Poison 1st one !!

• Be able to explain what is meant by sustainability, and what an environmentally sustainable society is.

  Sustainability is the ability to be resourceful and fair in consideration for others and the future! An environmentally sustainable society is one that respects and follows the ecological limit, and benefits off of natural capital & natural income (renewable resources, controlled resource consumption, self-sufficiency, etc)
• What is an ecological footprint, and how is that concept useful?

  Measure that calculates the environmental impact of the everyday lifestyle for a person.

  The biological capacity to replenish resources & absorb waste and pollution.

  
  

  **Can be measured in global hectares, or in the number of Earth's required to support the population. **

  
  

  ~This concepts makes it easier for people to visualize and take into consideration their lifestyles and many spending or using habits!
• Be able to describe the three principles of sustainability that influence how one might deal with environmental issues.

  The Three Principles of Sustainability are:

  * Solar Energy - renewable & perpetual source of energy for E.G.= electricity

  * Biodiversity- healthy environment vitality E.G.= food webs, species diversity

  * Chemical Cycling/Nutrient Cycling- repletion of Earth's natural resources E.G.= the cycles! (Water, Oxygen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Sulfur, etc!)

  
  

  ~Each of these interacts with one another and earth's systems to sustain life.~
• What is “natural capital?”

  -Natural resources

  -Natural system services

  *The world's stock of natural resources & materials- both renewable & nonrenewable*
• Explain the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources, and give/recognize examples.

  Renewable : renewed from hours to decades; slow, gradual. Don't deplete over time E.G.= Water & Air, Forest & Grasslands.

  Non-renewable: Fixed & Finite quantities; Deplete over time E.G.= Natural Gas, Coal, Fossil Fuels.
• Explain what a tipping point is. What is a positive feedback loop, and how might that relate to a tipping point?


  ~Tipping point: tip of the iceberg, last disastrous event that the environment will NOT be able to recover from.

  > E.G. Overfishing->collapse of food web, Habitat destruction/overhunting-> extinction, Carbon emissions-> global climate change

  
  

  ~feedback loop: Something that decreases or increases the effect/ impact of a process.

  > Positive= accelerates/increases process E.G. Melting of polar ice caps due to increase in global temperatures.
• IPAT & Poverty 


  I= P x A x T

  *Impact= Population x Affluence x Technology

  >(Affluence + Technology= Resource use)

  *Poverty & justice are key*
• How do these three factors (P, A, and T) vary among countries? How does this connect to sustainability?

  The levels of each of these (Population, Affluence & Tech) varies greatly in every country, either beneficial or disadvantageous for the country. These factors will determine how sustainable a nation is or CAN BE.

  ~ The ideal setting for a country would be to have a small average population and a great deal of Affluence and Technology.

  E.g. 1st world country vs 2nd/3rd world country
• Be able to discuss factors that lead to environmental degradation, including the Five basic causes of environmental problems. Be able to discuss effects of poverty and the effects of affluence (wealth)

  Five basic causes of environmental problems:

  1. Population growth
  2. Unsustainable resource use
  3. Poverty
  4. Excluding environmental costs from market prices
  5. Trying to manage nature without knowing enough about it.
• Deforestation, overgrazing, pollution, and climate change all contribute to environmental degradation!
• Be able to explain how the 1st and 2nd Laws of Energy (Thermodynamics) and the Law of Conservation of matter apply to ecosystems.

  1st Law of energy- Energy can't be created/destroyed, it only changes form. (Energy input= energy output)

  2nd Law of Energy- Energy use results in lower-quality energy (entropy-dispersed heat loss!)

  Law of Conservation- Matter cannot be created or destroyed; it only

  changes from one form to another ( "There is no throwing away")

  *Must deal with wastes and pollutants, there is always loss, Recycle, Reuse.
• Explain the difference between high quality and low quality matter, as well as high quality and low quality energy, and give/recognize examples.

  ~High quality matter is MORE concentrated & usable (solid>liquid>gas)

  E.G. Salt Crystal vs Salt solution in water, or Coal vs coal emmissions.

  ~High quality energy is concentrated, low quality energy is dispersed.

  E.G. High temperature heat vs heat in atmosphere/ocean
• Define the following: net primary productivity, producer, consumer (1°, 2°, etc.), decomposer, trophic level. Be able to identify trophic levels and solve trophic level energy flow problems


  ~NPP- New biomass (growth) rate of accumulation of biomass/energy. (what was actually conserved) NPP= GPP-R (respiration)

  ~Producer- plants! produce their own food, purest form of energy level

  ~Consumer- Everything else- Herbivores (1°), Carnivores (2°, 3°,4°, etc) Omnivores (1°-4°), Decomposers, etc)

  >Biomass DECREASES with the INCREASING trophic levels.
• Describe effects of competition, predators and prey on each other’s populations, and also explain the 3 types of symbiotic relationships and give examples

  -Competition occurs MAINLY from scarcity of resources

  -Predators control prey population numbers E.G. wolves and rabbits, sharks and fish

  Mutualism- Both/All benefit E.G. clownfish and anemone

  Commensalism- One benefits, another has neutral outcome E.G. moss and trees

  Parasitism- One benefits while harming the other E.G. wasp parasite eggs and ladybugs
• Know the nitrogen, phosphorus, water, and carbon cycles. Why are they important from the viewpoint of living things? How are they related to environmental problems?

  Water may lead to run off and absorption of harmful substances into the atmosphere E.G. Acid rain

  Carbon accumulation in the atmosphere leads to greenhouse gases and haze-fog

  Nitrogen surplus in the soil can become toxic instead of beneficial- poisons the land, same with phosphorus!
• Be able to describe the various aspects of biological structure within ecosystems, generalists and specialists, interactions between organisms, and trophic structure.

  Generalist: Broad niche- wide range of tolerance (eat everything, live anywhere, etc)

  Specialist: Narrow niche- limited range of tolerance (eat only a few things, live in specific conditions, etc)

  E.G. Cockroach vs Butterfly
• Include the concept of the niches

  Ecological Niche- Pattern of living- everything that affects survival (water,space, sunlight, food, temp)

  The fundamental niche- "role" of a species, sum of all interactions

  The realized niche- specific to an individual, a subset of the fundamental niche; no 100% overlap
• Describe the 3 types of biodiversity

  3 types of biodiversity:

  ~Genetic diversity-range of genetic makeup in a species.

  ~Species diversity-Variety, abundance of species in a place

  ~Ecosystem diversity-Biomes: regions with distinct climates/species
• Be able to name some of the types of functional biodiversity, as well as landscape (ecological) diversity

  Functional Diversity- The biological & chemical processes such as energy flow and matter recycling needed for the survival of species, communities, and ecosystems.

  Ecological Diversity- The variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

  found in an area or on the earth E.G. Desert vs rainforest
• What are the benefits of biodiversity, as well as the threats to biodiversity, especially by humans?

  Biodiversity is an important part of natural capital, the range and versatility also proves efficient when faced with natural disasters or drastic changes in the environment.
• Be able to describe/define native vs non-native species

  Native- well adapted, perhaps endemic, indigenous to the region.

  Non-native- Introduced, perhaps invasive.
• What is the Competitive Exclusion Principle?

  Where two or more species CANNOT coexist in the same ecological Niche for long periods of time without one going extinct or depleting due to competition for limited resources.
• Indicator? Keystone? Foundation?

  Indicator species- Sensitive to pollutants, will detect & REFLECT change in environment that can be harmful! E.G. Fish, frogs, butterflies, birds

  Keystone species- Critical role in an ecosystem E.G. otters, bees, decomposers.

  Foundation species- Create/maintain/enhance habitats E.G. beavers, trees, coral, elephants, kelp
• Why can’t recycling and reuse stop depletion of non-renewable resources?


  >Recycling and reusing is never 100% effective, especially with resource that can become damaged or useless in processes E.G.=metals that Corrode &/or Oxidize.
• Be able to describe the types of dispersion in species populations.

  ~Random- independent of other individuals. E.G. flowers

  ~Uniform- evenly distributed for territory or community. E.G. penguins

  ~Clumped- aggregation in patches for resource availability. E.G. starfish
• Explain the difference between primary and secondary succession.

  ~Primary- the first of the first, Get first pick of a barren habitat & proliferate, independent.

  ~Secondary- comes after there is already life settled but has been disturbed or altered to start over. (fires, floods, etc)
• Describe/explain why small scale disturbances to ecosystems can be beneficial, while large scale disturbances are usually harmful.

  ~Small scale can clear and renew an area for new healthy life growth & regeneration. E.G. ground fire, treefall, seasonal floods.

  ~Large scale can set an unbalance in the ecosystem where many species are not equipped E.G. logging, earthquakes, blizzards)
• What is X in Aldo Leopold's "Odyssey"?

  ~X is Phosphorus, an important element that is cycled in the soil by producers, water, decomposers, etc.