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AP Environmental Science Review Flashcards

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9837123692Factors 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
9837123693What is most harmful human activity?Habitat destruction has a greater harmful environmental impact than any other human activity1
9837123694Nitrogen (N2)Fundamental nutrient for living organisms. Used for protein. Reactions involving lightning. Uses Bacteria during cycling.2
9837123695Oxygen (O2)Molecules are produced through photosynthesis and are utilized (used) in cellular respiration.3
9837123696Water vapor (H2O)Largest amounts occur near equator, over oceans, and in tropical regions. -most common natural greenhouse gas.4
9837123697Carbon 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
9837123698Methane (CH4)Contributes to the greenhouse effect. Increase due to landfills, fossil fuels, grazing animals, etc..6
9837123699troposphere-layer of atmosphere closest to the ground. - temperature decreases with altitude -weather occurs in this zone7
9837123700stratosphere-temperature increases with altitude due to absorption of heat by ozone -contains the ozone layer8
9837123701climateis an area's GENERAL pattern of atmospheric of weather conditions measured over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years9
9837123702radiationMethod by which Earth receives solar energy.10
9837123703albedoIs the reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface11
9837123704Rain 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
9837123705Coriolis Effectthe effect of the Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and currents13
9837123706El 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
9837123707extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost15
9837123708biodiversityis 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
9837123709ecologythe study of how organisms interact with their living (biotic) environment17
9837123710evolutionthe process whereby earth's life changes over time18
9837123711natural selectionoccurs when some individuals of a population have genetically based traits that enhance their ability to survive and reproduce19
9837123712speciationthe evolution of a new species20
9837123713species 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
9837123714indicator speciesspecies that provide early warnings of damage to a community or an ecosystem (e.g. amphibians [because their breath through skin])22
9837123715keystone 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
9837123716biomassthe 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
9837123717ecological 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
9837123718primary successionthe gradual establishment of communities in an area that has NO soil or sediment26
9837123719secondary successiona series of communities or ecosystems with different species that evolve where there's soil27
9837123720island 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
9837123721predationoccurs when a member of one species feeds directly on all or part of a member of another species29
9837123722Techniques to avoid predation:camouflage, chemical warfare, warning coloration, mimicry30
9837123723population 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
9837123724biotic 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
9837123725environmental 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
9837123726carrying capacity (K)maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain indefinitely34
9837123727exponential growth (J curve)• growth that increases at a constant rate per unit of time • starts slowly, but accelerates as population increases35
9837123728logistic growth (S curve)rapid population growth, followed by a steady decrease in population growth until the population size levels off36
9837123729inbreedingoccurs when individuals in a small population mate with one another37
9837123730density-dependent factors:infectious disease, parasitism, predation, competition38
9837123731density-independent factors:habitat destruction, pollution, temperature change39
9837123732r selected species:Produces many offspring, life expectancy is short40
9837123733commensalism+, / relationship in which one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed41
9837123734mutualism+, + symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved42
9837123735parasitism+, - relationship between organisms where one organism benefits at the expense of the host43
9837123736habitat 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
9837123737extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost45
9837123738intrinsic valuevalue of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth's biodiversity based on its existence, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to humans46
9837123739instrumental value (or extrinsic value)is the value of objects, not as ends-in-themselves, but as means of achieving something else47
9837123740CITES(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
9837123741HIPPCOHabitat destruction, Invasive Species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate Change, Overexploitations *habitat destruction is #1 threat to animals49
9837123742deforestationis the temporary or permanent removal of large expanses of forest for agriculture, settlements, or other uses50
9837123743overgrazingoccurs 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
9837123744habitat corridorsestablishing protected habitat corridors between isolated reserves helps to support more species and allows migration52
9837123745ecological restorationthe process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity and dynamics of natural ecosystems53
9837123746biomesare a major regional or global biotic community characterized by the dominant forms of plants life and the climate54
9837123747Antarctic-area surrounding south pole -rainfall <2 inches per year55
9837123748Coral Reefs-warm, clear, shallow ocean habitats near land and in the tropics -very sensitive to environmental changes56
9837123749EnvironmentEssentially the sum of our surroundings57
9837123750Renewable resourcesAlways present, can be replenished58
9837123751non renewable resourcestake a very long time to renew or can not be replenished59
9837123752tragedy of the commonsunregulated use of resources leads to resource depletion60
9837123753ecological footprintimpact a person or population makes on the environment61
9837123754Rule of 70Way to estimate the number of years it takes for a population to double.62
9837123755demographythe study of the human population63
9837123756population density# of people in a given area64
9837123757immigrationpopulation moving into an area65
9837123758negative 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
9837123759Positive feedback loopa feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified67
9837123760second 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
9837123761first law of thermodynamicsa law of nature stating that energy can neither be created nor destroyed69
9837123762photosynthesisthe process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose70
9837123763cellular respirationthe process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds71
9837123764trophic pyramidrepresentation of the distribution of biomass, or energy among trophic levels72
9837123765Net Primary Productivity (NPP)The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire.73
9837123766thermohaline 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
9837123767k selected speciesfew offspring, long life75

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