Studied by 10 people
National Park Services Act
Promotes and regulates the use of the Federal national parks, monuments, and reservations to protect their scenery, wildlife, history, and natural objects.
National Wildlife Refuge System Act
Provides directives for management of wildlife refuges, areas for the protection of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, wildlife management areas, or waterfowl production areas.
Occupational Safety and Health Act
Created to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for people and providing training & outreach
Ocean Dumping Ban Act
Makes it unlawful to dump municipal sewage, sludge, or industrial wastes into the ocean
Oil Pollution Act
Created after Exxon Valdez spill. Strengthened EPA's ability to prevent and respond to catastrophic oil spills. A trust fund financed by a tax on oil is available to clean up spills when responsible party cannot.
Organic Food Production Act
Standards for production and handling of foods labelled organic
Paris Climate Accord
Unites world’s nations to work to keep global temperatures at less than 2ºC above pre-industrial times (goal is less than 1.5 ºC) to prevent irreversible climate change
Pollution Prevention Act
Requires industries to reduce pollution at its source in terms of volume and/or toxicity
Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar)
An international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands & their resources
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Sets regulations concerning manufacture, transport, storage, use and disposal of hazardous chemicals, also called “cradle-to-grave” act.
Safe Drinking Water Act
Sets maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water that may have adverse effects on human health
Save our Seas Act
Promotes action to identify, reduce and remove marine debris in our oceans & authorizes clean-up.
Solid Waste Disposal Act
Promotes better municipal waste disposal technology
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
Established a program for regulating surface coal mining and reclamation activities. Requires mining companies to restore most surface-mined land by grading and replanting it.
Sustainable Fisheries Act
Requires fisheries to focus on conservation & sustainability of species
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
Intended to balance amount of water pumped from ground with aquifer recharge
Taylor Grazing Act
Regulation of grazing on public lands to improve rangeland conditions and prevent overgrazing.
Toxic Substances Control Act
Regulates the introduction of new chemicals
Nuclear Waste Policy Act
Provides for the development of repositories for the storage and disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, and required operators of nuclear plants to pay the cost of disposal
Phosphorous does not circulate as easily as nitrogen because
it does not exist as a gas but is released by weathering of phosphate (PO43-) rocks.
Phosphorous Cycle is: (speed wise)
a slow cycle and not atmospheric.
Phosphorous is a major limiting nutrient
in the growth of plants.
How phosphorous is added to aquatic ecosystems
runoff of animal wastes, fertilizer, discharge of sewage.
Sustainability
ability to meet current needs of humanity without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Photosynthesis
plants convert CO2 (atmospheric carbon) into complex carbohydrates (sugars) (glucose C6H12O6)
Aerobic Respiration
Oxygen (O2) consuming producers, consumers and decomposers break down complex organic compounds and convert Carbon back into CO2
Largest Reservoirs of Carbon (C)
carbonate (CO32-) rocks first, oceans second.
Biotic
the living component of an ecosystem
Abiotic
nonliving component of an ecosystem
Producer/Autotroph
organisms that make their own food—photosynthetic or chemosynthetic life
Trophic Levels
producers → primary consumer → secondary consumer → tertiary consumer.
Energy Flow in Food Webs
only 10% of the usable energy is transferred to the next trophic level: REASON: because usable energy is lost as heat. (Second law of thermodynamics): not all biomass is digested and absorbed as predators expend energy to catch prey.
Succession
in ecology, the gradual colonization of a habitat after an environmental disturbance (ex. fire, flood), usually by a series of species.
Primary Succession
development of communities in a lifeless area not recently inhabited by life (ex. Retreating glacier) or those in which the soil profile is completely destroyed (lava flows): begin with lichen action.
Secondary Succession
life progresses where soil remains (clear cut forest, vacant lot, old farm or fire)
Climax Community
the stable, final community that develops from ecological succession.
Symbiosis
occurs when members of two different species live in close physical contact with each other.
Mutualism
symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit
Commensalism
symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is unaffected.
Parasitism
relationship in which one organism (the parasite) obtains nutrients at the expense of the host.
Biomes
large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants and animals.
Carrying Capacity
the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area.
R strategist
reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early; bear many small; unprotected offspring (ex. insects, mice)
K strategist
reproduce late in life; few offspring; parents care for offspring
Positive Feedback
when a change in some conditions triggers a response that intensifies the changing condition (warmer Earth—snow melts—less sunlight is reflected and more is absorbed, therefore a warmer Earth)
Negative Feedback
when a change in some condition triggers a response that counteracts the changed condition (warmer Earth—more ocean evaporation—more stratus clouds—less sunlight reaches the ground—therefore a cooler Earth)
Natural Selection
organisms that possess favorable adaptations (traits) and pass them onto the next generation. These organisms have higher reproductive success.
Exotic Species/Invasive Species
nonnative species to an area; often thrive and disrupt the ecosystem balance; ex. African Honeybee; Fire Ant, Zebra Mussel, Purple Loosestrife.
Doubling Time: (Rule of 70)
doubling time equals 70 divided by the percent growth rate. For example, if a population is growing at 5% annually, it doubles in 14 years; 70/5 14 years.
Replacement Level Fertility
the number of children a couple must have to replace themselves (averages 2.1 in developed nations, 2.7 in less developed nations)
World Population
6.7 billion
U. S. Population
305 million
Preindustrial Stage
birth and death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high
Transitional Stage
death rate (infant mortality) lower, birth rates remain high, better health care, population grows fast.
Industrial Stage
decline in birth rate, population growth slows
Postindustrial state
low birth rate and low death rate
Age Structure Diagram
broad base → rapid growth; narrow base → negative growth; uniform shape → zero growth
China; 2) India; 3) U.S. and 4) Indonesia
Top Four Most Populated Nations
low status of women
Most Important Thing Affecting Population Growth
family planning; contraception, economic rewards, and penalties.
Methods or Ways to Decrease Birth Rate
97.5% Seawater; 2.5% freshwater
Composition of Water on Earth
Gray Water
Any wastewater from a house EXCEPT TOILIET WATER; (dishwater, shower water…) this water can be used for irrigation water…
Aquaculture
farming aquatic species, commonly salmon, shrimp, tilapia, oysters.
drip/trickle irrigation
Ways to conserve water: Agriculture
recycling
Ways to conserve water: Industry
use gray water, repair leaks, low flow fixtures, native plants that use low water (xeriscape), time of day watering…
Ways to conserve water: Home
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