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Definition
| the study of how the natural world works, how our environment affects us, and how we affect our environment |
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| living within the planet's means |
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| using renewable and non renewable resources in a manner that satisfies our current need without compromising future availability |
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| Garrett Hardin states that resource that are open to unregulated exploitation will eventually be depleted |
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| the application of ethical standards to relationships between human and non human entities |
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| example of how we have extended ethical consideration to more entities |
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Definition
| the enslavement of human beings by other human beings was common in many societies until recently |
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| a human centered view of our relationship with the environment. in the anthropocentric perspective, anything not providing benefit to people is considered to be of negligible value |
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| ascribes value to actions, entities or properties on the basis of their effect on all living things or on the integrity of the biotic realm in general |
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| judges actions in terms of their benefit to the whole ecological system, which consist of biotic and abiotic elements and the relationships among them |
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| we should protect the environment in a pristine, unaltered state |
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| humans should put natural resources to use but also that we have a responsibility to manage them wisely |
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| the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income in respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies |
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| environmental justice movement |
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Definition
| fueled by the perception that poor people and minorities tend to be exposed to a greater share of pollution, hazards and environmental degradation than are richer people and whites |
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| what is seen as the beginning of the environmental justice movement |
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Definition
| a protect in the early 1980s by African Americans in Warren County, North Carolina, against a toxic waste dump in their community |
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| retain the principles of neoclassical economics but modifying them to address environmental challenges. they argue that we can keep our economies growing and continue to improve efficiency; we can accomplish these changes and attain sustainability within our current economic systems |
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| founded by Adam smith, holds that individuals acting in their own self interest may benefit society, provided that their behavior be constrained by the rule of law and by private property rights and operates within competitive markets |
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| is policy that pertains to human interactions with the environment. it generally aims to regulate resource use or reduce pollution to promote human welfare and/or protect natural systems |
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| legislative approach to environmental policy |
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Definition
| environmental policy results from actions of the three branches of government |
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| economic approach to environmental policy |
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Definition
| the creative use of economic incentives to encourage desired outcomes, discourage undesired outcomes, and set market dynamics in motion to achieve goals in an economically efficient manner |
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| a government giveaway of cash or publicly owned resources that is intended to encourage a particular activity |
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| taxes on environmentally harmful activities and products |
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| National Environmental Policy Act- January 1st, 1970 president Richard Nixon. created an agency called the council of environmental quality and required that an EIS be prepared for any major federal action that might significantly affect environmental quality |
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| Legislation: Clean Air Act |
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Definition
| mandated reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide |
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| Legislation: Clean Water Act |
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Definition
| regulated the discharge of wastes, especially from industry into rivers and streams. it also aimed to protect wildlife and establish a system for granting permits for the discharge of pollutants |
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| Legislation: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment |
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Definition
| (from 100 nations) degradation of environment is ample, but can be turned around with changes in policies, institutions, and practices |
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| Legislation: Endangered Species Act (ESA) |
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Definition
| primary legislation for protecting biodiversity. forbids the government and private citizens from taking actions that destroy endangered species or their habitats |
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| Radiation exposure compensation act of 1990 |
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Definition
| compensated Navajo uranium miners who suffered health effects from mine |
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Definition
| manufacturers required to show on label how products were grown, harvested, or manufactured |
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| allowed any citizen to claim 64ha of public land by living there for 5 years and cultivating the land or buying a home, for a $16 fee |
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| Mineral Lands Act of 1866 |
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Definition
| provided land for $5 per acre to promote mining and settlement |
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| Timber culture Act of 1873 |
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Definition
| granted 65ha to any citizen promising to cultivate trees on one quarter of that area |
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| sought to preserve still-pristine lands |
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| Environmental protection Agency- conducting and evaluating research, monitoring environmental quality, setting standards for pollution levels, enforcing those standards, assisting the states in meeting standards and goals, and educating the public |
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| Federal Water Pollution Control Acts of 1965 and 1972 |
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Definition
| restrictions on pollutants |
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| environmental impact of an individual or population in terms of the cumulative amount of land and water required to provide the raw materials the person or population consumes and to dispose of or recycle the waste the person or population produces |
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| criteria that help differentiate right from wrong |
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| environmental systems naturally function in a manner that supports economies. (purify air/water, cycle nutrients, provide pollination for plants, etc) |
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Definition
| environmental impact statement- a report if results from detailed studies that assess the potential impacts on the environment that would likely result from development projects undertaken or funded by the federal government |
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| united nations- maintain international peace and security |
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| one of the globe's largest sources of funding of major development projects |
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| world trade organization-represents multinational corporations and promotes free trade by reducing obstacles to international commerce and enforcing fairness among nations in trading practices |
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| european Union-promote Europe's unity and its economic and social progress (including environmental protection) |
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| claimed that unless population growth were controlled by laws or other social strictures, the number of people would outgrow the available food supply until starvation, war or disease arose and reduced the population |
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Definition
| created the first national wildlife refuge |
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Definition
chief of the US forest Service
believed in conservation ethic, anthropocentric view |
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| published Silent Spring which awakened the public to the negative ecological and health effects of pesticides and industrial chemicals (would kill so many birds that few would be left to sing in spring) |
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| warned that population growth will have disastrous effects on human welfare. wrote book population boom- predicted that the rapidly increasing human population would unleash widespread famine and conflict that would consume civilization by the end of the 20th cent. population control was the only way to prevent massive starvation and civil strife |
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Definition
| Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species- protects endangered species by banning the international transport of their body parts |
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Definition
| gross domestic product-- the total monetary value of final goods and services produced in the country each year |
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Definition
| genuine progress indicator- a nonprofit organization that develops economic and policy tools to promote accurate market prices and sustainability |
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Definition
| costs of benefits of a transaction that involve people other than the buyer and seller |
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Definition
| estimated costs for a proposed action are totaled up and compared to the sum benefits estimated to result from the action |
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Definition
| examines psychological factors underlying consumer choices explaining market prices in terms of consumer preferences for units in particular commodities. buyers desire the lowest price, sellers desire the highest price |
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Term
Which of the following resources is a renewable resources
A.) Crude Oil
B.) Natural gas
C.) Wind
D.) Coal |
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Definition
| The correct answer is C. Wind is the only renewable resource out of the four choices. All of the others resources are nonrenewable because they are in limited supply and can be depleted. |
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How did the agricultural revolution and industrial revolution affect human population size?
A.) Human population increased
B.) Human population decreased
C.) There is no change in population size
D.) It is impossible to find out |
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Definition
| The correct answer is A. The population size increased. This is because the agricultural and industrial revolutions led to an increase in the quality of life and in increase in food production allowing humans to have live longer. |
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Rachel Carson described which of the following problems to Americans
A.) Pesticide bioaccumulation and poisoning
B.) The beauty of nature
C.) Loss of sustainable forest practices
D.) The problem of the "Tragedy of the Commons"
E.) America's diminishing oil reserves |
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Definition
| The answer is A. In 1962, Rachel Carson published the book Silent Spring. In this book she describes the problems associated with the overuse of pesticides - mostly DDT. She explains how pesticides were affecting bird populations in the United States. The book, along with her advocacy changed the way people thought about the impact of pesticides. |
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Which of the following philosophies would be held by someone with a holistic viewpoint on the management of the Earth's resources
A.) There are no problems; let's do whatever we want
B.) The free market works best, and the government should not interfere
C.) We can manage most problems with technology
D.) The biodiversity of the Earth is the most important issue and we need it to sustain us
E.) Humans are the most dominant species on the planet and we can solve any environmental problem |
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Definition
| The correct answer is D. Holistic viewpoints center on belief that we are one of many species on the planet and that we interact with all species. They also believe that if we harm the planet, we harm ourselves. The other options are all 'planet management' viewpoints. |
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The listing of threatened species and the purchase of land to protect their habitats is legislated in which of the following
A.) Federal Noxious Weed Act
B.) Endangered Species Act
C.) Convention on Biological Diversity
D.) Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act
E.) Migratory Bird Conservation Act |
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Definition
| The answer is B. The Endangered Species Act was passed by Congress in 1973 to provide protection for species that are threatened with extinction. This act authorizes Federal Agenices to undertake conservation programs to protect species listed as endangered or threatened. and to purchase land to protect habitats. |
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Which of the following best describes the goal of environmentally sustainable economic growth?
A.) Allowing rapid population growth so there will be more workers
B.) Exploration to find more natural resources
C.) Increasing the quality of goods without depleting the natural resources needed to make the goods
D.) Cutting down forests and replacing them with rangeland
E.) Growing more crops by using larger amounts of fertilizer |
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Definition
| The correct answer is C. Sustainability depends on the long term utilization of resources that is described in (C). The other options could cause resources to be used up more rapidly |
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When a large federal project might have a significant impact on the environment, which of the following must be drafted?
A.) A cost benefit analysis
B.) A interagency review
C.) A report from the geographical information system
D.) An environmental impact statement
E.) A needs statement |
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Definition
| The answer is D. Large federal projects that might have a large impact on the environment must produce an environmental impact statement. This is mandated by the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act. |
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Which of the following policies prevents the harassment, capture, injury, or killing of all species of whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, as well as walruses, manatees, dugongs, sea otters and polar bears?
A.) National Fisheries Act
B.) CITES
C.) Clean Water Act
D.) The Marine Mammal Protection Act
E.) Maritime Safety Act |
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Definition
| The correct answer is D. The Marine Mammal Protection Act, established in 1972, is legislation that protects marine mammals in the world's oceans. |
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Term
A cap and trade policy might be effective in controlling which type of the following pollutants
A.) thermal pollution in rivers
B.) organic waste pollution in oceans
C.) underground water pollutants
D.) noisy pollution in a city
E.) carbon dioxide in the atmosphere |
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Definition
| The correct answer is E. A cap and trade policy limits carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by implementing caps and offering incentives for reducing emissions. |
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Term
| primordial soup: heterotrophic hypothesis |
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Definition
| life evolved from a primordial soup of inorganic chemicals dissolved in the ocean's surface waters or tidal shallows |
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| extraterrestrial hypothesis |
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Definition
| early chemical reactions on earth may have received help from outer space. microbes from space might have traveled on meteorites that crashed to earth, seeding our planet with life |
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| chemoautotrophic hypothesis |
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Definition
| life may have emanated from the deep sea. life originated at scolding hot deep-sea vent systems, where sulfur was abundant |
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Definition
| use of resources and functional in a community |
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Definition
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| when an individual plays only part of its role because of competition or other species interaction |
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Definition
| devote large amounts of energy and resources to caring for and protecting relatively few offspring |
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Definition
| focus on quantity not quality |
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| Carbon cycle: largest reservoirs |
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Definition
| sedimentary rock(80,600,000) and oceans(38,000) |
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Term
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Definition
| photosynthesis, respiration: plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. carbon dioxide is returned to the atmosphere through respiration |
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| Carbon cycle: human modifications |
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Definition
1) mining fossil fuel deposits- we are removing carbon from an underground reservoir with a residence time of millions of years
2) combusting fossil fuels in automobiles- we release carbon dioxide and greatly increase the flux of carbon from the ground to the air |
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Term
| Phosphorus cycle: largest reservoirs |
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Definition
| sediment and sedimentary rock (4,000,000,000) oceans (90,000) |
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Term
| Phosphorus cycle: important fluxes |
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Definition
| uplift, weathering: Rock containing phosphorus is uplifted geologically and weathered away in this slow process |
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Term
| Phosphorus cycle: human modifications |
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Definition
1)mine rocks- we mine rocks containing phosphorus to extract this nutrient for the inorganic fertilizers we use on crops and lawns
2)treated and untreated sewage discharge- tends to be rich in phosphates, those phosphates that run off into waterways can boost algal growth and cause eutrophication, leading to murkier waters and altering the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems |
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Term
| Nitrogen cycle: largest reservoirs |
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Definition
| Atmosphere (3,870,000,000) |
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Term
| Nitrogen cycle: important fluxes |
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Definition
| fixation- specialized bacteria play key roles in "fixing" atmospheric nitrogen and converting it to chemical forms that plants can use while other types of bacteria convert nitrogen compounds back to the atmospheric gas |
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Term
| Nitrogen cycle: human modification |
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Definition
1)Haber-Bosh process- our species is fixing as much nitrogen artificially as is being fixed naturally. we have doubled the natural rate of the nitrogen fixing
2)burn forest and fields- we force nitrogen out of soils and vegetation and into the atmosphere |
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Term
| Hydrological cycle: largest reservoirs |
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Definition
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Term
| Hydrological cycle: important fluxes |
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Definition
| condensation, precipitation, evaporation, run off- water vapor in the atmosphere condenses and falls to the surface as precipitation, then evaporates from land ans transpires from plats to return to the atmosphere. water flows downhill into rivers eventually reaching the ocean |
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| Hydrological cycle: human modification |
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Definition
1)damming rivers- we have increased evaporation and in some cases infiltration of surface water into aquifers
2)altering earths surface and vegetation- we have increased surface runoff and erosion |
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Term
| competition (definition and example) |
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Definition
when multiple organisms seek the same limited resource
zebra mussel outcompeted native mussel species |
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Definition
| the species divide or partition the resource they use in common by specializing in different ways |
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Term
| predation (definition and example) |
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Definition
individuals of one species, a predator, hunt capture kill and consume individuals of another species, its prey
zebra mussel predation on phytoplankton |
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Term
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Definition
one organism, the parasite, depends on another, the host, for nourishment while simultaneously doing the host harm
sea lamprey attaches itself to fish and sucks their blood for days or weeks |
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Term
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Definition
two or more species benefit from interaction with one another
pollination-hummingbird visits flowers to gather nectar and in the process transfers pollen between flowers, helping the plant reproduce |
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Term
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Definition
one species benefits while the other is unaffected
facilination-palo verde trees create shade and leaf litter that allow the soil beneath them to hold moisture longer. young plants find it easier to germinate and grow in these conditions |
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Term
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Definition
a species that has particularly strong or far reaching impacts
sea otters- consume sea urchins that eat kelp in marine nearshore environments of the Pacific. when otters are present they keep urchin numbers down which allow lush underwater forests of kelp to grow and provide habitat for many other species |
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Term
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Definition
species that spreads widely and rapidly and becomes dominant in a community
zebra mussel- in less than two decades it has spread from the great lakes east to vermont and conneticut; west to nebraska and kansas; and south to louisiana and mississippi. by filtering phytoplankton it generates a number of impacts on other species |
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Definition
native or restricted to a particular geographic region
golden toad- endemic to the monteverde cloud forest |
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Term
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Definition
| total fertility rate- average number of children born per female member of a population during her lifetime |
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Term
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Definition
| environmental impact= population *affluence* technology(*sensitivity) |
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Definition
| a process that underlies earthquakes and volcanoes and that determines the geography of the earths surface |
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Definition
| magma extrudes from beneath the crust, and the plates move gradually away form the boundary in the manner of conveyor belts |
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Definition
| two plates slide alongside one another creating friction that leads to earthquakes |
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Term
| convergent plate boundary |
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Definition
| one plate may be subducted beneath another, leading to volcanism or both plates may be uplifted leading to the formation of mountain ranges |
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Term
| characteristics of r-selected species |
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Definition
| short lived, reproductive early in life, no parental care, weak competitive stability, many offspring |
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Term
| characteristics of k-selected species |
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Definition
| long-lived, reproductive later in life, few small offspring, parental care, strong competitive ability |
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Term
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Definition
warming of the eastern pacific that occurs every 2-7 years and depresses local fish and bird populations
under normal conditions, prevailing winds blow from east to west along the equator in the Pacific Ocean
when prevailing winds weaken and no longer hold the warm surface waters in the western Pacific. as the warmer water sloshes back across the Pacific toward south America, precipitation patterns change |
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Definition
| the presence of colder-than normal surface water in the equatorial pacific ocean |
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Definition
| shows how population size may increase rapidly at 1st, then grow more slowly and finally stabilize at carrying capacity |
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Term
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Definition
| species grow exponentially for a time when colonizing an unoccupied environment or exploiting an unused resource |
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Term
| demographic transition (phase 1) |
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Definition
| phase 1- pre industrial stage: birth rate and death rate are high. death rates are high because disease is widespread, medical care rudimentary and food supply unreliable. birth rates are high because children are seen as valuable as additional workers who can help meet a family's basic needs |
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Term
| demographic transition (phase 2) |
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Definition
| transitional stage- birth rates are high death rates are declining. death rates are declining due to increased food production and improved medical care. birth rates remain high because people have not yet grown used to new economic and social conditions |
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Term
| demographic transition (phase 3) |
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Definition
| industrial stage-birth rates decline, death rates are low. birth rates are declining because children become less valuable, in economic terms, because they do not meet family food needs as they did in pre-industrial age. |
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Term
| demographic transition (phase 4) |
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Definition
| post industrial stage- both birth rates and death rates are low |
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Term
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Definition
| insufficient economic growth to achieve transition |
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Definition
| a major regional complex of simular communities |
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Term
| temperature and precipitation affecting biomes |
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Definition
biome type is largely a function of climate, and average monthly temperature and precipitation are among these indicators of an area's climate
as precipitation increases, vegetation becomes taller
as temperature increases types of plant communities change |
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Term
| latitudes affecting biomes |
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Definition
| atmospheric circulation patterns and the north-south gradient in temperature show how patches representing the same biome tend to occur at similar latitudes |
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Term
| altitude affecting biomes |
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Definition
| vegetative communities change along mountain slopes in correspondence with this small-scale climate variation |
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Term
| temperate deciduous forest |
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Definition
relatively stable precipitation but more variation in seasonal temperatures
broad leafed trees that are deciduous
Europe, eastern china, eastern North America
MOIST CONDITIONS |
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Term
| temperate grasslands (prairie) |
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Definition
experience temperature variations throughout the year and too little precipitation for many trees to grow
Australia, South America, central Asia
MOIST AND DRY CONDITIONS |
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Term
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Definition
receive a great deal of precipitation and feature moist, mossy interiors
west North America
MOIST CONDITIONS |
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Definition
grow under constant warm temperatures and a great deal of rain, biodiversity
india, Africa, south America
MOIST CONDITIONS |
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Term
| tropical grassland (savannah) |
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Definition
significant seasonal variations in precipitation and relatively stable warm temperatures
South America, Australia, India
MOST AND DRY CONDITIONS |
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Term
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Definition
a cold, dry biome found near the poles and atop high mountains at lower latitudes
MOIST CONDITIONS |
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Term
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Definition
defined by long, cold winters, relatively cold summers and moderate precipitation
Canada, Alaska, Russia
MOIST CONDITIONS |
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Term
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Definition
highly seasonal biome dominated by shrubs, influenced by marine weather and dependent on fire
costs of California, chile and southern Australia
MOIST AND DRY CONDITION-PRECIPITATION GETS EXTREMELY LOW |
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Term
| 1O MOST populous countries |
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Definition
china
india
US
idonesia
brazil
pakistan
B.D
russia
nigeria
Japan |
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