Environmental Science

pollution

undesirable change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of air, water, soil, and food that affects humans and other living organisms

ecological footprint

measure of demand made by a person or group of people on global natural resources

tragedy of the commons

depletion or degradation of potentially renewable resources to which people have free and unmanaged access

environmentalism

social movement for protecting earth's life support system

ecology

study of interaction between organisms and their environment

ecosystem

a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment

environment

the totality of surrounding conditions. everything that affects the living organism

perpetual resources

resources that cannot be depleted eg. solar, wind, and tidal energy

renewable resources

any natural resource that can be replenished naturally with the passage of time

non-renewable resources

fixed resources that cannot be replenished

differentation

as newly formed earth cooled layers formed through a process called

lithosphere

. rigid o outermost layer. the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle

latitude and longitude

representing earth surface

topographic map

shows earth elevation using contour lines

contour interval

gives user difference in elevation between contour lines

geologic map

contain info about the type and age of rock formation

earth system science

aims to study the earth as a system made up of numerous interacting parts or subsystems

not subjective

The scientific method: results are

statements, observation

The scientific method: results are based on

reproducible and thoroughly tested

The scientific method: results are and

1. identifying the problem
2. collecting data
3. proposing hypothesis
4. testing hypothesis

basic steps of scientific method

anthropocentricism

aimed at the preservation of human welfare

biocentrism

aimed at protecting non-human organisms and nature as a whole

1. elements
2. attributes
3. relationships

3 kinds of system properties

open system

a type of system where energy and mass can pass

isolated system

a type of system where energy and matter cannot pass

closed system

a type of system only energy can pass

1. trophic level
2. structure
3. function

components of ecosystem

autotrophic

organism who can make their own food

chemosynthesis

synthesis of carbohydrate from carbon dioxide and water; limited to certain bacteria and fungi

photosynthesis

use of energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide and water to glucose and oxygen

6CO2+6H2O - C6H12O6 + 6O2

formula for photosynthesis

CO2+4H2S+O2 - CH2O+4S+3H20

formula for chemosynthesis

grazing food chain

a food chain that feeds on living organisms

detritus food chain

a food chain that feeds on dead organisms

food chain

sequence of organism that provide energy and nutrients for other organisms

food web

networks of feeding interactions within particular habitat

heterotrophic

requiring organic compounds of carbon and nitrogen for nourishment

biophages, Saprophages

2 kinds of heterotrophic

living together

symbiosis literally means

mutualism

a type of symbiotic relationship which both organism benefit

commensalism

the relation between two different kinds of organisms when one receives benefits from the other without damaging it

parasitism

the relation between two different kinds of organisms in which one receives benefits from the other by causing damage to it

predation

a predator and prey symbiotic relationship

competition

a type of symbiotic relationship where organisms compete among themselves for limited resources

endoparasite

parasites live in the body of a host

ectoparasite

any external parasitic organism

1. geology
2. oceanography
3. meteorology
4. astronomy

4 subsystem of earth science

environmental science

interdisciplinary studies in natural sciences, including geology, climatology, hydrology, ecology, and their interaction with social sciences such as economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, geography

economic growth

Increase in capacity of a country to provide people with goods and services

Gross Domestic Product

Annual market value of all goods and services produced by all firms and organizations, foreign and domestic, operating within a country.

Per Capita GDP

Annual gross domestic product (GDP) of a country divided by its total population at mid-year. It gives the average slice of the economic pie per person.

economic development

Improvement of (human) living standards by economic growth

sustainable yield

Highest rate at which a potentially renewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply throughout the world or in a particular area.

environmental degradation

Depletion or destruction of a potentially renewable resource such as soil, grassland, forest, or wildlife that is used faster than it is naturally replenished.

point source

Single identifiable source that discharges pollutants into the environment

Non-point source

Large or dispersed land areas such as crop fields, streets, and lawns that discharge pollutants into the environment over a large area

prevention

input control deal with pollution

cleanup

output control deal with pollution

Environmental Wisdom

wise use of natural resources