing water tends to be well-oxygenated, which supports species such as trout and other aquatic organisms that require high oxygen levels. **3. Biome** A biome is a large geographic biotic unit defined by its climate, flora, and fauna, typically consisting of several ecosystems. - **Terrestrial Biomes**: Includes forests (tropical rainforests, temperate deciduous forests), deserts, grasslands, and tundra. Each has distinct climate conditions and biodiversity. - **Aquatic Biomes**: Comprises freshwater (lentic and lotic) and marine environments, characterized by different salinity levels and biodiversity. **Importance**: Biomes are essential for understanding global ecology, climate patterns, and the interactions between organisms and their environments. **4. Ecosystem** An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment (abiotic factors) in a specific area. - **Biotic Factors**: Includes all living organisms, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. - **Abiotic Factors**: Non-living elements like water, soil, air, sunlight, and temperature that influence the ecosystem\'s health and functionality. - **Functions**: Ecosystems provide essential services, including: - **Nutrient cycling**: The movement of nutrients through biotic and abiotic components. - **Energy flow**: The transfer of energy through food chains and food webs, beginning with primary producers (like plants) and moving through various levels of consumers.