Bio Concepts 4-6 Test

What is sustainability?

a balance between Earth’s resources, human needs, and the needs of other species

What is ecological (carbon) footprint?

the amount of carbon emitted and its environmental impact

What are renewable resources?

resources that are produced or replenished more quickly than they are consumed

What are examples of renewable resources?

oxygen, wood, water, sunlight, wind

What are nonrenewable resources?

resources that are consumed/used more quickly than they are created

What are examples of nonrenewable resources?

fossil fuels, metal, plastic

What is the role of technology?

technology both contributes to air, water, and land pollution and provides clean energy, waste management, and pollution cleanup

What are the three types of technology?

1. agricultural technology

2. alternative energy technology

3. industrial technology

What is the goal of agricultural technology?

increase food productivity

What are the pros of agricultural technology?

• contour farming

• fertilizers

• irrigation systems

• farm machinery

What are the cons of agricultural technology?

• fertilizers (excess nitrogen, alters soil)

• farm machinery (run on fossil fuels and pollutes)

What is the goal of alternative energy technology?

provide “clean” energy to power society without negatively influencing the atmosphere

What are pros of alternative energy technology?

• decreases the burning of fossil fuels

• uses renewable resources such as sunlight, wind, water, and nuclear

What are cons of alternative energy technology?

• expensive

• nuclear energy creates radioactive waste

What is the goal of industrial technology?

increase manufacturing efficiency, transportation, and communication

What are the pros of industrial technology?

improved communication, faster transportation, and cheaper industries

What are cons of industrial technology?

• creation of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) from foam packaging material and refrigerant

  • CFCs deplete the ozone layer

• burning of fossil fuels (increases greenhouse gases and produces acid rain)

What is an effect of acid rain?

lowers soil pH, leaches soil nutrients, and changes aquatic pH

What is the greenhouse effect?

the normal warming effect when gases trap heat in the atmosphere

What are the greenhouse gases?

• CO₂

• O₂

• CH₄

• H₂O

What do greenhouse gases do?

• trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range

• prevent heat from escaping the atmosphere so it stays trapped

What do CFCs do?

deplete the ozone layer, allowing more of the sun’s UV rays to get in

What is a key contributor of global warming?

burning fossil fuels

How does burning fossil fuels contribute to global warming?

combustion releases extra CO₂ into the atmosphere which increases the amount of greenhouse gases which increases Earth’s overall temperature

What is biodiversity?

the total amount of variation of life on Earth

What reflects a healthy ecosystem?

high biodiversity

How do humans threaten biodiversity?

• habitat destruction and fragmentation

• pollution

• introduction of invasive species

What are invasive species?

non-native species introduced to an ecosystem that negatively harms it

example: water hyacinth

What is ecological succession?

the process of ecological change in an ecosystem where one community is replaced by another community over time

What are the two types of ecological succession?

• primary succession

• secondary succession

What is primary succession?

formation of a brand new ecosystem

What is secondary succession?

recovery of an old ecosystem

How does primary succession occur?

when a community forms in an area that has not been previously occupied

What are examples of areas where primary succession can occur?

exposed rock, lava, melted ice, eroded sand