Download Global Science Issues: Mid-term Study Guide

Global Science Issues: Mid-term Study Guide
Environmental leaders:
John Muir - __Founded Sierra Club, lost eye sight temporarily in factory accident swore to devote life
to nature/god if regained
Aldo Leopold – 1887-1948) ”Sand County Almanac” collection of essays on nature/environment
Teddy Roosevelt- _1901-09 26th president, War hero, Outdoorsman. Increased protected land from 43
million-194 million acres (size of Maine-Virginia)
Rachel Carson – 1907-1964, In 1962 ”Silent Spring” book about pesticide use killing birds
Ecofootprint: _Measure of human demand/use on earth’s resources
Overshoot: _Use of resources exceeding ability of earth to replenish the supply
Carrying Capacity: _Max. population an ecosystem can support
Biodegradable: _Capable of being broken down naturally. Ex. By bacteria
Photodegradable: _able to be broken down by light
Population: _Tot. # of organisms in an ecosystem
Survival Needs
What are the 5 survival needs? For each state how families in developing countries meet them.
• Food, Water, Energy, Air, Shelter (housing, clothing)
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Food: grow few crops/raise few animals
Water: collect from well/water-way
Energy: Fire/fire heated oven
Shelter: Timber-built, mud/adobe built houses. Make own clothes w/fabric.
Which survival needs would most certainly be provided by the natural environment of
a. Antartica – water, air
b. Mountain forest – food, water, air, shelter, energy(wood for fire)
c. Desert - air
d. Jungle – food, water, air, shelter, energy
What is your 1st concern if stranded in the wilderness? SHELTER!
Ecology
Biotic = living things; animals, plants, bacteria
Abiotic factors = Non-living things; soil, water
Producers (autotrophs)= produce their own food, ex. Plants
Consumers (herbivores=eat plants, carnivores= eat meat, omnivores=eat both, meat/plants)
10% law of Energy transfer = only 10%
of energy in ecosystem is transferred to
trophic level above it
Primary succession - No life existed before. Life initially establishes itself. Ex. Volcano formed
island.
Secondary Succession – Life RE-Establishes AFTER disaster. Ex. Wildfire
*Study Biodiversity PPT notes*
Biomes Study Guide for Mid-Term
Tundra - Finnish word “tunturi”=treeless plain
Artic & Alpine (High Altitudes, rocky mtn. tops)
Alpine –cold, icy/snowy, windy. 10,000 ft+ high.
trees can’t grow at high altitudes.
*Northernmost Biome
*Very cold and mostly treeless
*Permafrost – permanently frozen subsoil
Prevents roots of trees penetrating and growing
Very short growing season = 2 months
*Frozen soil thaws in summer making large swampy mess
“Patchwork of bogs & swamps”
Plants: Grasses and mosses
Animals: artic foxes, caribou, snowshoe hares
Soil: Thin, nutrient-poor (extreme cold prevents decomposition)
Taiga (Boreal forest)
Parts of Canada, Alaska, Russia
*Largest Land biome
*Coniferous Forests =”Evergreen trees”, thin waxy needles
Ex. pines, spruce, etc
Plants: lichens, mosses
Animals: Moose, bear, wolves, linx; some hibernate
Temperate Forests
*Deciduous trees = lose leaves in fall
*All seasons present, but overall moderate climate
Plants: maple, oak, hickory trees, etc
Animals: Deer, foxes, raccoons, squirrels
Soil: fertile, w/layer of decaying material
Tropical Forest (rain forest)
Occur near the equator, No Winter
Soil is Nutrient-poor, due to leaching and quick decomposition
rainforest layers: 1)Canopy- overlapping top of trees
2)Understory- not a lot of light, plants have
Bigger leaves to get light
3)forest floor – decomposing material, little plants
Animals: Largest biodiversity (# of different species)
Grasslands (Savannas)
*a.k.a.- praries(N.Amer.), Pampas(S.Amer.), steppes (Asia)
veldt (S.Africa)
Savannas=almost half of Africa, hottest/Dryest of grasslands
Hot, Dry and rainy season.
Dry season w/wildfires to clear/renew vegetation.
Plants: Grasses Dominate
Animals: Grazing animals, ex. Bison.
*Soil: rich, fertile...Transformed into farmland for wheat, corn
“breadbasket of the world”
Desert – about 20% of earth's land
*Temps. Fall quickly at night...Dry air doesnt' insulate ground.
*Plants: Waxy coating to prevent water loss, Ex. Cacti
*Animals: Avoid heat of day by burrowing/finding shade. Active at night.
3 types of desert
“semi-arid” - low amounts of rain in winter, not as hot as “hot-dry” desert and cool at night.
“Coastal Desert” - moderately cool to warm areas, such as Atacama of chile
“Cold Deserts”- Anartic, Greenland, Nearctic areas. Cold winters w/snow, moderate rain during
winter and summer.