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What is an Environmental Value System (EVS)?
An Environmental Value System (EVS) is a conceptual framework that shapes the way individuals or groups perceive, interpret, and evaluate environmental issues. It encompasses a range of beliefs, values, and attitudes that influence opinions on environmental management and sustainability.
What is an ecocentric worldview?
An ecocentric worldview is a philosophical perspective that places ecological ethics and the health of the environment at the forefront of decision-making. It advocates for an interconnectedness with nature and prioritizes ecological balance over human interests.
What do deep ecologists believe?
Deep ecologists assert that the natural world has intrinsic value, independent of human needs. They advocate for radical environmental protections, opposing industrial development, and emphasize the importance of preserving ecosystems for their own sake rather than for human benefit.
What is an anthropocentric worldview?
An anthropocentric worldview is characterized by the belief that humans have control over and are the most significant entities in the universe. This perspective suggests that environmental resources should primarily serve humans, advocating sustainable management to ensure future resource availability.
What do environmental managers do?
Environmental managers are professionals who develop and implement strategies for safeguarding natural resources while balancing human needs. They oversee projects, comply with regulations, and advocate for sustainable practices in various sectors, including agriculture, forestry, and urban planning.
What does a technocentric worldview advocate for?
A technocentric worldview supports the idea that human ingenuity and technological development can overcome environmental challenges. Proponents believe that advancements in technology provide solutions for issues like pollution, resource depletion, and climate change, often promoting innovation and efficiency.
Who are cornucopians?
Cornucopians are individuals or ideologies that argue that human creativity and technological progress can solve any environmental problems without significant change to economic systems, advocating for continuous growth as a solution to resource scarcity.
Define a system in ecological terms.
In ecological terms, a system refers to a complex network of interrelated components—such as organisms, populations, communities, and abiotic elements—that interact within a defined environment, functioning together as a unit.
What are the three types of systems?
The three types of ecological systems are: 1) Open systems, which exchange both energy and matter with their surroundings, 2) Closed systems, which exchange energy but not matter, and 3) Isolated systems, which do not exchange energy or matter with their surroundings.
What is the difference between transfers and transformations in ecological systems?
Transfers involve the movement of matter or energy from one location to another without altering its state or form—such as water flowing to a river. In contrast, transformations occur when matter or energy changes its chemical composition or state, such as during photosynthesis where sunlight is converted into chemical energy.
What are the advantages of models?
Models offer numerous advantages, including simplifying complex ecological relationships for better understanding, facilitating predictions of future changes, allowing visualization of potential scenarios, and assisting in identifying and analyzing patterns within ecosystems.
What are the disadvantages of models?
Despite their usefulness, models come with drawbacks, including potential inaccuracies in predictions if they are based on faulty assumptions or data. Models may oversimplify real-world complexities, leading to misinterpretations or misleading conclusions.
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
The first law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of energy conservation, posits that energy in an isolated system can only be transformed from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed, underscoring the principle of energy conservation in ecological processes.
Define entropy.
Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system. In ecological terms, higher entropy signifies greater disorder and energy degradation, whereas lower entropy indicates more organized and usable energy, reflecting system efficiency.
What is efficiency in ecological terms?
Efficiency in ecological systems refers to the ratio of useful energy output to the total energy input in a process, often expressed as a percentage. It indicates how effectively an ecosystem utilizes energy resources to sustain biological functions.
What is equilibrium in ecological systems?
Equilibrium in ecological systems denotes a stable state where populations and environmental conditions remain balanced over time. Ecosystems dynamically maintain this balance, returning to equilibrium following disturbances.
What are the types of equilibrium?
Types of equilibrium include: 1) Steady-state equilibrium, where systems fluctuate around a constant value; 2) Static equilibrium, which is unchanging; 3) Stable equilibrium, where systems return to their state after disturbances; and 4) Unstable equilibrium, where slight changes can lead to dramatic shifts.
What is a negative feedback loop?
A negative feedback loop is a self-regulating process wherein the output of a system counteracts changes, promoting stability. For example, in predator-prey dynamics, an increase in predators reduces prey populations, which eventually leads to fewer predators.
What is a positive feedback loop?
A positive feedback loop amplifies deviations from an equilibrium state, accelerating changes in a system. An example can be seen in climate change, where melting ice reduces albedo, causing further warming and more ice melt.
What does albedo refer to?
Albedo is a measure of how effectively a surface reflects solar radiation. Surfaces with high albedo (like ice and snow) reflect a large percentage of sunlight, while low-albedo surfaces (like forests or oceans) absorb more heat, impacting local and global temperatures.
Define resilience in ecological terms.
Resilience in ecology refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to withstand disturbances while maintaining its critical functions and recovering after disruptions. High resilience indicates an ecosystem's ability to bounce back from stressors.
What is an ecological tipping point?
An ecological tipping point is a threshold at which an ecosystem undergoes a sudden, irreversible change in structure and function, often resulting from gradual pressures like climate change or pollution, leading to drastic shifts in biodiversity.
What is lake eutrophication?
Lake eutrophication is a process in which water bodies become over-enriched with nutrients (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), leading to excessive algal blooms that deplete oxygen levels, harm aquatic life, and disrupt ecosystem balance.
What is a keystone species?
A keystone species is a species whose presence and role within an ecosystem are disproportionately large compared to its abundance. Its removal can lead to significant changes in ecosystem structure and function.
Define sustainability.
Sustainability is a holistic approach to resource use and management that seeks to fulfill present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It encompasses environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
What is sustainable development?
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without jeopardizing future generations' ability to fulfill their own needs. It aims to balance economic growth, environmental health, and social equity.
What is ecological overshoot?
Ecological overshoot occurs when humanity's demand on natural resources exceeds the Earth's ability to regenerate those resources within a given timeframe, leading to resource depletion and environmental degradation.
What are natural capital and natural income?
Natural capital refers to the world's stocks of natural assets (resources, ecosystems) that provide benefits to society, while natural income is the sustainable yield derived from these resources—essentially the flow of services or goods produced.
What is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a systematic process that evaluates the potential environmental consequences of proposed projects or developments. It aims to inform decision-makers and the public about potential impacts and mitigation measures.
What is the ecological footprint?
The ecological footprint measures human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, quantifying the area of productive land and water required to produce the resources consumed and assimilate the waste generated, indicating sustainability levels.
Define pollution.
Pollution is the introduction of harmful pollutants or contaminants into the environment due to human activity. It negatively impacts ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health, disrupting natural processes.
What are primary pollutants?
Primary pollutants are pollutants that are directly emitted into the atmosphere in a harmful form, such as carbon monoxide from vehicles or sulfur dioxide from industrial processes, which can contribute to air quality deterioration.
What are secondary pollutants?
Secondary pollutants are formed when primary pollutants undergo chemical or physical transformations in the atmosphere. An example is ground-level ozone, which is formed when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.
What is the difference between point source and nonpoint source pollution?
Point source pollution originates from a specific, identifiable source, such as a factory discharge pipe. Nonpoint source pollution arises from diffuse sources that are harder to trace, such as agricultural runoff, making it challenging to manage.
What are persistent organic pollutants (POPs)?
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic chemicals that remain in the environment for long periods due to their resistance to degradation. They can accumulate in biological organisms and magnify through the food chain, posing risks to health and ecosystems.
What are biodegradable pollutants?
Biodegradable pollutants are organic materials that can be decomposed by natural processes and do not persist in the environment long-term, such as food waste or paper products.
What is acute pollution?
Acute pollution refers to environmental contamination that results from a rapid release of a large quantity of pollutants, often causing immediate and severe detrimental effects on the ecosystem and human health.
What is chronic pollution?
Chronic pollution involves the continuous or repeated release of pollutants in smaller quantities over an extended period, often leading to longer-term environmental damage and subtle, cumulative impacts.
How can pollution be managed?
Pollution management strategies encompass a variety of approaches, including promoting alternative technologies, enforcing environmental regulations, enhancing community education about sustainable practices, and implementing monitoring and reporting systems.
What is ecology?
Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between living organisms and their environment, focusing on how these interactions shape natural communities, ecosystems, and the distribution and abundance of organisms.
What defines a species?
A species is defined as a group of organisms that share common characteristics and can interbreed to produce fertile offspring under natural conditions. Species serve as fundamental units in understanding biodiversity and ecological relationships.
How is a population defined?
A population is a group of individuals of the same species that occupy a specific area at the same time, interacting with one another through reproduction, competition, and other dynamics.
What are the three factors affecting populations?
The three primary factors that affect population dynamics are natality (birth rates), mortality (death rates), and migration (movement of individuals in or out of a population), all of which influence the size and structure of populations.
Define habitat.
A habitat is the natural environment where a species or community of organisms lives, encompassing both biotic and abiotic characteristics that provide the necessary conditions for survival.
What are abiotic factors?
Abiotic factors are the non-living physical and chemical components of an environment that influence living organisms, including factors such as temperature, moisture, soil composition, and sunlight.
What are biotic factors?
Biotic factors are the living components of an ecosystem that affect other organisms, including interactions such as predation, competition, symbiosis, and disease.
What is a niche?
A niche is the specific role or function that a species plays within its ecosystem, encompassing its habitat and how it acquires resources, interacts with other species, and contributes to ecological processes.
What is the fundamental niche?
The fundamental niche represents the full range of environmental conditions and resources under which a species can potentially survive and reproduce, without the influence of competition or predation.
What is the realized niche?
The realized niche is the actual conditions and resources in which a species exists, taking into account interactions with other species (such as competition and predation) that limit its distribution.
What are limiting factors?
Limiting factors are environmental conditions that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of populations in an ecosystem. These can include availability of food, water, habitat space, and presence of predators or diseases.
Define carrying capacity.
Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can sustainably support over time, considering the availability of resources and environmental constraints.
What does population dynamics study?
Population dynamics studies the changes in population size and composition over time and the factors that cause these changes, such as birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration.
What is intraspecific competition?
Intraspecific competition occurs when individuals of the same species compete for the same resources, such as food, territory, or mates, affecting individual growth and reproduction.
What is interspecific competition?
Interspecific competition involves competition between individuals of different species for shared resources, which can lead to resource partitioning, niche differentiation, and sometimes competitive exclusion.
What is predation?
Predation is an ecological interaction in which one organism (the predator) hunts, captures, and consumes another organism (the prey), influencing population dynamics and community structure.
What is herbivory?
Herbivory is the ecological interaction where herbivores consume plant material as their primary food source, impacting plant populations and contributing to ecosystem dynamics.
What are the forms of symbiosis?
Symbiosis refers to interactions between two different species that live closely together and includes three main forms: 1) Parasitism, where one species benefits at the expense of the other; 2) Mutualism, where both species benefit; and 3) Commensalism, where one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.
What is exponential growth?
Exponential growth refers to a population growth pattern characterized by a rapid increase in numbers when resources are abundant, often represented graphically as a J-shaped curve, indicating potential overpopulation.
What are S-shaped and J-shaped population curves?
S-shaped curves represent logistic growth that stabilizes as a population reaches its carrying capacity due to resource limitations; J-shaped curves depict rapid, unchecked growth followed by a crash due to resource exhaustion.
What defines a community?
A community is defined as an assemblage of different populations of species that coexist and interact within a shared environment, characterized by various interspecific relationships and ecological processes.
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a dynamic, interconnected system comprised of living organisms (communities) and their physical environment, functioning together in a complex web of interdependencies.
What is respiration?
Respiration is the biochemical process by which organisms convert organic matter into energy (ATP), producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts, pivotal for metabolic activities and energy transfer.
What is photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is the biological process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into glucose and oxygen, serving as the foundational energy source for most ecosystems.
Define trophic level.
A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web that indicates an organism's role in the flow of energy and nutrients within an ecosystem, including producers, consumers, and decomposers.
What is a producer in ecological terms?
In ecological terms, a producer is an autotrophic organism that can produce its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, forming the base of the food web and providing energy for other organisms.
What are autotrophs?
Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances using energy sources like sunlight (via photosynthesis) or chemical reactions (via chemosynthesis), including plants and certain microbes.
What are consumers?
Consumers are organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms or organic matter, categorized as herbivores (primary consumers), carnivores (secondary/tertiary consumers), and omnivores (both plants and animals).
Describe ecological footprint.
The ecological footprint is a measure of the environmental impact of a population, quantifying the total area of productive land and water needed to produce the resources consumed and absorb the waste generated.
What is gross productivity?
Gross productivity refers to the total amount of energy or biomass produced by autotrophs through photosynthesis or other processes in a specific time period, prior to accounting for energy lost through respiration.
What is net productivity?
Net productivity is the amount of energy or biomass that remains in an ecosystem after accounting for the energy lost through respiration, representing the actual growth available for consumption by higher trophic levels.
Define gross primary productivity (GPP).
Gross primary productivity (GPP) is the total amount of energy captured by photosynthetic organisms through photosynthesis in a given time frame, providing the primary energy source for the entire food web.
What is net primary productivity (NPP)?
Net primary productivity (NPP) is the measure of energy or biomass that remains after autotrophs have met their respiration needs, representing the energy available for herbivores and higher trophic levels.
How do you calculate NPP?
NPP = GPP - R (respiration)
What is the nitrogen cycle?
The nitrogen cycle is a series of processes through which nitrogen is converted into various chemical forms, including nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, and ammonification, playing a critical role in ecosystem function and fertility.
What is nitrogen fixation?
It is where atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) is converted into ammonia (NH₃) or ammonium (NH₄⁺) by nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Rhizobium, Azotobacter) or through abiotic processes like lightning. This makes nitrogen available to plants, as they cannot directly use atmospheric nitrogen.
What is ammonification?
It is where decomposers (bacteria and fungi) break down dead organisms, feces, and other organic matter, releasing ammonia (NH₃) or ammonium (NH₄⁺) into the soil. This step recycles nitrogen from organic material back into the ecosystem.
What is nitrification?
It is where nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia (NH₃) or ammonium (NH₄⁺) into nitrites (NO₂⁻) and then into nitrates (NO₃⁻). Nitrates (NO₃⁻) are a usable form of nitrogen that plants can absorb through their roots.
What is assimilation?
It is where plants take up nitrates (NO₃⁻) from the soil and use them to form proteins and other organic molecules. Animals obtain nitrogen by eating plants or other animals.
What is denitrification?
It is where denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates (NO₃⁻) back into nitrogen gas (N₂), releasing it into the atmosphere. This process occurs in low-oxygen (anaerobic) environments, like waterlogged soils. It helps maintain the balance of atmospheric nitrogen.
What is maximum sustainable yield?
Maximum sustainable yield is the largest quantity of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising the resource's availability for future generations, particularly applicable to fisheries and forestry management.
Define biome.
A biome is a large ecological region characterized by distinct climate patterns, vegetation types, and animal communities, such as tundras, deserts, forests, and grasslands, resulting from variations in geographic and climate conditions.
What are types of biomes?
Terrestrial Biomes:
Tundra – Cold, treeless, low biodiversity (e.g., Arctic tundra).
Taiga (Boreal Forest) – Cold, coniferous forests, long winters.
Temperate Forest – Deciduous or mixed forests, moderate climate.
Tropical Rainforest – Hot, humid, high biodiversity.
Grassland (Savanna & Prairie) – Few trees, seasonal rain.
Desert – Dry, extreme temperatures, sparse vegetation.
Chaparral (Mediterranean) – Hot, dry summers; mild, wet winters.
Aquatic Biomes:
Freshwater – Lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands.
Marine – Oceans, coral reefs, estuaries.
What is zonation?
Zonation is the distribution of different ecological communities or ecosystems across various spatial gradients, often influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, altitude, or proximity to water.
What is primary succession?
Primary succession is the gradual establishment of ecosystems in previously uninhabited environments where soil and organisms were absent, such as after a volcanic eruption, leading to the development of soil and biological communities over time.
What is secondary succession?
Secondary succession is the ecological process of recovery and reestablishment of ecosystems in areas that have been disturbed but still retain soil and organic matter, such as after forest fires or human activities like agriculture.
What is a sub-climax community?
A sub-climax community is a transitional community that has not fully developed into a stable climax ecosystem, often occurring when limiting factors (like soil degradation or frequent disturbances) persist.
What are K-strategies in ecology?
K-strategies are reproductive strategies adopted by species that produce fewer offspring but invest significantly in parental care, resulting in longer lifespans and enhanced survival rates. These species are often found in stable environments.
What are R-strategists?
R-strategists are species that reproduce quickly and in large numbers, typically producing many offspring with little parental investment. This reproductive strategy is advantageous in unstable or unpredictable environments.
What defines biodiversity?
Biodiversity encompasses the variety and variability of life forms within a given ecosystem, including species diversity (variety of species present), genetic diversity (variation within species), and ecosystem diversity (variety of ecosystems).
What is species diversity?
Species diversity refers to the number of different species and their relative abundances within a community, impacting ecosystem stability and resilience.
What is habitat diversity?
Habitat diversity describes the range of different habitats present within a specific area, contributing to higher species richness as varied habitats support different life forms.
What is genetic diversity?
Genetic diversity is the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species, contributing to adaptations and resilience against environmental changes.
What is a biodiversity hotspot?
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that is both rich in endemic species (species not found anywhere else) and experiencing significant habitat loss due to human activities, making it a priority for conservation efforts.
What is a diversity index?
A diversity index is a quantitative measure that reflects the number of species in a community and their relative abundances, often used to assess biodiversity and ecosystem health.
What is natural selection?
Natural selection is the evolutionary mechanism where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce, leading to the gradual evolution of populations through the inheritance of beneficial traits.
What is speciation?
Speciation is the evolutionary process through which new biological species arise, often occurring when populations are separated by geographic or ecological factors that prevent gene flow.
What are barriers to species isolation?
Geographic isolation: Populations are physically separated and can no longer interbreed. This is further discussed in Plate tectonics.
Temporal isolation: Populations live their lives at different times of the day and so do not meet to breed.
Behavioural isolation: They have different mating rituals.
What defines continental drift?
Continental drift refers to the gradual movement of the Earth's continents over geological time due to tectonic plate movements, affecting the distribution of species and ecosystems globally.
What are mass extinctions?
Mass extinctions are events in Earth's history characterized by a rapid and widespread reduction in biodiversity, often triggered by catastrophic environmental changes, such as volcanic eruptions, climate shifts, or asteroid impacts.
What causes habitat destruction?
Habitat destruction results primarily from human activities, such as urbanization, agricultural expansion, logging, and infrastructure development, leading to the loss of biodiversity and ecological services.
