Environmental Science and Engineering

Branch of science that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings

Biotic Factors

Living Factors

Abiotic Factors

Non-living factors

Biotic Factors include

Abiotic Factors include

Population

same species living together

Community

Different species living together

Food chain

Linear simplified model showing a single path of energy flow through an ecosystem

Food web

More complex and realistic representation of interconnected food chains, showing multiple pathways of energy flow within an ecosystem

Ecosystem includes

Abiotic and Biotic Factors

Biosphere subtypes

Lithosphere

Hydrosphere

Atmosphere

Living Things

10%

Energy consumed per level of consumers

APEX Predators

Mga hindi nagiging prey

Autotrophs

Other name for producers

Herbivores

Primary Consumers

Omnivors

Secondary Consumers

Carnivores

Tertiary Consumers

Black body

perfect absrober

Community purpose

This is where predator-prey dynamics and resource competition are occuring

First

Trophic level that supports all subsequent feeding levels

Hydrologic / Water Cycle

Involves the continuous movement of water between the atmosphere, land, and bodies of water

Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Collection

Processes in the Water Cycle

Rain, snow, hail, sleet

forms of precipitate

forms of collection in water cycler

runoff, infiltration, percolation

Carbon Cycle

Helps regulate the Earth’s climate by balancing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Sources of Carbon

Animals, Plants, Atmosphere, Fossil Fuels

Processes in the Carbon Cycle

Photosynthesis, Respiration, Decomposition, Combustion

Nitrogen cycle

Crucial for the availability of nitrogen, and essential nutrient for living organisms

Nitrogen Fixation reaction

Nitrification reaction

Ammonification reaction

Denitrification reaction

Oxygen Cycle

Occurs in plants and algae where they release oxygen as a byproduct

Photosynthesis reaction

Respiration reaction

Evaporation

Solar radiation directly drives this massive oceanic phase change

Forms of Condensation

Fog, dew, cloud

Percolation

Downward absorption of surface moisture into deep underground aquifiers

Nitrogen fixation by bacteria

Primary way nitrogen is made available to plants

Lighting strikes

Extreme atmospheric event possesses enough energy to naturally split N2 molecules

Roles of decomposers in nitrogen cycle

Return nitrogen to the soil from dead organism

Specific pathway that converts nitrogenous compounds into simpler ammonia

Ammonification

Composition of the nitrogen in the atmosphere

78%

Composition of the oxygen in the atmosphere

21%

Composition of argon in the atmosphere

0.93%

Composition of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

0.04%

Troposphere distance

0-7 miles (0.11km) above surface

Troposphere

This is the layer where 75% of the atmosphere’s mass is measured

Altitude and temperature relationship troposphere

As altitude increases, temperature decreases

Maximum temperature at the top of the troposphere

-76°F (-60°C)

Troposphere includes

Where weather / meteorological phenomena occurs

Altitude and temperature relationship in the stratosphere

As altitude increases, temperature increases due to the absorption of UV radiation by ozone

Stratosphere includes

Ozone is present in this layer.

Ozone

Produces by UV radiation and lightning

Altitude and temperature relationship in the Mesosphere

As altitude increases, the temperature decreases

Mesosphere includes

Coldest layer (mesopause) where ice clouds occur and this is where meteors burn up

Altitude and temperature relationship in the Thermosphere (Ionosphere)

As the altitude increases, the temperature increases due to gamma rays, X-rays, UV radiation.

Thermosphere includes

• Molecules converted into ions which results in the Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere.

• This is also where we are protected from extreme UV radiation and reflects radio waves

As elevation rises, air pressure ___

continuous to drop

Infrared radiation

Energy emitted by the earth and trapped by the GHGs

Greenhouse Gases

Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat.

They let sunlight pass but prevent heat from the sunlight from leaving the atmosphere.

Natural GHG

Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide

Anthropogenic (Man-made) GHG

Methane, Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Ozone, CFCs

Most abundant natural GHG

Water Vapor

Most abundant anthropogenic (man-made) GHG

Methane GHG

Sources of GHG

Methane

GHG emitted during the production and transport of coal, oil and natural gas

Byproduct of livestock farming, rice cultivation, and decomposition of organic waste in landfills

Eutrophication

Ecological process where the body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients that results in the excessive growth of algae and ultimately leading to hypoxia

Hypoxia

condition in which the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in a body of water is too low to support most aquatic life.

Forms of renewable energy sources

Forms of Non-renewable energy sources

Fossil fuels: Oil, natural gas, and coal since they take billions of years to form

Solid fossil fuel

Coal

Liquid fossil fuel

Oil

Gas fossil fuel

Natural Gas, Hydrocarbons

CH4

Methane

C2H6

Ethane

C3H8

Propane

C4H10

Butane

Nuclear fission

An atom splits into 2 or more smaller nuclei along with by-product particles (neutrons, photons, gamma rays, and alpha and beta particles)

Type of source of nuclear fission

Non-renewable, The heat produces is used to produce steam that turns generators that then produce electricity

Type of heat process is nuclear fission

Exothermic

Type of source of nuclear fusion

Renewable

Nuclear fusion

Occur when extremely high temperatures are used to force nuclei of isotopes of lightweight atoms to fuse together, which causes large amounts of energy to be released.

Advantage of nuclear fusion

Abundant fuel supply, no air pollution, no high-level nuclear waste

Mass Defect

Difference between the mass of an atomic nucleus and the sum of the masses of its constituent protons and neutrons where the missing mass is converted into Energy

Advantage of hydroelectric power pant

Low pollution, control flooding, relatively low operating cost

Methane Hydro Carbon

Dominant, lightest hydrocarbon molecule found in naturally occurring gas reserve

Nuclear energy

Major electricity generating source where there is a low environmental impact, high performance, no greenhouse gas emissions, can supply power anytime

Renewable energy source independent of the sun and has ultimate sourvce within earth

Geothermal energy

Biomass

• Energy derived from organic matter: agricultural crops, forestry residues, and organic waste.

• Used to produce heat, electricity or biofuels

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

Process used to predict and evaluate the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project

Environmentally Critical Areas (ECAs)