AP Environmental Science: Unit 9

The 6th Mass Extinction

We are entering this as we lose 1,000 species per year.

Epoch We're Living Under

Holocene.

IUCN

International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Extinct Species

A species that has died out and no individuals are left.

Threatened Species

A species that could become endangered in the near future.

Near-Threatened Species

Species that are very likely to become threatened in the future.

Least-Concern Species

Species that are widespread and abundant.

Importance of High Genetic Diversity

A loss of genetic variation can mean lower chances of adapting to changing environmental conditions or resisting diseases.

Intrinsic Value

Independent of their benefit to humans.

Instrumental Value

Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth's biodiversity based on its usefulness to us.

Provisions

Goods that humans can use directly from ecosystems. (Example: medicinal plants)

Regulating Services

The natural ecosystems regulating environmental conditions. (Example: nutrient, hydrologic, and geochemical cycles)

Support Systems Examples

Pollination of food crops by native species bees, insects, birds, and bats. Habitat for predators that prey on agricultural pests.

HIPPCO

Habitat loss, invasive species, population growth, pollution, climate change, over harvested.

Exotic Species

Live outside their historical range.

Invasive Species

Exotic species that spread rapidly across large areas.

Kudzu Vine

Native to Japan, was introduced to Southeastern US but spread rapidly because they weren't eaten by herbivores and shaded sunlight from plants and trees, killing them.

Zebra Mussel

Native to the Black Sea and decrease Lake eutrophication and crowd our native species and clog water intake pipes.

Buffel Grass

Native to Africa, introduced to Arizona in the 30's, will kill other plants like Palo verdes by taking away their water.

Endemic Species

Species that are native to and found only within a limited area.

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Controls Trade of threatened plants and animals.

Red List

A record of current species facing unusually high risks of extinction.

The Lacey Act

Prohibits interstate shipping of all illegally harvested plants and animals.

Silver Carp

Native to Asia, crowds out native fish in the Mississippi River.

The Endangered Species Act

Designed to protect species from extinction and determines threatened and non-threatened species and prohibits trade of species, their fur, or body parts.

Marine Mammal Protection Act

A 1972 U.S. act to protect declining populations of marine mammals and prohibits killing all marine mammals in the US and prohibits the import or export of marine mammal body parts.

Biosphere Reserve

Protected area consisting of zones that vary in the amount of permissible human impact.

Core Zone

The location in a biosphere Reserve with the most biodiversity.

Buffer Zone

An area of land that serves as a barrier.

Transition Area

Contains resources for the human population.

Five Greenhouse Gases of Most Concern

Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Chlorofluorocarbons, and Water Vapor.

CO2 Levels and Temperatures

Keeling found that CO2 Levels varied seasonally and increased from year to year. Alongside, the global temperature has increased. The ocean contains less gas as temperatures increase.

Evidence of Climate Change

As CO2 Levels Increase in the atmosphere, the temperatures increase, as does the global temperature, as well as air bubbles from ancient ice being considerably cooler than the air of today.

Consequences of Climate Change

Sea levels will rise because of melting glaciers and ice sheets adding to the volume of the ocean and as water is heated, it expands. Plant flowering times will be altered, as will migration patterns toward the polls, and longer, more frequent droughts.

The Kyoto Protocol

Was intended to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases to levels lower than those of 1990.

Why We Never Signed the Kyoto Protocol

Clinton signed the protocol but never sent it for senate ratification and was never law.

Carbon Sequestration

A method of storing carbon emissions to prevent their release into the atmosphere.

The Kuznets Curve

Suggests that as per capita income in a country increases, environmental degradation first increases then decreases.

Gross Domestic Product

The sum total of the value of all the goods and services produced in a nation.

Anthropocentric Worldview

A worldview that focuses on human welfare and well-being.

Biocentric Worldview

A Worldview that holds that humans are just one of many species on Earth, all of which have equal intrinsic value.

Ecocentric Worldview

A worldview that places equal value on all living organisms and the ecosystems in which they live.

Stewardship

Looking after something so it can be passed on to the next generation.

The Triple Bottom Line

Setting goals and monitoring the performance of the business according to Profit, People & Place.

Environmental Justice Examples

Van Jones believes that creating green jobs will both improve the living conditions of some of the poorest people in our nation and reduce our impact on the environment.

NEPA

1970. Enhance environment; monitor with a tool; the Environmental Impact Assessment. Protection of Coral formation and sea turtles has occurred.

OSHA

1970. Prevent occupational injury, illness, death from work-related exposure to physical and chemical harm. Worker training and knowledge of toxins has increased.

ESA

1973. Protect animal and plant species from extinction. Bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and gray wolf populations have recovered.

CAA

1970. Promote clean air. Sulfur dioxide reductions from cap-and-Trade have occurred.

CWA

1972. Promote clean water. Swimmable and fishable rivers across the US have increased.

RCRA

1976. Govern tracking and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. Numerous brown fields and contaminated lands have been cleaned up.

CERCLA (Superfund)

1980. Force and/or implement the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. Dozens of Superfund sites have been cleaned up around the United States.

Cap-and-Trade

Mechanism to reduce the emission of pollutants by establishing a market for emission permits.

Anthropogenic / Natural Sources of Nitrous Oxide

Agriculture / Wetsoils.

Anthropogenic / Natural Sources of Carbon Dioxide

Burning Fossil Fuels, Mining / Decomposition, Volcanic Eruptions.

Anthropogenic / Natural Sources of Methane

Flooding fields, livestock / wetlands.

Anthropogenic Sources of Chlorofluorocarbons

Aerosol spray and styrofoam.

Natural Sources of Water Vapor

Evaporation.