APES Flashcards
Terms : Hide Images [1]
| 13639500399 | Conservation | allowing the use of resources in a responsible manner | 0 | |
| 13639502678 | Preservation | setting aside areas and protecting them from human activities | 1 | |
| 13639505535 | Keystone Species | species whose role in an ecosystem are more important than others ( sea otters, sea stars, grizzly bears, prairie dogs) | 2 | |
| 13639509864 | Indicator Species | species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged ex. trout | 3 | |
| 13639516838 | Characteristics of Endangered Species | small range, large territory, or live on an island | 4 | |
| 13639521583 | Endangered Species | species: a group of organisms in danger of becoming extinct if the situation is not improved; population numbers have dropped below the critical number of organisms; North spotted Owl (loss of old growth forest), Bald Eagle (thinning of eggs caused by DDT), Piping Plover (nesting areas threatened by development), and many others | 5 | |
| 13639525505 | Invasive Species | non-native species to an area; often thrive and disrupt the ecosystem balance; examples: kudzu vine, purple loosestrife, African honeybee "killer bee", water hyacinth, fire ant, zebra mussel, gypsy moth, Asian Long Horned Beetle | 6 | |
| 13639528128 | hydrologic cycle | evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, infiltration | 7 | |
| 13639530054 | Nitrogen Fixing | because atmospheric N2 cannot be used directly by plants it must first be converted into ammonia (NH3) by bacteria | 8 | |
| 13639532160 | Ammonification | nitrogen is converted into ammonia by ammonifying bacteria; may occur when nitrogen in organic wastes in the soil are converted to ammonia or when atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is converted to NH3 | 9 | |
| 13639534456 | Nitrification | ammonia (NH3) is converted to nitrate ions (NO3) | 10 | |
| 13639542661 | Assimilation | inorganic N2 is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids & proteins - plants assimilate nitrogen as NH4+ or NO3- through their roots; animals (herbivores) assimilate organic nitrogen compounds by eating plants | 11 | |
| 13639550435 | Denitrification | bacteria convert nitrate (NO3)- and nitrite (NO2)- back into N2 gas; bacteria convert ammonia (NH3) back into N2 or N2O - typically accomplished by anaerobic bacteria | 12 | |
| 13639556274 | Photosynthesis | plants convert atmospheric carbon (CO2) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6); energy is consumed and oxygen is released as a waste product | 13 | |
| 13639560298 | Aerobic Respiration | O2-consuming producers, consumers & decomposers break down complex organic compounds & convert C back into CO2; energy is released and oxygen is consumed in the process | 14 | |
| 13639562899 | anaerobic respiration | break down of carbohydrates without oxygen - products are methane (CH4), alcohols and other organics | 15 | |
| 13639566416 | Transpiration | process where water is absorbed by plant roots, moves up through plants, passes through pores (stomata) in leaves or other parts, evaporates into atm. as water vapor | 16 | |
| 13639568484 | Sustainability | the ability to meet the current needs of humanity without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs | 17 | |
| 13639571432 | Tragedy of the Commons | (1968 paper by ecologist Garret Hardin) "Freedom to breed" is bringing ruin to all. Global commons such as atmosphere & oceans are used by all and owned by none. When no individual has ownership, no one takes responsibility. Examples: over fishing in the oceans, over pumping of the Ogallala Aquifer | 18 | |
| 13639576594 | natural selection | organisms that possess favorable adaptations survive and pass them onto the next generation | 19 | |
| 13639579375 | Biotic and abiotic | living and nonliving components of an ecosystem | 20 | |
| 13639581740 | Competition | a type of population interaction, usually over a limited resource - may be intraspecific or interspecific | 21 | |
| 13639586429 | Producer/Autotroph | photosynthetic or chemosynthetic life; Chemotroph - organism undergoing chemosynthesis - usually carried out by sulfur bacteria in aphotic zones in the ocean (deep ocean vents, etc.) | 22 | |
| 13639588961 | primary succession | development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life or those in which the soil profile is totally destroyed (lava flows); no soil substrate present; begins with lichen action | 23 | |
| 13639591214 | secondary succession | life progresses where soil remains (clear-cut forest, fire, disturbed areas) | 24 | |
| 13639594096 | Mutualism | symbiotic relationship where both partners benefit and both participate | 25 | |
| 13639596247 | Commensalism | symbiotic relationship where one partner benefits & the other is unaffected or may benefit | 26 | |
| 13639598490 | Parasitism | relationship in which one partner obtains nutrients at the expense of the host | 27 | |
| 13639601483 | Biome | large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants & animals; terrestrial biomes determining factors are temperature and precipitation | 28 | |
| 13639605113 | Carrying Capacity | the number of individuals (size of the population) that can be sustained in an area (supported by available resources in the environment) | 29 | |
| 13639607442 | R strategist | reproduce early in life; many small unprotected offspring; tend to be generalists, short lifespan | 30 | |
| 13639609546 | K strategist | reproduce late in life; few offspring; care for offspring; tend to be specialists, longer lifespan | 31 | |
| 13639611993 | Positive Feedback | when a change in some condition triggers a response that intensifies the changing condition (warmer Earth - snow melts - less sunlight is reflected & more is absorbed, therefore warmer Earth) | 32 | |
| 13639613959 | Negative Feedback | when a changing in some condition triggers a response that counteracts the changed condition (warmer Earth - more ocean evaporation - more stratus clouds - less sunlight reaches the ground - therefore cooler Earth) | 33 | |
| 13639616091 | Malthus | said human population increases exponentially, while food supplies increase arithmetically; factors that keep the population in check include war, famine & disease | 34 | |
| 13639618186 | Doubling Time | rule of 70; 70 divided by the percent growth rate | 35 | |
| 13639621298 | Replacement Level Fertility | the number of children a couple must have to replace themselves (2.1 developed, 2.7 developing); biotic potential; total fertility rate (TFR) | 36 | |
| 13639624730 | Preindustrial stage | (demographic transition) birth & death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high | 37 | |
| 13639630632 | Transitional Stage | (demographic transition) death rate lower, better health care, population grows fast | 38 | |
| 13639631981 | Industrial Stage | (demographic transition) decline in birth rate, population growth slows | 39 | |
| 13639634866 | Post Industrial Stage | (demographic transition) low birth & death rates | 40 | |
| 13639637734 | Age Structure Diagrams | broad base = rapid growth; narrow base = negative growth; uniform shape = zero growth; Major Age Cohorts pre-reproductives, reproductives, post-reproductives | 41 | |
| 13639644526 | Cogeneration | using waste heat to make electricity | 42 | |
| 13639648513 | Hydroelectric Power | potential energy of stored water is used to turn a turbine the mechanical energy from the turbine is converted to electrical energy in a generator and that energy is transmitted to homes through power lines | 43 | |
| 13639650501 | Thermal gradient | spontaneous flow of heat from warmer to cooler bodies | 44 | |
| 13639653919 | Ionizing Radiation | enough energy to dislodge electrons from atoms, forming ions; capable of causing cancer (gamma, X- rays, UV) | 45 | |
| 13639655623 | High Quality Energy | organized & concentrated; can perform useful work (fossil fuel & nuclear) | 46 | |
| 13639658020 | Low Quality Energy | disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar) | 47 | |
| 13639662550 | First Law of Thermodynamics | energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another (Law of Conservation of Energy) | 48 | |
| 13639664901 | Second Law of Thermodynamics | when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy, usually heat | 49 | |
| 13639668576 | Alternate Energy Sources | wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells | 50 | |
| 13639671976 | Half Life | the time it takes for 1⁄2 the mass of a radioisotope to decay | 51 | |
| 13639674026 | Nuclear Fission | nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons | 52 | |
| 13639675882 | Nuclear Fusion | two isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus (He). Process is expensive; break-even point not reached yet; D + D He or D + T He | 53 | |
| 13639687401 | Mass Deficit | not all matter is converted into matter in a fusion reaction - some (the mass deficit) is converted into energy. E = mc2 . Explains the energy released in a fusion reaction. | 54 | |
| 13639689505 | Petroleum Formation | microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat and pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons (animal remains) | 55 | |
| 13639691708 | Pros of Petroleum | relatively cheap, easily transported, high-quality energy | 56 | |
| 13639693241 | Steps in Coal Formation | peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite | 57 | |
| 13639694780 | Pesticide Pros | saves lives from insect-transmitted disease, increases food supply, increases profits for farmers | 58 | |
| 13639696200 | Pesticide Cons | genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, biological magnification | 59 | |
| 13639698164 | Natural Pest Control | better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies, biopesticides, sex attractants | 60 | |
| 13639701036 | photochemical smog | formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O*); associated with automobile traffic | 61 | |
| 13639716619 | Acid Deposition | caused by sulfuric and nitric acids (H2SO4, HNO3), resulting in lowered pH of surface waters, soil acidification and destruction of building materials | 62 | |
| 13639718443 | Greenhouse Gases | Examples: H2O, CO2, O3, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane (CH4). Effect: they trap outgoing infrared (IR, heat) energy, causing Earth to warm | 63 | |
| 13639721206 | Effects of Global Warming | rising sea level (thermal expansion), extreme weather, drought, famine, extinctions | 64 | |
| 13639724048 | Primary Air Pollutants | produced by humans & nature (CO,CO2,SOx,NOx, hydrocarbons, particulates) | 65 | |
| 13639726635 | Major source of sulfur | coal -burning power plants | 66 | |
| 13639729161 | Hypoxia | when aquatic plants die, the BOD rises as aerobic decomposers break down the plants, the DO (dissolved O2) drops & the water cannot support life; very low DO levels; dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico | 67 | |
| 13639730995 | Surface Mining | cheaper and can remove more minerals; less hazardous to workers | 68 | |
| 13639735506 | Ore | a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine | 69 |