Download BM2 Review Guide Answer Key

Environmental Science Fall BM2 Review
Brodnax
Answer on your own paper in complete sentences.
Intro Unit:
1. What is environmental science? An multidisciplinary field that integrates physical, biological and information sciences (including
ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, zoology, mineralogy, oceanology, limnology, soil science, geology, atmospheric science,
and geodesy) to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems.
2. Who is Henry David Thoreau and how was he influential to environmental awareness?
Early environmentalist and wrote the book Walden after living alone on the shore of Walden Pond.
3. Who is John Muir and how was he influential to environmental protection?
Influential to environmental studies because he was the first person to suggest the idea of protecting the wilderness for future
generations to enjoy. Led to national parks.
4. What are the steps in the scientific method?
Observation, Question, Hypothesis, Experiment, Collect Data, Analyze and Conclude, Communicate Results.
5. What is a controlled experiment?
An experiment that tests for only 1 variable.
6. Define the following experimental variables: independent, dependent, and control.
Independent- the variable that is changed or manipulated. Located on the X axis.
Dependent- The variables that responds to the change. Located on the y axis.
Control- variable that is kept the same for the whole experiment.
7. Why do scientists use the metric system of measurement?
It is a universal system of measurement.
8. What are the base units for length, mass, volume and temperature?
Length= meter
Mass= gram
Volume= liter
Temperature= celcius
9. What is the mnemonic for converting units in the metric system?
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk (Kilo- Hecto- Deka- Base deci- centi- milli-)
10. What is an ecological footprint?
The impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of
natural resources.
Ecology:
1. List the levels of ecological organization starting with individuals.
1.
Species
2.
Population
3.
Community
4.
Ecosystem
5.
Biome
6.
Biosphere
2. Differentiate between a habitat and a niche.
A habitat is where an organism lives. A niche is an organism's job.
3. Describe and give examples of biotic and abiotic factors.
Biotic= living Ex. Animal, plant, bacteria
Abiotic= nonliving Ex. Wind, water, rock, temperature
4. Explain what the range of tolerance is for various environmental factors.
The range in which factors must be for the organism to survive.
5. Define and give an example of intraspecific competition.
Competition within the same species. Ex- Reproduction
6. Define and give an example of interspecific competition.
Competition with different species. Ex- Competition for space
7. Define and give an example of predation.
Predator and prey. Predator eats prey. Predator- Trout, Prey- Mayfly
8. Define and give an example of mutualism.
Both organisms benefit. Bee and flower
9. Define and give an example of parasitism.
1 benefits and the other is harmed. Must have a host. Dog and Fleas
10. Define and give an example of commensalism.
1 benefits and the other is unaffected. whale and barnacle
11. List 4 abiotic factors that can limit organism distribution. Precipitation, wind, temperature, fire
12. Draw a food chain and label each tropic level.
producer- first trophic level (Grass) ->primary consumer- 2nd trophic level (grasshopper)-> secondary consumer- 3rd trophic
level (rabbit) ->tertiary consumer- 4th trophic level (wolf)
13. Differentiate between decomposers and detritivores.
Decomposers break down dead or decaying matter, detritivores feed on dead or decaying matter.
14. Differentiate between photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs.
Photoautotrophs use sunlight and photosynthesis
Chemoautotrophs use chemicals and chemosynthesis
15. What is a keystone species?
a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change
drastically.
16. Differentiate between native and nonnative species. What are other names for nonnative species?
Native is originally from the area, nonnative (invasive) were introduced
17. Define the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics.
1st- energy cannot be destroyed but can be transformed.
2nd-When energy is changed from one form to another, we always end up with lower-quality or less usable energy than we
started with (usually heat).
18. How much energy is transferred through a food chain? What is each step in a food chain called? Where does the lost energy go?
10% is passed to the next level, trophic level, eliminated as heat
19. What is Biomass? How does it affect a food chain?
The total amount of living tissue, Producers have the most and it decreases as trophic levels increase.
20. Define and give an example of biomagnification.
The toxin concentration increases as you increase trophic levels. DDT
21. How do you calculate population growth?
Birth rate and immigration- increase population growth
Death rate and emigration- decrease population growth
22. Contrast exponential and logistic growth.
Exponential- steady growth, J-curve, must have unlimited resources
Logistic- logical, reaches a carrying capacity, S-curve
23. What is carrying capacity?
The maximum number of individuals an area can provide resources.
24. Define and give examples of density dependent limiting factors.
Depend on the size of the population. Ex- Competition, disease, parasitism
25. Define and give examples of density independent limiting factors.
Occurs no matter the size of the population. Ex- Human impact and natural disasters
26. Contrast primary and secondary succession.
Primary- no soil (bare rock), forms from volcanic eruption, first organisms include lichens and mosses.
Secondary- soil is present, forms from forest fires or flooding, first organisms include annual grasses and weeds.
27. What is a pioneer species?
First organism to occupy an area (Ex. Lichens and mosses)
28. Explain how water flows through ecosystems and explain how humans impact this cycle.
a.
Evaporation- liquid to gas
b.
Precipitation- rain, snow, sleet, or hail falling from the sky
c.
Transpiration- water evaporating from plants through the stomata
d.
Condensation- water vapor changing to a liquid
Humans have a major impact with water pollution
29. How is the flow of matter different from the flow of energy in an ecosystem?
Energy flows in 1 direction, matter is recycled
30. Explain how carbon flows through ecosystems and explain how humans impact this cycle.
Humans add more CO2 by burning fossil fuels.
Into Atmosphere- Respiration, Burning fossil fuels, volcanic activity
Out of atmosphere- photosynthesis
31. Explain how nitrogen flows through ecosystems and explain how humans impact this cycle.
Nitrogen fixation- Atmospheric Nitrogen (N2) -> Ammonia (NH3)
Denitrification- Nitrates (NO2 and NO3) -> Atmospheric Nitrogen (N2)
32. Explain how phosphorus flows through ecosystems and explain how humans impact this cycle.
Not found in the atmosphere, only in soil and rocks
Biodiversity:
1. What makes up the climate of a region?
Average temperature and precipitation
2. How is climate different from weather?
Climate is yearly average and weather is day to day
3. Describe where the different temperature zones are located on Earth?
Above/below 23o north and south= temperate zone
Between 23o north and south= tropical zone
4. In terms of moisture, what does arid, semi-arid, semi-humid, and humid mean?
Arid- dry
Semi-arid- semi-dry
Semi-humid- semi-wet
Humid- wet
5. The moisture of a biome is determined by what 2 factors?
Precipitation and Evaporation
6. List and describe the 5 air masses affecting North America.
Continental = dry, inland Maritime = wet, coastal
Polar = cold Arctic = very cold
Tropical = warm
Continental arctic: inland, dry and very cold air
Continental polar: inland, dry and cold air
Continental tropical: inland, dry and warm air
Maritime polar: coastal, moist and cold air
Maritime tropical: coastal, moist and warm air
7. Describe the characteristics of a cold front.
a cold air mass pushes the warm air mass up, cumulus clouds form, and heavy rain/snow storms occur
8. Describe the characteristics of a warm front.
a warm air mass stretches over a cold air mass, stratus clouds form, and steady rain/snow falls
9. Why does climate determine the biome type of an area?
The temperature and precipitation determine which biotic factors can survive
10. Define and give an example of a behavioral animal adaptation.
Instincts- migration, hibernation
11. Define and give an example of a structural animal adaptation.
Physical, can be seen- shell, spikes, thorns, camouflage
12. Define and give an example of a physiological animal adaptation.
Internal, chemical- poison, venum, ink
13. Define and give an example of thigmotropism in plants.
The ability of a plant to move in response to touch. Ex- Venus fly trap
14. Define and give an example of phototropism in plants.
The movement/growth of a plant toward light. Ex- Vines
15. Complete the Biome Chart… Information used to fill in/need to know
Freshwater
Ponds and Lakes:
-
Bodies of standing, or still, fresh water
Lakes are larger and deeper
Lake Zones:
-
Littoral Zone – regions occupied by floating and rooted plants; shallow water close to shoreline. Plants have roots in the soil and
insects, snails, frogs, and salamanders make this their home
Limnetic zone – open waters away from shore; occupied by phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, etc. Algae are the main producers
(because they don’t need roots in soil) and sunfish feed on algae and insects while catfish scavenge their meals
-
Profundal zone (aphotic zone) – where detritus accumulates
Rivers and Streams:
-
Flowing waters, currents can be very strong and fast moving
Often affected by human interference with dams and pollution
Organisms must be adapted to a specific location in a stream or river to survive.
–
Ex. Trout have stream-lined bodies that allow them to swim in fast moving currents
–
Ex. In soil clouded parts that have less oxygen, plants have adapted to root in the pebbles on the bottom
Wetlands:
-
Includes marshes, bogs, swamps, seasonal ponds
Among richest biomes with respect to biodiversity and productivity. Favors growth of water plants and also rich in invertebrates
and birds.
Very few now exist as they are often thought of as wastelands
Marine
-
Photic zone- penetrated by sunlight
Aphotic zone- no sunlight
Ocean Zones:
Intertidal zone- alternates between being submerged and exposed to sun/air in the photic zone
•
Sudden changes in temperature and pounding of waves
•
Home to sand stars, clams, crabs, and barnacles
Neritic Zone- A region of shallow water below the low-tide line in the photic zone
•
Home to large schools of fish such as sardines and anchovies
•
In tropical waters, coral reefs live in this zone
Pelagic zone- open blue water constantly mixed by wind-driven oceanic currents; has photic and aphotic regions
•
Covers 70% of Earth’s surface
•
High oxygen levels
•
B/c of thermal stratification, some tropical areas have lower nutrient levels than temperate areas
•
Home to algae, phytoplankton, photosynthetic bacteria, zooplankton, shrimp-like krill, jellies, fishes, large squids, sea turtles,
sharks, marine mammals, etc.
Benthic zone- seafloor below the surface waters of the neritic (coastal) zone, and the offshore pelagic zone. Except for shallow areas,
this zone receives no sunlight.
•
Sufficient oxygen concentrations
•
Shallow benthic areas (photic) have seaweeds and algae to support invertebrates and fishes
•
Deep benthic areas (aphotic) aka deep sea vents, have chemoautotrophic prokaryotes that support tube worms, arthropods,
echinoderms, etc.
Estuaries:
o
Where the fresh water of a river meets the salt water of the ocean; optimal breeding grounds
o
Shallow, sunlit waters, rich in nutrients
o
Home for marsh grasses, algae, crabs, worms, clams, oysters, and fish
Biome
Location
Brazil, Columbia
Equator
Tropical Rain
Forest
Climate and soil type
Nutrient poor soil
High temp.
High Precip
Plants and their
adaptations
Animals and their
adaptations
Unique feature/fact
Tall Leafy Trees,
Vines, Large
Flowering Plants,
Ferns (Requires
large amounts of
water)
Animals – Snakes,
Birds (Toucan),
Insects, Monkey
Canopy – Layer at
the top of the
rainforest which
blocks the sun
from reaching the
forest floor.
Specific ecological
problem
Do Not D
Nutrient Poor –
Soil is nutrient
poor because the
living organisms
quickly taken in
any available
nutrients.
Temperate
Deciduous Forest
Desert
Southeast US
(Georgia)
Parts of Japan
Sahara Desert in
North Africa
Arabian Desert in
the Arabian
Peninsula
Warm Summers
and Cold Winters
(0-25 degrees
Celsius)
Rain all year long
(10 cm per month)
Annual
precipitation of less
than 25 cm.
Extreme Temp
Changes from day
to night.
Average Temp –
15-35 Degrees
Celsius
Oak Trees, Pine
Trees, Flowering
Shrubs, Mosses
and Ferns
Cacti and other
succulents,
creosote bush –
Survive with very
little rainfall and
have a short
growth season
Squirrel, Skunk,
White Tail Deer,
Snake
Mountain Lions,
Mule Deer,
Kangaroo Rats,
Owls, Ants,
Rattlesnakes –
Handle extreme
temp changes
from day to night.
Most biodiversity
Deciduous - Drop
their leaves in the
winter time.
WE LIVE
HERE!!!!
Nocturnal –
Active mostly at
night
Waxy Cuticle –
Covering for
plants that
decreases
transpiration
DND
DND
Grassland
Savanna – Kenya,
Venezuela, and
Belize
Grassland – North
America (United
States) and
Central Asia
Tundra
Northern Alaska
and Northern
Europe
Tropical Savanna –
Warm Temps 25-30
degrees Celsius
Seasonal Rainfall –
325mm
(Has Wet and Dry
Season)
Temperate
Grassland – Warm
Summer/Cold
Winter ( 3-35
degrees Celsius)
Seasonal Rainfall –
225-325 mm
24 hours of light
and then periods
with 24 hours of
dark.
Arctic Regions
(Coniferous
Forest)
Taiga
North America –
Alaska
Northern Europe
Strong Winds,
Short Summer,
Long COLD winter
(-25 to 5 Degrees
Celsius)
Long Cold Winter
and Short Cool
Summer (-25 to 15
degrees Celsius)
Moderate
Precipitation
Tropical Savanna
– Tall Perennial
Grasses, fireresistant trees and
shrubs
(Drought and Fire
Resistant)
Temperate
Grassland – Lush
Perennial Grass
and Herbs
(Drought, Fire,
and Cold
Resistant; once
very fertile soil)
TS- Lions,
Elephants,
Baboons, Ostrich,
Termites (Many
Daily Movers in
Search of Water)
Low Lying (to
avoid the winds),
sedges, lichen,
short grasses, and
mosses
Snowy Owl,
Caribou, Small
Rodent, Artic Fox
TG- Coyote,
Antelope, Prairie
Dogs, Prairie
Chicken, Ants,
Grasshoppers
(Heavy grazers)
Conifers (Needle) Caribou, Moose,
Spruce, Small
Elk, Migratory
Shrubs with
Birds, Rabbits
Berries, Pine Tree,
Cedar
Savanna –
Mostly Grasslands
with Sparse Tree
Cover
Compact Soil
leads to flooding
Lighting leads to
Frequent Fires
Temperate
Grassland –
Seasons
Some of World’s
Most Fertile Soils,
now farmland
Permafrost Permanently
frozen ground
Conifer –
Modified Leaf
Tree (Needle)
Does not lose
needles during the
winter
DND
DND
DND