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A system is: an assemblage of parts, their relationship forming a whole.
Composed by a number of interconnected parts. Vary in size, level and complexity. Organised in a hierarchy of systems and sub-systems. |
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| Exchanges matter and energy across it’s boundary with the environment – almost all systems are open. |
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| where energy is transferred between a system and it’s environment but not the matter – these are fairly rare in the environment. An example = Biosphere II |
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| where neither matter nor energy is exchanged between the system and the environment – it cannot exist naturally. |
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| 1st Law of Thermodynamics |
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| Energy cannot be created nor destroyed it can only be transformed |
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| 2nd Law of Thermodynamics |
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| Energy is always lost in a transformation. Some is lost as heat to the environment. |
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| When a system is at a state of balance and avoids sudden changes in number of components their forms or behaviour. |
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| No long term changes but may be small fluxuations in the short term (weather) |
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| There is no change in the system: used for comparative purposes. When it is disturbed a new system is formed |
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| It tends to neutralise any deviation from an equilibrium and promotes stability bringing it back to equilibrium. |
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| Increases, any change away from the equilibrium are increased. |
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| Flow through a system and involve a change in location. |
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| Lead to an interaction within a system in the formation of a new end product or involve a change in state. It usually requires energy. |
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| The position an organism holds in a food chain in a given community. |
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| illustrate direct feeding relationships between one organism and another in a single hierarchy. We are limited in the case of organisms that feed at multiple trophic levels. Helpful for analysing aspects of an ecosystem function such as the response to pollutants. |
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| Are a more complex way to illustrate feeding between animals. Yet do not show the difference in quantity of living organism in different trophic levels. |
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| A particular type of organism which can interbreed producing fertile offspring |
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| group of organisms of the same species living together and capable of interbreeding. |
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| Place where an organism or a biological population normally lives or occurs. |
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| The role a species plays in an ecosystem. |
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| A group of populations living and interacting with each other in a common habitat (the biotic components) |
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| A community of interdependent organisms and the physical/ chemical (abiotic) environment which they inhabit. |
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| When two similar species use special adaptations to gain a limited resource |
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| Intraspecific competition |
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| Competition for resources between members of the same species. They have the same niche and so compete for the exact same resources |
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| Competition for resources (such as food, space, water, light etc) between members of different species, and in general one species will out-compete another one. |
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| When a more dominant species will hunt another |
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| An interaction in which both species benefit. |
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| Where one species lives inside another and kills |
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| Stratified random sampling |
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| used when there are obvious differences within an area to be sampled and two sets of samples are taken. We measure the percentage coverage of a given species. |
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| Continuous and systematic sampling |
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| Along a transect line, use this to look at changes along the changed in environmental gradient. |
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| Is the variation of living life form in a given ecosystem, biome or entire Earth. It is used as an indicator of the health of a biological system. |
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| A collection of ecosystem sharing the similar climatic conditions |
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| Total amount of energy made by plants |
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| Total amount of energy made minus respiration by plants |
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| Total amount of energy made by animals |
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| Total amount of energy made minus respiration by animals |
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| : Is a process by which organisms occupy a site and gradually change environmental conditions by creating soil, shelter and increasing humidity. The different stages are called Seres |
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| Are procedures required by the planning processes in most countries. They take into account the biotic and abiotic factors, and to therefore asses what impact the building will have on the site |
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| The amount of biological of living diversity that is located in a given area. |
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| Range of genetic material present in a gene pool or population of a species |
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| Variety of species per unit area. |
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| Range of different habitats of ecological niches which are present in a ecosystem biome or Earth as a whole. Conserving these leads to the conservation of species and genetic diversity. |
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| Outline the factors used to determine a species’ Red List conservation status. |
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Definition
Overall increase or decrease in the population over time
Breeding success rates
Known threats
Population size
Reduction in population size
Numbers of mature individuals
Geographic range and degree of fragmentation
Quality of habitat
Area of occupancy
Probability of extinction. |
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| Is the addition of a harmful substance (heat) to the environment by human activity at a greater rate by which it can be rendered harmless. |
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| This is the maximum number of individuals that an environment can carry or support in the long term. |
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| Is the area between the exponential growth curve and the carrying capacity, which can be any factor that limits the growth of a population (food, light, water…) |
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| Density Dependent Limiting Factors |
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| These are in general biotic factors and their effects increase as the population increases. They are considered to act as negative feedback leading to the stability of a population. |
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| Internal Density-dependent limiting factors |
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| Act between I species. These encompass limited food, territory availability and density-dependent fertility. Limited food will increase competition between members and those which are weaker will get less food while the stronger more aggressive ones will get more food. Unsuitable territories could lead to the impossibility of finding an adequate mate. |
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| External Density-dependent limiting factors |
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| These occur between different species. As a predatory animal evolves this may lead to an increase in size making it easier to kill its prey. This will produce more offspring from the predators which will further decrease the prey size until its unsustainable and then the predator’s numbers will fall. |
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| Density-independent limiting factors |
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| Tend to be abiotic. Effects do not change population dynamics. Weather (short term), climate (long-term e.g. long winter or summer), volcanic eruptions and floods. |
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| : a rapid growth in the population where the rate is proportional to the increasing number. The population is doubling each time |
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| the number of years it takes for a given population to double it’s size at a particular rate % of growth |
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| (Nº of Births)/(pop size) x1000 |
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| (Nº of Deaths)/(pop size) x1000 |
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| (Nº of Births-Nº of deaths)/10 |
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| The average number of children that a woman (in a particular population) has during her life time. Based of 1000 women of child bearing age. |
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| H.D.I =Human Development Index |
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| shows the development of the living conditions and standard of living in a country. It looks into the life expectancy, standard of education and GDP of a county. |
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| D.T.M= Demographic Transition Model |
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| are models based on European and North American countries and therefore have limiting factors as are not entirely truthful. Studies how birth rates and death rates affect them total population. |
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| all the resources which are given to is by nature – can be products as well as services – all of which can be described as such if well managed. The structure and diversity of the system are important components. |
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| Is the natural yield provided by the sources of Natural income. We can give it a value: Economical, ecological, scientific or aesthetic |
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| Living species and ecosystems which are self-producing and self-maintaining – their yield can be used as marketable goods. |
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| These sources can replace themselves yet it takes time for them to do so. They tend to be non-living and dependent on solar energy to function. E.G. Ozone is regenerated via UV rays or ground water is filtered over many years until it form aquifers. |
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| Are those that will eventually run out such as fossil fuels or metal ores. |
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| it the revenue generated by the natural capital, not living of the capital but the income. How much is made by the capital. |
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| First defined by the Brudtland report in 1987 and talks about how we must use our resources adequately so that we don’t run out in the future |
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| is the amount of natural increase form a given natural capital. It tells you how much you can extract (income) without affecting the product (capital) |
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D= N(N-1)/Σn(n-1)
D = diversity index
N = total number of organisms of all species found
n = number of individuals of a particular species |
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| Pop grows exponentially and food arithmetically so not sustainable |
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| As pop grows so does technology which improves food production. |
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| = refers to how much productive land and water must be used to sustain a given population at it’s current standard of living. However like the DTM it is only a model which doesn’t take into account all variables so is based on assumptions and not true data as this date is simplified. |
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| Pollution released from a single source. E.g sewage release pipe in a stream |
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| Pollution which is released from diffuse sources e.g. pesticides from a farmers’ fields or car exhaust in a city |
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| Describe two direct methods of monitoring pollution (one for air and one for water). |
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Air:
Leaving glue-coated paper with a grid drawn on them for a standard amount of time and examine the particles. The limitations is that some particles may appear because of location
Water:
Winkler’s test carried out using a filed kit or fixing a water sample with chemicals and then determining the oxygen concentration. |
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| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) |
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| Is the measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen needed to breakdown the organic material in water. |
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| Outline the processes of Eutrophication |
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| is the nutrient enrichment of an ecosystem. Mostly related to bodies of freshwater and the addition of nitrates and phosphates. Can be accelerated y human activates such as detergents, soil erosion, sewage or agricultural fertilizers. |
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| Outline the types of solid domestic waste. |
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Paper
Glass
Metals
Plastic
Organic waste
Potentially hazardous chemical e.g. batteries, medicines, pesticides and cleaning products |
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Definition
O2 +UV = O + O
O + O2 = O3
Ozone is 3 oxygen atoms joined together (triatomic)
UV radiation breaks O2 into 2 separate monatomic Oxygen molecules
These reactive monatomic oxygen molecules will try to join a diatomic pair of O2 making O3
Most of this process occurs in the stratosphere |
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Definition
O3 + UV = O2 + O
UV radiation the splits up ozone leaving O2 and O which can then group together again. |
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| Explain the interaction between ozone and halogenated organic gases. |
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Definition
1)ODS (Oxygen depleting substances: CFC’s) + UV = Product + Cl
2)O3 + CL = O2 + ClO (Halogen breaks down Ozone)
3)ClO + O = O2 + Cl (The chlorine becomes independent again and c break down Ozone) |
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| Outline the formation of photochemical smog. |
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Definition
Photochemical smog is a mixture of about 100 pollutants with ozone being the main pollutant. The severity of the smog is dependent on local topography, climate, population and fossil fuel use. Precipitation cleans the air and winds disperse the smog. Thermal inversions can trap air pollution in valley (LA, Rio, Mexico City) and concentrations can build to harmful levels. Some gases from Industry: Sulphur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Hydrogen Sulphide Some gases from Vehicles: Hydrocarbons, Nitric Oxide, Carbon monoxide |
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| Outline the chemistry leading to the formation of acidified precipitations. |
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Main pollutants:
Fossil fuels – especially coal – being burnt releasing sulphur dioxide.
Combustion engines release nitrogen oxides.
Sulphur dioxides and Nitrogen dioxides = sulphate and nitrates (dry deposition = Eutrophication) and sulphuric and nitric acid (water deposition) |
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