EVR 1001 FINAL FSU

Please explain the four main types of climate change mitigation?

1. reduce emissions

2. remove CO2 from atmosphere

3. Block sunlight

4. Protect against change in agriculture

please explain the difference between a positive and negative feedback related to the arctic?

positive feedback: colder temps will lead to growth of the polar ice caps

neg. feedback: warmer temps cause ice to melt over the tundra

draw a diagram of the carbon cycle

please explain three major ways in which climate change is likely to impact the state of FL

increased temp, sea level rise, increased respiratory issues

describe four negative impacts agriculture may have on the environment

land conversion & habitat loss, wasteful water consumption, and soil erosion, degradation

describe five major categories of pollutants and provide an example of a source for each one

air

-ozone

-carbon monoxide

water

-heavy metals

-chemical waste

soil

-pesticides

-hydrocarbons

outline what determines the impact of mineral exploitation on the environment and describe direct and indirect and social impacts of mineral development

ore quality, mining procedures, climate rock type, size of operation.

-direct impact: plants and animals killed by mining activity or contact w/ toxic or water

-indirect:changes in nutrient cycling total biomass, species diversity and ecosystem stability

social impacts: rapid influx of workers into areas unprepared for growth

define ecological restoration and describe how human activities have impacted the Everglades providing examples

restoring an ecosystem to its historical rage of variation and to an ability to sustain itself and its crucial function. Human activities have impacted the Everglades include: draining wetlands, channelizing rivers, installing water control structures

Select three sources of energy--one conventional (e.g. coal, petroleum, etc.) and two alternative-and list two advantages and two disadvantages of each in terms of cost, jobs lost or gained, environmental impact, or potential for supplying energy. Of the three, which energy source do you believe is the most desirable?

solar, wind, and coal.

The "tragedy of the commons" provides explanations for why individuals don't always act in ways that promote the long-term health and sustainability of the environment. Describe the concept behind the "tragedy of the commons", the problems associated with public use of "a commons" and name three different national or international examples of "a commons?"

when a resource is shared, an individuals personal share of profit from exploitation of the resource is usually greater than that individuals share of the resulting loss. Problems with public use are they don't seek sustainability, and profit motive does not always lead a persona to act in the best interest of the environment.

Examples of "a commons": pastureland, forest, ocean fisheries away from coastline, the atmosphere.

biodiversity

the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem

threats to biodiversity

habitat loss, habitat fragmentation(humans divide habitat), overharvesting, climate change

strategies for conserving biodiversity

preserves and protected areas, managing populations of individual species, national parks and wilderness areas

US and international polices on convervation

US:

creation of national parks (1916 Woodrow Wilson), 1914 Wilderness Act, 1900 Lacey Act., 1972 Marine Mammal protection act, 1973 Endangered Species Act

INTERNATIONAL:

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Regulation of whaling

climate

vs

weather

C: long-term averages, patterns, or trends in the weather

w: meteorological condition in a given place on a given day

what do scientists agree on?

instrumental and historical records of climate change

historical record journals note precipitation, frost etc.

climate proxies

tree rings, ice cores, marine sediments

Milankovitch cycles

ice age climate, related to orbital changes affecting the amount of heat reaching the Earth.

green house gases

transparent to visible light, but absorb long wave radiation given off by the earth. co2 has a long life-time in the atmosphere

climate change feedback

positive feedbacks:

-water vapor

-forest fire

-reduce Ice

-cloud cover in polar regions

negative feedback:

-cloud cover

-cloud cover in tropics

-vegetation regrowth

-ocean absorption of CO2

climate models

global circulation models (GCMs) uses math equations to explain how a system will change in time

fossil fuels

forms of stored solar energy. oils, natural gas and coal, 87% of energy consumed worldwide

oil

derived from organic matter( mostly plants and phytoplanton) primarily found along plate boundaries

natural gas

recently utilized, recoverable gas, clean fuel

shale gas/ oil

fine grained sedimentary rock containing organic matter (kerogen) recovered from surface and subsurface

coal

partially decomposesd vegetation, most abundant fossil fuel

mining impacts

environmental effects of fossil fuels

-air & water pollution

-acid rain

-climate change

-health impacts

can we feed the world

in order to feed the entire population agriculture must grow, some places in the world food is already inadequate.

what we grow on the land

crops, for livetock, range land and pasture

soils and its layers

key to life on land

-o horizon- organic layer, top of the soil

-A&E horizon: upper horizon

-B horizon: zone of accumulation

-C horizon: most similar to parent material

controlling pests

4 stages

1: broad spectrum inorganic toxins

2: petroleum based sprays and natural plant chemicals

3: artificial organic compounds

4: return to biological and ecological knowledge

genetically modified foods-concers

-risks for people

-can transgenes escape, pollute ecosystems and harm organisms

-can pests evolve resistance to GM crops like pesticides

-can weeds become superweeds

-negative impacts on traditional native crops

aquaculture

farming food in aquatic habitats

marine an freshwater food obtained from fishing

main sources of water

1: surface water: renewable resource but can be variable over time (droughts)

2: Groundwater: largely non-renewable but high quality and reliable

water resources

surface water (movement of water into the oceans)

ground water (US uses as drinking water)

desalination

treated wastewater

conservation of water

water conservaion

careful use and protection of water resources quality and quantity of water

3 components

-agricultural use

-public supply and domestic use

-industrial and manufacturing use

water management

use of water w/o degrading the various components of the hydrologic cycle or the ecological systems depend on it

complex issue, more difficult when demand increases

wetlands

land forms such as salt marshes, swamps, bogs, prairie potholes and vernal pools

-seasonally hold water

-freshwater wetlands are a natural sponge for water: reduce flooding

dams and the environment

dams are multi functional structures:

-ensure a more stable water supply

-generate electricity

-provide flood control

-recreational activities

environmental effects of dams:

-loss of land

-potential flood hazard

-downstream changes in hydrology

-fragmentation of ecosystem

water pollution

degradation of water quality

water pollutants include:

-heavy metals

-sediments

-certain radioactive isotopes

-heat

-excess nutrients

wastewater treatment

-septic tank disposal systems

-treatment plants:

primary treatments

secondary treatment(required by law)

advanced wastewater treatment

-Chlorine treatment: kills pathogens, hazard to fish and cancer to humans

water resuse

water is withdrawn, treated, used, treated and returned to the environment

water pollution and environmental law

law dealing w/ conservation and use of natural resources and control of pollution

-federal laws to protect water go back to Refuse Act 1899

water sustainability will require modification of the clean water act

importance of waste management to resources of society

modern society depends on:

Renewable:

-air

-surface water

-plants and animals

-some fuel sources

Nonrenewable resources:

-soil

-fossil fuels(oil,coal)

-groundwater

-most minerals

mineral resources

nonrenewable resource

new deposits forming but too slowly to use today

impacts of mineral development

releasing of harmful elements, water degradation, water toxins could cause diesase

materials management and waste

-Reduce, recycle, reuse

goals of restoration? timeline

1. preindustrial- maintain ecosystem as they were in AD 1500

2. Presettlement (e.g. of N. Amer.) maintain ecosystem as they were in AD 1494

3. Agricultural- 5000 BC

4.before any significant impact of human beings-10,000 BC

5. Maximum production- independent of specific time

6. maximum diversity- independent of a specific time

7. Maximum biomass- independent of old growth

8. Preserve a specific endangered species- whenever stage it is adopted to

9. historical range of variation-create the future like the known pas

define restoration

restoring an ecosystem to its historical range of variation and to an ability to sustain itself and its crucial functions

how have humans impact the Everglades

-disturbed hydrology

-increased demands for land and freshwater

-oxidation of peat soils in wetlands

-introduction of invasive species

what is usually restored

wetlands, rives and streams

restoring heavily damaged lands

judging the success of restoration

• General structure and process of the target ecosystem

• Appropriate integration with the larger landscape • Adaptations to withstand disturbances such as fire • Ability to be nearly as self-sustaining as the target ecosystem

alternative energy- solar

RENEWABLE

-passive solar energy:

Cooling in hot weather and retaining heat in cold weather

-Active solar energy

requires mechanical power circulates fluids or air/water from solar collectors to a location where heat is stored

-solar collector: space heating or hot water (flat plate/evacuated tube collector)

A.E. OCEAN

high energy in motion of waves, currents and tides in the ocean

-tidal power most successful, 7 current station currently worldwide

A.E.-WIND

wind produced when differential heating of Earth's surface created air masses w/ differing heat contents ad densities

-cheapest form of Alt. energy

-issues:

highly variable in time place and intensity

-kills birds, esp. large birds

-uses lard areas of lanf

A.E. BIOFUELS

energy recovered from biomass (organic matter)

-oldest fuel used by humans

-1 billion people in the world still use wood as a primary source of energy for heat and cooking

-can pollute the air and degrade the land

A.E. GEOTHERMAL

energy from the interior of the Earth

-most grroundwater can be a source of geothermal energy

A.E.- the future

-use of renewable is growing rapidly

-do not cause air pollution, health problems, climate change

public services of nature

services ecosystems provide to humans and the environment

-system that provide these functions as natural capital

-natural capital and economic activity are highly linked

-pollinating animals pollinate $15 billion worth of crops grown on 2 million acres in the US

tragedy of the commons

when a resource is shared , an individuals personal share of profit from exploitation of the resource is usually greater than that of individuals share of the resulting loss

-a common is any resource owed publicly, with public asses for private uses

low growth rate/ low profit- exploitation

2 approaches:

-resource sustainability

-maximum profit

externalities

indirect cost

value the beauty of nature

landscape aesthetics

problem: personal preference

risk-benefit analysis

the riskiness of a present action in terms of its possible outcomes is weighed against the benefit or value of the action