question

energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another.

answer

First Law of Thermodynamics

question

when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat).

answer

Second Law of Thermodynamics

question

radiation w/enough energy to free electrons from atoms forming ions, may cause cancer (ex. gamma, X-rays, UV).

answer

Ionizing radiation

question

organized & concentrated, can perform useful work (ex. fossil fuels & nuclear).

answer

High Quality Energy

question

disorganized, dispersed (ex. heat in ocean or air/wind, solar).

answer

Low Quality Energy

question

unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha & beta particles (ex. Radon).

answer

Natural radioactive decay

question

the time it takes for 1⁄2 of the mass of a radioisotope to decay. A radioactive isotope must be stored for approximately 10 half-lives until it decays to a safe level.

answer

Half-life

question

nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons.

answer

Nuclear Fission

question

2 isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. Happens in the Sun, very difficult to accomplish on Earth, prohibitively expensive.

answer

Nuclear Fusion

question

a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine.

answer

Ore

question

identified deposits currently profitable to extract.

answer

Mineral Reserve

question

cheaper, can remove more minerals, less hazardous to workers.

answer

Surface mining

question

organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms.

answer

Humus

question

removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards through soil.

answer

Leaching

question

perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, and clay.

answer

Loam

question

conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, organic fertilizers.

answer

Soil Conservation Methods

question

evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.

answer

Hydrologic Cycle Components

question

any water-bearing layer in the ground.

answer

Aquifer

question

lowering of the water table around a pumping well.

answer

Cone of Depression

question

near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer.

answer

Salt Water Intrusion

question

El Nino Southern Oscillation, trade winds weaken & warm surface water moves toward South America. Diminished fisheries off South America, drought in western Pacific, increased precipitation in southwestern North America, fewer Atlantic hurricanes.

answer

ENSO

question

"Normal" year, easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of South America.

answer

La Nina

question

because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants, it must first be converted into ammonia by bacteria.

answer

Nitrogen Fixation

question

decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia.

answer

Ammonification

question

ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO3-).

answer

Nitrification

question

inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids & proteins.

answer

Assimilation

question

bacteria convert ammonia back into N.

answer

Denitrification

question

does not exist as a gas; released by weathering of phosphate rocks, it is a major limiting factor for plant growth. Phosphorus cycle is slow, and not atmospheric.

answer

Phosphorus

question

plants convert CO2 (atmospheric C) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6).

answer

Photosynthesis

question

oxygen consuming producers, consumers & decomposers break down complex organic compounds & convert C back into CO2.

answer

Aerobic Respiration

question

(1) carbonate rocks (2)oceans

answer

Largest reservoirs of Carbon

question

living & nonliving components of an ecosystem.

answer

Biotic/Abiotic

question

organisms that make their own food—photosynthetic life.

answer

Producer/Autotroph

question

producers primary consumer secondary<consumer tertiary consumer.

answer

Trophic Levels

question

10% of the usable energy is transferred to the next trophic level. Reason : usable energy lost as heat (2nd law), not all biomass is digested & absorbed, predators expend energy to catch prey.

answer

Energy Flow through Food Webs

question

development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life (ex. lava).

answer

Primary succession

question

life progresses where soil remains (ex. clear-cut forest, old farm).

answer

Secondary succession

question

symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit.

answer

Mutualism

question

symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits & the other is unaffected.

answer

Commensalism

question

relationship in which one organism (the parasite) obtains nutrients at the expense of the host.

answer

Parasitism

question

the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area.

answer

Carrying Capacity

question

reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early, bear many small, unprotected offspring (ex. insects, mice).

answer

r-strategist

question

reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce late, bear few, cared for offspring (ex. humans, elephants).

answer

K-strategist

question

organisms that possess favorable adaptations pass them onto the next generation.

answer

Natural Selection

question

"human population cannot continue to increase. Consequences will be war, famine & pestilence (disease)."

answer

Thomas Malthus

question

(rule of 70) doubling time equals 70 divided by percent growth rate. (ex. a population growing at 5% annually doubles in 70 ÷ 5 = 14 years)

answer

Doubling Time

question

the number of children a couple must have to replace themselves (2.1 more developed, 2.7 less).

answer

Replacement Level Fertility

question

slightly over 6 billion.

answer

World Population

question

preindustrial stage, transitional stage, industrial stage, and industrial stage

answer

Demographic Transition Model

question

birth & death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high.

answer

Preindustrial stage

question

death rate (infant mortality) lower, birth rates remain high, better health care, population grows fast.

answer

Transitional stage

question

decline in birth rate, population growth slows.

answer

Industrial stage

question

low birth & death rates.

answer

Postindustrial stage

question

broad base -> rapid growth; narrow base -> negative growth; uniform shape -> zero growth

answer

Age Structure Diagrams

question

(1) China (2) India

answer

Most Populous Nations

question

Most important factor keeping population growth rates high.

answer

Low Status of Women

question

family planning, contraception, economic rewards & penalties.

answer

Methods to Decrease Birth Rates

question

97.5% seawater, 2.5% freshwater.

answer

Composition of Water on Earth

question

in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind. (ex. Fertile crescent, southwestern US)

answer

Soil Salinization

question

from specific location such as pipe or smokestack

answer

Point Source

question

from over an area such as agricultural (farm) runoff, traffic.

answer

Non-Point Source

question

Biological Oxygen Demand, amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials.

answer

BOD

question

rapid algal growth caused by an excess of nitrogen & phosphorus.

answer

Eutrophication

question

when aquatic plants die, the BOD rises as aerobic decomposers break down the plants, the DO drops & the water cannot support life

answer

Hypoxia

question

produced by humans & nature (CO, CO2, SO2, NO, hydrocarbons, particulates).

answer

Primary Air Pollutants

question

formed by reaction of primary pollutants.

answer

Secondary Air Pollutants

question

sources include burning fossil fuels and car exhaust. Effects include reduced visibility, respiratory irritation. Methods of reduction include filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy).

answer

Particulate Matter

question

(NOx) Major source is auto exhaust. Primary and secondary effects include acidification of lakes, respiratory irritation, leads to smog and ozone. Reduced using catalytic converters. Equation for acid formation: NO + O2 NO2 + H2O HNO3.

answer

Nitrogen Oxides

question

Secondary pollutant, NO2 + UV NO + O; O + O2 O3, with VOCs. Causes respiratory irritation and plant damage. Reduced by reducing NO emissions and VOCs.

answer

Ozone

question

(SOx) Primary source is coal burning. Primary and secondary effects include acid deposition, respiratory irritation, plant damage. Reduction methods include: scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuel. Equation for acid formation: SO2 + O2 SO3 + H2O H2SO4

answer

Sulfur Oxides

question

(CO2 and CO) Sources include burning fossil fuels, incomplete combustion. Effects : CO binds to hemoglobin reducing bloods ability to carry O; CO2 contributes to global warming. Reduction accomplished by catalytic converters, oxygenated fuel, mass transit (reduction).

answer

Carbon Oxides

question

found in cities that burn large amounts of coal

answer

Industrial Smog

question

formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O)

answer

Photochemical Smog

question

caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters

answer

Acid Deposition

question

Most significant: H2O, CO2, O3, methane (CH4), CFCs. Trap outgoing infrared energy (heat) causing earth to warm.

answer

Greenhouse Gases

question

a vital process, required for life to exist on Earth. If accelerated, bad, leads to global warming.

answer

Greenhouse Effect

question

rising sea level (due to thermal expansion not melting ice), extreme weather, droughts (famine), and extinctions.

answer

Effects of Global Warming

question

caused by CFCs, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, halon, methyl bromide all of which attack stratospheric ozone.

answer

Ozone Depletion

question

increased UV, skin cancer, cataracts, and decreased plant growth.

answer

Effects of Ozone Depletion

question

is mostly paper and mostly put into landfills.

answer

Municipal Solid Waste

question

problems include leachate, which is solved using a liner with a collection system; methane gas, which may be collected and burned and the volume of garbage, which may be compacted and/or reduced.

answer

Sanitary Landfill

question

Advantages-volume of waste reduced by 90% and waste heat can be used. Disadvantages-toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride, dioxin), scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators needed, ash disposal.

answer

Incineration

question

reduce the amount of waste at the source.

answer

Best Solution for Waste Problem

question

species whose role in an ecosystem is more important than others.

answer

Keystone Species

question

species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged.

answer

Indicator Species

question

have a small range, require large territory or live on an island.

answer

Most Endangered Species

question

50-90% of pest species are kept under control by: predators, diseases, parasites.

answer

In Natural Ecosystems

question

chlorinated hydrocarbons—ex. DDT; organophosphates—ex. malathion; carbamates—ex. aldicarb

answer

Major Insecticide Groups

question

saves lives from insect transmitted disease, increases food supply, and increases profits for farmers.

answer

Pesticide Pros

question

genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, and biological magnification.

answer

Pesticide Cons

question

better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies, and biopesticides, sex attractants.

answer

Natural Pest Control

question

steam, from water boiled by fossils fuels or nuclear energy, or falling water is used to turn a generator.

answer

Electricity Generation

question

microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat & pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons.

answer

Petroleum Formation

question

cheap, easily transported, high-quality energy.

answer

Petroleum Pros

question

reserves depleted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, burning makes CO2.

answer

Petroleum Cons

question

peat, lignite, bituminous coal, anthracite coal.

answer

Coal Formation

question

consists of a core, control rods, moderator, steam generator, turbine, containment building.

answer

Nuclear Reactor

question

wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells

answer

Alternate Energy Sources

question

the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population

answer

LD-50

question

causes hereditary changes.

answer

Mutagen

question

causes fetus deformities.

answer

Teratogen

question

causes cancer.

answer

Carcinogen

question

National Forest & National Resource lands

answer

Mutiple Use Public Lands

question

National Wildlife Refuges

answer

Moderately Restricted Use Public Lands

question

National Parks, National Wilderness Preservation System

answer

Restricted Use Public Lands

question

Occur at tectonic plate boundaries: divergent—spreading (ex. mid-ocean ridges); convergent (ex. trenches); transform fault,—sliding (ex. San Andreas).

answer

Volcanoes and Earthquakes

question

most abundant at convergent plate boundaries.

answer

Mineral Deposits

question

interbreeding with and competition from escaped farm-raised salmon from the aquaculture industry threaten the wild salmon population.

answer

Atlantic Salmon

question

reasons for decline include shootings, poisoning, lead poisoning, collisions with power lines, egg collecting, pesticides, habitat loss, and the decline of large and medium-size native mammals due to encroachments of agriculture and urbanization.

answer

California Condor

question

a 1-inch long insect currently restricted to only 12 known populations in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. An estimated 98% of its habitat has been converted to residential, agricultural, and commercial use.

answer

Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Fly

question

hunting and development that resulted in habitat loss and fragmentation.

answer

Florida Panther

question

subject of predator eradication programs sponsored by the Federal government. Prior to Endangered Species Act (1973), exterminated from the lower 48 states except for a few hundred inhabiting extreme northeastern Minnesota and a small number on Isle Royale, Michigan

answer

Gray Wolf

question

conflict with humans and development that resulted in habitat loss and fragmentation

answer

Grizzly Bear

question

predation and human disturbance are thought to be the main causes of the plover's decline. It is listed as endangered in the Great Lakes region and as threatened in the Great Plains and on the Atlantic coast

answer

Piping Plover

question

initial population decreases resulted from overharvesting for meat, oil, and leather. Today, heavy mortality occurs from accidental collisions with boats and barges, and from canal lock operations.

answer

Manatee

question

drainage of wetlands, conversion of grasslands to agriculture, and hunting for feathers.

answer

Whooping Crane

question

overhunting and destruction of habitat caused original listing, removed from the list of endangered species by the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987.

answer

American Alligator

question

ingested DDT by eating contaminated fish. The pesticide caused the shells of the bird's eggs to thin and resulted in nesting failures. Loss of nesting habitat and hunting for feathers also contributed to the population decline. Reclassified from endangered to threatened (1995).

answer

Bald Eagle

question

ingested DDT by eating smaller birds, which had eaten contaminated prey. The pesticide caused the shells of the bird's eggs to thin and resulted in nesting failures. Removed from the list of endangered species by the Fish and Wildlife Service in August 1999.

answer

Peregrine Falcon

question

the eastern North Pacific stock of gray whale has the distinction of being the first population of a marine mammal species to be removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species.

answer

Gray Whale

question

large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants & animals.

answer

Biome

question

characterized by the greatest diversity of species, believed to include many undiscovered species. Occur near the equator. Soils tend to be low in nutrients. Distinct seasonality: winter is absent, and only two seasons are present (rainy and dry).

answer

Tropical Rain Forests

question

occur in eastern North America, Japan, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe. Dominated by tall deciduous trees. Well-defined seasons include a distinct winter. Logged extensively, only scattered remnants of original temperate forests remain.

answer

Temperate Forests

question

represent the largest terrestrial biome. Dominated by needleleaf, coniferous trees. Found in the cold climates of Eurasia and North America: two-thirds in Siberia with the rest in Scandinavia, Alaska, and Canada. Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters. Extensive logging may soon cause their disappearance.

answer

Boreal Forests or Taiga

question

occurs along the coast of Southern California and the Mediterranean region. Characterized by areas of Chaparral-miniature woodlands dominated by dense stands of shrubs.

answer

Temperate Shrub Lands

question

grassland with scattered individual trees. Cover almost half the surface of Africa and large areas of Australia, South America, and India. Warm or hot climates where the annual rainfall is 20-50 inches per year. The rainfall is concentrated in six or eight months of the year, followed by a long period of drought when fires can occur.

answer

Savannas

question

dominated by grasses, trees and large shrubs are absent. Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less than in savannas. Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters. Occur in South Africa, Hungary, Argentina, the steppes of the former Soviet Union, and the plains and prairies of central North America.

answer

Temperate Grasslands

question

covers about one fifth of the Earth's surface and occur where rainfall is less than 50 cm/year. Most deserts occur at low latitudes, have a considerable amount of specialized vegetation, as well as specialized animals. Soils have abundant nutrients, need only water to become productive, and have little or no organic matter. Common disturbances include occasional fires or cold weather, and sudden, infrequent, but intense rains that cause flooding.

answer

Deserts

question

treeless plains that are the coldest of all the biomes. Occur in the arctic and Antarctica. Dominated by lichens, mosses, sedges, and dwarfed shrubs Characterized by extremely cold climate, permanently frozen ground (permafrost) low biotic diversity, simple vegetation structure, limitation of drainage, short season of growth and reproduction.

answer

Tundra

question

areas of standing water that support aquatic plants including marshes, swamps, and bogs. Species diversity is very high.

answer

Wetlands

question

defined as having a low salt concentration (less than 1%). Plants and animals are adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to survive in areas of high salt concentration (i.e., ocean). There are different types of freshwater regions: ponds and lakes, streams and rivers, and estuaries.

answer

Fresh Water

question

the largest of all the ecosystems. The ocean regions are separated into separate zones : intertidal, pelagic, abyssal, and benthic. All four zones have a great diversity of species.

answer

Oceans

question

April 26, 1986, unauthorized safety test (irony), leads to fire and explosion at nuclear power plant—millions exposed to unsafe levels of radiation.

answer

Chernobyl, Ukraine

question

March 29, 1979, nuclear power plant loses cooling water 50% of core melts, radioactive materials escape into atmosphere, near meltdown (disaster).

answer

Three-Mile Island, Pennsylvania

question

controversial as proposed site for permanent storage of high-level nuclear waste, 70-miles northwest of Las Vegas, near volcano and earthquake faults.

answer

Yucca Mountain, Nevada

question

chemicals buried in old canal, school and homes built over it led to birth defects and cancers.

answer

Love Canal, NY

question

The silt that made the Nile region fertile fills the reservoir. Lack of irrigation controls causes waterlogging and salinization. The parasitic disease schistosomiasis thrives in the stagnant water of the reservoir.

answer

Aswan High Dam, Egypt

question

Mental impairments, birth defects, and deaths caused by mercury dumped in Minamata Bay by factory. Mercury entered humans through their diet (fish).

answer

Minamata, Japan

question

December 2,1984, methyl isocyanate released accidentally by Union Carbide pesticide plant kills over 5,000.

answer

Bhopal, India

question

March 24, 1989, tanker Exxon Valdez hits submerged rocks in Prince William Sound—worst oil spill in US waters.

answer

Valdez, Alaska

question

set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants that may have adverse effects on human health.

answer

Safe Drinking Water Act

question

attempt to reduce non-point source pollution.

answer

Water Quality Act

question

bans ocean dumping of sewage sludge & industrial waste.

answer

Ocean Dumping Ban Act

question

set maximum permissible amounts of water pollutants that can be discharged into waterways. Aim: to make surface waters swimmable and fishable.

answer

Clean Water Act

question

requires coal strip mines to reclaim the land.

answer

Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act

question

Moratorium on mineral exploration for 50 years in Antarctica.

answer

Madrid Protocol

question

Environmental Impact Statements must be done before any project affecting federal lands can be started.

answer

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

question

Set emission standards for cars, and limits for release of air pollutants.

answer

Clean Air Act

question

controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries.

answer

Kyoto Protocol

question

phase out of ozone depleting substances.

answer

Montreal Protocol

question

controls hazardous waste with a cradle to grave system.

answer

Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA)

question

Superfund, designed to identify and clean up abandoned hazardous waste dumpsites.

answer

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act (CERCLA)

question

identifies threatened and endangered species in the US, and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations.

answer

Endangered Species Act

question

(CITES) lists species that cannot be commercially traded as live specimens or wildlife products.

answer

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

question

prohibits interstate transport of wild animals dead or alive without federal permit.

answer

Lacey Act

question

regulates the effectiveness of pesticides.

answer

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

question

set pesticide limits in food, & all active and inactive ingredients must be screened for estrogenic/endocrine effects.

answer

Food Quality Protection Act

question

all states must have facilities to handle low-level radioactive wastes.

answer

Low-Level Radioactive Policy Act

question

US government must develop a high level nuclear waste site by 2015 (see Yucca Mountain).

answer

Nuclear Waste Policy Act

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