Environmental Science Final Exam Study Guide - Summary of Entire Course PDF

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Entire course summary of Environmental Science, 22 modules...

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Environmental Science Final Exam Study Guide Module 1 – Introduction to Environmental Science Environmental Science – a combination of biology, chemistry, and physics while also including issues from health, politics, economics, and ethics; studies how humans impact the organisms and surroundings ____________________________________________________________________________________

Module 2 – Understanding Our Environment Key Terms Environmental Science – the study of how humans impact the environment Agriculture – the practice of breeding, growing, and caring for animals and plants for food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and other uses Ecology – the study of the interaction among living things and with their non-living environment Natural Resource – materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain Botany – the study of plants Pollution – refers to undesired changes in soil, water, or air, which seriously impacts the activities, health, and survival of living things Geology – the study of the Earth's interior processes, history, and surface Biodiversity – the variety and number of species that inhabit a particular area Hydrology – the study of the Earth's water resources Law of Supply and Demand – states that a product becomes more valuable if it has a great demand but is in short supply Biology – the study of living organisms Ecological Footprint – indicates the productive area required to support one individual in a specific country, by estimating the land area used for agriculture and housing, the ocean area used for fishing, and the forest area required for absorbing air pollution caused by fossil fuels Zoology – the study of animals Sustainability – situation in which human needs are satisfied in a manner that guarantees the survival of future generations Learning Objectives • Define environmental science and its importance to society Importance: to solve environmental issues

• Discuss the five major fields of study that contribute to environmental science Ecology, Biology, Zoology, Geology, Chemistry

• Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable resources Renewable – resource that can be used repeatedly and replaced naturally Nonrenewable – natural substance that is not replenished with the speed at which it is consumed

• Explain “The Tragedy of the Commons” Conflict of interest is a key reason why certain societies may grapple with environmental problems. This conflict of interest involves the short-term interest of an individual and the long-term welfare of his or her community. Using the example of commons, areas of land in which all villagers could graze their livestock, an individual or society must assume responsibility for maintaining a natural resource; failure may lead to resources becoming overused. Within these commons, an individual would be tempted to graze as much livestock as possible without regard for the fact that the commons would eventually become depleted and deny future generations the opportunity to use them. The tendency to overuse the commons would eventually inspire the shift to closed fields, which had individual owners who were more cautious not to graze a lot of livestock on the fields for fear of depleting them

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Key Concepts • Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary study derived from several other fields • Hunter-Gatherer societies impacted the environment by setting fires to clear grasslands • Agricultural revolution – the change that occurred in human societies as a result of their adoption of agriculture • Industrial revolution – period during which energy sources for human activities shifted from running water and animal power, to fossil fuels, such as oil and coal • Environmental problems related to population growth: pollution, exhaustion of topsoil, and extinction of animals Important People/Events • Hunter-Gatherers Various societies would pick wild fruits and hunt wild animals as their food. There are still several hunter-gatherer societies that inhabit the rainforests of the Amazon River, as well as in New Guinea. These societies altered their environments by sometimes cutting down trees or burning them to easily hunt their prey. The bow and arrow was the primary weapon of hunter-gatherers for centuries.

• Garrett Hardin Published the “Tragedy of Commons” in 1968

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Module 3 – Using the Scientific Method and Models Key Terms Observation – the act of gathering data through our senses, such as smell, sight, touch, and hearing Statistics – the process of collecting and classifying data into numbers Hypothesis – a testable explanation or idea that provides the foundation for the subsequent scientific investigation Mean – the average; provides a single measure for a certain population Prediction – a logical statement about what might happen if the hypothesis is correct Distribution – the way members of a statistical population are relatively arranged Control Group – a study sample that does not receive experimental treatment Sample – a group of events or individuals that represent the population that is the focus of the study Experimental Group – receives experimental treatment Risk – refers to the likelihood of an unwanted outcome Data – information collected from an experiment often in numeric form Models – representations of systems or objects Correlations – relationships between two or more phenomena Values – our important standards or principles, guide decisions on environmental issues Learning Objectives • Identify all of the steps in the experimental method Observing, Hypothesizing/Predicting, Experimenting, Organizing/Analyzing Data, Drawing Conclusions, Repeating Experiments, Communicating Results

• Explain and have examples of what makes a good scientist Curious, open-minded, honest, creative

• Define statistics and explain how scientists use statistics Statistics guides scientists in summarizing, analyzing and comparing data for the purpose of understanding it

• Distinguish between the four models (physical, graphical, conceptual and mathematical) Physical – 3-D models that can be touched and closely resemble the systems or objects that they represent Graphical – charts and maps Conceptual – a verbal or graphical representation of a system or phenomena Mathematical – one or more equations used to represent many common situations especially those that have many variables

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• Understand the steps of the decision-making model Gather information, Consider Values, Explore Consequences, Make a Decision

Key Concepts • The experimental method are steps used by scientists to identify and answer questions • Good scientists must be open-minded, intellectually honest and creative to identify patterns • Statistics are used in everyday life as they may appear as wild guesses or gut instinct Important People/Events • Jane Goodall Her persistent studies on an African chimpanzee troop provided useful knowledge on that species. She was curious to the extent that she eventually could understand the personality and behavior of all the troop members

• John Snow He was able to realize that most of the cholera victims had used the same public water pump on Broad Street. By shutting off this polluted water source, authorities were successful in preventing further deaths thanks to the creativity and imagination of Snow

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Module 4 – Our Changing Earth Key Terms Crust – the outer layer of Earth and is made entirely of light elements Evaporation Lithosphere – the outermost layer and comprises the crust and upper part of the mantle, split into tectonic plates Condensation – occurs when the water vapor cools to form water droplets that combine to form clouds Tectonic Plates – arise out of a subdivision of the lithosphere, which glide across the underlying asthenosphere Precipitation – when clouds later fall back to Earth's surface as rain Erosion – the eradication and transport of Earth surface material Salinity – the extent of the concentration of dissolved salts in the ocean Atmosphere – contains various gases that constitute the air that living things breathe; function is to insulate Earth's surface by slowing the rate at which it loses heat Aquifer – a rock layer that stores and allows the flow of groundwater Radiation – occurs when the energy transfer occurs across space and mechanisms such as when one stands in front of a fireplace Recharge Zone – the surface of the land where water enters an aquifer Conduction – occurs when heat flows from a warmer object to a cold object when the objects are placed in direct physical contact with each other Biosphere – the section in which life exists Learning Objectives • Understand and know the differences for the composition of the Earth Crust – the outer layer of Earth Mantle – Below the crust, makes up 64 percent of Earth, comprised of rocks of medium density Core – the innermost part of Earth

• Explain the how and where of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mountain formations Occur at plate boundaries during which different tectonic plates glides past one another, collide or move away from one another

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• Define each of the four layers of the atmosphere Troposphere – nearest to Earth's surface; the site of most weather changes that occur in Earth and is the densest atmospheric layer; an increase in altitude results in a decrease in temperature Stratosphere – characterized by an increase in temperature as the altitude increases Mesosphere – located above the stratosphere, the coldest layer within the atmosphere Thermosphere – farthest from Earth's surface, thin air

• Distinguish between energy and heating in the atmosphere Energy from the sun reaches the atmosphere through convection, conduction, and radiation. Heating – solar energy is transferred to Earth via electromagnetic radiation in various forms, such as light, UV rays, and infrared radiation

• Identify the differences between the different types of water on Earth Ocean water – dissolved rocks that release salts into the oceans as well as constant volcanic eruptions Fresh water – 3% of all water, majority available in glaciers and ice caps Ground water – the water that sinks into the ground from melting snow or rain, less than 1% of all water, important source of drinking and irrigation water, stored in aquifers

Key Concepts • Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions generate from plate tectonics gliding past one another • Erosion refers to the eradication and transport of Earth surface material • Atmosphere is the mixture of gases of Earth including nitrogen, carbon dioxide and others • Earth maintains an appropriate temperature for living things during the Greenhouse Effect • The biosphere is the only layer on Earth’s surface that supports survival of living things Important People/Events • The 1886 Earthquake Proved that earthquakes do not only affect high-risk areas but also medium-risk areas

• The Greenhouse Effect Earth maintains an appropriate temperature that is not too cold for living things to survive. It occurs when greenhouses gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane trap some of the heat released by the sun to Earth's surface.

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Module 5 – Organization of Living Things Key Terms Ecosystem – consists of all organisms that inhabit an area as well as their physical environments Archaebacteria – single-celled, microscopic organisms that reproduce by dividing in half; lack nuclei and usually reside in hot springs Organism – an individual living thing belonging to a species Eubacteria – reside commonly in animals and soil Population – a group of organisms from the same species that live together and reproduce Fungus – has a cell wall and nuclei and consists of an underground network of fibers that absorb nutrients from decaying organisms in dead wood, soil, and other organisms Community – a group of different species or populations that inhabit the same place Protists – make up a large group of single-celled and multi-celled organisms, Ex. Amoeba, algae Habitat – a place where an organism resides based on the suitability of the place to its survival Gymnosperms – woody plants that are alternatively known as conifers because they have needle-like leaves and seeds that are not enclosed in fruits Artificial Selection – an evolutionary process that occurs when human beings breed certain organisms for particular characteristics Invertebrates – animals that do not have backbones Vertebrates – animals that have backbones

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Resistance – occurs when an organism can tolerate specific chemicals meant to exterminate it by simply breaking it down into harmless parts Learning Objectives • Define an ecosystem and understand how they are connected and their components Components – plants and soil; minerals, nutrients, water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, living organisms, and energy

• Understand the differences between populations, communities and habitat • Explain the Charles Darwin observation in 1859 on natural selection Organisms in certain habitats differ in the form of function and behavior; the environment tends to favor organisms with certain characteristics; overtime, organisms with these traits are able to survive and reproduce unlike their counterparts who lack these traits

• Identify all of the different types of bacteria in the environment Key Concepts • Ecosystems consist of all organisms that inhabit an area as well as their environments • An organism is an individual living thing belonging to a species • The honeycreeper and a flower example of coevolution • Gymnosperms are woody plants, whereas angiosperms are land plants • Vertebrates have backbones, whereas invertebrates do not Important People/Events • A 1993 Scientific Experiment on Gypsy Moths Proved that the environment consists of an interconnected web of organisms whose actions affect each other; discovered that the removal of mice from an oak forest increased the number of gypsy moths, which were their main prey

• Charles Darwin Brought to the forefront the role of natural selection in ensuring the survival and reproduction of organisms

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Module 6 – Ecosystems Key Terms Photosynthesis – process through which plants transform solar energy into sugar molecules Phosphorus Cycle – involves the back-and-forth movement of phosphorus between the environment and organisms Carbon Cycle – process in which the element carbon moves between the atmosphere, organisms, land, and water Nitrogen Cycle – process in which nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, bacteria, and organisms Acid Precipitation Producer – refers to organisms that produce its own food, also known as autotrophs or self-feeders Consumer – an organism that acquires energy by eating other organisms, also known as a heterotroph Food Chain – simple sequential explanation of energy transfer between different organisms when one consumes the other Trophic Level – the various levels in a food chain or web during which energy is transferred from one organism to another Ecological Succession – a gradual change process that an ecosystem undergoes during which some or all of its species are replaced Primary Succession – occurs in a place that had no ecosystem before Secondary Succession – more common where an ecosystem had previously existed Climax Community – refers to a stable and final community that will continue undergoing small changes Old-Field Succession – a man-made secondary succession that occurs when a farmer stops cultivating their field for a lengthy period of time

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Learning Objectives • How these organisms obtain energy (herbivore, omnivore, carnivore and decomposer) Herbivore – consume producers such as plants Omnivore – eat consumers and producers Carnivore – eat consumers Decomposer – from breaking down dead organisms

• Understand each of the cycles of materials and what each process involves Carbon Cycle – Carbon is first converted by producers into carbohydrates through photosynthesis. After consumers eat producers, they obtain carbohydrates before releasing some of the carbon into the atmosphere when their bodies undergo cell respiration Nitrogen Cycle – the role of bacteria in this process is to fix atmospheric nitrogen into chemical compounds that can benefit organisms by providing them with proteins for cell reproduction. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, found in roots of legumes or in the soil, releases the excess nitrogen into the soil. Other organisms, such as animals, obtain nitrogen by consuming plants that are rich in the nitrogen-related compounds. Decomposers are integral to the nitrogen cycle since they break down waste products and harness nitrogen, which is released into the soil Phosphorus Cycle – an important element that aids in cell reproduction as well as formation of teeth and bones in animals. Plants obtain phosphorus from water and soil when rocks erode and dissolve into phosphates that plants can use as food. Animals also provide plants with phosphorus when they excrete excess phosphorus in the form of waste. Later, these animals obtain phosphorus by consuming these plants. Some phosphorus also ends up in bodies of water where they sink to the bottom and become sediment

• Distinguish between the primary and secondary succession • Provide examples of each ecological succession in the ecosystem Primary – new islands created out of volcanic eruptions Secondary – new plants begin to grow around area burned down by ash and volcanic debris

Key Concepts • A producer produces its own food, while a consumer eats other organisms • Food chain is energy transfer between different organisms when one consumes the other • Acid precipitation occurs when nitric oxide combines with water vapor and oxygen • Ecological succession better explains the changing nature of ecosystems Important People/Events • Adequate Oxygen Levels Adequate oxygen levels in water are essential for the survival of most sea life

• Minor Forest Fires Mostly caused by lightning, aid in secondary succession by giving an opportunity for new species of trees, such as Jack Pine, to grow. These fires destroy deadwood and brush that if left to accumulate, can lead to major forest fires. Certain animals also benefit from the new vegetation that grows after a minor forest fire

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Module 7 – Biomes Key Terms Biome – a large area that has a particular type of climate that effectively influences the types of plants and animals that inhabit each ecosystem Taiga – a northern coniferous forest that stretches just below the Arctic Circle and across the Northern Hemisphere. It is characterized by long winter periods of 6-10 months during which temperatures fall to -10°F Savanna – found in Western India, parts of Africa, some parts of South America, and Northern Australia. Rain only falls for a few months during which time the plants can grow Latitude – the distance north or south of the equator Altitude – the height above sea level Temperate Grasslands – occurs where there is moderate rainfall that is still insufficient for tall trees to grow

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Tropical Rain Forests – situated in a belt near the equator, are important in enhancing nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon cycles and help in regulation of the global climate. They are always warm and humid, receiving 200-450 cm of rainfall annually Chaparral – a shrub land biome that receives enough rainfall to support the growth of shrubs, despite having a fairly dry climate Emergent Layer – top layer of rain forests, home to the tallest trees Deserts –...