APES REVIEW

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Hypoxia: when aquatic plants die, the BOD rises as aerobic decomposers break down the plants, the DO drops & the water cannot support life
Most endangered species: have a small range, require large territory or live on an island
Effects of El Nino: upwelling decreases disrupting food chains, N US has mild winters, SW US has increased rainfall, less Atlantic Hurricanes
Humus: organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms
Commensalism: symbiotic relationship where one partner benefits & the other is unaffected
LI Exotic Species: gypsy moth, Asian long horned beetle
Nuclear Fusion: 2 isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. Expensive, break even point not reached yet
Incineration advantages: volume of waste reduced by 90% & waste heat can be used
threshold dose: the maximum dose that has no measurable effect
Parts of the hydrologic cycle: evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, infiltration
Effects of global warming: rising sealevel (thermal expansion), extreme weather, droughts, (famine), extinctions
Aerobic respiration: oxygen consuming producers, consumers & decomposers break down complex organic compounds & convert C back into CO2
Industrial stage: decline in birth rate, population growth slows
Minamata Disease: mental impairments caused by mercury
Primary succession/Secondary succession: development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life (lava) / life progresses where soil remains (clear cut forest, fire)
Producer/Autotroph: photosynthetic life
During an El Nino year/During a Non El Nino year: trade winds weaken & warm water sloshed back to SA / Easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of South America
Salinization of soil: in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind
Electricity is generated by: using steam (from water boiled by fossil fuels or nuclear) or falling water to turn generator
Doubling time: rule of 70 -> 70 divided by the percent growth rate
World Population/US Population: 6.5 billion / 300 million
1st & 2nd most populated countries: China & India
Organic fertilizer: slow acting & long lasting because the organic remains need time to be decomposed
Conservation/Preservation: allows the use of resources in a responsible manner / setting aside areas & protecting them from human activities
Endangered Species: Northern spotted owl (loss of old growth forest), Piping Plover (nesting areas threatened by development)
First Law of Thermodynamics: energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another
Volcanoes and Earthquakes occur: at plate boundaries (divergent, spreading, mid-oceanic ridges) (convergent, trenches) (transform, sliding, San Andreas)
Nitrification: ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO-3)
Percent water on earth by type: 97.5% seawater, 2.5 % freshwater
Primary air pollutants: produced by humans and nature (CO, CO2, SO2, NO, hydrocarbons, particulates)
Radon: radioactive gas, formed from the decay of Uranium, causes lung cancer.
Indicator species: species that serve as early warning that an ecosystem is being damaged ex trout
Photosynthesis: plants convert atmospheric C (CO2) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6)
Replacement level fertility: the number of children a couple must have to replace themselves (2.1 developed, 2.7 developing)
Biotic/Abiotic: living/nonliving components of an ecosystem
Cogeneration: using waste heat to make electricity
Major insecticide groups and examples: (chlorinated hydrocarbons, DDT) (organophosphates, malathion) (carbamates, aldicarb)
R strategist/K strategist: reproduce early, many small unprotected offspring / reproduce late, few, cared for offspring
BOD: biological oxygen demand, amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials
Energy flow in food webs: only 10% of the usable energy is transferred because usable energy lost as heat (2nd law), not all biomass is digested & absorbed, predators expend energy to catch prey
Assimilation: inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids & proteins
Mutualism: symbiotic relationship where both partners benefit
Photochemical Smog: formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O)
Alternative energy sources: wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells
Most important thing affecting population growth: low status of women
Aquifer: any water bearing layer in the ground
Cons of Petroleum: reserves depleted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, burning makes CO2
In natural ecosystems, 50-90% of pest species are kept under control by:: predators, diseases, parasites
Acid deposition: caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters
Salt water intrusion: near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer
sources of mercury: buring coal, Compact Flourescent bulbs
Ozone: (Formation: secondary pollutant, NO2 + UV = NO + O O+ O2 = O3, with VOC's) (Effects: respiratory irratant, plant damage) (reduction: reduce NO emissions & VOC's)
Major source of sulfur: buring coal
Denitrification: bacteria convert ammonia back into N
Sulfur oxides: (source: coal buring) (effects: acid deposition, respiratory irritation, damages plants) (Equation for acid formation: SO2 = O2 = SO3 + H2O = H2SO4) (reduction: scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuel)
Mutagen, teratogen, carcinogen: causes hereditary changes, fetus deformities, cancer
Garret Hardin & The Tragedy of the Commons: Freedom to breed is bringing ruin to all. Global commons such as atmosphere & oceans are used by all and owned by none
Effects of ozone depletion: increased UV, skin cancer, cataracts, decreased plant growth
Estimate of how long a radioactive isotope must be stored until it decays to a safe level: approximately 10 half-lives
True cost/ External costs: harmful environmental side effects that are not reflected in a products price
Negative feedback: when changing in some condition triggers a response that counteracts the changed condition (EX: warmer earth - more ocean evaporation- more status clouds-less sunlight reaches the ground-therefore cooler Earth
Cone of depression: lowering of the water table around a pumping well
Biome: large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants & animals
Ammonification: decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia
Preindustrial stage: birth & death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high
Loam: perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, clay
Best solution to Energy shortage: conservation and increase efficiency
Natural pest control: better agriculture practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies, biopesticides, sex attractants
Natural selection: organisms that possess favorable adaptations pass them onto the next generation
Sanitary landfill problems and solutions: (leachate, liner with collection system) (methane gas, collect gas and burn) (volume of garbage, compact & reduce)
Pros of Petroleum: cheap, easily transported, high quality energy
ENSO: El Nino Southern Oscillation, see-sawing of air pressure over the S. Pacific
Municipal solid waste is mostly: paper and most is landfilled
Ways to conserve water: (agriculture, drip/tirickle irrigation) (industry, recycling) (home, use gray water, repair leaks, low flow fixtures)
Chlorine: (good>disinfection of water)( bad>forms trihalomethanes)
Transitional stage: death rate lower, better health care, population grows fast
Keystone species: species whose role in an ecosystem are more important than others ex: sea otter
Eutrophication: rapid algal growth caused by an excess of N & P
Particulate matter (source, effect, reduction): (burning fossil fuels & diesel exhaust) (reduces visibility & respitory irritation) (filtering, electrostatic preciptators, alternative energy)
Love Canal, NY: chemicals buried in old canal and school & homes built over it causing birth defects and cancer
Steps in coal formation: peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite
LD50: the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population
Best way to solve waste problem: reduce amount of waste at the source
Malthus: said human population cannot continue to increase..consequences will be war, famine & disease
Phosphorus does not circulate as easily as N because: it does not exist as a gas, but is released by weathering of phosphate rocks
Two most serious nuclear accidents: Chernobyl, Ukraine; Three Mile Island, PA
Nuclear Fission: nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons
Pesticide pros: saves lives from insect transmitted diseases, increases food supply, increases profits for farmers
Largest reservoirs of C: carbonate rocks first, oceans second
Postindustrial stage: low birth & death rates
Petroleum forms from: microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat and pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons
Parasitism: relationship in which one partner obtains nutrients at the expense of the host
Sustainability: the ability to meet humanities current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
Age structure diagrams: (broad base, rapid growth)(narrow base, negative growth)(uniform shape, zero growth)
Second Law of Thermodynamics: .: when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat)
Point vs. Non Point sources: point, from specific location such as a pipe// Nonpoint, from over an area such as runoff
Carbon oxides: (source: auto exhaust, incomplete combustion) (Effects: CO binds to heoglobin reducing bloods ability to cary O, CO2 contributes to global warming)
Half life: the time it takes for ½ the mass of a radioisotope to decay
Carrying capacity: the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area
Natural radioactive decay: unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha & beta particles
Surface mining: cheaper & can remove more mineral, less hazardous to workers
Major parts of a nuclear reactor: core, control rods, steam generator, turbine, containment building
Leaching: removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards
Incineration disadvantages: toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride --dioxin), scrubbers & electrostatic precipitators needed, ash disposal (contains heavy metals)
Fecal coliform/Enterococcus: indicator of sewage contamination
Nitrogen Oxides: (source: auto exhaust) (effects: acidification of lakes, respiratory irritation, leads to smog & ozone) (Equation for acid formation: NO + O2 = NO2 + H2O = HNO3) (Reduction: catalytic converter)
High Quality Energy: organized & concentrated, can perform useful work (fossil fuel & nuclear)
Ionizing radiation: enough energy to knock electrons from atoms forming ions, capable of causing cancer (gamma-Xrays-UV)
Positive feedback: when a change in some condition triggers a response that intensifies the changing condition (EX: warmer Earth - snow melts - less sunlight is reflected & more is absorbed, therefore warmer earth)
Pesticide cons: genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, biological magnification
Nitrogen fixing: because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants it must first be converted into ammonia by bacteria (rhizobium)
Low Quality Energy: disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar)
Ore: a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine
Excess phosphorus is added to aquatic ecosystems by: runoff of animal wastes, fertilizer, discharge of sewage
Greenhouse gases: H2O, CO2, O3, CH4, CFC's Effect; they trap outgoing infrared (heat) energy causing the earth to warm
Ozone depletion caused by: CFC"s, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, halon, methyl bromide all of which attack stratospheric ozone
Ways to decrease birth rate: family planning, contraception, economic rewards & penalties
Illuviation: deposit of leached material in lower soil layers (B)

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