APES review (all units)

Apes!

Point Source

A specific source of pollution that can be identified, such as a pipe.

Nonpoint source

a widely spread source of pollution that is difficult to link to a specific point of origin

Range of tolerance

the limits to the abiotic conditions that a species can tolerate

Impacts of being outside range of tolerance

organisms may experience physiological stress, limited growth, reduced reproduction, and in extreme cases, death

Human activities impacting coral reefs

increasing ocean temperature, sediment runoff, and destructive fishing practices

Environmental impacts of oil spills

Cause organisms to die from the hydrocarbons, .can coat the feathers of birds and fur of marine mammals, sink to the ocean floor, killing some bottom-dwelling organisms.

Economic impacts of oil spills

Oil that washes up on the beach can have economic consequences on the fishing and tourism industries

Oceanic dead zones

areas of low oxygen in the world's oceans caused by increased nutrient pollution

oxygen sag curve

The curve obtained when the concentration of dissolved oxygen in a river into which sewage or some other pollutant has been discharged is plotted against the distance downstream from the sewage outlet

Sources and impact of heavy metals

used for industry, especially mining and burning of fossil fuels, can reach the groundwater, impacting the drinking water supply

Impacts of litter

unsightly, can create intestinal blockage and choking hazards for wildlife and introduce toxic substances to the food chain

Impacts of sediment pollution

reduce light infiltration, which can affect primary producers and visual predators, can also settle, disrupting benthic habitats

What happens when mercury enters aquatic environments

bacteria in the water convert it to highly toxic methylmercury

Endocrine disruptors

chemicals that can interfere with the endocrine system of animals (e.g. Atrazine, BPA)

Environmental impacts of endocrine disruptors

can lead to birth defects, developmental disorders, and gender imbalances in fish and other species

Wetlands

areas where water covers the soil, either part or all of the time

Ecological services provided by wetlands

water purification, flood protection, water filtration, and habitat

Threats to wetlands and mangroves

commercial development, dam construction, overfishing, and pollutants from agriculture and industrial waste

Environmental effects of nutrient pollution (N and P)

Causes eutrophication, and an algal bloom. When the algal bloom dies, microbes digest the algae, along with the oxygen in the water, leading to a decrease in the dissolved oxygen levels in the water. The lack of dissolved oxygen can result in large die-offs of fish and other aquatic organisms

Hypoxic waterways

bodies of water that are low in dissolved oxygen

oligotrophic waterways

have very low amounts of nutrients, stable algae populations, and high dissolved oxygen

Anthropogenic causes of eutrophication (cultural eutrophication)

agricultural runoff and wastewater release

Thermal pollution

occurs when heat released into the water produces negative effects to the organisms in that ecosystem

Impact of thermal pollution

Decreases dissolved oxygen because because warm water does not contain as much oxygen as cold water

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

Do not easily break down in the environment because they are synthetic, carbon-based molecules. Can travel over long distances via wind and water before being redeposited (such as dioxin, DDT and PCBs).

Impacts of POPs

Can be toxic to organisms because they are soluble in fat, which allows them to accumulate in organisms' fatty tissues.

Bioaccumulation

The selective absorption and concentration of elements or compounds by cells in a living organism, most commonly fat-soluble compounds

Biomagnification

The increase in concentration of substances per unit of body tissue that occurs in successively higher trophic levels of a food chain or in a food web.

Environmental impacts of bioaccumulation and biomagnification

eggshell thinning and developmental deformities in top carnivores of the higher trophic levels

Human health impacts of bioaccumulation and biomagnification

issues with the reproductive, nervous, and circulatory systems

Substances that bioaccumulate

DDT, mercury, and PCBs

Solid waste

any discarded material that is not a liquid or gas. It is generated in domestic, industrial, business, and agricultural sectors

Landfill

Most common way to dispose of solid waste

Drawbacks of landfills

can contaminate groundwater and release harmful gases

E-Waste

discarded electronic equipment such as computers, cell phones, television sets, etc.

Sanitary landfill - Purpose of a Bottom liner and Leachate collection system

prevents leachate from contaminating groundwater

Sanitary landfill - purpose of a methane collection system

collect harmful methane gas and route it to be burned for electricity

Sanitary landfill - purpose of a clay cap

Covers the landfill with an impermeable layer that prevents formation of leachate

Sanitary landfill - purpose of a stormwater collection system

Prevents trash from being carried into local waterways by storm water

Factors in landfill composition

the composition of the trash and conditions needed for microbial decomposition of the waste (such as temperature and moisture level)

Incineration

where waste is burned at high temperatures

Benefits of incineration of solid waste

reduces the volume of solid waste by about 50%

Drawbacks of incineration of solid waste

releases air pollutants, and ash still needs to be landfilled

Impact of illegal dumping of rubber tires

when left in piles can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that can spread diseases such as Zika, West Nile, and Malaria

Impact of illegal ocean dumping of solid waste

Has led to large floating islands of trash in the oceans. Additionally, wildlife can become entangled in the waste, as well as ingest it.

Recycling

a process by which certain solid waste materials are processed and converted into new products

Benefits of recycling

Can reduce landfill volume by diverting up to 30% of the waste stream. Reduces the current global demand on minerals.

Drawbacks of recycling

energy-intensive and can be costly

Composting

the process of organic matter such as food scraps, paper, and yard waste decomposing

Benefits of composting

Can divert up to 10% of the waste stream away from landfills. The product can be used as fertilizer

Drawbacks of composting

odor and rodents

Impacts of E-Waste

may contain hazardous chemicals, including heavy metals such as lead and mercury, which can leach from landfills into groundwater if they are not disposed of properly

Solutions for E-Waste

can be reduced by recycling and reuse

Landfill mitigation strategies

burning waste for energy to restoring habitat on former landfills for use as parks, the combustion of gases produced from decomposition of organic material in landfills can be used to turn turbines and generate electricity.

Primary sewage treatment

the physical removal of large objects, often through the use of screens and grates, followed by the settling of solid waste in the bottom of a tank

Secondary sewage treatment

a biological process in which bacteria break down organic matter into carbon dioxide and inorganic sludge, which settles in the bottom of a tank. The tank is aerated to increase the rate at which the bacteria break down the organic matter

Tertiary sewage treatment

the use of ecological or chemical processes to remove any pollutants left in the water after primary and secondary treatment

Disinfection

treated wastewater is exposed to one or more disinfectants (usually, chlorine, ozone, or UV light) to kill bacteria

Effluent

the treated water discharged from a wastewater treatment plant

Lethal dose 50% (LD50)

the dose of a chemical that is lethal to 50% of the population of a particular species

Dose response curve

describes the effect on an organism or mortality rate in a population based on the dose of a particular toxin or drug

Why it can be difficult to establish a cause and effect between pollutants and human health issues

humans experience exposure to a variety of chemicals and pollutants

Dysentery

caused by untreated sewage in streams and rivers

Mesothelioma

a type of cancer caused mainly by exposure to asbestos

Respiratory problems and impairment of overall lung function

Caused by exposure to elevated levels of tropospheric ozone

Impact of climate change on spread of pathogens

As equatorial-type climate zones spread north and south into what are currently subtropical and temperate climate zones, pathogens, infectious diseases, and any associated vectors are spreading into these areas where the disease has not previously been known to occur.

Disease vector

An animal that spreads a disease, once infected, to another animal.

Conditions that lead to spread of diseases

Poverty-stricken, low-income areas often lack sanitary waste disposal and have contaminated drinking water supplies, leading to havens and opportunities for the spread of infectious diseases. Specific pathogens can occur in many environments regardless of the appearance of sanitary conditions.

Plague

A bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis, carried by organisms infected with the plague bacteria. It is transferred to humans via the bite of an infected organism or through contact with contaminated fluids or tissues

Tuberculosis

A bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that typically attacks the lungs. It is spread by breathing in the bacteria from the bodily fluids of an infected person. Some strains have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics.

Malaria

A parasitic disease caused the protozoan Plasmodium spp., transmitted by bites from infected mosquitoes. It is most often found in sub-Saharan Africa

West Nile Virus

transmitted to humans via bites from infected mosquitoes

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Caused by a coronavirus, causes a form of pneumonia, transmitted by inhaling or touching infected fluids

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

Caused by a coronavirus, a viral respiratory illness that is transferred from animals (such as camels) to humans

Zika

A virus caused by bites from infected mosquitoes, can be transmitted through sexual contact, or passed from mother to child during pregnancy

Cholera

A bacterial disease cause by Vibrio cholerae that is contracted from infected water, causing diarrhea

Zoonosis

an infection indigenous to animals but naturally transmissible to humans

Clean Water Act

Regulates the discharge of pollutants into US waters (requires a permit), and establishes water quality standards for surface waters.

Safe Drinking Water Act

Legislation that sets the national standards for safe drinking water.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

aka Superfund, Created a tax on the petroleum and chemical industries to pay for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites in cases where the responsible party could not be held accountable.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Management of non-hazardous and hazardous solid waste including landfills and storage tanks. Set minimal standards for all waste disposal facilities and for hazardous wastes.

Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (1958)

prohibits adding cancer causing agents to food

atmosphere

A thin layer of gases surrounding Earth

Composition of the atmosphere

78% N2, 21% O2, 0.9% Ar, 0.1% everything else

troposphere

The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs

stratosphere

The second-lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, where the ozone layer exists

insolation

incoming solar radiation

latitude

Distance north or south of the equator

Why does Earth have seasons?

Earth has seasons because its axis is tilted as it revolves around the sun.

weather

The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.

climate

The average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time (30+ years)

rain shadow

a region with dry conditions found on the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side

El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

an irregularly occurring and complex series of climatic changes affecting the equatorial Pacific region and beyond every few years, characterized by the appearance of unusually warm, nutrient-poor water off northern Peru and Ecuador, typically in late December.

La Nina

A cooling of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America, occurring periodically every 4 to 12 years and affecting Pacific and other weather patterns.

convection current

a current caused by the rising of heated fluid and sinking of cooled fluid

wind

The horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure

Coriolis effect

Causes moving air and water to turn left in the southern hemisphere and turn right in the northern hemisphere due to Earth's hemisphere.

mesosphere

3rd layer of the atmosphere

thermosphere

The outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere.

exosphere

The outer layer of the thermosphere, extending outward into space.