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AP Environmental Science Review Flashcards

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9878814552Factors that affect the amount of solar energy at the surface of the Earth:-Earth's rotation (once every 24 hours) -tilt of Earth's axis (23.5 degrees) -revolution around the sun (once per year)0
9878814553What is most harmful human activity?Habitat destruction has a greater harmful environmental impact than any other human activity1
9878814554Nitrogen (N2)Fundamental nutrient for living organisms. Used for protein. Reactions involving lightning. Uses Bacteria during cycling.2
9878814555Oxygen (O2)Molecules are produced through photosynthesis and are utilized (used) in cellular respiration.3
9878814556Water vapor (H2O)Largest amounts occur near equator, over oceans, and in tropical regions. -most common natural greenhouse gas.4
9878814557Carbon dioxide (CO2)Produced during cellular respiration. It is a major greenhouse gas that has increased due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.5
9878814558Methane (CH4)Contributes to the greenhouse effect. Increase due to landfills, fossil fuels, grazing animals, etc..6
9878814559troposphere-layer of atmosphere closest to the ground. - temperature decreases with altitude -weather occurs in this zone7
9878814560stratosphere-temperature increases with altitude due to absorption of heat by ozone -contains the ozone layer8
9878814561climateis an area's GENERAL pattern of atmospheric of weather conditions measured over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years9
9878814562radiationMethod by which Earth receives solar energy.10
9878814563albedoIs the reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface11
9878814564Rain shadow effectthe loss of moisture from the landscape and the resulting semiarid or arid conditions on the leeward side of high mountains -Windward= lush, green, clouds, precipitation, ocean...leedward= deserts, sinking air, dry12
9878814565Coriolis Effectthe effect of the Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and currents13
9878814566El Niño and La Niña (Southern Oscillation (ENSO))large-scale weather phenomenon occurs every few years when prevailing winds in the tropical Pacific Ocean weaken and change direction o Above-average warming of Pacific waters affects populations of marine species by changing the distribution of plant nutrients, hurting fishing industry o Low nutrients, low dissolved oxygen o Severe flooding, storms, drought, mudslides, $ damage, human health hazards14
9878814567extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost15
9878814568biodiversityis the variety of the earth's species, the genes they contain, the ecosystems in which they live, and the ecosystem processes that sustain all life16
9878814569ecologythe study of how organisms interact with their living (biotic) environment17
9878814570evolutionthe process whereby earth's life changes over time18
9878814571natural selectionoccurs when some individuals of a population have genetically based traits that enhance their ability to survive and reproduce19
9878814572speciationthe evolution of a new species20
9878814573species diversitythe number of different species a community contains (species richness) combined with the relative abundance of individuals within each of those species (species evenness)21
9878814574indicator speciesspecies that provide early warnings of damage to a community or an ecosystem (e.g. amphibians [because their breath through skin])22
9878814575keystone specieshave a large effect on the types and abundance of other species in an ecosystem (e.g. shark, bumblebee, sea otters in kelp forests)23
9878814576biomassthe amount of living material, or the amount of organic material contained in living organisms, both as live and dead material, as in the leaves (live) and stem wood (dead) of trees24
9878814577ecological successionthe process of the development of an ecological community or ecosystem, usually viewed as a series of stages: early, middle, late, mature (or climax), and sometimes post-climax25
9878814578primary successionthe gradual establishment of communities in an area that has NO soil or sediment26
9878814579secondary successiona series of communities or ecosystems with different species that evolve where there's soil27
9878814580island biogeography• proposes that the number of species found on an undisturbed island is determined by immigration and extinction • Distance from mainland: closer island, higher immigration • Size: smaller ones have fewer species than large ones and smaller target for immigration...higher extinction because less resources and diversity28
9878814581predationoccurs when a member of one species feeds directly on all or part of a member of another species29
9878814582Techniques to avoid predation:camouflage, chemical warfare, warning coloration, mimicry30
9878814583population dynamicsthe study of how characteristics (distribution, numbers, age, structure, density) of populations change in response to change in environmental conditions (temperature, resource availability, presence of diseases)31
9878814584biotic potential• is the maximum reproductive capacity of a population if resources are unlimited • Large animals (e.g. elephants), low potential • small animals (e.g. bacteria), high potential32
9878814585environmental resistancethe combination of all factors that act to limit the growth of a population (e.g. of limiting factors: light, water, space, nutrients, amount of water)33
9878814586carrying capacity (K)maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain indefinitely34
9878814587exponential growth (J curve)• growth that increases at a constant rate per unit of time • starts slowly, but accelerates as population increases35
9878814588logistic growth (S curve)rapid population growth, followed by a steady decrease in population growth until the population size levels off36
9878814589inbreedingoccurs when individuals in a small population mate with one another37
9878814590density-dependent factors:infectious disease, parasitism, predation, competition38
9878814591density-independent factors:habitat destruction, pollution, temperature change39
9878814592r selected species:Produces many offspring, life expectancy is short40
9878814593commensalism+, / relationship in which one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed41
9878814594mutualism+, + symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved42
9878814595parasitism+, - relationship between organisms where one organism benefits at the expense of the host43
9878814596habitat fragmentationis when large areas are divided typically by roads, crop fields or projects; blocks animals migration routes; animals are more vulnerable to die because of the small, enclosed space44
9878814597extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost45
9878814598intrinsic valuevalue of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth's biodiversity based on its existence, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to humans46
9878814599instrumental value (or extrinsic value)is the value of objects, not as ends-in-themselves, but as means of achieving something else47
9878814600CITES(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) an international treaty banning the hunting and trade of endangered species; Created a list of animals in which countries who sign are forced to protect them48
9878814601HIPPCOHabitat destruction, Invasive Species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate Change, Overexploitations *habitat destruction is #1 threat to animals49
9878814602deforestationis the temporary or permanent removal of large expanses of forest for agriculture, settlements, or other uses50
9878814603overgrazingoccurs when too many animals graze for too long and exceed the carrying capacity of range-land area; it reduces grass cover, exposes the soil to erosion by water and wind, and compacts the soil51
9878814604habitat corridorsestablishing protected habitat corridors between isolated reserves helps to support more species and allows migration52
9878814605ecological restorationthe process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity and dynamics of natural ecosystems53
9878814606biomesare a major regional or global biotic community characterized by the dominant forms of plants life and the climate54
9878814607Antarctic-area surrounding south pole -rainfall <2 inches per year55
9878814608Coral Reefs-warm, clear, shallow ocean habitats near land and in the tropics -very sensitive to environmental changes56
9878814609EnvironmentEssentially the sum of our surroundings57
9878814610Renewable resourcesAlways present, can be replenished58
9878814611non renewable resourcestake a very long time to renew or can not be replenished59
9878814612tragedy of the commonsunregulated use of resources leads to resource depletion60
9878814613ecological footprintimpact a person or population makes on the environment61
9878814614Rule of 70Way to estimate the number of years it takes for a population to double.62
9878814615demographythe study of the human population63
9878814616population density# of people in a given area64
9878814617immigrationpopulation moving into an area65
9878814618negative feedback loopa feedback loop in which a system responds to change by returning to its original state, or by decreasing the rate at which the change is occurring66
9878814619Positive feedback loopa feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified67
9878814620second law of thermodynamicslaw stating that when energy is transformed, the quantity of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work is diminished.68
9878814621first law of thermodynamicsa law of nature stating that energy can neither be created nor destroyed69
9878814622photosynthesisthe process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose70
9878814623cellular respirationthe process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds71
9878814624trophic pyramidrepresentation of the distribution of biomass, or energy among trophic levels72
9878814625Net Primary Productivity (NPP)The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire.73
9878814626thermohaline circulationmovement of ocean water caused by density difference brought about by variations in temperature and salinity. As ocean water freezes at the poles it concentrates salt, and the colder, denser water sinks.74
9878814627k selected speciesfew offspring, long life75

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