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Chapter Vocabulary and Study Guide Questions The following directions apply to this packet: ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Chapters 1 & 2 : Key Themes in Environmental Sciences / Science as a Way of Knowing: Critical Thinking about the Environment ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 1 – Key Themes in Environmental Sciences ................................................................................................................................ 4 Chapter 2 Science as a Way of Knowing: Critical Thinking about the Environment ................................................................................ 4 Chapter 3 – The Big Picture: Systems of Change ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 3 – The Big Picture: Systems of Change ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 5 The Biogeochemical Cycles ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 5 – The Biogeochemical Cycles ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 8 - Biogeography (and Aquatic Life Zones) ............................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 8 – Biogeography (and Aquatic Life Zones) .............................................................................................................................. 12 Chapters 7 & 10 Biological Diversity & Ecological Restoration ............................................................................................................ 13 Chapters 7&10: Biological Diversity / Ecological Restoration .............................................................................................................. 16 Chapters 6 & 9 Ecosystems and Ecosystem Management/Biological Productivity and Energy Flow .................................................... 17 Chapters 6 & 9 Ecosystems & Ecosystem Management / Biological Productivity and Energy Flow .................................................... 18 Chapter 13 – Forests, Parks & Landscapes .............................................................................................................................................. 19 Chapter 13 – Forests, Parks, and Landscapes .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Chapters 14 & 28: Wildlife, Fisheries, and Endangered Species/ Dollars & Environmental Sense: Economics of Environmental Issues

................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Chapter 14 – Wildlife, Fisheries, and Endangered Species ..................................................................................................................... 24 Chapter 28 – Dollars & Environmental Sense: Economics of Environmental Issues .............................................................................. 24 Chapter 4 – The Human Population and the Environment ...................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 4 – The Human Population and the Environment ...................................................................................................................... 26 Chapters 29 & 16 – Urban Environments / Natural Disasters and Catastrophes ..................................................................................... 27 Chapter 29 – Urban Environments ........................................................................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 16 – Natural Disasters & Catastrophes ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 11 – Producing Enough Food for the World .............................................................................................................................. 30 Chapter 11 – Producing Enough Food for the World .............................................................................................................................. 31 Chapter 12 – Effects of Agriculture on the Environment ........................................................................................................................ 32 Chapter 12 – Effects of Agriculture on the Environment ........................................................................................................................ 34 Chapter 21 – Water Supply, Use, and Management ................................................................................................................................ 35 Chapter 21 – Water Supply, Use, and Management ................................................................................................................................ 37 Chapter 22 – Water Pollution & Treatment ............................................................................................................................................. 38 Chapter 22 – Water Pollution & Treatment ............................................................................................................................................. 40 Chapter 30 – Waste Management ............................................................................................................................................................ 41 Chapter 30 – Waste Management ............................................................................................................................................................ 42 Chapter 15 – Environmental Health, Pollution & Toxicology ................................................................................................................. 43 Chapter 15 – Environmental Health, Pollution, and Toxicology ............................................................................................................. 45 Chapter 23 – The Atmosphere, Climate and Global Warming ................................................................................................................ 46 Chapter 23 – The Atmosphere, Climate and Global Warming ................................................................................................................ 47 Chapters 24 & 25 – Air Pollution / Indoor Air Pollution ......................................................................................................................... 48 Chapter 24 – Air Pollution ....................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter 25 – Indoor Air Pollution ........................................................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter 26 – Ozone Depletion ................................................................................................................................................................. 51 Chapter 26 – Ozone Depletion ................................................................................................................................................................. 52 Chapter 17 Energy: Some Basics ............................................................................................................................................................. 53 Chapter 17 – Energy: Some Basics .......................................................................................................................................................... 54 Chapters 27 & 18 Minerals and the Environment / Fossil Fuels and the Environment .......................................................................... 55 Chapter 27 Minerals and the Environment .............................................................................................................................................. 57 Chapter 18 – Fossil Fuels and the Environment ...................................................................................................................................... 57 Chapters 19& 20 – Alternative Energy and the Environment / Nuclear Energy and the Environment ................................................... 58 Chapter 19 – Alternative Energy and the Environment ........................................................................................................................... 60 Chapter 20 – Nuclear Energy and the Environment ............................................................................................................................... 60

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The following directions apply to this packet:

Vocabulary: The vocabulary pages are provided as a reference to you. They will not be collected nor will it be checked to see if you

did them. Your primary vocabulary source will be the Quizlet website. If there is a difference between these vocabulary lists and

Quizlet, Quizlet takes precedence.

Chapter Study Questions: All questions must be answered in complete sentences. Incorporate the question into the answer. These

questions are designed to help you focus on the key concepts in the text and in class. Doing a thorough job on these questions will

help prepare you for the exam. These are to be completed INDEPENDENTLY. Working together and turning in the same answers as

someone else is dishonest UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, and will result in a zero for the assignment and potentially a lower

citizenship grade. If you have any questions about this policy please see me for clarification.

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Chapters 1 & 2 : Key Themes in Environmental Sciences / Science as a Way of Knowing: Critical Thinking about the Environment

Word Definition

Aesthetic justification

Carrying capacity

Ecological justification

Gaia hypothesis

Megacities

Moral justification

Precautionary principle

Sustainability

Utilitarian justification

Controlled experiment

Dependent/responding variable

Disprovability

Experimental controls/constants

Hypothesis

Independent/manipulated variable

Probability

Pseudoscientific

Quantitative data

Qualitative data

Precision

Accuracy

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Chapter 1 – Key Themes in Environmental Sciences

1. Approximately how many people live on Earth? 2. In what ways do the effects on the environment of a resident of a large city differ from the effects of someone

living on a farm? In what ways are the effects similar? 3. Programs have been established to supply food from Western nation to starving people in Africa. Some people

argue that such food programs, which may have short-term benefits, actually increase the threat of starvation in the future. Give two pros and two cons of international food relief programs.

4. Explain what sustainability is. 5. Who is the author of Silent Spring, and what is the significance of this book? 6. If you had to choose the “root of all environmental problems on Earth,” what would it be, and why? 7. Summarize the case study about the Black Death. Include information about what it is, how it is spread, what

conditions lead to it etc. 8. Read the Critical Thinking Issue on page 14, and answer the four associated questions.

a. Describe a utilitarian, ecological, aesthetic, and moral justification for preserving coral reefs? b. If Maitri Visetak were making his living from fishing rather than farming shrimp, how might he view the

preservation of coral reefs? What arrangements could be made to meet his needs but at the same time preserve coral reefs in his area?

c. What things can you do in your everyday life to contribute to the preservation of coral reefs?

Chapter 2 Science as a Way of Knowing: Critical Thinking about the Environment

1. Which of the following are scientific statements and which are not? Explain your reasoning for each case.

a. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing. b. Condors are ugly. c. Condors are endangered. d. Today there are 280 condors. e. Crop circles are a sign from Earth to us that we should act better. f. Crop circles can be made by people.

2. Explain the difference between the “control” in an experiment and a “controlled experiment.” 3. If you were using a ruler (in inches) and you report a distance measured to be 0.3900 inches, what is wrong with

this? 4. Identify the independent and dependent variables in each of the following:

a. Change in the rate of breathing in response to exercise. b. The effect of study time on grades. c. The likelihood that people exposed to smoke from other people’s cigarettes will contract lung cancer.

5. Explain why it is important that scientific statements must be falsifiable.

6. Calculate the probability of a fish surviving when the water temperature is 27C, if you were given the following

data: 50 fish were held at 27C and 28 of them survived. 7. State whether each of the following are quantitative or qualitative.

a. The growth of clams (g/day) that are kept in different temperatures over the span of a month. b. The number of dead fish in a fish kill. c. Separating peaches based on whether they are ripe or not. d. The amount of nitrates in a water supply, measured in parts per million (ppm)

8. What is another word for the manipulated variable in an experiment? Read the “Critical Thinking Issue” on page 35, and answer the following questions. 9. What is the major claim made in the article? 10. What evidence does the author present to support the claim? 11. Is the evidence based on observations, and is the source of the evidence reputable and unbiased? Explain. 12. Is the argument for the claim logical? Explain. 13. Would you accept or reject the claim? Explain.

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Chapter 3 – The Big Picture: Systems of Change

Word Definition

Average Residence Time

Biosphere

Biota

Closed System

Doubling Time

Ecosystem

Environmental Unity

Exponential Growth

Feedback

Lag time

Negative feedback

Open system

Positive feedback

Steady state

System

Uniformitarianism

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Chapter 3 – The Big Picture: Systems of Change

1. Explain the difference between positive and negative feedback in systems and give an example of each. 2. Is exponential growth good or bad, why? 3. Why is the idea of equilibrium in systems somewhat misleading in regard to environmental questions? Is the

establishment of a balance of nature ever possible? 4. Why is the concept of the ecosystem so important in the study of environmental science? 5. What is the Gaia hypothesis? 6. Which type of feedback loop would involve an increase in output leading to a decrease in input? 7. What is the layer of Earth in which all the biota live? 8. Write 6,700,000,000 in scientific notation. 9. (2.3 X 10

8) (2 X 10

9) =

10. Calculate the residence time for a molecule of water in a lake (1,000,000 m3 volume) that has a stream flowing in

at a rate of 1000 m3/day. Show all work – for this and every calculation you do in this class.

11. Given that a population that is growing exponentially at a rate of 2% per year, and in 2010 it had a population of 250,000 what will be the population in the year 2045? How many years will it take the population in the question above to double? Show your work.

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Chapter 5 The Biogeochemical Cycles

Word Definition

Plate tectonics

Lithosphere

Mantle

Crust

Asthenosphere

Outer Core (of Earth)

Inner Core (of Earth)

Divergent Plate Boundary

Convergent Plate Boundary

Transform Fault

Oceanic Crust

Continental Crust

Subduction Zone

Rock Cycle

Igneous Rock

Metamorphic Rock

Sedimentary Rock

Ring of Fire

Magma

Epicenter

Richter scale

Erosion

Weathering

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Biogeochemical cycle

Carbon Cycle

Transpiration

Water Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Assimilation

Denitrification

Ammonification

Nitrogen fixation

Rhizobium

Nitrification

Limiting Factor

Macronutrients

Micronutrients

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Chapter 5 – The Biogeochemical Cycles

1. Explain the differences between a cycle that is primarily gaseous and one that is primarily sedimentary. Include

an example of each type of cycle. Which type of cycle “cycles” most quickly? 2. What are the “big six” and are they micro or macronutrients? 3. Name the three types of plate boundaries and describe how they move relative to each other. 4. Identify the type of plate boundary at which each of the following occurs:

a. Mountain building b. Subduction c. Creation of new ocean floor

5. What drives the hydrological cycle in addition to gravity? 6. What are the main water reservoirs on Earth and approximately what percent of water do they contain? 7. Describe two ways humans are impacting the water cycle. 8. What is the difference between weathering and erosion? 9. Name the three categories of rocks and their defining characteristic(s). 10. Why are elements that do not have a gaseous phase most often the limiting elements? 11. What are the three most abundant elements (starting with the most) in Earth’s crust? 12. What is the importance of carbon to living organisms? 13. Name two ways carbon enters the atmosphere. 14. Name one way other than diffusion into the ocean, that carbon gets out of the atmosphere. 15. Describe two ways humans have interfered with the carbon cycle. 16. What would happen to the carbon cycle if there were no decomposers present in an ecosystem? 17. What kind of organisms do cellular respiration? 18. Write the equations for photosynthesis and respiration, include the chemical formulas and the name of the

compounds. 19. What do living organisms need nitrogen for? 20. Note: I don’t think your book does a very good job discussing the nitrogen cycle. You must absolutely know (and

write the answers) the following five steps/components of the nitrogen cycle. You need to know their names as well as a description of what is happening. You may need to refer to your class notes or an additional source to find the answers.

a. Nitrogen fixation b. Nitrification c. Assimilation d. Ammonification e. Denitrification

21. What is the main “thing” that makes the nitrogen cycle cycle? In other words, without this there would be no nitrogen cycle.

22. Describe two ways in which humans have interfered with the nitrogen cycle. 23. How are birds essential to the phosphorous cycle? 24. What category of plants are known as “nitrogen fixers?” 25. If two tectonic plates were converging and one was primarily oceanic and the other continental, which one would

“dip down?” Hint: which is more dense? 26. Where is the “Ring of Fire” located, and why is it named that? 27. Explain why the Earth’s crust is described as a dynamic structure. 28. Describe the relationship between faults and earthquakes. 29. What is the Mid-Atlantic ridge, and what is significant about it?

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Chapter 8 - Biogeography (and Aquatic Life Zones)

.

Word Definition

Biogeography

Chaparral

Taiga/boreal/evergreen coniferous

Tundra

Permafrost

Estuary

Theory of island biogeography

Desert

Temperate grassland

Tropical grassland/Savanna

Tropical rainforest

Temperate rainforest

Temperate deciduous forest

Oligotrophic lake

Eutrophic lake

Limnetic zone

Profundal zone

Littoral zone

Epilimnion

Hypolimnion

Photic/Euphotic

Bathyal zone

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Abyssal zone

Neritic zone

Epiphyte

Intertidal zone

Benthic

Upwelling

Thermocline

Zooxanthellae

Exotic species

Indigenous

Endemic

Invasive species

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Chapter 8 – Biogeography (and Aquatic Life Zones)

1. What are the two most important factors that determine biome type? 2. Explain how the “rain shadow effect” works. And give an example of where in the U.S. one would find one. How

are they related to deserts? 3. When analyzing temperature and precipitation patterns, the changes observed as latitude increases mimic the

changes seen when _______________ increases. 4. Summarize the theory of island biogeography. 5. Do you think you would more likely find higher diversity at lower latitudes (or elevation) or higher latitudes (or

elevation)? Explain. 6. Tropical rainforests are known for having relatively nutrient poor soil, why do you think this is the case? 7. What is the definition of a desert? Does it include any information about temperature? 8. If you were going to develop a large corn farm, what biome would you choose and why? 9. What climate is found in Palos Verdes? 10. What is the difference between an evergreen tree and a deciduous tree? 11. What kind of differences would you expect in the soil and forest floor of a temperate deciduous forest compared to

a boreal or taiga forest? 12. Why might some individuals consider the intertidal area to be the most extreme habitat to live in? 13. A friend of yours (who is not in Environmental Science AP) regularly cleans out her saltwater fish tank and dumps

the “dirty” water in her driveway where it runs into the gutter and then to the storm drain! You are horrified about this when you find out. What do you say to her to try and get her to change her ways – you must include environmentally sound arguments.

14. Would an oligotrophic or eutrophic lake most likely have clear water, low nutrients and a steep slope on the sides?

15. Regions of lakes and oceans are often described based on whether or not they receive sunlight – what is the significance of this?

16. Give an example of a benthic organism that lives in the ocean. 17. Give two examples of invasive species, what area they invaded and examples of the problems they caused

(these do not have to be organisms from your textbook). 18. Why do introduced species so often disrupt ecosystems? 19. Give an example or scenario of how/why an organism may be deliberately introduced into an ecosystem. 20. Give an example or scenario of how/why an organism may be accidentally introduced into an ecosystem. 21. Explain the difference between indigenous and endemic. 22. Are non-native and invasive species the same thing? Explain why or why not. 23. What is the ecological importance of an estuary? 24. What is the boundary between warm and cold water called in an aquatic environment? 25. What is a common limiting factor in the open ocean (pelagic)? 26. What is the importance of zooxanthellae to corals?

**Note, even though you were not given specific questions about all biomes you are required to know the basic characteristics of each, such as where found, temp variation, precipitation, type of vegetation, dominant organisms, human impacts etc.

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Chapters 7 & 10 Biological Diversity & Ecological Restoration

Word Definition

Cyanobacteria

Chemosynthesis

Evolution

Natural selection

Fitness

Adaptation

Law of Superposition

Homologous structure

Analogous structure

Convergent evolution

Divergent evolution

Adaptive radiation

Coevolution

Mass extinction

Biological evolution

Chemical evolution

Reproductive isolation

Allopatric speciation

Sympatric speciation

Gradualism

Punctuated equilibrium

Primary succession

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Secondary succession

Pioneer species

Facilitation

Climax community

Interspecific competition

Intraspecific competition

Symbiosis

Parasitism

Commensalism

Mutualism

Species richness

Species evenness

Fundamental niche

Realized niche

Competitive exclusion principle

Population density

Population Dispersion

Survivorship curve

Exponential growth model

Logistic growth model

Carrying capacity

Biotic potential

Environmental resistance

Genetic diversity

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Mutation

Stabilizing selection

Disruptive or diversifying selection

Directional selection

Microevolution

Macroevolution

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Chapters 7&10: Biological Diversity / Ecological Restoration

1. Which of the following types of evolution indicate a common ancestor, convergent or divergent? Explain. 2. What is the biological definition of a species? 3. How are mutations related to genetic diversity? 4. Explain what is meant by the fittest in this statement: “survival of the fittest.” 5. Explain how/why genetic drift is a problem for endangered species? 6. Explain what malaria is, what the specific disease causing organism is, how it is transmitted, and where in the

world it is most common. 7. How do evolution and natural selection lead to resistant strains of bacteria and other disease causing organisms? 8. How were microscopic organisms present on Earth billions of years ago important to the evolution of humans? 9. How many species are estimated to be on Earth? And why is the range so large? 10. Based on fossil evidence, how old is life on Earth? Why would someone argue for the introduction of the African

elephant to North America? 11. Give three examples of a natural disturbance. 12. Give three examples of anthropogenic (if you don’t know what this word means, you need to figure it out)

disturbances. 13. Explain the difference between primary succession and secondary succession. 14. Describe three common characteristics of early-successional species. 15. Describe three common characteristics of late-successional species. 16. List three ways fire can be beneficial to an ecosystem.

Read the critical thinking issue on pages 190-191 to answer the following questions. 17. Make a diagram of the food web in the marsh showing how clapper rail, cordgrass, invertebrates, and nitrogen

are related. Write the words of the organisms – don’t draw pictures. 18. Farming has been described as managing land to keep it in an early stage of succession. What does this mean

and how is it achieved? 19. What is the difference between habitat and niche? Give an example of each 20. Why would counting the number of different species in an area NOT be a good measure of diversity? 21. Explain how the competitive exclusion principle works? 22. How is habitat complexity related to the competitive exclusion principle? 23. List three factors that would increase biological diversity. 24. List three factors that would decrease biological diversity. 25. Give two examples of factors that would contribute to environmental resistance. 26. What is a mutation (on a genetic level), and explain how one arises. 27. Describe two ways the carrying capacity of an area may be increased. 28. What type of competition involves adult kelp snails and juvenile kelp snails? 29. Describe one mutualistic relationship in a coral reef ecosystem. 30. Diagram the three types of survivorship curves (be sure to label the axes). 31. Diagram the two types of growth curves (be sure to label the axes). 32. Explain the difference between a survivorship curve and a growth curve. 33. What is the difference between clumped, uniform and random dispersion. 34. Explain the difference between disruptive (diversifying), directional and stabilizing natural selection. 35. What type of population dispersion is most common, and why? 36. What type of survivorship curve is typical of gorillas?

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Chapters 6 & 9 Ecosystems and Ecosystem Management/Biological Productivity and Energy Flow

Word Definition

Ecology

Biosphere

Ecosystem

Community

Population

Biotic factor

Abiotic factor

Niche

Generalist

Specialist

r-selected species

K-selected species

Herbivore

Carnivore

Omnivore

Decomposer

Detritivore

Trophic level

Biomagnification

Bioaccumulation

Net primary productivity

Gross primary productivity

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Biomass

Secondary production

Cellular Respiration

1st law of

thermodynamics

2nd

law of thermodynamics

Keystone species

Chapters 6 & 9 Ecosystems & Ecosystem Management / Biological Productivity and Energy Flow

1. Explain the difference between an ecosystem, a community, a population, and an organism. 2. Use one of the following terms to best describe each of the features of a rainforest listed below: Terms

(population, community, ecosystem, physical factor). a. All the green tree frogs present b. The entire forest c. All the organisms present d. The humidity

3. In what ways would an increase in the number of sea otters and a change in their geographic distribution benefit fishermen? In what ways would these changes be a problem for fishermen?

4. If you had to choose the two categories of organisms that no ecological community could function without, what would they be? Are humans one of them?

5. Which trophic level(s) do decomposers feed on/at? 6. Look at figures 6.5, 6.6, and 6.7. What do the arrows represent, and in what direction (in general) do they point? 7. Can an organism occupy more than one trophic level? Explain. 8. Make a sketch (using arrows and names of organisms, no need to draw pictures – unless you want to ) of the

shortest food chain, and the longest food chain you can think of. Your arrows must point in the correct direction. 9. How could you determine if an organism is a keystone species? 10. Some biologists have called salmon a keystone species. Given what you know about keystone species, how

would you argue for or against this designation? 11. In recent years, the number of anadromous fish along the Pacific Coast of North America have declined

precipitously because of overfishing and habitat destruction. What effects would you predict this might have on the ecology of freshwater streams and their adjoining land areas?

12. Within a ____________ any drop of rain that falls to the ground flows out into the same stream, this is one way to define the boundary of an ecosystem.

13. Biomass is usually measured in units of g/m2. How could you determine scientifically whether or not an increase

in biomass occurred? Hint: What would the increase look like? 14. Explain the difference between primary production and secondary production. 15. What kind of organisms do respiration? What is the form of “energy” generated by respiration (think back to your

biology days)? 16. Explain the difference between net primary production (NPP) and gross primary production (GPP). 17. Would an ecologist comparing two different ecosystems likely be more interested in gross or net production?

Why? 18. We often discuss how in ecosystems matter cycles and energy is a one-way flow. Using the first and second law

of thermodynamics explain how this can be true. 19. Approximately how much of the sun’s energy is captured by plants and used for photosynthesis? 20. Approximately what percent of energy at one trophic level is available to be transferred (fixed into new tissue) to

the trophic level above it? Your answer is less than 100% (or you are wrong), so where did the rest go? 21. How many pounds of vegetable matter go into to producing 1 pound of cattle? And for chicken? 22. Give two reasons for and against an entirely vegetarian diet for people. 23. Differentiate between biomagnifications and bioaccumulation. 24. Describe the characteristics of a K selected species and name one. 25. Describe the characteristics of an r selected species and name one.

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Chapter 13 – Forests, Parks & Landscapes

Word Definition

Clear-cutting

Codominants

Dominants

Intermediate

Old-growth forest

Plantation

Public service function

Rotation time

Second-growth forest

Seed-tree cutting

Selective cutting

Shelterwood cutting

Silviculture

Stand

Strip-cutting

Thinning

Even aged stand

Uneven aged stand

Waldsterben

U.S. Wilderness Act (1964)

Ground fire

Crown fire

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Multiple use, sustained yield (MUSY)

snag

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Chapter 13 – Forests, Parks, and Landscapes

1. Discuss two ways fires benefit the environment. 2. Discuss two ways fires harm an environment. 3. List three ecological or public service functions of forests. 4. What is evapotranspiration? 5. Explain the difference between an even-aged and an uneven-aged stand. 6. Imagine you own a large chunk of forest and have decided to harvest some of your trees. You are most

interested in obtaining the maximum profit in the shortest amount of time. Explain what type of rotation time you are most likely to utilize.

7. What is a seed tree? 8. Summarize the Hubbard Brook forest experiment. 9. Describe an important role of forest plantations. 10. What is a sustainable forest? 11. Describe the four ways vegetation affects the atmosphere. 12. Contrast the use of wood in developed countries with that of developing ones. 13. Discuss three negative consequences of deforestation. 14. What are the two main reasons people cut forests? 15. Explain the difference between direct and indirect deforestation. 16. Explain the difference between a park and a wilderness. 17. Discuss two reasons for increasing the number and/or the size of parks 18. Describe two reasons for decreasing the number and/or size of parks. 19. What are “edge effects” and why are they important in the design and size of a park? Is it a good idea to increase

them or decrease them?

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Chapters 14 & 28: Wildlife, Fisheries, and Endangered Species/ Dollars & Environmental Sense: Economics of

Environmental Issues

Word Definition

Catch per unit effort

Global extinction

Historical range of variation

Local extinction

Logistic carrying capacity

Maximum sustainable yield

Minimum viable population

Time series

Bottom trawl

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

International Whaling Commission (IWC)

Marine Mammal Protection Act

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Threatened Species

Endangered Species

CITES

Long line

Purse seine

Gill net/drift net

Optimum sustained yield

Commons

Direct Costs

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Externality/indirect costs

Marginal costs

Tragedy of the commons

Garrett Hardin

Public service function

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Chapter 14 – Wildlife, Fisheries, and Endangered Species

1. Why was traditional single-species wildlife management largely ineffective? 2. Give one reason for conserving species in each of these major categories: utilitarian, ecological, aesthetic, moral

and cultural. 3. How is maximum sustainable yield calculated? 4. Why is it thought that the maximum sustainable yield is occurring when the population is only ½ of carrying

capacity? 5. Is carrying capacity the same year after year? If not, what may cause it to go up or down? 6. Why is it so important to accurately estimate a population’s size when considering wildlife management? 7. How can age structure give insight to the status of a population? 8. From what region in the ocean are the majority of fish harvested, and why is this the case? 9. If the total populations of fish are decreasing, how can the annual catch still be increasing? 10. Name four species that are overfished. 11. Describe three harvesting (fishing) methods and explain how they damage or kill more than their target species. 12. What is the most sustainable fishing practice, and why isn’t it the most commonly used? 13. Discuss two problems associated with aquaculture. 14. If you were going to go into the aquaculture business, describe how you could be as sustainable as possible –

include what kind of species you would raise, where it would be located and anything else you would do to increase the sustainability of the operation.

15. What is the Red List? 16. Describe three characteristics that would make a species more vulnerable to extinction. 17. Give an example of when protecting an endangered species has had “negative” results. 18. What was surprising about the Kirtland’s Warbler needs? 19. Summarize the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 20. What is CITES, how is it different from the ESA? 21. Give two reasons for and two reasons against the reintroduction of wolves to Adirondack Park. 22. Name two endangered organisms and discuss what factors contributed to their specific endangerment. 23. If a species or population is “overfished,” is that the same as being threatened or endangered? 24. What are the two main reasons species become endangered? 25. What characteristics of an organism would increase their vulnerability to becoming threatened or endangered?

Chapter 28 – Dollars & Environmental Sense: Economics of Environmental Issues

1. Explain what intangibles are, and give an example of one. 2. Describe the “tragedy of the commons.” 3. Give two examples of commons. 4. Give two examples of indirect costs and the product they are associated with. 5. Do the costs of most items you purchase include both the direct and indirect costs? Explain why or why not. 6. What are public service functions of nature, and how are they important in economics? 7. What is the estimated value of public service functions on Earth? 8. Looking at table 28.1, what is the riskiest behavior? 9. Explain the conflict between developed and developing countries with respect to who accepts the future costs and

current regulations. 10. Does the marginal cost of cleaning up a pollutant increase or decrease as the amount of pollution decreases?

Explain. 11. Describe a way in which you could convert a fishery that is part of a commons into private ownership, and explain why

one might want to do this. 12. Explain why TOTAL pollutant removal is often not cost effective (i.e. we just clean it up to be mostly clean), be sure to

use marginal cost in your explanation.

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Chapter 4 – The Human Population and the Environment

Word Definition

Age structure diagram

Crude birth rate

Crude death rate

Demographic transition

Growth rate

Logistic growth curve

Population

Zero population growth

Total fertility rate (TFR)

Morbidity

Doubling time

Gross National Product (GNP)

Chronic disease

Acute/epidemic disease

Mortality

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Chapter 4 – The Human Population and the Environment

1. What is the approximate current population of the world? – Commit this number to memory. 2. What is the growth rate (rate is going to be a %) of the global population? 3. At this growth rate, how many years will it take the current global population to double? Show your work. 4. What is the approximate population of the United States? – Commit this number to memory. 5. Compare and explain the difference between the age structure diagrams of Kenya, the U.S. and Italy. 6. What is the current growth rate of the U.S.? 7. What does the “demographic transition” model explain? 8. Explain what is happening in the first three phases of the demographic transition model. Explain the difference or

what is happening with the birth rate, death rate and total population size. 9. How can medical research about diseases of “old age” impact population size? 10. Summarize the prediction of Thomas Malthus. 11. Explain the difference between acute and chronic diseases and give an example of each. 12. Summarize the causes of mortality in Ecuador (a developing country) and the U.S. (a developed country) in 1987.

Don’t list all causes, just discuss trends. 13. Explain how West Nile virus is transmitted, as well as symptoms of it. 14. Describe three ways a government could “encourage” women to have fewer children. 15. Three characteristics of a population are birth rate, growth rate, and death rate. How has each been affected by (a) modern medicine, (b) modern agriculture, and (c) modern industry.

27

Chapters 29 & 16 – Urban Environments / Natural Disasters and Catastrophes

Word Definition

Megacity

Greenbelt

Made lands

Site

situation

Urban heat island

Multiple nuclei model

Concentric circle model

Sector City

Zoning

Catastrophe

Direct effects

Disaster

Drought

Earthquake

Heat wave

Hurricane

Indirect effects

Natural hazard

Tornado

Tsunami

Volcanic eruption

28

wildfire

Floodplain

Levee

29

Chapter 29 – Urban Environments

1. Do the majority of people in the U.S. live in urban or rural areas? 2. How many megacities are thought to have existed in 2002? 3. List three inputs to cities and three outputs from cities. 4. Explain why cities tend to be built in certain areas? 5. What is an urban heat island? 6. How/why is the climate of a city often different from that of the surrounding area? 7. Discuss three hazards someone in a city is more likely to be exposed to than someone in a rural area. 8. How does urban sprawl reduce sustainability? 9. Discuss three ways cities can minimize their negative environmental impact. 10. Explain how an urban watershed is different from that of a natural water shed. How does that impact the hydrologic

cycle?

Chapter 16 – Natural Disasters & Catastrophes

1. List six natural hazards. 2. What natural hazard(s) are greatest in the area where you live? 3. Which natural hazards(s) are unlikely to be influenced by human activity? 4. Discuss the importance of floodplains. 5. Describe how a tsunami warning system works. 6. Explain what caused the Japan tsunami in 2011? 7. Why would someone live in a highly hazardous area? 8. How has changing the landscape increased the size, frequency or recurrence of hazardous events? 9. Discuss four proactive strategies that can be utilized to minimize hazards. 10. How does land-use planning relate to hazards? 11. Explain how well-prepared or ill-prepared your family is for a disaster?

30

Chapter 11 – Producing Enough Food for the World

Word Definition

Aquaculture

Crop rotation

Genetically modified crops

Green revolution

Limiting factor

Macronutrient (give examples)

Mariculture

Micronutrient (give examples)

Monoculture

Organic farming

Marasmus

Kwashiorkor

Forage

Fallow field

Hydroponics

Legume

Rhizobium

Arable land

Agroforestry/alley

cropping

Intercropping

Polyvarietal

cultivation

Subsistence

agriculture

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Rangeland

Chapter 11 – Producing Enough Food for the World

1. Summarize the link between the amount of arable (farmable) land and human population growth. 2. How can international food aid impact local farmers? 3. Approximately how many species of plants are on Earth, and how many are grown as crops in the U.S.? 4. What are the “top three” crops worldwide? 5. List one advantage and one disadvantage of a monoculture. 6. What natural process is most like plowing? 7. Do large particles in soil increase or decrease water flow? Explain 8. Do small particle in soil increase or decrease water flow? Explain 9. How did the Green Revolution impact rice crops? Maize (corn) crops? 10. List three qualities of organic farming. 11. Describe two reasons why someone wouldn’t want to “eat lower on the food chain.” 12. Give three reasons or advantages a genetically modified crop (GMC or GMO) might have over a “natural” one. 13. Describe two concerns some people have regarding GMC’s. 14. Qualitatively describe the genetic diversity of rice, wheat or corn – one of our main food crops.esc 15. Describe three reasons why the destruction of native forests is of concern. 16. Explain how farming effects succession.

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Chapter 12 – Effects of Agriculture on the Environment

Word Definition

Biological control

Contour plowing

Desertification

Integrated pest management (IPM)

No-till agriculture

Overgrazing

Terminator gene

Eutrophication

Leach

Soil fertility

Pest

Narrow-spectrum pesticide

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

Feedlot

Broad-spectrum pesticide

DDT

Arid

Pesticide treadmill

Persistence

First generation pesticides

Second generation pesticides

Fungicide

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Insecticide

Herbicide

Chlorinated hydrocarbon

O horizon

A horizon

B horizon

C horizon

Porosity

Permeability

American Dust Bowl

Carbamates

Salinization

Inorganic pesticides

Organophosphates

Sex pheromones

Slash & burn

5 effects of overgrazing

OAEBCR

Humus

Loam

Contour plowing

34

Chapter 12 – Effects of Agriculture on the Environment

1. What invention dramatically changed the impact agriculture had on the environment? 2. List four negative environmental impacts of agriculture. 3. How does plowing contribute to erosion? 4. Make and label a sketch showing the various soil horizons. 5. What are some of the environmental effects from the chemicals associated with sedimentation? 6. What is the average pH of rainwater? 7. How long might it take to generate an inch of soil, and name or describe the abiotic features that would cause soil

to be created more quickly (geologically speaking). 8. How does contour plowing minimize erosion in comparison to traditionally plowed land? 9. Why is a weed considered a pest? 10. What does biological control of pests involve? 11. What does chemical control of pests in volved? 12. Is DDT currently produced and used anywhere in the world? 13. Describe a LOCAL implication of DDT. 14. Describe the basic aim of integrated pest management (IPM). 15. Why would “terminator genes” be engineered into a plant? 16. Where in the world is desertification most evident? 17. What is “marginal” land? 18. List three contributors to desertification. 19. What are three symptoms of desertification? 20. How does human induced salinization develop? 21. What are the three main soil textures? 22. Describe a loam. 23. Explain why top consumers are most at risk of the toxic effects of pesticide bioaccumulation. 24. What would have a higher permeability, clay, silt or sandy soil? Explain. 25. Which would have a higher porosity, a well-sorted or poorly-sorted soil sample? Explain.

35

Chapter 21 – Water Supply, Use, and Management

Word Definition

Channelization

Consumptive use

Desalination

Effluent stream

Groundwater

Influent stream

In-stream use

Off-stream use

Overdraft

Water budget

wetlands

Aquifer

Recharge zone

Water table

Discharge zone

Cone of depression

watershed

Subsidence

Saltwater intrusion

Aridity

Reservoir

Dredging

Catch basin

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Outfall

Floodplain

Prior appropriation

Estuary

Ogallala aquifer

97.5%

37

Chapter 21 – Water Supply, Use, and Management

1. List three of waters’ unique properties. 2. Approximately what percentage of water on Earth is suitable and available for human use? 3. What is the average water consumption per person per day in the U.S.? 4. Distinguish between surface water and groundwater. 5. What are two disadvantages or problems associated with desalination? 6. Summarize the Aral Sea case study. 7. You have decided on a career in agriculture! Being the environmentally conscious individual that you are, describe

three techniques you plan to utilize to conserve water (remember, conservation refers to quantity and quality of water, and your answers need to relate to agriculture).

8. How many gallons of water did toilets traditionally use, and how much does a typical current low-flow one use (note: some new models use only 1.28 gal/flush)?

9. Where does gray water come from and what might its uses be? 10. List four cities in the U.S. that are currently facing water supply issues. 11. List four ecological functions of wetlands. 12. List three pros and three cons of dams. 13. How are canals different from creeks and rivers? 14. Why would a dam be removed? 15. Summarize the case study of the Kissimmee River in Florida. 16. What is the discrepancy between entitlements and actual distribution of water in the Colorado River? 17. What is xeriscaping, and why would someone do it? 18. What are three things you can do at home to reduce your water consumption? 19. Explain why some deep, extensive aquifers, such as the Ogallala are considered non-renewable. 20. Explain why delta regions are among the most fertile in the world, and describe how flood control schemes can

detrimentally affect this fertility.

38

Chapter 22 – Water Pollution & Treatment

Word Definition

Acid mine drainage

Advanced wastewater treatment

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

Bioremediation

Cultural eutrophication

Eutrophication

Fecal coliform

Nonpoint sources

Point sources

Primary sewage treatment

Secondary sewage treatment

Wastewater treatment

Water reuse

Pollutant

Oxygen sag curve

Cryptosporidium

Oligotrophic

Exxon Valdez

Saltwater intrusion

Septic tank

Activated sludge

Direct water reuse

39

Indirect water reuse

Turbidity

Dissolved oxygen (DO)

Boom (related to oil spill)

Three Gorges Dam

Nitrates

Phosphates

Nitrates & phosphates

Refuse Act

Federal Safe Drinking Water Act

Water Quality Act

Schistosomisis

40

Chapter 22 – Water Pollution & Treatment

1. List three sources of surface water pollutants. 2. List three sources of groundwater pollutants. 3. Would “unpolluted” water in a stream likely have a high or low BOD (assume the pollution came from a feedlot)?

Explain. 4. What is the general relationship between BOD and DO (when one goes up, what does the other do)? 5. What type of aquatic conditions lead to higher DO levels? 6. List three examples of waterborne diseases/pathogens? 7. What is the likely relationship between fecal coliform bacteria and other pathogens? 8. Give an example of a common fecal coliform bacteria? 9. Describe the steps involved in cultural eutrophication, start with what causes it and describe the ecosystem

implications. 10. Describe the extent of cultural eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico. 11. What can be done to minimize oil spills from tankers? 12. How does sediment pollution impact aquatic ecosystems? 13. How do mines generate acid? 14. Give two examples of nonpoint sources of pollution. 15. Describe three pieces of legislation designed to safeguard water supplies in the U.S. 16. Why is groundwater pollution harder to clean up in comparison to surface water pollution? 17. How doe saltwater intrusion occur? 18. Explain the main differences between primary and secondary wastewater treatment. 19. What type of pollutants can be removed from advanced (tertiary) treatments? 20. Explain how a resource recovery system would work. 21. Explain the link between wetlands and wastewater. 22. What is the purpose of chlorination before discharging wastewater effluent? 23. For each of the following processes in sewage treatment, classify them (or the processes going on there) as

either mechanical, biological, or chemical. a. Aeration tank b. Screening, skimming and grinding of sewage c. Chlorinator d. Primary sedimentation (settling) tank e. Anaerobic sludge digester

41

Chapter 30 – Waste Management

Word Definition

Composting

Deep-well disposal

e-waste

Environmental justice

Hazardous waste

Incineration

Industrial ecology

Integrated waste management (IWM)

Land application

Leachate

Recycle

Reduce

Reuse

Sanitary landfill

Secure landfill

Surface impoundment

plume

Resource conservation and recovery act (RCRA)

Love Canal

CERCLA

SARA

Cadmium

Arsenic

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Upcycling

downcycling

Chapter 30 – Waste Management 1. What does “NIMBY” mean? 2. Explain how a “zero waste movement” works. 3. List three problems that may result at a landfill site. 4. What are the three R’s, what is the correct order in which they belong? Explain. 5. What is municipal solid waste (MSW)? 6. What is the largest component of MSW in the U.S? 7. What kinds of materials can be effectively composted? 8. Explain two pros and two cons of incineration. 9. Explain the difference between an open dump and a sanitary landfill. 10. You have been put in charge of finding a new location for Los Angeles’ MSW when the Puente Hills Landfill

closes. Describe the type of abiotic conditions you want to be present where you will locate the new sanitary landfill.

11. The average person in the U.S. generates 4.5 lbs of waste per day. Do you think you generate more or less than this? BE HONEST. Why do you think you generate more or less (i.e. what do you do or not do)?

12. Discuss three pathways by which hazardous waste may contaminate soil and/or groundwater. 13. Explain the RCRA law. 14. What is a superfund site, and what legislation pertains to it? 15. Explain source reduction. 16. What is the concern about plastics in the ocean? 17. What is a “pay as you throw” approach to waste management? 18. Why are some people not in favor of recycling? 19. When you are throwing something away at home and are not sure if you should put it in the “recycling” or the

“nonrecyclable” bin, which one should you put it in and why? 20. List five things many people are likely to put in their recycling bin that should not be in there. 21. You are now in charge of increasing recycling in Los Angeles County!!!!!! Describe 5 components to your plan and

if they work by encouraging recycling or discouraging not recycling. 22. What does NOT belong in a compost pile? 23. Explain the difference between pre-consumer and post-consumer material in recycled products.

43

Chapter 15 – Environmental Health, Pollution & Toxicology

Word Definition

Area sources

Asbestos

Biomagnification

Carcinogen

Dose response

ED-50

Electromagnetic fields (EMF’s)

Hormonally active agent (HAA)

LD-50

Particulates

Persistent organic pollutants (POP’s)

Point sources

Risk assessment

Synergistic effect

Thermal pollution

Threshold

Toxic

Toxicology

Body burden

Acute effect

Chronic effect

Smelter

44

Methylation

Dioxin

Mobile sources

45

Chapter 15 – Environmental Health, Pollution, and Toxicology

1. In the case study about frogs, what is the problem, and what is causing it? 2. What is the gray zone? Give three examples of substances that may cause you to “enter” it. 3. List three examples of environmentally transmitted infectious diseases and their method of spreading 4. What was the problem with raising the height of smelter smokestacks in Sudbury in an attempt to reduce air pollution? 5. List 5 heavy metals that pose health hazards to people. 6. Consider the following food chain: phytoplankton zooplankton sardines cod sea lion which organism is

likely to have the highest concentration of methyl mercury and why? 7. List one natural and one anthropogenic source of mercury in the environment. 8. What is responsible for the conversion of inorganic mercury into methyl mercury? 9. List three examples of persistent organic pollutants and an example of their use. 10. What does it mean for a chemical to be “persistent?” 11. What is dioxin? 12. What might be the effects of thermal pollution in a river or lake? What would be one way of minimizing thermal

pollution? 13. What are personal pollutants? 14. As you read through the categories of pollutants, why does it often seem that studies on the effects of a pollutant

contradict each other or are inconclusive? What would you suggest doing to get more definitive answers on this problem?

15. Explain what happens to people as fluoride concentrations go from 1 – 7 ppm. 16. Explain the difference between LD-50, ED-50 and TD-50. 17. Imagine you are trying to decide between two different household cleaners to purchase. Being the scientifically

minded individual you are, you researched their thresholds. Cleaner “A” has a threshold, Cleaner “B” does not. Which do you want to use in your house and why?

18. While you were cleaning your house (with the cleaner you selected in #17), you begin to vomit, so you call the poison hotline (1-800-222-1222 remember this number). Do you tell the operator you are experiencing an acute or chronic reaction to the cleaner?

19. Describe the symptoms of lead poisoning. 20. Explain the difference between bioaccumulation and biomagnifications. 21. How does mercury get into the food chain? 22. The area off White Point has high concentrations of DDT, what is being done to remediate the situation? 23. What is atrazine, where does it come from and what does it do? 24. Summarize the Love Canal and Minamata case studies.

46

Chapter 23 – The Atmosphere, Climate and Global Warming

Word Definition

Atmosphere

Climate

Forcing

Global dimming

Global warming

Greenhouse effect

Greenhouse gases

Polar amplification

Troposphere

IPCC

Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro

Kyoto Protocol

Air pressure

Photodissociation

Anthropogenic

Stratosphere

Aerosol

El Nino

Weather

Coriolis Effect

47

Chapter 23 – The Atmosphere, Climate and Global Warming 1. What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere? 2. What are the two main factors determining Earth’s atmospheric circulation? 3. Name and describe the four processes responsible for removing human-induced particles & chemicals from the

atmosphere. 4. Explain the difference between climate and weather. 5. What two main factors determine climate? 6. When looking at the graph of carbon dioxide concentrations taken from Mauna Loa, Hawaii (a closer look 23.1), two

trends are seen. State what each of the two trends are, and what if it is known is causing each of them. 7. List four greenhouse gases. 8. What percent of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect is attributed to carbon dioxide? 9. What percentage of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect is attributed to methane? 10. According to most models, what is the projected temperature increase by 2100? 11. What is the most abundant greenhouse gas? 12. How do sulfates (aerosols emitted from coal) effect temperature globally? 13. What country (in 2006) had the highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions? 14. What country (in 2006) had the highest TOTAL carbon dioxide emissions? 15. How might methane from the ocean get into the atmosphere? 16. How frequently does an El Nino occur, and how long do they last? 17. How does upwelling in the eastern Pacific Ocean change in an El Nino period? 18. Where on Earth are the temperature changes from global warming going to be the most dramatic? 19. Discuss three consequences of global warming. 20. What are the two likely causes for rising sea levels? 21. What was one of the main reasons the U.S. did not commit to the Kyoto Protocol? 22. Describe three actions that can reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. 23. Which layer of the atmosphere has the lowest pressure? Explain 24. Name two sources of methane gas in the atmosphere.

48

Chapters 24 & 25 – Air Pollution / Indoor Air Pollution

Word Definition

Acid rain

Air toxics

Air quality standards

Atmospheric inversion

Coal gasification

Criteria pollutants

Global dimming

Mobile sources

Photochemical smog

Primary pollutants

Scrubbing

Secondary pollutants

Smog

Stationary sources

Sulfurous smog

Fugitive sources

VOC’s

buffer

aerosol

Photochemical reaction

Point source

Area sources

49

Particulate matter (PM)

PAN’s (peroxyacyl nitrates)

Benzene

Hydrocarbon

Catalytic converter

Ambient air

Sink

source

Attainment area

Non-attainment area

Black lung disease

Chimney effect

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)

Green building

Radon

Sick building syndrome (SBS)

Legionella pneumophila

Asbestos

Formaldehyde

Passive smoker

Building related illness (BRI)

Clean Air Act

50

Chapter 24 – Air Pollution

1. Where did the word “smog” come from? 2. What are some natural emissions that contribute to air pollution? 3. Describe the effects air pollution can have on vegetation. 4. Describe the effects of air pollution on humans. 5. When the air is polluted, you might wish you had a nose clip. However, that probably wouldn’t be very helpful

because you would just breathe through your mouth and the pollution would get into your lungs anyways. Keeping the NOSCLP in mind, list the six most common criteria pollutants.

6. What does it mean for a region to be a “non-attainment” area? 7. What piece of legislation in the U.S. regulates air pollutants? 8. What is the difference between a primary and secondary pollutant? Give two examples of each. 9. Are the majority of pollutants in the air produced by natural or anthropogenic sources? Explain. 10. How/what do volcano’s contribute to air pollution? 11. What is the chemical difference between ozone in the troposphere (where you live and breathe) and ozone in

the stratosphere (the layer high in the sky that filters the suns harmful UVB radiation)? 12. What is the pH of “normal” rain water? How/why is it acidic? 13. What is a major source of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides? 14. Explain how a “cap and trade” system works. One has been implemented in the U.S. to deal with a specific

problem and it has been very effective, what is the problem? 15. Describe how acid rain affects forest ecosystems. 16. Describe how acid rain affects lake ecosystems. 17. How many times more acidic is pH 3 rainwater than pH 6? 18. What are voc’s, give examples of where they might come from. 19. Describe how an atmospheric inversion forms, and explain why it is a problem. 20. What is the difference between brown air smog and gray air smog? 21. What is the general pattern of urban air quality in developing and developed countries? Explain. 22. Low sulfur coal releases less harmful air pollutants when burned, why don’t all coal fired power plants burn

this type of coal? 23. List a pro and a con of coal gasification. 24. Explain how scrubbing of sulfur dioxide works. 25. What is the “aerosol effect?” 26. What do volcanic eruptions typically contribute to the atmosphere, and how do these impact global warming? 27. How do pollution permits work? 28. You just heard on the news that the AQI today is 400. How do you respond? 29. You have been given the challenge to clean up the air in Beijing, China. Describe three changes or programs

you will implement to make this happen. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to get completely cleaned, just improved but you do need to be realistic. Explain your strategy(ies), don’t just say “improve efficiency” etc.

30. Explain what carbon sequestration is. 31. What is albedo? Give an example of a surface with a high one, and a low one.

Chapter 25 – Indoor Air Pollution 1. What are the symptoms of sick building syndrome? 2. What is the most common hazardous indoor air pollutant? 3. List four indoor air pollutants, their source, their effect, and how to reduce/avoid them. Present this information in the

form of a table. 4. How does increasing energy efficiency of buildings contribute to indoor air pollution? 5. Why might multiple people in the same building show different symptoms as it relates to indoor air pollution? 6. Explain the difference between a building-related illness and sick building syndrome. 7. Where does radon gas come from? 8. What does radon gas smell like? 9. What is the danger of radon gas? 10. If “high” radon levels are found in your bedroom, what is the best way to correct the situation?

51

Chapter 26 – Ozone Depletion

Word Definition

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)

Dobson unit (DU)

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC’s)

Ozone

Polar stratospheric

clouds

Polar vortex

UV A

UV B

UV C

Ultraviolet Index

Ozone hole

Catalytic chain reaction

Montreal Protocol

l

Cataracts

52

Chapter 26 – Ozone Depletion

1. What is the difference in the chemical composition of ozone in the stratosphere and ozone in the troposphere? 2. Which form of UV radiation is of the biggest concern as it relates to ozone depletion and why? 3. Explain the chemical process that naturally forms ozone. 4. During what month(s) is the Antarctic spring? 5. What compound or element is considered the most harmful to ozone? 6. List three other types of ozone depleting compounds (ODC’s) other than that listed in number 5. 7. Explain how/why the thinning of the ozone layer varies throughout the year and why it is not uniform over all of Earth. 8. Why doesn’t an equally large hole or thinning of ozone occur in the Antarctic and the Arctic? 9. What are the concerns about human health and the depletion of the ozone layer? 10. The rate of CFC emissions has been reduced, yet ozone depletion is still continuing. Why? 11. When is it estimated that ozone concentration levels will be back to pre 1985 conditions?

53

Chapter 17 Energy: Some Basics

Word Definition

Cogeneration

Conservation

Energy

First law efficiency

First law of thermodynamics

Hard path

Integrated energy management

Micropower

Second law efficiency

Second law of thermodynamics

Soft path

Joule

Kilowatt-hour (kWh)

Watt

Megawatt (MW)

Kinetic energy

Potential energy

54

Chapter 17 – Energy: Some Basics

1. When is oil production globally expected to “peak?” 2. Which law states that “energy cannot be created or destroyed but is always conserved?” 3. If a furnace requires 50 BTU’s extracted from coal to deliver 10 BTU’s of heat to a house, what is the energy

efficiency? Show work. 4. What percentage of people in the world live in the U.S.? What percentage of the worlds’ energy does the U.S.

consume? 5. Give three examples of fossil fuels? 6. Give three examples of alternative fuels? 7. What source provided the most energy for the U.S. in 2004? The least energy? 8. Explain cogeneration and how it relates to increased energy efficiency. 9. What is space heating? Does this require high quality or low quality energy? 10. Name three improvements that can be made to improve energy efficiency of a house. 11. List four ways you can modify your behavior to conserve energy. 12. Give two reasons to support and two reasons against the “hard path” energy policy. 13. Give two reasons to support and two reasons against the “soft path” energy policy. 14. How does buying food at the local farmers market relate to energy use? 15. Explain what micropower is and what the major advantage(s) of it are. 16. Calculate the first law efficiency of a micropower plant that requires 1000 kW of natural gas to produce 400 kW of

electricity. 17. Calculate the energy efficiency, according to first-law efficiency, if it takes 20 units of energy to actually do work

that requires a minimum of 15 units to accomplish

55

Chapters 27 & 18 Minerals and the Environment / Fossil Fuels and the Environment

Word Definition

Minerals

Ore deposit

Reserve

R-to-C ratio

Magma

Evaporates

Weathering

Bauxite

Open-pit mining

Subsurface mining

Tailing

Gangue

Overburden

Spoils

Acid rock (mine)

drainage

Reclamation

Mountain top

mining

Strip mining

Surface mining

Allowance trading

Coal

Crude oil

Fossil fuels

Methane hydrate

Natural gas

56

Oil shale

Peak oil

Scrubbing

Synfuel

Tar sand (oil sand)

Cap rock

Kerogen

Primary recovery

Fractional

distillation

Anthracite coal

Bituminous coal

Lignite

Surface Mining Control

and Reclamation Act

Secondary recovery

Tertiary recovery

57

Chapter 27 Minerals and the Environment

1. What are the two most abundant minerals in Earth’s crust, and what are their percentages? 2. The ocean covers nearly 71% of Earth, why do we not obtain most minerals from it? 3. What is a commodity? 4. Explain the difference between a resource and a reserve. 5. What are the four options to consider when mining a mineral becomes more expensive than the value of the

mineral? 6. How does the quality of the ore usually correspond to the environmental degradation that will be sustained during

mining? 7. List two advantages and two disadvantages of subsurface mining. 8. List two advantages and two disadvantages of surface mining. 9. Describe three environmental impacts associated with mining. 10. Explain what it means to “reclaim” the land after an area was mined. 11. If a pond became acidic as a result of acid rock drainage (acid mine drainage) how could it be remediated? 12. Can nonrenewable minerals be used sustainably? Explain. 13. Name two minerals you use regularly (or products that contain minerals), and what are they in.

Chapter 18 – Fossil Fuels and the Environment

1. When is peak oil production expected to occur, and how much oil will be produced at the peak? 2. What are the major fossil fuels? 3. What is primary recovery, and approximately what percentage of oil can be obtained this way? 4. Where in the world are the largest proven oil reserves? 5. Why is natural gas considered more “environmentally friendly” than coal or oil? 6. What are two environmental concerns associated with coal-bed methane? 7. Why aren’t methane hydrates currently utilized as an energy source? 8. What are three reasons in favor of drilling in ANWR? 9. What are three reasons opposing drilling in ANWR? 10. What are the four types of coal, and which is the most desirable in terms of amount of energy? 11. Describe the process of strip mining. 12. How does acid mine drainage occur, and in what type of climate does it create the biggest problem? 13. What is overburden (did you read the Trapper Mine case study)? 14. What are spoil banks? 15. Describe the process of coal scrubbing. 16. If we retrieved all the coal in the United States, how long is it estimated to last? 17. What was one of the major amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990? 18. Describe why coal is the most polluting of all fossil fuels. 19. Describe how allowance trading works. 20. It is estimated that the U.S. has about 2 trillion barrels of oil in it’s oil shale, why is this not being readily utilized? 21. Where are the majority of the world’s tar sands located? 22. In April 2008, Los Angeles County was contemplating adding a $0.09 tax to every gallon of gas. The money

would be used for transportation improvements. Give two reasons to support the tax and two reasons to oppose it.

58

Chapters 19& 20 – Alternative Energy and the Environment / Nuclear Energy and the Environment

Word Definition

Active solar

energy systems

Alternative energy

Biofuel

Fuel cells

Concentrated Geothermal

energy – from below

Nonrenewable

energy

Passive solar

energy systems

Photovoltaics

Renewable energy

Solar collectors

Tidal power

Hydro power

Wind power

Electrolysis

Micro hydropower

system

Less concentrated

geothermal energy –

warmed from above

Breeder reactors

Burner reactors

Fission

Fusion

High-level

radioactive waste

Low-level

radioactive waste

Meltdown

Nuclear energy

Nuclear fuel cycle

59

Nuclear reactors

Radioactive decay

Transuranic waste

Passive stability

Tailings

Decommissioning

Light water

reactor

Enrichment

Turbine

Generator

Moderator

Control rod

Half-life

Curie (Ci)

Radiation absorbed

dose (rad)

Yucca Mountain

60

Chapter 19 – Alternative Energy and the Environment

1. List two nonrenewable alternative energy sources. 2. List three renewable alternative energy sources. 3. What is the importance of energy storage systems when using renewable energy sources? 4. Explain the difference between a passive solar energy system and an active one. 5. Describe an ideal location/situation for using a photovoltaic system. 6. Discuss one pro and one con of using solar energy. 7. What is the most abundant element in the universe? 8. How is a fuel cell similar and different from a battery? 9. Explain the relationship between a power line, turbine and generator – in almost any energy system. 10. How is a pump storage hydroelectric system different from a “common” one? 11. Describe two possible negative environmental impacts of hydropower? 12. Explain how tidal power works, and why few locations are suitable to it. 13. What are two disadvantages of wind farms? 14. What is biogas, where does it come from? 15. Does the burning of biofuels contribute carbon dioxide to the atmosphere? Explain. 16. What type of applications, are well-suited for geothermal energy? 17. What are two negative environmental implications of geothermal energy? 18. Suggest how a small biogas fermenter could be used on a farm to reduce waste and provide a fuel source. 19. Explain the difference between “old carbon” and “new carbon” as it relates to biofuels (or algae). 20. You just graduated from college (with a degree in Environmental Science), and have gotten a job working for the

Governor of California Your job is to increase renewable energy consumption in California. Describe three policies you will implement and how they will function.

Chapter 20 – Nuclear Energy and the Environment

1. What kind of nuclear process is used in nuclear reactors? 2. Which isotope of uranium is naturally fissionable? 3. Describe “enrichment” and why it is necessary. 4. Name and describe the function of the main components of a nuclear reactor. 5. If a “meltdown” occurs, what component of the reactor failed? 6. How many half-lives are required to get to 0.1% of the original sample? Note, this is also the number required to

get to a “safe level” of radioactive material. 7. Is uranium-powered nuclear fuel renewable? 8. What is the advantage of a “breeder reactor?” 9. What are the steps involved in the nuclear fuel cycle? 10. The amount of radiation received by a person in a year is typically measured in what “unit?” 11. Name two sources of radiation received by humans. 12. Summarize the Three Mile Island case study. 13. Summarize the Chernobyl case study. 14. Explain the difference between low-level, transuranic and high-level radioactive waste. 15. What site is currently being studied for high-level radioactive waste disposal? 16. Discuss three pros and three cons of nuclear energy.