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AP Environmental Science Review Flashcards

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13811916276Factors 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
13811916277What is most harmful human activity?Habitat destruction has a greater harmful environmental impact than any other human activity1
13811916278Nitrogen (N2)Fundamental nutrient for living organisms. Used for protein. Reactions involving lightning. Uses Bacteria during cycling.2
13811916279Oxygen (O2)Molecules are produced through photosynthesis and are utilized (used) in cellular respiration.3
13811916280Water vapor (H2O)Largest amounts occur near equator, over oceans, and in tropical regions. -most common natural greenhouse gas.4
13811916281Carbon 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
13811916282Methane (CH4)Contributes to the greenhouse effect. Increase due to landfills, fossil fuels, grazing animals, etc..6
13811916283troposphere-layer of atmosphere closest to the ground. - temperature decreases with altitude -weather occurs in this zone7
13811916284stratosphere-temperature increases with altitude due to absorption of heat by ozone -contains the ozone layer8
13811916285climateis an area's GENERAL pattern of atmospheric of weather conditions measured over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years9
13811916286radiationMethod by which Earth receives solar energy.10
13811916287albedoIs the reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface11
13811916288Rain 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
13811916289Coriolis Effectthe effect of the Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and currents13
13811916290El 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
13811916291extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost15
13811916292biodiversityis 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
13811916293ecologythe study of how organisms interact with their living (biotic) environment17
13811916294evolutionthe process whereby earth's life changes over time18
13811916295natural selectionoccurs when some individuals of a population have genetically based traits that enhance their ability to survive and reproduce19
13811916296speciationthe evolution of a new species20
13811916297species 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
13811916298indicator speciesspecies that provide early warnings of damage to a community or an ecosystem (e.g. amphibians [because their breath through skin])22
13811916299keystone 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
13811916300biomassthe 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
13811916301ecological 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
13811916302primary successionthe gradual establishment of communities in an area that has NO soil or sediment26
13811916303secondary successiona series of communities or ecosystems with different species that evolve where there's soil27
13811916304island 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
13811916305predationoccurs when a member of one species feeds directly on all or part of a member of another species29
13811916306Techniques to avoid predation:camouflage, chemical warfare, warning coloration, mimicry30
13811916307population 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
13811916308biotic 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
13811916309environmental 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
13811916310carrying capacity (K)maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain indefinitely34
13811916311exponential growth (J curve)• growth that increases at a constant rate per unit of time • starts slowly, but accelerates as population increases35
13811916312logistic growth (S curve)rapid population growth, followed by a steady decrease in population growth until the population size levels off36
13811916313inbreedingoccurs when individuals in a small population mate with one another37
13811916314density-dependent factors:infectious disease, parasitism, predation, competition38
13811916315density-independent factors:habitat destruction, pollution, temperature change39
13811916316r selected species:Produces many offspring, life expectancy is short40
13811916317commensalism+, / relationship in which one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed41
13811916318mutualism+, + symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved42
13811916319parasitism+, - relationship between organisms where one organism benefits at the expense of the host43
13811916320habitat 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
13811916321extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost45
13811916322intrinsic valuevalue of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth's biodiversity based on its existence, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to humans46
13811916323instrumental value (or extrinsic value)is the value of objects, not as ends-in-themselves, but as means of achieving something else47
13811916324CITES(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
13811916325HIPPCOHabitat destruction, Invasive Species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate Change, Overexploitations *habitat destruction is #1 threat to animals49
13811916326deforestationis the temporary or permanent removal of large expanses of forest for agriculture, settlements, or other uses50
13811916327overgrazingoccurs 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
13811916328habitat corridorsestablishing protected habitat corridors between isolated reserves helps to support more species and allows migration52
13811916329ecological restorationthe process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity and dynamics of natural ecosystems53
13811916330biomesare a major regional or global biotic community characterized by the dominant forms of plants life and the climate54
13811916331Antarctic-area surrounding south pole -rainfall <2 inches per year55
13811916332Coral Reefs-warm, clear, shallow ocean habitats near land and in the tropics -very sensitive to environmental changes56
13811916334EnvironmentEssentially the sum of our surroundings57
13811916335Renewable resourcesAlways present, can be replenished58
13811916336non renewable resourcestake a very long time to renew or can not be replenished59
13811916337tragedy of the commonsunregulated use of resources leads to resource depletion60
13811916338ecological footprintimpact a person or population makes on the environment61
13811916339Rule of 70Way to estimate the number of years it takes for a population to double.62
13811916340demographythe study of the human population63
13811916341population density# of people in a given area64
13811916342immigrationpopulation moving into an area65
13811916343negative 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
13811916344Positive feedback loopa feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified67
13811916345second 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
13811916346first law of thermodynamicsa law of nature stating that energy can neither be created nor destroyed69
13811916347photosynthesisthe process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose70
13811916348cellular respirationthe process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds71
13811916349trophic pyramidrepresentation of the distribution of biomass, or energy among trophic levels72
13811916350Net Primary Productivity (NPP)The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire.73
13811916351thermohaline 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
13811916352k selected speciesfew offspring, long life75

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