Download Human Activities' Impact on Biodiversity & Water: Understanding Species & Ecosystems and more Quizzes Environmental Science in PDF only on Docsity!
Biological Diversity
the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur TERM 2
Genetic Diversity
DEFINITION 2 amount of genetic variation within or among populations of a given species TERM 3
Species Diversity
DEFINITION 3 the number of species in a given community TERM 4
Community Level Diversity
DEFINITION 4 variation in special assemblages based on variation in habitat within a ecosystem type TERM 5
- Ecosystem Level Diversity
DEFINITION 5
- variation in ecosystems across landscape or region
What is a species
- groups of interbreeding organisms- 1.4-1.7 million described species - over 1 million are animals - <5% of described are animals- 10-100 million estimated species TERM 7
Classifications are ranked according to...
DEFINITION 7
- Similarity2. Common ancestry TERM 8
Scientific Classification
DEFINITION 8 Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species TERM 9
Kingdoms of Life
DEFINITION 9 Plants, Animals, Fungi, Protists, Bacteria, Archaebacteria Prokaryotes: do NOT have membrane bound nucleus nor other organelles, and are unicellular Eukaryotes: HAVE membrane bound nucleus and other organelles, can be either multicellular or unicellular TERM 10
How much of Earth's biodiversity do Ants
make up?
DEFINITION 10 50%
Aquatic Ecosystems
aquatic biomes occupy the largest part of the biosphere - 67% of Earth - marine algae and photosynthetic bacteria produce large portion of Earth's oxygen and consume a hefty amount of CO2 emissions - Influenced by; light penetration, type of bottom substrate, water temperature, and dissolved materials TERM 17
Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems
DEFINITION 17
- overfishing- aquaculture- coral reefs TERM 18
Pelagic Marine
DEFINITION 18
- open water environment- Euphotic Zone: where photosynthesis occurs- Benthic Marine: bottom of the oceanCoral Reefs: - most diverse biomes - uptake carbon and are a symbiotic relationship with surrounding organisms Mangrove Swamps - important nursery for shrimp, fish (warm, shoreline areas)- Abyssal: Deep, no light depend on organic matter from above TERM 19
Oceanic Fisheries
DEFINITION 19
- 70% of world's marine fisheries are overexploited or in danger of becoming so- many species of fish have become commercial extinct: no longer economically profitable to harvest TERM 20
Sustainable Harvest
DEFINITION 20 Ideal strategy, harvest population to maximize growth rate - determines how quickly fish can be removed, while still remaining in a healthy stock - keep population at half carrying capacity
Tragedy of the Commons
Each group is trying to maximize their own returns at the expense of the common resource - run out too quickly, everyone loses in the end TERM 22
International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
DEFINITION 22
- Manages tuna and tuna like species- Supposed to manage for maximum sustainable yield- Started in response to the overexploitation of Bluefin Tune TERM 23
Bluefin Tuna
DEFINITION 23 Early 1990s, Sweden wanted to list Bluefin Tuna to CITESLobbying in the US, Canada, and Japan led Sweden to accept compromise for a 50% reduction in catch - Efforts failed due to; - lack of commitment by Commission, quota problem, no support, non-member actions TERM 24
Aquaculture
DEFINITION 24 breeding and raising of fish and shellfish specifically for food - rapidly increases industry - 1/4 of marine fisheries TERM 25
Problems with Aquaculture
DEFINITION 25
- Depletes natural fish populations2. Fish wastes3. Genetic Diversity4. Can still be by catch5. Habitat Destruction
Wetlands
transitional habitat between aquatic and terrestrial environments, where water table is at or near the surface- includes marshes, swamps, bogs, estuaries, ponds, etc... TERM 32
Audubon Society Seafood Ratings
DEFINITION 32 Green - abundant, well managedYellow - some concern over species statusRed - severe overfishing, poorly managed TERM 33
The Concept of Water
DEFINITION 33
- Essential for life, every cell is at least 60% water- Animals can survive weeks without food, but only a few days without water- Universal Solvent - carriessubstances - nutrients and wastes TERM 34
Mahomet Aquifer
DEFINITION 34
- buried 100-200 feet below the surface- consumption from aquifer averages 100 million gallons per day- well levels have dropped 50ft since 1950 TERM 35
Domestic Water Use
DEFINITION 35
- average person in the US uses 80-100 gallons of water per day- 90% of domestic water is supplied by municipal water systems- groundwater and surface water are used
Agricultural Water Use
- 37% comes from groundwater, the rest come from surface water- irrigation for crops and livestock, often far away TERM 37
Industrial Water Use
DEFINITION 37
- accounts for nearly 50% of all water withdrawn in the US- 90% of water used by the industry is used simply for cooling purposes- water used to dissipate and transport waste TERM 38
Water Pollution
DEFINITION 38 Point Sources : definite sources and place where pollution enters water Nonpoint Sources : diffuse pollutants without distinct source- i.e.agriculturalrunoff- makes up majority of pollution- leads to both surface and groundwater pollution- largely unregulated TERM 39
Industrial Water Pollution
DEFINITION 39
- organic matter, petroleum products, metals, acids, toxic compounds, nutrients, particulates- point sources are more regulated than nonpoint sources TERM 40
Agricultural Water Pollution
DEFINITION 40
- nutrients, pesticides, erosionSolutions:1. buffer strips for vegetation2. conservation tillage3. reduced fertilizer and pesticide applications
How much lake volume and surface area have
been lost since 1960s?
75% of volume50% of surface area TERM 47
Invasive Species
DEFINITION 47 Introduced : species can be introduced deliberately or accidentally from somewhere else Domestic : can spread disease and compete with native species Human Commensal/Subsidized: native species that benefit from out land use Invasive : species that spread subsequently to establish territory, usually at the cost of another species TERM 48
Transport of Invasive Species
DEFINITION 48 Deliberate: naturalization societies, Shakespeare fans, game animals, domestic animals, plants for agricultureAccidental: ballasts of ships,unprocessedwood, fruit shipments, bypass natural barriers, escapees TERM 49
Biological Control
DEFINITION 49 the use of one species to control another TERM 50
Results of Pesticide Use
DEFINITION 50
- kills native competitors- species may adapt and develop resistance- health risks for people
Agriculture
farming, TERM 52
Nutrition and Food Supplies
DEFINITION 52 Malthus (1798) predicted that we would outstrip our food supplies - proven wrong, food supplies have MORE than kept up TERM 53
Impacts of Chemical Fertilizers
DEFINITION 53
- 25% of crops yield because of fertilizers- price tied to that of oil- replaces nutrients in soil used by plantsProblems:- do not replace organic matter- runoff- we are making cropsinedibleto other species that also rely on them for nourishment TERM 54
Macronutrients
DEFINITION 54 nutrients plants need MOST TERM 55
Micronutrients
DEFINITION 55 nutrients plants only need in TRACE amounts
Target Organism
the organisms that one is trying to kill with a pesticide TERM 62
Non-Target Organism
DEFINITION 62 anything else that is effected by the pesticide that is intended for use on another organism TERM 63
Persistent Pesticides
DEFINITION 63 stable compounds that remain active for long periods of time TERM 64
Nonpersistent Pesticides
DEFINITION 64 break down evenly TERM 65
Pesticide Resistance
DEFINITION 65 insecticides only kill susceptible individualssome species have adapted to pesticides and have developed an immunity to them
Problems with Pesticide Use
Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification TERM 67
Bioaccumulation
DEFINITION 67 accumulating material within an organisms body TERM 68
Biomagnification
DEFINITION 68 acquiring increasing levels of a substance in bodies of higher trophic-level organisms TERM 69
DDT
DEFINITION 69
- banned in the US in 1972- several health risks associated with the use of this chemical- helpful in preventing malaria- riddenmosquitoesfrom infecting people TERM 70
Silent Spring
DEFINITION 70 written by Rachel Carson in response to chemical use, in particular DDT
Horizontal Gene Transfer
the transfer of genes of one species to a different species TERM 77
Obesity
DEFINITION 77 linked to 400,000 deaths per year in 2000 TERM 78
Chronic Hunger
DEFINITION 78 1/5 of people in the developing world are considered chronically hungry TERM 79
Major Food Sources
DEFINITION 79
- Wheat, Rice, and Corn2. Seafood- 25% of animal protection3. Meat and Dairy- developed countries account for 20% of population, yet 80% of consumption of Meat and Dairy TERM 80
Slash and Burn
DEFINITION 80 used in areas with nutrient poor soil
Labor Intensive
intense form of agriculture using human and animal labors to grow crops TERM 82
Mechanized Agriculture
DEFINITION 82
- requires large areas of land- found in areas with good soilBenefits:- reduced labor and increased yieldsProblems:- leads to erosion, organic matter removed, requires more energy, increased reliance, political and environmental issues TERM 83
Alternative Agriculture
DEFINITION 83 Crop Rotation- plant different, specific crops in a field each yearPros:- reduced build-up of pests and retains soil nutrientsCons:- more equipment TERM 84
Organic Agriculture
DEFINITION 84
- animal manure used as a fertilizer- crop rotation used to enhance productivity and reduce pests- biological predators and human labor to combat pests- higher upfront costs, but less damaging in long run to environment TERM 85
IPCC
DEFINITION 85 Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change- appointed by UN in 1988- Mission: to study the issue and make recommendations
