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APES Semester HHS Flashcards

Material that can help you prepare for the winter final exam in APES.

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5704128554CERCLA (Superfund)this law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment. Pays for clean up ($ from taxes)0
5704128555CoevolutionEvolution in which two or more species interact and exert selective pressures on each other that can lead each species to undergo adaptations. One species can lead to changes in the gene pool of another species. (plants and insects)1
5704128556Cogenerationproduction of two useful forms of energy, such as high- temperature heat or steam and electricity, from the same fuel source. (increase efficiency)2
5704128557convergent evolutionthe development of similar structures in organisms that do not share recent common ancestors. (unrelated relationship) dolphin and sharks3
5704128558Decomposition/ decomposerorganism that digests parts of dead organisms and cast-off fragments and wastes of living organisms by breaking down the complex organic molecules in those materials into simpler inorganic compounds and then absorbing the soluble nutrients. Decomposers consist of various bacteria and fungi. Complex simple4
5704128559Denitrificationwhen nitrogen leaves the soil as specialized bacteria in waterlogged soil and in the bottom sediments of lakes, oceans, and swamps convert NH3 to NH4 back into nitrite and nitrate ions and then into nitrogen gas (N2) and nitrous oxide gas N2O. These gases are released into the atmosphere to begin the nitrogen cycle. (75)5
5704128560detritus feederOrganisms that extracts nutrients from fragments of dead organisms and their cast-off parts and organic wastes. Eat dead things on the ground. Not considered Decomposers6
5704128561DetritusParts of dead organisms and cast-off fragments and wastes of living organisms.7
5704128562divergent evolutionis the accumulation of differences between groups which can lead to the formation of new species, usually a result of diffusion of the same species to different and isolated environments which blocks the gene flow among the distinct populations allowing differentiated fixation of characteristics through genetic drift and natural selection. 2 Species split. SPECIATION8
5704128563EcosystemA community where populations of different species interact with one another and with their nonliving environment of matter and energy. Biological and Physical Environment Living= biotic + Nonliving= abiotic9
5704128564Eutrophication-natural and culturalPhysical, chemical, and biological changes that take place after a lake or estuary receives inputs of plant nutrients- mostly nitrates and phosphates- from natural erosions and runoff from surrounding land basins.10
5704128565Eutrophication leads to HYPOXIAGreening of a lake caused by fertilizer runoff. Algae dies, the bacteria spreads and soaks up all the oxygen which kills the fish and creates dead zones.11
5704128566Cultural Eutrophicationhuman inputs of nutrients from the atmosphere and from nearby urban and agricultural areas can accelerate the eutrophication of lakes.12
5704128567Floodplainflat valley floor next to a stream channel. For legal purposes, the term often applies to any low area that has the potential for flooding, including certain costal areas. They are good farming because its very fertile land. Its constantly replenished with fresh slit washed down in a flood. SILT13
5704128568Gross primary productivity(GPP) rate at which an ecosystem's producers capture and store a given amount of chemical energy as biomass in a given length of time. Total energy plant stores14
5704128569Net Primary ProductivityNet amount of primary production after cost of plant respieration is included. GPP-R= NPP15
5704128570Gene poolsum total of all genes found in the individuals of the population of a particular species.16
5704128571Gasificationthe heating and partial combustion of coal to release volatile gases, such as methane and carbon monoxide; after pollutants are washed out, these gases become efficient, clean-burning fuel. Makes fuel portable. Gas from coal17
5704128572Hydrogen sulfide, H2SCommon chemical found in fluids of hydrothermal vents. When seawater is exposed to the sulfate in volcanic rock below the ocean floor, hydrogen sulfide is formed.18
5704128573James Bay, QuebecBay that transports water. 16,000 megawatss of hydroelectricity. Dam works to generate electricity. Not a tall dam19
5704128574K strategists-fewer and larger offspring; - High parental care and protection of offspring; - later reproduction age; - most offspring lives to reproduce; - larger adults; - adapted to stable climate/environmental conditions; - lower population growth rate(r) ; - pop size is stable and close to carrying capacity; -specialist niche; - high ability to compete; - late successional species;20
5704128575R strategistsMany small offspring; - little t no parenting/ protection; - early reproductive age; - most offspring don't live to reproduce; - small adults; adapted to unstable climate/environment ; Higher population growth rate(r) ; pop. Size changes above/below c.c; - generalist niche; - low ability to compete; - early successional species;21
5704128576Kissimmee River, Floridathe physical effects of channelization, including alteration of the system's hydrologic characteristics, largely eliminated river and floodplain wetlands and degraded fish and wildlife values of the Kissimmee River ecosystem. Restoration project that is part of the everglades22
5704128577limiting factortoo much or too little of any abiotic factor can limit or prevent growth of a population, even if all other factors are at or near the optimum range or tolerance. This is how population is controlled.23
5704128578Lithosphereis made up of two parts the crust and the mantle(upper and lower mantle). It contains nonrenewable fossil fuels and minerals we use as well as renewable soil chemicals needed for plant life24
5704128579Methane, CH4a naturally occurring gas, which is associated with decomposition and with oil deposits. It is a greenhouse gas and burning it, or releasing it to the atmosphere will lead to the creation of carbon dioxide. Burning= CO2. Byproduct of decomposition25
5704128581mitigation bankingreduces greenhouse gas emissions to slow down the rate of temperature increase and buy time to learn more about how the earth's climate system works and to shift to other non-carbon energy options. Companies use it to make artificial wetlands26
5704128582Mono Lake, Californiadesert lake with an unusually productive ecosystem, based on brine shrimp that grow in the lake, and critical nesting habitat for two million migratory birds that feed on the shrimp. Similar to Aral Sea. Deprived of water27
5704128583NAFTANorth Atlantic Free Trade Agreement28
5704128584Net primary productivitythe rate at which producers use photosynthesis to store energy minus the rate at which they use some of this stored energy through aerobic respiration. Net energy left after plants burn energy29
5704128585Nicheway of life for a species30
5704128586Generalist nichewide niches Generalist species tolerate a wide range of conditions31
5704128587Specialist nichenarrow niche specialist species can only tolerate a narrow range of conditions32
5704128588Fundamental nichethe fully potential range of physical, chemical, and biological conditions and resources a species could theoretically use. (everything)33
5704128589Realized nicheto survive and avoid competition, a species usually occupies only part of its fundamental34
5704128590niche.what actually happens- how an organism lives35
5704128591NitrificationHappens when ammonia not taken up by plants may undergo nitrification. Two step process. is the biological oxidation of ammonia with oxygen into nitrite followed by the oxidation of these nitrites into nitrates. Chemical process36
5704128592Nitrogen dioxide, NO2is the chemical compound with the formula NO237
5704128593Nitrogen fixationconversion of atmospheric nitrogen gas into forms useful to plants by lightning, bacteria, and cyanobacteria; it is part of the nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen becomes ammonia38
5704128594Nitrogen, N2Nitrogen occurs in all living organisms, and the nitrogen cycle describes movement of the element from air into the biosphere and organic compounds, then back into the atmosphere. Synthetically-produced nitrates are key ingredients of industrial fertilizers, and also key pollutants in causing the eutrophication of water systems. 78% of earth39
5704128595PhotosynthesisComplex process that takes place in cells of green plants. Radiant energy from the sun is used to combine CO2 and H2O to produce O2 and carbohydrates such as glucose (C6H12O6) and other nutrient molecules40
5704128596PopulationGroup of individual organisms of the same species living in a particular area41
5704128597primary successionecological succession in a bare area that has never been occupied by a community of organisms.42
5704128598Secondary successionecological succession in an area in which natural vegetation has been removed or destroyed but the soil is not destroyed.43
5704128599Reclamation of mine land includesrestoring land, bringing in new top soil, grading/smoothing land, phytoremediation. (the glen)44
5704128600Remediationthe action of remedying something, especially the reversal or stopping of damage to the environment.45
5704128601Restoration ecologyRestoration ecology practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action, within a short time frame46
5704128602ScavengerOrganism that feeds on dead organisms that were killed by other organisms or died naturally. Example47
5704128603SpeciesGroup of organisms that resemble one another in appearance, behavior, chemical makeup and processes, and genetic structure. Organisms that reproduce sexually are classified as members of the same species only if they can actually or potentially interbreed with one another and produce fertile offspring.48
5704128604Species richnessnumber of different species contained in a community.49
5704128605Sustainabilityability of earth's various systems, including human cultural systems and economies, to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely.50
5704128608The Clean Air Act of 1972one of a number of pieces of legislation relating to the reduction of smog and air pollution in general. The use by governments to enforce clean air standards has contributed to an improvement in human health and longer life spans.51
5704128609The Montreal Protocol 1987 amended in 1990 and 1992CFCs or is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.52
5704128610Three Mile Island, Pennsylvaniathe nuclear power plant widely known for having been the site of the most significant accident in United States commercial nuclear energy, on March 28, 1979, when TMI-2 suffered a partial meltdown.53
5704128611Toleranceminimum and maximum limits for physical conditions and concentrations of chemical substances beyond which no members of a particular species can survive.54
5704128612TranspirationProcess in which water is absorbed by the root systems of plants, moves up through the plants, passes through pores in their leaves or other parts, and evaporates into the atmosphere as water vapor.55
5704128613trophic levelall organisms that are the same number of energy transfers away from the original source of energy that enter an ecosystem. 1st level= all producers 2nd level= all herbivores56
5704128614Symbiotic relationshipsnecessary for the survival of at least one of the organisms involved; associations in which one organism lives on another or where one partner lives inside the other.57
5704128615Keystone speciescontrol interactions in a community (species and numbers). Regulates what happens and if this species is lost the whole population changes.58
5704128616Foundation speciescontrol/create habitat. Elephants knock down tress to make a habitat.59
5704128617Indicator speciesbright species, 1st to disappear/damage (Bees)60
5704128618Non-native speciesOriginally come from outside, migrate or introduced61
5704128619Native speciesOriginal, always been there62
5704128620Generalists speciesBroad niches63
5704128621Specialists speciesnarrow niches64
5704128622Predatorkills others65
5704128623efficiencies of an average coal-fired power plant30-35% =efficiency of coal66
5704128624What is CITES?-Convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora an international agreement between the government aim control international trade of wild animals to make sure it doesn't endanger the it works67
5704128625CITES Appendix 1Animals close to extinction. nearly all trade of these animals is illegal (pandas)68
5704128626CITES Appendix 2Includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but locally rare.69
5704128627Migratory Bird Act of 1918USA entered into agreements with 4 other nations(Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia)This law makes it illegal to hunt, kill, sell birds that are migratory Can't take any of the bird's feathers or nests70
5704128628Lacey Act of 1900US law prohibits the transport of illegally captured animals across state lines -1st federal law protecting wildlife today its expanded to prevent the import of nonnatives71
5704128629Habitat FragmentationHappens when one large continuous area of habitat is reduced in area and , species into smaller/isolated groups that divided into smaller more scattered, and isolated. This leads to diversity because it divides.72
5704128630Biogeographyis the study of the distribution of species. Spatially and temporarily.73
5704128631Island geography-large islands= more species and -further away from main land= less diverse74
5704128632Intrinsic valuesaesthetics, see wildlife75
5704128633Extrinsic valuessell/calculate ($)76
5704128634What characteristics make species prone to extinction?-low reproductive rate (k)- specialized niche -narrow distribution- feeds at high trophic level -fixed migratory patterns-rare -commercially valuable-large territories77
5704128635.Local extinctionwhen a species is no longer found in an area it once inhabited but is still found elsewhere in the world.78
5704128636Ecological ExtinctionWhen so few members of a species are let that it can no longer play its ecological role in the biological communities where it is found.79
5704128637Background Extinctionnormal extinction of various species as a result of changes in local environmental conditions80
5704128638Mass ExtinctionA catastrophic, widespread often global event in which major groups of species are wiped out over a short time compared with normal (background extinction).81
5704128639Biological evolution depends onMust have enough genetic VARIABILITY for a trait to exist; The trait must be HERITABLE; Trait must lead to DIFFERENTIAL REPRODUCTION. It must enable individuals with the trait to leave more offspring than other members of the population.82
5704128641MantleZone of the earth's interior between its core and its crust. most of it is solid rock Iron & Nickel - under its rigid outer part is the Asthenosphere - hot, partly melted pliable rock that flows and can be deformed like sot plastic83
5704128642Coreinner zone of the earth. -extremely hot Hot iron radioactive - solid inner core liquid outer core84
5704128643LithosphereOuter shell of the earth composed of crust rock and materials - rigid, most outer part of the mantle outside the asthenosphere- or material found in the earth's plates85
5704128644Where do we use bauxite for?In the development of aluminum burned or melted -aluminum process= expensive- recycle aluminum saves 98% of energy86
5704128645Where are methyl anhydrates found?frozen rock found in deep sea - expensive and hard to get87
5704128650Global warmingWarming of the earth's atmosphere because of increases in the concentrations of one or more greenhouse gases primarily as a result of human activities, melts glaciers, raises ocean levels,88
5704128651thermal expansion of oceans does what?also raised ocean levels89
5704128652Greenhouse effectnatural effect that releases heat in the atmosphere (troposphere) near the earth's surface.90
5704128653Greenhouse ChemicalsWater vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, and other gases in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) absorb some of infrared radiation (heat) radiated by the earth's surface.91
5704128654What processes remove/add CO2 to the earth's atmosphere?Remove CO2 by growing plants, growing trees, dissolving CO2 in water Add burn things, drive cars, breathing92
5704128658How does one explain the fluctuation of CO2 in the atmosphere on a yearly basis? -deforestation-clearing grasslands-burning fossil fuels93
5704128659What causes the seasons?as earth makes its annual revolution around the sun on an axis tilted about 23.5, various regions are tipped toward or away from the sun. the resulting variations in the amount of solar energy reaching the earth create the seasons in the north and south hemispheres.94
5704128660Coriollis effectspinning of earth. Air isn't connected to earth so it gets pulled. Because of this effect the earth's rotation deflects the movement of the air over different parts of the earth distributing heat and moisture in the troposphere.95
5704128661Leachingproves in which various chemicals in upper layers of soil are dissolved and carried to lower layers and, in some cases, to groundwater.96
5704128662Soil horizionhorizontal zones that make up a particular mature soil. Each horizon has a distinct texture and composition that vary with different types of soil.97
5704128663O horizonthe top layer, surface litter layer, it consists of freshly fallen undecomposed or partially decomposed leaves, twigs, crop wastes, animal waste, fungi, and other organic materials. Brown or black in color.98
5704128664A horizontop soil layer, is a porous mixture of the partially decomposed bodies of dead plants/animals called "humus" and inorganic materials such as clay, silt, and sand. Very fertile soil that produces high crop yields.99
5704128665B/C horizonB(subsoil) and C(parent material) contains most of a soil's inorganic matter, mostly broken down rock consisting of varying mixtures of sand, slit, clay, and gravel much of it transported by water from "a horizon". The "c horizon" lies on a base of unweathered parent material normally bedrock.100
5704128666Carbon cyclecyclic movement of carbon in different chemical forms from the environment chemical forms from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment101
5704128667nitrogen cyclecyclic movement of nitrogen in organisms and back to the environment.102
5704128668Water cyclecollects, purifies, distributes, and recycles the earth's fixed supply of water. Powered by energy from the sun that evaporates water into the atmosphere that comes back to earth because of gravity.103
5704128669Sulfur cyclecyclic movement of sulfur in various Chemical forms from the environment to organisms and back to the environment104
5704128670Rock cyclethe interaction of physical and chemical processes that changes rocks from one type to.another105
5704128671Rank the following in commercial energy production(high to low)Oil, gas, coal, solar, biomass106
5704128672carrying capacitythe maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain without degrading the habitat.107

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