envi 101 exam 1

what is the study of environmental science about

study of the natural and built (technological, social) world

humans interacting with the environment

abiotic - nonliving

• human-made structures, geology of area such as rocks, water, nutrients, sunlight

biotic - living

• fish, plant life, forests, humans, bacteria’s in water

what are ecosystem services and difference examples

the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human well-being, and have an impact on our survival and quality of life

• trees → photosynthesis, food, fuel, shelter, oxygen, erosion control

• water → hydration, hydroelectric, habitat, carbon sink

what are different values/terms associated with environmental ethics

inherent value → intrinsic right to exist

instrumental value → something useful to someone

stewardship→ how someone takes care of resources

what is environmental justice and examples of issues related to environmental justice

the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in agency decision-making and other Federal activities that affect human health and environmental protections

examples of issues:

• hazardous waste landfills located in poor communities

• individuals in minority communities have higher exposure rates to lead-based paint, diesel fumes, noise from factories, landfills

prominent figures in environmental conservation/protection history

preservations- environment should be left untouched

• John Muir - believed wilderness should be left untouched

conservationists- environment should be protected and its resources should only be used for the greater good

• Gifford Pinchot and Teddy Roosevelt - instrumental value type

• Aldo Leopold -helped found the US Wilderness Society in 1935

• Rachel Carson- wrote silent spring - spoke out against DDT pollution

• Bill McKibbon -public awareness on climate change

• Van Jones - Obama’s special adviser for green jobs, economy and energy efficiency

• Wangari Maathi - founded “Green Belt movement" - reforestation

• Greta Thunberg - getting young people involved in environmental movement, climate strike

what is sustainable development

Meeting needs of the present for all people without devastating the environment for future generations.

what is the concept tragedy of the commons

what did Hardin articulate as solutions to this problem

what are Ostrom’s ideas related to the topic

Essentially doing whatever in self-interest, destroying lands and

resources without consideration for the planet and future generations residing there.

hardin - supported private property and government regulation

Ostrom - managing the commons without private property rights through communication, social networks and more

how can we consider wealth and population tied to a country’s impact on the environment

more wealthy and populated countries contribute more to the negative effects on the environment - produce for fossil fuels

define science + the steps of the scientific method - definition of hypothesis

science - the systematic examination of the structure and functioning of the natural world, both its physical and biological attributes

scientific method - observation, identify question, form testable hypothesis, collect data, interpret results, peer review, publish findings

hypothesis- a testable explanation for an observation

names of the different graphs

bar graph - average

standard deviation - disperse of data relative to the mean. Variation in data, range of numbers.

Scatterplot - correlation vs causation

line graph - trends over a period of time

what does “reliable science” - what is the peer-review process

reviewed by peers? IDK

matter

anything that has mass and takes up space

element

substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical reactions

different parts of the atoms and where are they located

protons - nucleus

neutrons - nucleus

electrons - outer rings

atomic number

total number of protons in an atom - top number

mass number

total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus

isotopes

elements that exist in different forms, different mass

molecules

two or more atoms of the same or different elements joined by chemical bonds

organic molecules

carbon-based molecules, 2 or more carbons

ions

atoms or molecules that are electrically charged as a result of gaining or losing an electron

four types of large biological molecules/macromolecules/polymers and their functions - ADD MORE

carbohydrates- sugars, primary source of dietary energy

• monosaccharides - simple sugars that cannot be broken down

• disaccharides - two monosaccharides

• polysaccharides - long chains of monosaccharides

proteins- expression of genes

lipids - hydrophobic

nucleic acids - store information and provide instructions to build the protein

energy - two different types and examples

kinetic - energy in motion

• flowing water, a car driving, electricity heat

potential - stored energy

• water in a reservoir behind a dam, chemical energy stored in coal,

first law of thermodynamic/ law of conservation of energy

energy cannot be created or destroyed

energy turns into heat or for growth

concept of energy efficiency ADD MORE

the practice of using less energy to provide the same amount of useful output from a service (such as heating water, lighting, or cooling a fridge)

how does energy move through an ecosystem and the two main processes involved
including inputs/outputs

cellular respiration - some energy turns into heat or for growth

light - photosynthesis to produce glucose and energy→ turn into chemical energy

the different trophic level, names of each level with examples

Producers: Photosynthetic plants, algae, bacteria.

Primary Consumers: Herbivores

Secondary Consumers: Carnivores

Tertiary Consumers: A “Top Carnivore”

Decomposers: Fungi - consumers

Detritivores: Feed on waste or dead animals/plants - earthworms

how does energy transfers through trophic levels

as you move up the trophic level less energy is given, energy is lost

consumers require a large amount of energy

what is the definition of evolution and natural selection

how is Charles Darwin related

evolution - the process through which life forms change genetically over times

natural selection- individuals with certain genetic traits are more likely to survive and reproduce under a specific set of conditions

Charles Darwin - evolution occurs by the process of natural selection

phylogenetic tree ?

a diagram showing the evolutionary interrelations of a group of organisms derived from a common ancestral form.

ancestor is in the “trunk” and different organisms on branches

the different types of selection - directional, stabilizing, disruptive

directional - an extreme phenotype is favored over other phenotypes within a population

• giraffe neck lengths

stabilizing - favors non-extreme traits over two extreme traits - helps maintain balance between survival and reproductive success by selecting for traits that are well-suited to the environment

• plant height

disruptive - favors the extreme phenotypes of a trait, leading to a bimodal distribution

• beak size - favors small and large

explain the two examples of natural selection

Heritable variation - Peppered moths

natural selection will favor different characteristics

describe ecological niche + two categorizations related to it

Role in a habitat - how other organisms in that habitat use that species

generalist vs specialist

• generalist - wide range of conditions, they survive in different types of environments

• specialists - narrow ecological niches

endemic species + example

naturally found only in one area

lemurs

resource partitioning + example

the division of limited resources by species to help avoid competition in an ecological niche

• Some species may prefer the leaves of the plant while others prefer the plant stems

indicator species + example

are living organisms that tell us that something has changed or is going to change in their environment

partially sensitive to certain environmental conditions

difference between weather and climate

weather - short term, day to day, temperature, humidity, precipitation

climate - long term patterns

how does solar radiation, the tilt of the earth’s axis and rotation of the earth on its axis influence regional climate and seasonal change

follows two motions

• revolution - moving around the sun in 365

• rotation - spins on its axis

mean annual temperatures decrease as you move closer to the poles

how does Hadley cells impact climate

Hadley cells influence precipitation patterns - large atmospheric cells or circulation where air rises

3 distinct grouping for plant life and key characteristics

grasses - photosynthetic tissue because little energy is required

for support tissues (stems)

shrubs - a plant with multiple woody, persistent stems (no

central trunk) and a height under 4m

trees - will invest more resources in stems and other

supporting structures; Increased height and access to light

name the different biomes and key features

Tropical rainforests- high temperatures, high precipitation

Tropical seasonal forests- has a dry season

Tropical savannas and grasslands - high temperatures, low precipitation

Deserts- dry sand, lack of rain

Temperate grasslands - prime area for farming, biome is disappearing because a lot of it is turning into farmland

Temperate shrubland - chaparral

Temperate foresters - dry weather

• Deciduous forests - lose leaves annually

• Coniferous forests - evergreen forests, cone bearing

Boreal forests-

Artic Tundra- high latitudes and cold temperatures

Alpine Tundra - occurs at lower latitudes in the higher mountains of the world

primary productivity, how does it vary and where is it highest/lowest

primary productivity - rate of biomass

?

how is the example of the Amazon rainforest’s tipping point related to concepts in lecture

biomes are not fixed

• due to climate change - more extreme weather conditions

• as well as deforestation and farming occurring in the Amazon

• trees cut down - a lot of water is not returned to the atmosphere → less water in the atmosphere →less rainfall→ less plant growth

ecosystem defintion

biotic factors and the abiotic factors interactions

community definition

just the biotic factors

different types of species interactions - effects on organisms (±/0)

+real life examples

interspecific - interactions that occur among different species

intraspecific- member of the same species

herbivory - consumptions of plants by animals (-/+)

predation - (+/-)

parasite: obtains nourishment from a host (+/-) - mites, lice, dog heartworm

mutualism (+/+) - both benefit, bee and nectar

commensalism (+/0) - one benefits, one not effected - epiphytes

explain coevolution and predator defenses

examples of different types

coevolution - predator and prey can evolve at the same time

predator defenses - adaptive responses against predators

• Chemical defenses

• Cryptic coloration

• Flashing coloration

two types of mimicry

Batesian mimicry

• model mimicry - inedible species, edible species that resembles the model (hoverfly vs wasp)

Mullerian mimicry- all species that are inedible and they share a coloration pattern

keystone species + example

some species have disproportionate impact - wolves

ecosystem engineers + examples

affect the physical resources - physical change in biotic and abiotic materials - creates habitat

how do we assess species diversity

the number and abundance of the different kinds of species living in a ecosystem

two measurements

• species richness→ # of different species in an area

• species evenness → comparative abundance in an ecosystem

understand ecological succession, general stages,

+two different types

ecological succession - chance in species composition over time

primary succession→ occurs in an area where no biotic community previously existed, exposed rock, lava field

secondary succession → occurs at a location that was previously occupied by a community that then underwent a disturbance

key takeaways from Humpback and Killer Podcast

species interactions but we don’t know everything about different species

case study of the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone, which species were affected and how

Elk population was diminished after wolves re-introduced

increase in berry- producing shrubs

beavers population increased

two different types of population growth

exponential growth

logistic growth - has a carrying capacity

density dependent factors + examples

any force that affects the size of a population of living things in response to the density of the population

competition for food, water, space → disease→ predation

density independent factors + examples

any force that affects the size of a population of living things independent to the density of the population

change in temperature of climate, destruction of habitat, spraying pesticides

two main groups for distinguishing reproductive patterns + characteristics + carrying capacity

r-strategists - produce large numbers but of offspring by provide few resources for their support

• small size of organisms, energy used to make offspring is low, many offspring are produced, early maturity, short life expectancy

k-strategists- provide relatively few young but invest considerable resources into their support

• large size of organisms, energy used to make each offspring is high, few offspring are produced, late maturity, long life expectancy

how do we measure population change

how do we measure population sizes

what are the different survivorship curves

type 1 - most individuals die late in life (elephants)

type 2 - individuals die at a uniform rate - dont really see a trend

type 3- most individuals die at a young age (butterflies)

what is genetic diversity

variety of genes within a population or in a species

how does a small population size make a species especially vulnerable

small population size→ less likely to adapt if there are changes in environment

genetic drift

gradual changes in genes frequencies due to random events

bottleneck effect

drastic change in population size leads to widespread changes in genetics - cheetahs

gene flow

can exist due to corridors and migration routes

metapopulation

collection or populations that have occasional flow between geographically separate units

definition of environmental health and disease

external factors that cause disease including elements of the natural, social, cultural and technological worlds in which we live

zoonotic disease + examples

transmit from animals to humans

bird flu

how does antibiotic resistance develop

Mutation: Bacteria mutate, allowing some to survive antibiotics, and they pass these genes to their descendants.

Acquisition of new genetic material: Bacteria acquire resistance genes.

Misuse or overuse of antibiotics: This leads to resistance.

Exposure to sublethal antibiotic levels: Bacteria develop defenses against the same antibiotic.

environmental toxicology - different terms associated with environmental toxicology related to exposure and response/system

The study of toxic substances and their effects – particularly on

living organisms and how they interact and are transformed as

they move through populations and ecosystems

bioaccumulation + example

build up on contaminants in one specific animal

example -?

biomagnification + example

 contaminants increase in animals higher up on the food chain 

example-?

how is toxicity determined - what is LD50

toxicology testing

LD50 - lethal dose for 50 percent of that population

what is risk - how do we perceive risks differently?

risk - possibility of suffering harm or loss

Risks that are unknown, unpredictable, or undetectable

Risks that are voluntary, familiar, detectable or immediate

what is precautionary principle + and what example did we discuss in class related to this topic

limited the factors that contribute to climate change

“going green”

trends currently seeing with global population and growth rate?

population size is growing

but the population growth rate is decreasing

what is the environmental impact equation we discussed in class

I=PAT

impact

population

affluence

technology

how do we calculate population change

ΔN = N2 - N1 = (B - D) + (I - E)

crude birth rate - the number of live births per 1,000 people in a population in a given year

crude death rate - the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a given year

what is the demographic transition model

transition of a high birth and death rates in a country to shift to a low birth and death rate

how do we estimate fertility

Total fertility rate: The average number of children born to women of childbearing age in a population

life expectancy - what trends

the average number of years a person born in a particular year can be expected to live

• Globally – 72 years

• In the U.S. – 77 years

what is the age structure diagram - be able to interpret one

the numbers or percentages of males and females in young, middle, and older age groups in that population

what are the different factors that affect birth and fertility rates

Importance of children as part of labor force

Cost of raising and educating children

Availability of pension systems

Urbanization

Educational and employment opportunities for women

Average age of marriage

Availability of reliable birth control

Religious beliefs, traditions, cultural norms

what is infant morality rate

number of babies out of every 1,000 born who die before their first birthday

• World: 26.7

• United States: 5.6

what are some population trends or specific countries we discussed

chinas population falling, india’s population growing

in most developed countries - the childbirth rate per women is decreasing

what are some negative impacts of rapid population decline

less young workers/people to replace the older ones

ADD MORE

key takeaway points we related to Schneider-Mayerson 2021 article

More people are connecting climate change to reproductive choices

Investment/motivation to stay engaged in environmental politics

Children as future environmentalists

Opportunity cost of parenting

Fertility as a socio-political tool