EVST FINAL

genetic diversity

variation of genes within a species population

species diversity

variation of species within an ecosystem (fish, crabs, snails,frogs)

ecosystem diversity

diversity of ecosystems within a geographic region or planet (forests, wetlands, savannahs, rivers)

gene diversity

different gene combinations found within a single population; genetic diversity in a population protects it against harmful environmental factors

natural selection

those with more favorable genetic traits survive better than others

biome

large geographic area recognized by their distinct structures

biotic factors

fungi, bacteria, plants, protists, animals

abiotic factors

water, temp, light, humidity, soil, gas

ecosystems are organized by biomes

tropical rainforest, dwarf forests, bog, coral reefs, lakes and ponds,

life histories

characteristics of a species and the rate at which young survive (k-selected, r-selected)

k-selected species

Regulated by density dependent factors, few offspring and intensive parental care (gorilla, whale, lions)

r-selected species

Rapid growth when the environment is favorable
○ Small and subject to catastrophic mortality from density independent
factors
○ Lots of offspring, little parental investment (rat, rabbit)

Biodiversity threats

Habitat destruction, invasive species, plant and wildlife trafficking, pest and predator control,

solutions for the threats

Endangered Species Act (ESA), Lacey Act, prevent spread of invasive species, Ban toxins responsible for endangering species

how do ecosystems bounce back after destruction?

succession, primary and secondary succession

What are the different types of ecosystem services?

supporting, provisioning, regulatory, cultural

habitat fragmentation

Fragmentation changes ecosystems into isolated patches of habitat
● Less space within fragment: Supports fewer species, especially large mammals
● Edge Effects: Edges support different species than interior spaces

How can we protect ecosystem diversity?

Geographically defined area that is designated or regulated as damaged to achieve a particular conservation objective
● Strict nature reserve: For scientific research only, no tourism
● Size and connection are key

Effects of dams on biodiversity

fragmenting habitats, interrupting natural river flows, and altering water quality

dams are good for

emission-free power, deal with problem of variable water supply,

dams are also a problem bc

rivers dry up, reduce nutrients available below dam, change water temp, stop the fish

Why is it so hard to make water a human right?

It is hard to define daily water needs, see water as a commodity that should be managed like any other natural resources

Methods of extracting freshwater from saltwater

● Desalination: turning salt water into fresh water
● Distillation: Desalination through evaporation

Reverse osmosis

Ways in which water mismanagement can lead to soil degradation

erosion, salinization, nutrient runoff, and changes in soil structure

The use of fire in forest management

acting as a natural part of many ecosystems and a way to achieve specific goals like risk reduction, habitat improvement, and ecological restoration

Food systems: industrial vs. sustainable

Industrial food systems prioritize large-scale, efficient production, often using synthetic inputs and causing environmental damage,

sustainable food systems focus on long-term health, environmental protection, and social equity, often using regenerative practices. 

gmos benefit

Drought tolerance
○ Bigger and faster growth
○ Shape plant parameters to suit long shipping
and storing times and conditions

GMOs problems

Pest resistance to GM crops and herbicides
● Unintended consequence of introducing new crops into the environment
● Takes control of food production away from individual farmers and gives it to a few biotechnology companies
● => monocultures are more susceptible to disease and environmental extremes
● Water consumption
● Decreased nutritional value=> could be harmful to human health
● Philosophical issue of messing with nature

Thermohaline circulation

a system of ocean currents driven by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline) differences in water density

Thermohaline collapse

Dramatic cooling in Europe and North America
○ Increase of major flooding and storms in the Pacific
○ Collapse of plankton stocks
○ Warming and rainfall changes in tropics, Alaska, and Antarctica
○ More frequent and severe El Niño events
○ Oxygen depletion below ocean surface levels causing mass extinction

whaling

for meat, blubber which is turned into oil, lamps, makeup, soap)

International Whaling Commission

International Whaling Commission set up to decide hunting quotas
● 1982 voted to ban commercial whaling
● Successfully reviving many whale populations

fishing as a tragedy of the commons

Non-excludable: Can’t stop other people from using it
● Rivalrous: When someone consumes the good, there is less available for everyone else
● Each individual will hurt the environment for their own gain unless restrained in some way.

solutions for fishing as a tragedy commons

private property, pigouvian tax (fish licenses, mostly a small-scale solution), huge fines or regulations for breaking fishing rules.

aquaculture

the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, algae, and other organisms.

Problems with Aquaculture

Some escape into the wild
Increase water pollution

Disease and parasite transfer to wild fish

Solutions with Aquaculture

integrated multi-trophic aquaculture:
Species with complementary feeding habits raised together
● Construct wetlands to treat wastewater
● Decrease use of fish meal to feed carnivorous farmed fish

Types of pollutants

Neurotoxin: Attacks nerve cells
Carcinogen: Attacks cell DNA, causing cancer
Teratogen: Attacks developing cells, causing abnormalities during embryonic growth and development (birth defect)
Allergen: Activates immune system causing allergic reaction
Endocrine disruptor: Mimics sex hormones, damaging systems

Human activities that result in pollution

On purpose: Pesticides and herbicides

• Manufacturing and electricity generating

• driving

• plastics

• microplastics

toxins can either be:

water soluble: easily dissolve in water

fat soluble: dissolve instead of fat (oils, fat in animal bodies)

Bio accumulation

the process where an organism absorbs more of a substance, like a chemical or pollutant, than it eliminates, resulting in a buildup of the substance in its tissues

biomagnification

process where the concentration of a substance, like a toxic chemical or heavy metal, increases as it moves up a food chain

organisms that can harm us

virus (influenza), bacteria, parasite(ticks, fleas, lice)

How do we get new types of infectious diseases?

Antibiotic resistance:

zoonotic disease: spread from animals to humans

-pet trade

-bushmeat

-deforestation

How do we prevent infectious diseases?

improve sanitation and medical care, fewer prescribed antibiotics and take them as perscribed, lower antibiotic use in livestock, end the bustmeat trade

types of wastes

Hazardous waste(flammable, reactive, corrosive, toxic), food waste, plastic waste

Effects of waste dumping

soil and water contamination, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and impacts on wildlife and ecosystems

what was the love canal disaster

toxic chemicals leaking from an old landfill thrust an upstate New York community called “Love Canal” into the national headlines, and made it synonymous with “environmental disaster.”

superfund act

responsible for cleaning up some of the nation’s most contaminated land and responding to environmental emergencies, oil spills and natural
disasters. ”

e waste managements

e-waste free drop offs

waste managements

reducing waste generation, reusing materials, recycling them, composting organic waste, and safely disposing of hazardous waste