Final Exam Study Guide for Environmental Science

Chapter 9: Forests and Forestry

• National Park Service and National Parks

  • The U.S. agency responsible for managing national parks, preserving natural beauty, wildlife, and historic sites.

• Healthy Forests with Mature Trees

  • Mature forests are less susceptible to pests and diseases and play a critical role in carbon sequestration.

• Deforestation

  • The clearing of trees faster than they can grow back, leading to loss of biodiversity and forest cover.

• Effects of Climate Change on Forests

  • Climate change can alter forest composition, increase pest outbreaks, and lead to increased tree mortality.

• Prescribed Burns

  • A land management practice where controlled fires are used to remove excess vegetation, thereby reducing the risk of larger, unmanageable wildfires.

Chapter 11: Geology and Mining

• Earth's Layers

  • Inner Core: Dense, solid sphere, primarily iron and nickel.
  • Outer Core: Liquid layer responsible for Earth’s magnetic field.
  • Mantle: Thick layer of rock that flows slowly.
  • Asthenosphere: Semi-fluid layer below the lithosphere that is involved in tectonic plate movements.
  • Lithosphere: Rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
  • Crust: The thin outer shell on which we live.

• Mining Practices

  • Strip Mining: Removing surface layers to access resources beneath.
  • Open Pit Mining: A large excavation where the removal of rock down to the resource occurs.
  • Mountain-Top Removal: A method where mountaintops are blasted away to access coal.

• Environmental Damage and Social and Economic Justice

  • The impact of mining on ecosystems, communities, and health.

• E-waste (Electronic waste)

  • Discarded electronic appliances which can leach harmful substances if not disposed of properly.

Chapter 12: Fresh Water and Ocean Resources

• Wetlands Services

  • Ecosystems that provide flood protection, water purification, and habitat for wildlife.

• Estuaries, Mangroves (red/black/white), Salt Marshes

  • Transition areas between land and sea, essential for biodiversity and fisheries.

• Freshwater Use

  • Importance of freshwater for drinking, agriculture, and industrial processes.

• Water Conservation

  • Strategies to use water efficiently, such as rainwater harvesting.

• Ocean Carbon Sink

  • Oceans absorb carbon dioxide, playing a major role in the carbon cycle and climate regulation.

• Ocean Acidification

  • The decrease in pH of ocean waters due to absorption of excess atmospheric CO2, impacting marine life.

• Commercial Bottled Water

  • Issues surrounding water resources, environmental impact, and the debate on bottled vs tap water.

• Bycatch

  • Non-target species caught unintentionally in fishing nets, affecting biodiversity.

• Fishery Management, Marine Protected Areas, Marine Reserves

  • Strategies implemented to preserve fish populations and marine ecosystems.

Chapter 13: Atmospheric Science

• Atmospheric Gases, Percentages

  • Key gases include nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and trace amounts of greenhouse gases.

• Atmospheric Weather Patterns

  • Various patterns including fronts, pressure systems, and their influence on climate.

• Sources of Air Pollution

  • Major sources include vehicle emissions, industrial discharges, and natural events like wildfires.

• Los Angeles Smog

  • Caused by a combination of vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and specific weather conditions.

Chapter 14: Climate Change

• Climate Change and Global Warming

  • The long-term rise in average global temperatures due primarily to human activities.

• Climate vs. Weather

  • Weather is short-term atmospheric conditions; climate is long-term averages and patterns.

• The Major Human Causes of Climate Change

  • Emissions from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial processes.

• Greenhouse Gases

  • Major gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N_2O), and fluorinated gases.

• Ice Cores – Climate History

  • Cylinders of ice drilled from ice sheets that provide data on past climates through trapped gas bubbles.

• Atmosphere Layers

  • Troposphere: The lowest layer, where weather occurs.
  • Stratosphere: Contains the ozone layer.
  • Mesosphere: Above the stratosphere.
  • Thermosphere: The uppermost layer with high temperatures.

• Sea Level Rise

  • An effect of climate change resulting from melting ice caps and thermal expansion of water.

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

  • A body of the United Nations responsible for assessing the science related to climate change.

• Paris Agreement

  • International treaty to limit global warming, aiming to keep it below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

• Carbon Footprint

  • The total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, or organization, measured in CO2 equivalents.

Chapter 15/16: Renewable/Nonrenewable Resources

• Renewable Resources

  • Resources that can be replenished in a relatively short time, such as solar and wind energy.

• Nonrenewable Resources

  • Resources that do not replenish quickly, including fossil fuels and minerals.

• Hydraulic Fracking

  • A technique to extract natural gas and oil by injecting high-pressure fluid into underground rock formations.

• Sustainability

  • The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future generations' ability to meet theirs.

• Solar Energy Production

  • Harnessing energy from the sun through photovoltaic cells or solar thermal collectors.

• Wind Power Capacity

  • The maximum output of electricity from wind-based sources, influenced by wind speed and turbine efficiency.

• Solar Energy/Photovoltaic Cells

  • Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect.

• Wind Energy/Wind Farms

  • Groups of wind turbines in the same location used to generate electricity on a larger scale.

• Hydropower Energy

  • Electric power produced from harnessing water flow via dams or run-of-the-river methods.

• Tidal Electrical Generation

  • The generation of electricity through the movement of tides in coastal areas.

Chapter 17/18: Waste Management and Sustainable Cities

• Leachate

  • Polluted liquid that drains or leaches from a landfill, potentially contaminating groundwater.

• NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)

  • A phenomenon where residents oppose developments in their area, despite recognizing the necessity of such projects.

• Landfill Gases

  • Gases produced as waste decomposes, which can include methane and contribute to air pollution.

• Reducing Solid Waste

  • Strategies to minimize waste generation, including recycling and composting.

• Electronic Waste (e-waste)

  • Discarded electronic devices, posing environmental and health hazards.

• Suburban Sprawl

  • The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land, which can lead to environmental impacts.

• New Urbanism/Sustainable Cities

  • An urban design movement advocating for walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use communities to create sustainable living environments.

• Green Buildings

  • Structures designed to reduce their environmental impact and increase resource efficiency throughout their life cycle.