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9742151916Factors 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
9742151917What is most harmful human activity?Habitat destruction has a greater harmful environmental impact than any other human activity1
9742151918Nitrogen (N2)Fundamental nutrient for living organisms. Used for protein. Reactions involving lightning. Uses Bacteria during cycling.2
9742151919Oxygen (O2)Molecules are produced through photosynthesis and are utilized (used) in cellular respiration.3
9742151920Water vapor (H2O)Largest amounts occur near equator, over oceans, and in tropical regions. -most common natural greenhouse gas.4
9742151921Carbon 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
9742151922Methane (CH4)Contributes to the greenhouse effect. Increase due to landfills, fossil fuels, grazing animals, etc..6
9742151923troposphere-layer of atmosphere closest to the ground. - temperature decreases with altitude -weather occurs in this zone7
9742151924stratosphere-temperature increases with altitude due to absorption of heat by ozone -contains the ozone layer8
9742151925climateis an area's GENERAL pattern of atmospheric of weather conditions measured over long periods of time ranging from decades to thousands of years9
9742151926radiationMethod by which Earth receives solar energy.10
9742151927albedoIs the reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface11
9742151928Rain 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
9742151929Coriolis Effectthe effect of the Earth's rotation on the direction of winds and currents13
9742151930El 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
9742151931extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost15
9742151932biodiversityis 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
9742151933ecologythe study of how organisms interact with their living (biotic) environment17
9742151934evolutionthe process whereby earth's life changes over time18
9742151935natural selectionoccurs when some individuals of a population have genetically based traits that enhance their ability to survive and reproduce19
9742151936speciationthe evolution of a new species20
9742151937species 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
9742151938indicator speciesspecies that provide early warnings of damage to a community or an ecosystem (e.g. amphibians [because their breath through skin])22
9742151939keystone 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
9742151940biomassthe 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
9742151941ecological 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
9742151942primary successionthe gradual establishment of communities in an area that has NO soil or sediment26
9742151943secondary successiona series of communities or ecosystems with different species that evolve where there's soil27
9742151944island 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
9742151945predationoccurs when a member of one species feeds directly on all or part of a member of another species29
9742151946Techniques to avoid predation:camouflage, chemical warfare, warning coloration, mimicry30
9742151947population 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
9742151948biotic 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
9742151949environmental 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
9742151950carrying capacity (K)maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain indefinitely34
9742151951exponential growth (J curve)• growth that increases at a constant rate per unit of time • starts slowly, but accelerates as population increases35
9742151952logistic growth (S curve)rapid population growth, followed by a steady decrease in population growth until the population size levels off36
9742151953inbreedingoccurs when individuals in a small population mate with one another37
9742151954density-dependent factors:infectious disease, parasitism, predation, competition38
9742151955density-independent factors:habitat destruction, pollution, temperature change39
9742151956r selected species:Produces many offspring, life expectancy is short40
9742151957commensalism+, / relationship in which one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed41
9742151958mutualism+, + symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms involved42
9742151959parasitism+, - relationship between organisms where one organism benefits at the expense of the host43
9742151960habitat 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
9742151961extinctionoccurs whenever a species of animal or plant life is permanently lost45
9742151962intrinsic valuevalue of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth's biodiversity based on its existence, regardless of whether it has any usefulness to humans46
9742151963instrumental value (or extrinsic value)is the value of objects, not as ends-in-themselves, but as means of achieving something else47
9742151964CITES(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
9742151965HIPPCOHabitat destruction, Invasive Species, Population growth, Pollution, Climate Change, Overexploitations *habitat destruction is #1 threat to animals49
9742151966deforestationis the temporary or permanent removal of large expanses of forest for agriculture, settlements, or other uses50
9742151967overgrazingoccurs 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
9742151968habitat corridorsestablishing protected habitat corridors between isolated reserves helps to support more species and allows migration52
9742151969ecological restorationthe process of repairing damage caused by humans to the biodiversity and dynamics of natural ecosystems53
9742151970biomesare a major regional or global biotic community characterized by the dominant forms of plants life and the climate54
9742151971Antarctic-area surrounding south pole -rainfall <2 inches per year55
9742151972Coral Reefs-warm, clear, shallow ocean habitats near land and in the tropics -very sensitive to environmental changes56
9742151973EnvironmentEssentially the sum of our surroundings57
9742151974Renewable resourcesAlways present, can be replenished58
9742151975non renewable resourcestake a very long time to renew or can not be replenished59
9742151976tragedy of the commonsunregulated use of resources leads to resource depletion60
9742151977ecological footprintimpact a person or population makes on the environment61
9742151978Rule of 70Way to estimate the number of years it takes for a population to double.62
9742151979demographythe study of the human population63
9742151980population density# of people in a given area64
9742151981immigrationpopulation moving into an area65
9742151982negative 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
9742151983Positive feedback loopa feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified67
9742151984second 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
9742151985first law of thermodynamicsa law of nature stating that energy can neither be created nor destroyed69
9742151986photosynthesisthe process by which producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose70
9742151987cellular respirationthe process by which cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds71
9742151988trophic pyramidrepresentation of the distribution of biomass, or energy among trophic levels72
9742151989Net Primary Productivity (NPP)The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire.73
9742151990thermohaline 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
9742151991k selected speciesfew offspring, long life75

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