1. Anthropogenic derived from human activities 2. Erosion The process by which wind, water, ice, or gravity transports soil and sediment from one
... [Show More] location to another 3. Runoff Part of the water cycle where an excess of water runs down and does not sink into the soil and eventually makes it to the rivers, lakes, and oceans. 4. Denitrification process in which fixed nitrogen compounds are con- verted back into nitrogen gas and returned to the atmosphere 5. Nitrification ammonia (NH3) is converted to nitrate ions (NO3)- 6. Amonification the part of the decomposition process where nitrogen in inorganic molecules reaction acids and nucleotides is converted to ammonium 7. Nitrogen Fixation Process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia 8. Abiotic Non-living things 9. Biotic Describes living factors in the environment. 10. keystone species a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically. 11. primary consumer An organism that eats producers 12. secondary con- sumer A carnivore that eats primary consumers 13. tertiary consumer A carnivore that eats secondary consumers 14. Biodiversity The amount of biological or living diversity per unit area. It includes the concepts of species diversity, habitat diversity and genetic diversity. 15. Divergent plates Two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other 16. convergent plates tectonic plates that collide with each other 17. Transform Plates Plates that are moving past each other (rubbing next to each other) in opposite directions 18. primary succession succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists 19. secondary succes- sion Succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil 20. logistic growth Growth pattern in which a population's growth rate slows or stops following a period of exponential growth 21. logistic growth mod- el describes a population whose growth is initially expo- nential, but slows as the population approaches the carrying capacity of the environment 22. exponential growth Population growth that is unhindered because of the abundance of resources for an ever-increasing popu- lation. 23. exponential growth model tells us that, under ideal conditions, the future size of the population depends on the current size of the population, the intrinsic rate of the population, and the amount of time over which the population grows 24. intrinsic growth rate the maximum potential for growth of a population under ideal conditions with unlimited resources 25. K-selected species Species that produce a few, often fairly large offspring but invest a great deal of time and energy to ensure that most of those offspring reach reproductive age. 26. r-selected species Species that reproduce early in their life span and pro- duce large numbers of usually small and short-lived offspring in a short period. 27. Generalists species Species that can live in varying conditions 28. Specialists species Species with a narrow ecological niche. They may be able to live in only one type of habitat, tolerate only a narrow range of climatic and other environmental conditions, or use only one type or a few types of food. 29. Fault A break or crack in the earth's crust 30. Microevolution Change in allele frequencies in a population over generations. 31. Macroevolution Evolutionary change above the species level. 32. Algal Bloom an immediate increase in the amount of algae and other producers that results from a large input of a limiting nutrient 33. Limiting Nutrients single essential nutrient that limits productivity in an ecosystem; Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium 34. Hypoxic low oxygen 35. Amenia deficiency of iron 36. Externality the impact of one person's actions on the well-being of a bystander 37. Affluence abundance; wealth 38. Leaching the transportation of dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater 39. Resilience the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance 40. Resistance a measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an ecosystem 41. Watershed An ecosystem where all water runoff drains into a single body of water 42. Generalists a species with a broad niche that can tolerate a wide range of conditions and can use a variety of resources 43. Specialists species that have narrow niches 44. R-selected Species that reproduce early in their life span and pro- duce large numbers of usually small and short-lived offspring in a short period. 45. K-selected Species that produce a few, often fairly large offspring but invest a great deal of time and energy to ensure that most of those offspring reach reproductive age. 46. Tragedy of the Com- mons the tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted because people act from self-interest for short-term gain 47. Stakeholders All the people who stand to gain or lose by the policies and activities of a business and whose concerns the business needs to address. 48. Eutrophication A process by which nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, become highly concentrated in a body of water, leading to increased growth of organisms such as algae or cyanobacteria. 49. Mutualism A relationship between two species in which both species benefit 50. Commensalism A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected 51. Parasitism A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed 52. Predation An interaction in which one organism kills another for food. 53. Herbivory interaction in which one animal (the herbivore) feeds on producers (such as plants) 54. Carnivores Consumers that eat only animals 55. Omnivores Consumers that eat both plants and animals. 56. Detrivore a scavenger, such as an earthworm, that feeds on dead plant and animal matter 57. Herbivores Consumers that eat only plants 58. Decomposers organisms that break down wastes and dead organ- isms and return raw materials to the environment 59. trophic level each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy. 60. How much ener- gy is available/con- sumed at each troph- ic level 61. genetic drift 10% A change in the allele frequency of a population as a result of chance events rather than natural selection. 62. Founder Effect genetic drift that occurs after a small number of indi- viduals colonize a new area 63. Bottleneck Effect Genetic drift resulting from the reduction of a pop- ulation, typically by a natural disaster, such that the surviving population is no longer genetically repre- sentative of the original population. 64. Natural Selection A natural process resulting in the evolution of organ- isms best adapted to the environment. 65. Sexual Selection Natural selection for mating success. 66. intersexual selection Selection whereby individuals of one sex (usually females) are choosy in selecting their mates from individuals of the other sex; also called mate choice. 67. intrasexual selection competition among individuals of one sex (often males) for mates of the opposite sex 68. sexual dimorphism Differences in physical characteristics between males and females of the same species. 69. Soil Horizons distinct layers of soil 70. O horizon the uppermost horizon of soil. It is primarily made up of organic material, including waste from organisms, the bodies of decomposing organisms, and live or- ganisms. 71. A horizon topsoil 72. E horizon Zone of leaching: dissolved and suspended materials move downward. In-between A and B horizon. 73. B horizon A soil horizon composed primarily of mineral material with very little organic matter 74. C horizon The least-weathered soil horizon, which always oc- curs beneath the B horizon and is similar to the parent material. 75. R horizon The bedrock, which lies below all of the other layers of soil, is referred to as the R horizon. 76. Atmosphere the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or anoth- er planet. 77. Troposphere 0-17 km above Earth's surface, site of weather, organ- isms, contains most atmospheric water vapor. (tem- perature decreases with increasing altitude, pressure decreases) 78. Stratosphere 2nd layer of atmosphere; extends from 10 to 30 miles up; location of ozone layer; absorbs 95% of Ultra- violet radiation; temperature increases with altitude increase. 79. Mesosphere 3rd layer of the atmosphere, above the stratosphere; most meteors, or space rocks and metal, burn up before they can crash to the ground 80. Thermosphere The uppermost layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature increases as altitude increases; contains the ionosphere 81. fossil fuels a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms. 82. nuclear fuel substance used in nuclear reactors that releases en- ergy due to nuclear fission 83. subsistence energy sources those gathered by individuals for their own use such as wood, charcoal, and animal waste 84. Commercial energy sources Those that are bought and sold, (coal, oil, wood, etc) 85. Cogeneration The use of a single fuel to generate electricity and to produce heat 86. coal A fossil fuel that forms underground from partially decomposed plant material 87. petroleum A fossil fuel that occurs in underground deposits, composed of a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, water, and sulfur 88. crude oil Liquid petroleum removed from the ground 89. Natural gas A gas with high methane content, found along with various fossil fuels and is used as a fuel. 90. oil sands Slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay 91. Bitumen A degraded petroleum that forms when petroleum migrates to the surface of Earth and is modified by bacteria. 92. CTL (coal to liquid) The process of converting solid coal into liquid fuel 93. Energy intensity The energy use per unit of gross domestic product 94. Hubbert curve A bell-shaped curve representing oil use and pro- jecting both when world oil production will reach a maximum and when we will run out of oil 95. Peak Oil The point at which half the total known oil supply is used up 96. Fission A nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy 97. Radioactive waste Nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful in a power plant but continues to emit radioactivity 98. Becquerel (Bq) Unit that measures the rate at which a sample of radioactive material decays; 1 Bq = decay of 1 atom or nucleus per second. 99. Curie A unit of measure for radiation; 1 curie = 37 billion decays per second. 100. Nuclear Fusion A reaction that occurs when lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei 101. Food security A condition in which people have access to suffi- cient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. 102. Famine a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death 103. Food Insecurity a condition in which people do not have adequate access to food 104. Undernutrition The condition in which not enough calories are ingest- ed to maintain health 105. Overnutrition ingestion of too many calories and a lack of balance of foods and nutrients 106. Industrial agricul- ture Agriculture that applies the techniques of mechaniza- tion and standardization 107. Energy Subsidy the fossil fuel energy and human energy input per calorie of food produced 108. Green Revolution Agricultural revolution that increased production through improved seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation; helped to support rising Asian populations. 109. Economic of scale factors that cause a producer's average cost per unit to fall as output rises 110. Waterlogging A form of soil degradation that occurs when soil re- mains under water for prolonged periods. 111. Salinization of soil the accumulation of soluble salts of sodium, magne- sium and calcium in soil to the extent that soil fertility is severely reduced 112. Fertilizer a substance that provides nutrients to help crops grow better 113. Synthetic Fertilizer Fertilizer produced commercially, normally with the use of fossil fuels 114. Organic Fertilizer fertilizer composed of organic matter from plants and animals 115. Monocropping (monoculture) An agricultural method that utilizes large plantings of a single species or variety 116. Pesticides Any one of various substances used to kill harmful in- sects (insecticide), fungi (fungicide), vermin, or other living organisms that destroy or inhibit plant growth, carry disease, or are otherwise harmful. 117. Insecticides A pesticide that targets species of insects and other invertebrates 118. Herbicides A pesticide that targets plant species that compete with crops. 119. Broad Spectrum Pesticides a pesticide that kills many different types of pests 120. Selective Pesticides A pesticide that targets a narrower range of organ- isms. 121. Persistent Pesti- cides 122. Nonpersistent Pesti- cides 123. Pesticides Resis- tance A pesticide that remains in the environment for a long time. Pesticides that break down rapidly, usually in weeks or months the ability of a life form to develop a tolerance to a pesticide 124. Pesticides Treadmill A cycle of pesticide development, followed by pest resistance, followed by new pesticide development 125. Concentrated Ani- mal Feeding Opera- tion (CAFO) Many meat or dairy animals are reared in confined spaces, maximizing the number of animals that can be grown in a small area. 126. Fishery a commercially harvestable population of fish within a particular ecological region 127. Fishery Collapse The decline of a fish population by 90 percent or more. 128. Bycatch The unintentional catch of nontarget species while fishing 129. Shifting Agriculture An agricultural method in which land is cleared and used for a few years until the soil is depleted of nutri- ents. 130. Desertification Degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas, primarily because of human actions like excessive crop planting, animal grazing, and tree cutting. 131. Nomadic Grazing Feeding herds of animals by moving them to sea- sonally productive feeding grounds, often over long distances 132. Sustainable Agricul- ture Agriculture that fulfills the need for food and fiber while enhancing the quality of the soil, minimizing the use of nonrenewable resources, and allowing economic viability for the farmer. 133. Intercropping An agricultural method in which two or more crop species are planted in the same field at the same time to promote a synergistic interaction. 134. crop rotation The practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year, to avoid exhausting the soil. 135. Agroforestry when trees and crops are planted together, creating a mutualistic symbiotic relationship between them. 136. Contour Plowing An agricultural technique in which plowing and har- vesting are done parallel to the topographic contours of the land 137. No-Till Agriculture An agricultural method in which farmers do not turn the soil between seasons, used as a means of reduc- ing erosion 138. Perennial Plants A plant that lives for multiple years. 139. Annual Plants A plant that lives only one season 140. Integrated Pest Man- agement (IPM) An agricultural practice that uses a variety of tech- niques designed to minimize pesticide inputs 141. Organic Agriculture production of crops without the use of synthetic pes- ticides or fertilizers 142. Individual transfer- able quota (ITQ) 143. Density Dependent Factors A fishery management program in which individual fishers are given a total allowable catch of fish in a season that they can either catch or sell. A limiting factor of a population wherein large, dense populations are more strongly affected than small, less crowded ones. 144. Density Independent Factors limiting factor that affects all populations in similar ways, regardless of population size 145. Type I survivorship Usually experience high survival in early and middle life, followed by a rapid decline in later life. Usually K-selected 146. Type II survivorship Experience roughly a constant mortality rate regard- less of age. Prey animals such as birds can follow this pattern of survival. 147. Type III survivorship Experience the greatest mortality early on in life, with relatively low rates of death for those surviving. Usu- ally r-selected. 148. What does Natural Selection act on phenotypes 149. urban sprawl The process of urban areas expanding outwards, usu- ally in the form of suburbs, and developing over fertile agricultural land. 150. Urban Sprawl and Agriculture Unrestricted growth in many American urban areas of housing, commercial development, and roads over large expanses of land, with little concern for urban planning that later has a negative impact of farming and food production 151. Urban Planning determining and drawing up plans for the future phys- ical arrangement and condition of a community 152. Aquaculture Raising marine and freshwater fish in ponds and un- derwater cages 153. Advantages to Aqua- culture 154. Disadvantages to Aquaculture High efficiency High yield in small volume of water Can reduce over harvesting of conventional fisheries Low fuel use High profits Profits not tied to price of oil Needs large inputs of land, feed and water Large waste output Destroys mangrove forests and estuaries Uses grain to feed some species Dense populations vulnerable to disease Tanks too contaminated to use after about 5 years 155. Furrow irrigation easy and inexpensive; 65% efficient; farmer digs trenches along the crop rows and fills them with water, which seeps into the ground and provides moisture to plant roots 156. Drip Irrigation the practice of using small pipes that slowly drip water just above ground to conserve water to use for crops 157. Flood Irrigation the entire field is flooded with water 158. Hydroponic Agricul- ture Cultivation under greenhouse conditions with roots in nutrient rich solution, and not soil. 159. Selective Logging The cutting down of selected trees, leaving most of the trees intact. 160. Clear-Cutting a method of harvesting trees that involves removing all or almost all of the trees within an area 161. What does Nuclear fission release? Neutrons and a large amount of energy 162. What does Hydro- gen Fueled vehicles emit? Water Vapor and Warm air/Heat 163. Biomass vs. Coal Biomass fuel is more cheaper, but emits more CO2 because biomass was once living and has CO2 stored in its tissue. 164. Where is fission most likely to hap- pen in a Nuclear Re- actor? 165. Which part of the nuclear reactor con- tains Uranium? 166. What rock type is fossil fuel found in? 167. As countries be- come more devel- oped, the demand for... 168. Approximately 50% of all coal reserves worldwide are found in which countries? 169. What is the efficien- cy of the transfer of energy from fuel to electricity approx- imately? Inside the Reactor The Core Sedimentary Rocks commercial energy sources increases China, U.S., and Russia ~35% 170. What method of electricity genera- tion is the most effi- cient? 171. Cleanest to Dirti- est nonrenewable re- sources Combined Cycle Plants Natural gas: Petroleum : Coal 172. Oil sands Slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay; Requires more energy to ex- tract than regular oil 173. which type of elec- tricity generating plant releases toxic metals in the atmos- phere? 174. What is the largest amount of Petroleum used for? 175. How is nuclear waste stored cur- rently? 176. The order of grades of coal from lowest energy content to highest energy con- tent Coal-fired Power Plant Transportation Waste is Stored on site Lignite: Bituminous : Anthracite 177. 177. maximum sustain- able yield (MSY) the maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource 178. multiple-use lands A U.S. classification used to designate lands that may be used for recreation, grazing, timber harvesting, and mineral extraction. 179. Rangeland A dry open grassland 180. Forest land dominated by trees and other woody vegetation and sometimes used for commercial logging 181. ecologically sustain- able forestry an approach to removing trees from forests in ways that do not unduly affect the viability of other trees 182. Tree plantation a large area typically planted with a single rapidly growing tree species 183. prescribed burn A fire deliberately set under controlled conditions in order to reduce the accumulation of dead biomass on a forest floor 184. Goals of National Park Managment 185. national wildlife refuge 186. National wilderness area Protects ecosystems, maintains biodiversity, preser- vation of timber, minerals, and other natural resources a federal public land managed for the primary pur- pose of protecting wildlife An area set aside with the intent of preserving a large tract of intact ecosystem or a landscape. 187. multi-use zoning A zoning classification that allows retail and high-den- sity residential development to coexist in the same area. 188. Infill Development that fills in vacant lots within existing communities 189. Economies of scales factors that cause a producer's average cost per unit to fall as output rises 190. Agroforestry An agricultural technique in which trees and vegeta- bles are intercropped 191. Downside to No-till farming 192. What agricultural method is used to prevent erosion? 193. What is an example of a Secondary Elec- tricity Source? 194. secondary energy source Increased use of herbicides contour plowing Electricity A form of energy such as electricity that must be produced from a primary energy source such as coal or radioactive material. 195. Albedo Ability of a surface to reflect light 196. albedo effect the positive feedback loop in which an increase in the Earth's temperature causes ice to melt so more radiation is absorbed by the Earth's surface leading to further increases in temperature. 197. What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere? Nitrogen (N2) 198. 1st law of thermody- namics 199. 2nd law of thermody- namics energy is neither created nor destroyed The principle whereby every energy transfer or trans- formation increases the entropy of the universe. Or- dered forms of energy are at least partly converted to heat, and in spontaneous reactions, the free energy of the system also decreases. 200. energy conservation finding ways to use less energy or to use energy more efficiently 201. Entropy A measure of disorder or randomness. 202. tiered rate system A billing system used by some electric companies in which customers pay higher rates as their use goes up 203. Peak demand the greatest quantity of energy used at one time 204. Passive solar design the technique of heating and cooling a building natu- rally without the use of mechanical equipment 205. Active solar design the use of solar energy to regulate temperature or provide hot water in buildings through the use of solar collectors and mechanical heat distribution systems 206. Thermal mass A property of a building material that allows it to maintain heat or cold 207. Biofuel Liquid fuel created from processed or refined biomass 208. Biofuel advantages carbon neutral, lower NOx and SOx, abundant, widely distributed, produced domestically 209. Biofuel disadvan- tages 210. modern carbon -is it really carbon nuetral? (think of transportation, processing, fertilizers, water...) -net gain?..... Carbon in biomass that was recently in the atmos- phere; also called Fossil Carbon 211. carbon neutral an activity that does not change atmospheric CO2 concentrations 212. Net Removal The process of removing more than is replaced by growth, typically used when referring to carbon 213. forms of biomass energy 214. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Charcoal, Manure, MSW, Ethanol Solid materials discarded by homes and businesses in or near urban areas. 215. Ethanol Alcohol made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2. 216. Biodiesel A diesel substitute produced by extracting and chem- ically altering oil from plants 217. flex-fuel vehicles A vehicle that runs on either gasoline or ethanol/gaso- line mixture 218. Hydroelectricity electricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water 219. Run-of-the river Hydroelectricity generation in which water is retained behind a low dam or no dam 220. water impoundment water is stored behind a dam and the gates of the dam are opened and closed controlling the flow of water 221. Tidal Energy Energy that comes from the movement of water dri- ven by the gravitational pull of the Moon. 222. Siltation The accumulation of sediments, primarily silt, on the bottom of a reservoir. 223. NOx and Sulfur What particulates can enhance the for- mation of smog? 224. Thermal inversion The temperature inversion in when warm air traps cold air and pollutants near the earth. 225. Air pollution can be caused by... 226. Which pollutants contribute to the de- velopment of smog? 227. Which air pollutant is a metal, released primarily from the combustion of coal? 228. Tropospheric Ozone is... Human activities and naturally Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Mercury a secondary pollutant 229. How is ozone made? ozone is made when ultraviolet radiation (UV-B and UV-C) breaks up O2 molecules. The oxygen mole- cules then combine with O2 to form O3 230. What breaks down ozone in the stratos- phere? 231. What type of UV radiation is ab- sorbed by stratos- pheric ozone? CFCs (primarily Chlorine) UV-B and UV-C 232. Montreal Protocol phase out of ozone depleting substances. 233. Clean Water Act Legislation that supports the "protection and propa- gation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and recreation in and on the water" by maintaining and, when neces- sary, restoring the chemical, physical, and biological properties of surface waters. 234. Clean Air Act Set emission standards for cars, and limits for release of air pollutants (mostly Lead) 235. Safe Drinking Water Act 236. What pollutants are specified under the Clean Air Act? 237. electrostatic precipi- tator set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants that may have adverse effects on human health. Lead, SO2, NOx, CO, PM, and tropospheric Ozone A device used for removing particulates from smoke- stack emissions. The charged particles are attracted to an oppositely charged metal plate, where they are precipitated out of the air. 238. Scrubbers used in smokestacks to decrease the amount of sulfur released in the air 239. How can you re- duce the emissions of NOx when burn- ing coal? 240. point source pollu- tion Lower burning temperature; low temperature = less NOx pollution that comes from a specific site 241. nonpoint source pol- lution 242. What is the dif- ference between a point source and a nonpoint source of water pollution? 243. Which pollutant is most likely to be released with- out human interven- tion into groundwa- ter supplies? pollution that comes from many sources rather than from a single, specific site Point sources can be more easily targeted for reduc- tion. Arsenic 244. Dead Zones Areas with little oxygen and little life. Can be self-per- petuating with the dying organisms subsequently de- composing and causing continued oxygen demand by microbes. 245. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) Water Quality Indicator the amount of oxygen used by microorganisms in aerobic oxidation 246. What is the great- est proportion of oil found in the world's oceans 247. The material rotating in the North Pacific Ocean is composed of 248. Which U.S. legisla- tion empowers the EPA to establish maximum contami- nant levels in drink- ing water? 249. closed-loop recy- cling Natural Oceanic Seeps solid waste, mostly plastics. Safe Drinking Water Act when materials, such as plastic or aluminum, are used to rebuild the same product (they could theoret- ically be produced indefinitely) 250. open-loop recycling when materials are reused to form new and different products 251. What is the most significant contribu- tor to the modern "throw away soci- ety"? 252. Which best de- scribes MSW in the United States? 253. Which item would most likely end up in the waste stream soonest? planned obsolescence (becoming useless) 60% of MSW comes from residences and 40% comes from commercial and institutional facilities. paper cup 254. Paper and Paperboard What type of mate- rial makes up the highest portion of MSW? 255. What components are in e-waste 256. Carefully controlled composting has be- come a promising way to help... 257. What happens be- fore a landfill is sealed and capped? 258. Which component of a landfill is extracted and transported to a wastewater treat- ment facility? 259. What is the best soil in which to engineer a sanitary landfill? Televisions, tablets, and cell phones Reduce the large quantities of methane formed in landfills specialized trucks compact materials to decrease the volume leachate Clay 260. Superfund Act The common name for the Comprehensive Environ- mental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); a 1980 U.S. federal act that imposes a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries, funds the cleanup of abandoned and nonoperating hazardous waste sites, and authorizes the federal government to respond directly to the release or threatened release of substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment. 261. Brownfield a property which has the presence or potential to be a hazardous waste, pollutant or contaminant. 262. Disadvantages of Landfills 263. Advantages of land- fills 264. Advantages of incin- erators 265. Disadvantages of In- cinerators 266. Why is waste/trash sent overseas to de- veloping countries? 267. Why is incorrectly disposed tires bad for human health? 268. Advantages of com- posting 269. Disadvantages of composting - releases greenhouse gases (Methane) - can leak and contaminate ground water - encourages waste production - Low operating costs -Can handle large amounts of waste - Filled land can be used for other purposes -reduces trash volume -produces energy (steam powered) -concentrates hazardous substances -sale of energy reduces cost -expensive to build -produces hazardous waste -emits some CO2 and other air pollutants -encourages waste production - Low cost - Less regulations in developing countries - Ease of getting rid of waste Can catch fire easily and release toxic pollutants, causing respiratory problems - Reduces waste that goes into landfills. - Essential elements in composted waste can be used to enrich soil. Attracts unwanted rodents 270. Tipping fees Fees charged by a landfill for disposal of waste, typi- cally quoted per ton. 271. Atrazine and DDT are examples of . . . Endocrine Disruptors 272. 272. What are the five cat- -Neurotoxins egories of chemicals -Carcinogens that can harm organ- isms? -Teratogen -Allergens -Endocrine disruptors 273. Neurotoxins A chemical that disrupts the nervous systems of ani- mals 274. Carcinogens Cancer causing agents 275. Mutagen A type of carcinogen that causes damage to the ge- netic material of a cell 276. Teratogens A chemical that interferes with the normal develop- ment of embryos or fetuses 277. Allergens A chemical that causes allergic reactions 278. endocrine disrup- tors 279. Acute infectious dis- ease 280. chronic infectious disease A chemical that interferes with the normal functioning of hormones in an animal's body A disease that rapidly impairs the functioning of an organism A disease that slowly impairs the functioning of an organism 281. prospective studies A study that monitors people who might become ex- posed to harmful chemicals in the future. 282. retrospective stud- ies A study that monitors people who have been exposed to an environmental hazard at some time in the past. 283. synergistic effect A situation in which two risks together cause more harm than expected based on the separate effects of each risk alone 284. Prions A small, beneficial protein that occasionally mutates into a pathogen 285. Solubility How well a chemical dissolves in a liquid 286. Bioacumulation An increased concentration of a chemical within an organism over time 287. Biomagnification The increase in chemical concentration in animal tis- sues as the chemical moves up the food chain 288. Persistence The length of time a chemical remains in the environ- ment 289. What is the un- intended conse- quence of the in- crease in tipping fee? 290. What is one of the ten leading health risks in high-income countries? 291. What are the prima- ry health risk factors in developing coun- tries? 292. Emergent infectious disease 293. How is HIV/AIDS treated? Open-dumping High blood pressure Malnutrition and poor sanitation An infectious disease that has not been previously described or has not been common for at least 20 years. - has the ability to rapidly mutate and jumping from animals to humans Antiretroviral drugs that keep HIV populations low in the body 294. Heart disease is . . . A noninfectious, chronic disease 295. Epidemic regional outbreak of a disease 296. Pandemic Disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects a very high proportion of the population. 297. Which chemical group is likely to be- come more preva- lent as a develop- ing country transi- tions from tradition- al to modern risks? 298. Toxic Substances Control Act Carcinogens Authorized the EPA to ban or regulate chemicals deemed a risk to health or the environment 299. LD50 the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population 300. ED50 Effective dose in 50% of the population 301. pioneer species First species to populate an area during primary suc- cession (moss and lichen) 302. What does anaer- obic decomposition produce? 303. What is the most common source of radon? 304. What type of reac- tion happens in a nu- clear reactor? 305. Which of the fol- lowing describes an environment where large amounts of oil could form millions methane naturally released from rocks, soil, and water; it can get into homes and buildings through small cracks or holes Fission of radioactive fuel A river delta in a forested region of years in the fu- ture? 306. Scientists are look- ing for new locations to generate electrici- ty using geothermal energy. Which of the follow- ing locations would be the best choice for a geothermal energy generating plant? 307. Increased use of which of the fol- lowing technologies would cause the greatest reduction in the primary source of photochemical smog? 308. Which of the fol- lowing best explains why the lower por- tion of the tropos- phere is warmer than the upper portion? 309. Which of the follow- ing best describes one way the Clean Air Act helped re- duce air pollution? 310. What is an adverse side-effect of bottom trawling? Near tectonic plate boundaries catalytic converter The surface of Earth absorbs sunlight, heating the lower portion of the troposphere more than the upper part. Introduced regulatory measures to control the amount of lead in fuels Bycatch and destruction of habitats 311. Which type of coal has the highest ener- gy content? 312. How is silt read on a soil composition graph? 313. How is sand read on a soil composition graph? 314. How is clay read on a soil composition graph? 315. The process of ex- tracting and sepa- rating gold in re- mote regions often results in environ- mental contamina- tion with which of the following? 316. Which of the follow- ing are direct prod- ucts of the use of hydrocarbon fu- els in automobile en- gines? 317. Which of the fol- lowing is the great- est component (by weight) of municipal solid waste in the United States? anthracite Diagonally left downward Diagonally left upward Straight Cyanide CO2, NOx, and VOCs paper 318. Which of the fol- lowing best explains why more contam- inants are leached when solid waste is crushed into small particles and put in contact with water than when the parti- cles are large? 319. Which of the follow- ing is the best de- scription of a popu- lation that has a sta- ble age distribution? 320. The majority of at- mospheric mercury is produced by? Smaller particles have a larger surface area per unit volume than larger particles. A growing population in which the proportions of indi- viduals in the different age classes remain constant coal-burning power plants 321. intrinsic value Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth's biodiversity based on its existence, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to us. 322. instrumental value worth as an instrument or a tool that can be used to accomplish a goal 323. Which of the fol- lowing is a human health impact asso- ciated with exposure to radon gas in- side homes or other buildings? Increased incidence of lung cancer 324. Lacey Act A U.S. act that prohibits interstate shipping of all ille- gally harvested plants and animals. 325. 325. Convention on Inter- national Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) A 1973 treaty formed to control the international trade of threatened plants and animals 326. Red List A list of worldwide threatened species 327. Kyoto Protocol controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries 328. Why was the Kyoto Protocol not effec- tive? 329. Marine Mammal Pro- tection Act 330. Endangered Species Act 331. Convention on Bio- logical Diversity The U.S. never ratified it A 1972 U.S. act to protect declining populations of marine mammals identifies threatened and endangered species in the US, and puts their protection ahead of economic con- siderations An international treaty to help protect biodiversity 332. Edge habitat A habitat that occurs where two different communities come together, typically forming an abrupt transition 333. Biosphere reserve Protected area consisting of zones that vary in the amount of permissible human impact; helps protect biodiversity without excluding all human activity 334. Cradle to grave A design philosophy that considers the environmental effects of a product all of the way from manufacture to disposal. 335. Cradle to cradle A design philosophy that aims to eliminate waste from the production, use and disposal of a product. It centres on products which are made to be made again. 336. RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) 337. CERCLA (Super- fund) 338. Which of the follow- ing best describes the effect of in- creased atmospher- ic carbon dioxide on marine organisms? 339. Which of the follow- ing human health is- sues is linked to ex- posure to pollutants released during the incineration of plas- tic waste? Enacted in 1976 to give EPA "Cradle to Grave" au- thority over hazardous waste. Established federal authority for emergency response and clean-up of hazardous substances that have been spilled, improperly disposed, or released into the environment It will decrease the availability of carbonate ions in ocean water, decreasing the ability of coral to form shells. asthma 340. exotic species organisms that are not native to a particular area 341. invasive species species that enter new ecosystems and multiply, harming native species and their habitats 342. cultural services ecosystems provide cultural or aesthetic benefits to many people 343. regulating services the service provided by natural systems that helps regulate environmental conditions 344. Provision a good that humans can use directly 345. Support Systems Natural ecosystems provide numerous support ser- vices that would be extremely costly for humans to generate 346. Which group of or- ganisms currently has the largest num- ber of threatened species? amphibians 347. Endemic confined to a particular country or area 348. endemic species species that are native to and found only within a limited area 349. Exotic species often pose a threat to na- tive species because 350. What is the primary reason that species are overharvested? 351. Which group of or- ganisms represents the largest number of species listed in the Endangered Species Act? they can establish themselves quickly and become invasive market demand for goods associated with a species plants 352. Zones of ponds littoral zone, benthic zone, limnetic zone 353. littoral zone the shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow 354. limnetic zone In a lake, the well-lit, open surface waters farther from shore. 355. bethnic zone the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean 356. Zones of Lakes littoral zone, limnetic zone, profundal zone, benthic zone 357. profundal zone (lake) a region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes 358. Paris Protocol Aims to limit climate change to well below 2 degrees celcius increase 359. Montreal Protocol (1987) 360. Endangered Species Act of 1973 361. Convention on In- ternational Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) 362. In addition to a near- by mountain range, which of the fol- lowing environmen- tal conditions would be required for the process to occur? 363. Corporate Aver- age Fuel Economy (CAFE) An agreement on protection of the ozone layer in which states pledged to reduce and then eliminate use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). It is the most suc- cessful environmental treaty to date.u A law requiring the federal government to protect all species listed as endangered. Controls the exploitation of endangered species through international legislation. Bans hunting, cap- turing and selling of threatened species and bans the import of ivory. A cool sea breeze and a high pressure system Requires vehicle manufacturers to comply with the gas mileage, or fuel economy, standards set by the Department of Transportation (DOT). CAFE values are obtained using the city and highway fuel economy test results and a weighted average of vehicle sales. 364. Warm air less dense and rises 365. Cold air more dense and sinks 366. Gases dissolve best when water is cold, pressure is high 367. What are the two lim- iting nutrients? 368. Sunlight splitting Ni- trogen Dioxide mole- cules makes . . . nitrogen and phosphorus Tropospheric Ozone 369. climax community stable, mature ecological community with little change in the composition of species 370. stage 1 of demo- graphic transition 371. stage 2 of demo- graphic transition 372. stage 3 of demo- graphic transition 373. stage 4 of demo- graphic transition 374. Stable population growth 375. Rapid population growth Very high CBR Very high CDR Very low NIR (Natural Increase Rate= CBR - CDR) high CBR, declining CDR, high natural increase rate(NIR) Rapidly declining CBR Moderately declining CDR Moderate NIR (Natural Increase Rate) low CBR, low CDR, low to no NIR (Natural Increase Rate), stationary population when a country has a constant and healthy population increase Increase in population that leads to over population issues 376. Decreased popula- tion growth 377. intertidal zone the narrow band of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide 378. Where is the major- ity of fresh water found on Earth? 379. how are trees affect- ed by acid deposi- tion? Ice caps and Glaciers decreases the availability of nutrients for plants and increases the amount of aluminum in the soil, de- creases tree growth leading to brown leaves 380. What time of year are Winter smog levels usually highest? 381. Delaney Clause of Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (1958) requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban food additives which are found to cause or induce cancer in humans or animals as indicated by testing. 382. How is peat formed? From partially decomposed organic matter under anaerobic, acidic conditions, and under high-pres- sured condition [Show Less]