APES Unit 1

kinetic energy

what matter in motion has (ex: flowing water, car driving, electricity)

electric power

the rate at which electric energy is transferred (watts or megawatts)

electromagnetic radiation

when energy travels through waves

radiation

the transfer of heat energy through space

conduction

the transfer of heat from one solid to a cooler one

convection

the transfer of heat within liquids/gases

potential energy

energy that is stored

low quality energy

energy so dispersed that it has little capacity to do useful work

1st law of thermodynamics / law of conservation of energy

whenever energy is converted from one form to another— no energy is created or destroyed

2nd law of thermodynamics

when converted, energy weakens

positive feedback loop

product amplified after event

(ex: predator eat prey —> make more pred)

negative feedback loop

product returns to normal after event

(ex: pred eat prey —> prey pop fails —> no food —> decrease in pred pop)

low pH

acidic, high amount of H+/Hydrogen ions

high pH

basic, low amount of H+/Hydrogen ions

work

force x distance

measures energy transferred

human capital

physical and mental talents of laborers/innovators

manufactured capital

machinery, materials, factories

highthroughput economy

one which tries to boost economic growth by increasing energy/resource flow (high waste)

lowthroughput

low waste

GDP (gross domestic product)

annual market value of all goods/services of a country

measured by per capita GDP

per capita GDP

GDP/country’s total pop

age of Earth

4.5 billion years old

age of life on Earth

3.8 billion years

ecological footprint

amount of land/water needed to supply a population and to absorb/cycle waste

Environmental Impact Model

IPAT

IPAT

Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology

3 major cultural changes

1. Agricultural Revolution (~10,000 yrs ago)

2. Industrial-Medical Revolution (~300 yrs ago)

3. Information-Globalization Revolution (~50 yrs ago)

4. Sustainability Rev?? (in future)

percent annual natural increase

changes to a population size

percent annual natural increase CALCULATION

(x births - y deaths)/# ppl in given pop. x 100

doubling time

amount of time it takes for a population to double in size

doubling time in yrs CALCULATION

70 / % annual natural increase

(ex: 1.8% —> 70 / 1.8 = 39)

Competitive Exclusion (Gause’s Law)

2 similar species can’t occupy the same niche

Commensalism

one member helped, other unaffected

spacial niche partitioning

when species are occupying their own specific habitats within the same environment

dietary niche partitioning

when there is no competition since the species eat different things

niche partitioning by resource height

when even species that both eat the same don’t compete because the taller get the higher and shorter get the lower

niche partitioning by time (temporal niche partitioning)

when species feed at different times

mutualism

both benefit

parasitism

one benefits, other is harmed

interspecific competition

between members of different species

intraspecific competition

between members of the same species

ecological niche

the specific role, position, and function that a species has in its ecosystem

where tundra

furthest north (of boreal forest)

North America (Alaska, Canada, Russia), Europe, Asia

climate of tundra

long freezing winters, short cool summers

no trees

plants in tundra

mosses, lichens, small shrubs

animals that migrate to tundra

caribou & birds

animals in tundra all year

musk oxen & polar bears

where desert

North American, Africa, Central Asia, South America, Australia

desert climate

dry hot days, cold nights

how desert plants survive

store water & spines to keep animals from eating (ex: cactus)

how desert animals survive

get moisture from food

produce concentrated urine

nocturnal to avoid heat

savanna =

tropical grasslands

where savanna

Africa, South America, Australia

within 30 degrees of equator

Climate of savanna

dry winter, wet summer (warm year round)

plants in savanna

elephant grass, acacia trees, baobab tree

how savanna animals survive

migrate for water/prey

burrow underground to escape heat

reproduce during wet season

animals in savanna

zebras, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, meerkats

where temperate grassland

much of Central North America —> turned into farms bc of rich soil

climate of temperate grassland

hot summers & cold winters, moderate rainfall

no trees, not enough rain

how temperate grassland plants survive

grow from base, not tip

roots form thick mats to hold nutrients

how temperate grasslands animals survive

burrow for shelter

animals in temperate grasslands

prairie dogs, bison, owls, coyotes, foxes

where chaparral / mediterranean / shrubland

California, Mediterranean, parts of Australia

climate of chaparral

mild wet winters, hot dry summers

how chaparral plants survive

having leaves that can retain water

deep roots to access water

how chaparral animals survive

active at night to stay cool

large ears to release body heat

burrowing to escape sun

animals in chaparral

gray fox, mice, lizards, gophers, turtoises

where tropical rainforest

on the equator

climate of tropical rainforest

humid, hot, wet

canopy

upper layer of forest

how tropical rainforest plants survive

grow to reach light

large leaves absorb light

tails for swinging on trees

animals in tropical rainforest

monkeys, butterflies, jaguars, macaw

where temperate deciduous / seasonal forest

Europe, East Asia, East US

climate of temperate deciduous forest

cold winters, warm summers, yearlong rain

deciduous trees

lose their leaves in fall to survive winter

ex: maples, oaks

deciduous forest soil

rich in nutrients from fallen leaves

how temperate deciduous forest animals survive

migrate

hibernate

store food for winter

animals in temperate deciduous forest

garter snake, striped skunk, white-tailed deer, eastern gray squirrel, bears

where temperate rainforest

Pacific Northwest regions of US

climate of temperate rainforest

heavy rainfall & mild temperatures

plants in temperate rainforest

tall evergreen trees

moss

douglas firs

how temperate rainforest animals survive

absorb moisture via skin

graze on forest floor

temperate rainforest animals

banana slugs, elk, bears, bald eagles, black bears

boreal / coniferous forest =

taiga

Where boreal forest/taiga

across Canada & Russia

boreal forest / taiga climate

long cold winters, short wet summers

boreal forest / taiga plants

evergreen trees (ex: spruces & firs)

how boreal forest / taiga plants survive

cone shape slides snow off

needles hold moisture

how boreal forest / taiga animals survive

change color in winter to blend with snow

stay underground to escape cold

migration in summer

boreal forest / taiga animals

moose, wolves, bear, lynx, rodents

2% Earth’s freshwater =

87% ice

12% groundwater

1% rivers/lakes

stream

small narrow river leading to lake/ocean

river

large natural stream of water to sea/lake

carries silt

carves canyons

largest lake by volume

lake baikal

estuaries

where fresh and salt water meet

wetlands

where land and water meet

ex: marshes, swamps

mangrove forests

group of trees/shrubs that live in shallow SALTY water where land and sea meet

littoral zone

shallow-deep part of lake where land and water meet

limnetic zone

open, well-lit area of lake where sunlight penetrates and supports photosynthesis

warmer

higher oxygen levels

profundal zone

deep, dark, cold layer of lake below the range of effective light penetration