Promotes and regulates the use of the Federal national parks, monuments, and reservations to protect their scenery, wildlife, history, and natural objects.
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2
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.
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3
Occupational Safety and Health Act
Created to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for people and providing training & outreach
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Ocean Dumping Ban Act
Makes it unlawful to dump municipal sewage, sludge, or industrial wastes into the ocean
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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.
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Organic Food Production Act
Standards for production and handling of foods labelled organic
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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
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8
Pollution Prevention Act
Requires industries to reduce pollution at its source in terms of volume and/or toxicity
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9
Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar)
An international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands & their resources
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10
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Sets regulations concerning manufacture, transport, storage, use and disposal of hazardous chemicals, also called “cradle-to-grave” act.
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Safe Drinking Water Act
Sets maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water that may have adverse effects on human health
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Save our Seas Act
Promotes action to identify, reduce and remove marine debris in our oceans & authorizes clean-up.
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13
Solid Waste Disposal Act
Promotes better municipal waste disposal technology
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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.
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Sustainable Fisheries Act
Requires fisheries to focus on conservation & sustainability of species
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Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
Intended to balance amount of water pumped from ground with aquifer recharge
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Taylor Grazing Act
Regulation of grazing on public lands to improve rangeland conditions and prevent overgrazing.
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Toxic Substances Control Act
Regulates the introduction of new chemicals
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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
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**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.
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**Phosphorous Cycle is: (speed wise)**
a slow cycle and not atmospheric.
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**Phosphorous is a major limiting nutrient**
in the growth of plants.
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**How phosphorous is added to aquatic ecosystems**
runoff of animal wastes, fertilizer, discharge of sewage.
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**Sustainability**
ability to meet current needs of humanity without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
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**Photosynthesis**
plants convert CO2 (atmospheric carbon) into complex carbohydrates (sugars) (glucose C6H12O6)
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**Aerobic Respiration**
Oxygen (O2) consuming producers, consumers and decomposers break down complex organic compounds and convert Carbon back into CO2
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**Largest Reservoirs of Carbon (C)**
carbonate (CO32-) rocks first, oceans second.
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**Biotic**
the living component of an ecosystem
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**Abiotic**
nonliving component of an ecosystem
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**Producer/Autotroph**
organisms that make their own food—photosynthetic or chemosynthetic life
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.
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**Succession**
in ecology, the gradual colonization of a habitat after an environmental disturbance (ex. fire, flood), usually by a series of species.
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**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.
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**Secondary Succession**
life progresses where soil remains (clear cut forest, vacant lot, old farm or fire)
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**Climax Community**
the stable, final community that develops from ecological succession.
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**Symbiosis**
occurs when members of two different species live in close physical contact with each other.
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**Mutualism**
symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit
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**Commensalism**
symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is unaffected.
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**Parasitism**
relationship in which one organism (the parasite) obtains nutrients at the expense of the host.
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**Biomes**
large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants and animals.
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**Carrying Capacity**
the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area.
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**R strategist**
reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early; bear many small; unprotected offspring (ex. insects, mice)
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**K strategist**
reproduce late in life; few offspring; parents care for offspring
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**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)
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**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)
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**Natural Selection**
organisms that possess favorable adaptations (traits) and pass them onto the next generation. These organisms have higher reproductive success.
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**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.
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**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.
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**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)
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**World Population**
6\.7 billion
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**U. S. Population**
305 million
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**Preindustrial Stage**
birth and death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high
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**Transitional Stage**
death rate (infant mortality) lower, birth rates remain high, better health care, population grows fast.
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**Industrial Stage**
decline in birth rate, population growth slows
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**Postindustrial state**
low birth rate and low death rate
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**Age Structure Diagram**
broad base → rapid growth; narrow base → negative growth; uniform shape → zero growth
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1) China; 2) India; 3) U.S. and 4) Indonesia
**Top Four Most Populated Nations**
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low status of women
**Most Important Thing Affecting Population Growth**
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family planning; contraception, economic rewards, and penalties.
**Methods or Ways to Decrease Birth Rate**
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97\.5% Seawater; 2.5% freshwater
**Composition of Water on Earth**
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**Gray Water**
Any wastewater from a house EXCEPT TOILIET WATER; (dishwater, shower water…) this water can be used for irrigation water…
Studied by 10 people
