Environmental Science- Midterm Exam

Environmental science

studies ecology and focuses on how humans affect the environment and how to solve environmental problems

Environmental activism

a social movement where people and organizations advocate for environmental protection

ecology

the scientific study of natural environmentals and how organisms interact with each other and their surroundings

Renewable recoruces

solar energy, wind energy

Nonrenewable resources

coal and natural gas

What is included in the term “environment”?

all living (biotic) things and the nonliving (abiotic) things they interact with

What is an ecological footprint

a measurement of the demands a person or group places on earth’s natural resources

Which areas of the world have the largest ecological footprint and why? |

Countries such as the United States, China, and India because they have large populations, high energy use, industrial economies, and high consumption of goods.

Example of inductive reasoning

This bird has wings. That bird has wings. Therefore, all birds have wings.

Example of deductive reasoning

If there is no power, the lights will not turn on. The lights did not turn on, so there is no power.

Quantitative data

numerical and based on measurements

Qualitative data

descriptive and based on observations

How does the peer-review process reduce faulty science?

Other scientists evaluate the experiment for errors in methods, data, and conclusions before it is published.

What is a peer?

An individual at the same professional or academic level as another individual.

Anthropocentrism

foouses on human needs and welfare

Biocentrism

values all living organisms equally

Ecocentrism

values ecosystems and communities as a whole

Convert 2.75 kg to grams

2750 grams

How do supply and demand affect cost

When demand increases and supply is low, prices increase. When supply increases and demand is low, prices decrease.

What is a cost-benefit analysis?

A comparison of the costs of an action to its benefits to determine if it is worthwhile.

Three types of environmental policies in the United States

Command-and-control regulations, incentive-based regulations, and voluntary environmental programs.

Cap-and-trade policy explanation

The government sets a limit on pollution, allows companies to buy and sell pollution permits, and encourages pollution reduction through market incentives.

80% of 200 frogs are spring peepers — how many?

160 spring peepers

Four types of ecosystem services

Provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.

Trees preventing erosion — what ecosystem service?

Regulating service

Why are incentives preferred over regulations?

They encourage voluntary compliance and innovation while often costing less to enforce.

What is the Tragedy of the Commons?

When individuals overuse a shared resource for personal benefit, causing long-term harm to everyone.

What are the five steps of the scientific method?

Ask a question, form a hypothesis, conduct an experiment, analyze data, draw conclusions.

Independent variable

manipulated by the scientist

Dependant variable

what is measured

What are the two major events that changed human population and resource use?

The agricultural Revolution and Industrial Revolution

Why is it difficult to determine how many species exist on Earth?

Many species have not been discovered, especially insects and microorganisms, and there is no global database tracking all species.

Rank threatened, endangered, and extinct from most to least

Threatened → Endangered → Extinct

Four types of speciation

Geographic, behavioral, mechanical, temporal

Geographic

physical barriers separate populations

Behavioral

different mating behaviors

Mechanical

different reproductive anatomy

Temporal

breeds at different times

What is competitive exclusion?

when two species cannot occupy the same niche at the same time and both survive

What are the two types of limiting factors?

Density- dependant and Density independant

Density-dependant

disease and predation

Density independent

natural disasters and weather

What pressure turns a J curve into an S curve

Limiting factors and carrying capacity

Natality

birth rate

Fecundity

number of offspring

fertility

ability to reproduce

Mortality

death rate

Life expectancy

predicted length of life

What is a survivorship curve?

A graph showing the proportion of individuals surviving at each age

Type I

high survival until old age

Type II

constant death rate

Type III

high early mortality

What are 3 characteristics of K Strategists

stable environments, slow reproduction, and long life expectancy with high parental care

What are 3 characteristics of R strategists

unstable environments, rapid reproduction, short life expectancy with little parental care