Environmental Final Review

1. Environmental Final Review Questions 1-27 Overview and Scientific Method

2. 1. Define environment 2. Define agriculture 3. Define natural resource

3. 1. Define environment • Everything around us, not just ‘natural’ places. 2. Define agriculture • The raising of plants and animals for human use. 3. Define natural resource • Materials that occur naturally that are used by humans .

4. 4.Compare ecology and environmental science in terms of goals, methods, and subject matter.

5. Compare ecology and environmental science in terms of goals, methods, and subject matter. • Ecology is one branch of science, and only looks at the relationships between different organisms and their environment. • Environmental science uses many branches to evaluate human impact on the natural world.

6. 5. Define pollution 6. Describe the effects fo the agricultural revolution. 7. Describe the impact of the industrial revolution.

7. Define pollution • Harmful additives to our environment. Describe the effects fo the agricultural revolution. • More people, more pollution, and less land for wild habitat. Describe the impact of the industrial revolution. • More people, and more pollution.

8. 8. What is biodiversity? 9. What impacts have been attributed to hunter-gatherers?

9. What is biodiversity? • Bio (life) diversity (variety) Simply put the vast variety of life around us. What impacts have been attributed to hunter-gatherers? • Hunter-gatherers introduced species to new areas, kept grasslands clear by setting fires, and have been credited with the disappearance of some large game.

10. 10. What is the importance of ‘biodegradable’? 11. What lesson did the“Tragedy of the Commons” attempt to teach?

11. What is the importance of ‘biodegradable’? • Bio (life) degradable (breaks down)- by using biodegradables, we ensure that trash doesn’t keep building up. What lesson did the“Tragedy of the Commons” attempt to teach? • Unless someone is responsible, nobody takes care of common resources.

12. 12. What is the importance of ‘supply and demand’?

13. 12. What is the importance of ‘supply and demand’? • Supply and demand is an economics principle: as something becomes more rare, its price increases, and people change their spending habits (ex. gas prices).

14. 13. Explain why the ‘Tragedy of the Commons” might be a stumbling block to achieving sustainability.

15. Explain why the ‘Tragedy of the Commons” might be a stumbling block to achieving sustainability. • Some resources, like air and water, cannot be divided up. Therefore, setting responsibility for them becomes harder.

16. 14. What is an ecological footprint?

17. What is an ecological footprint? • The effect each of us has on the earth, in terms of resources we use, and pollution we create.

18. 15. Name and define the parts of the scientific method.

19. Name and define the parts of the scientific method.

20. 16. Why is it important for a hypothesis to be testable? 17. What is the null hypothesis?

21. Why is it important for a hypothesis to be testable? • A null (void) hypothesis usually states that no difference will be found between the experiment and the control. • An untestable hypothesis is useless since it cannot be investigated. What is the null hypothesis?

22. 18. Name and describe three types of models.

23. Name and describe three types of models. • Mathematical: good for situations with many variables, like weather predictions (# 19). • Conceptual: good for sorting relationships: Food webs and trophic pyramids (#20). • Physical: small scale versions of real things: model boats • Graphic: maps

24. 21. Define and compare risk and probability. 22. What is a distribution?

25. Define and compare risk and probability. • Probability is the likelihood of • something happening. • Risk is the probability of that something being bad. • A graphical representation showing the statistical arrangement of a sample based on a characteristic. What is a distribution?

26. 23. How does environmental science use statistics?

27. How does environmental science use statistics? • Assess pollution in the environment • Ecological footprint • Populations • Weather patterns • Analyze experimental data • Predictions

28. 24. Why would you publish your experiment’s results if your hypothesis is wrong?

29. Why would you publish your experiment’s results if your hypothesis is wrong? • A hypothesis is only a guess, there was never any guarantee it would be correct. Even if your hypothesis is wrong, you still learned something valuable, and should share it. The value of an experiment is in the data and results, not the hypothesis.

30. 25. Why is honesty important in an experiment? 26. Why is curiosity a desirable trait in a scientist?

31. Why is honesty important in an experiment? • A scientist must be willing to admit a favored hypothesis is wrong if the data disproves it. Why is curiosity a desirable trait in a scientist? • An uncurious scientist won’t be researching much.

32. 27. How is a correlation different from cause and effect?

33. How is a correlation different from cause and effect? • A correlation means there is a connetion between the two, but nothing more is implied. • Cause and effect means one factor directly leads to the other factor. • In a correlation, both factors could be caused by a third factor.

34. 49. Name and define the three properties of a population. 50. What criteria must a group of organisms meet to be called a population?

35. Name and define the three properties of a population. • Size, density, and dispersion What criteria must a group of organisms meet to be called a population? • Same place, same time, & same species (breeding)

36. 51. Define growth rate and give the equation to calculate it. 52. Define carrying capacity.

37. Define growth rate and give the equation to calculate it. • The change in the number of members in a population. • Birth rate – death rate = growth rate • The maximum number of a population the environment can support of a particular species. Define carrying capacity.

38. 53. What happens to a population that exceeds carrying capacity?

39. What happens to a population that exceeds carrying capacity? • crashes • stabilizes • or migrates.

40. 54. Define density dependent regulation, and give an example.

41. Define density dependent regulation, and give an example. • Any of a number of factors that reduce population due to the proximity of members.

42. 55. What is reproductive potential? 56. What is exponential growth?

43. What is reproductive potential? • The maximum number of offspring an organism can produce. What is exponential growth? • A rapid growth rate characterized by a logarithmic curve when graphed.

44. 57. What factors allow exponential growth to occur?58. How is this related to reproductive potential?

45. What factors allow exponential growth to occur?How is this related to reproductive potential? • Exponential growth occurs when the usual pressures are removed from reproduction: few to no predators or pathogens, plenty of space and food. • The population can then reproduce at or near their potential.

46. 59. What is dispersion?

47. What is dispersion? • How members of a species spread out.

48. 60. Define niche, and give an example.

49. 59. Define niche, and give an example. A niche is not just an animal’s location, but also its role in the ecosystem. For example: a sea otter lives in kelp forests, but it’s niche includes keeping urchin populations under control.

50. 61. Define and give examples of each type of species interaction.