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bio
for you mwah
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How does urbanization cause biodiversity loss? | replaces natural habitats with buildings, roads, and other infrastructure, leading to habitat destruction. pollution, noise, and human activity. |
| What is habitat fragmentation? | is when large, continuous habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches, often due to roads, urban development, or agriculture. |
| Describe the heat island effect. | when urban areas become significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas due to human activities, buildings, and pavement absorbing and retaining heat. |
| Why does urbanization often benefit commensal and invasive species? | provide abundant food, shelter, and fewer natural predators, allowing commensal species (like pigeons) and invasive species to thrive. |
| What are the major sources of air pollution in cities? | vehicle emissions, industrial activity, heating systems, and construction dust. CO₂, NOx, SO₂, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). |
| How do cities manage solid wastes? | through landfills, incineration, composting, and recycling programs |
| How do recycling programs reduce environmental degradation? | reduces the need for raw materials, decreases energy use, lowers pollution, and minimizes landfill waste. |
| What are the environmental benefits of vertical urban growth as opposed to urban sprawl? | (tall buildings, high-density living) uses less land, preserves open spaces, reduces habitat loss, and can lower transportation-related emissions. |
| What is urban sprawl? | Urban sprawl is the low-density, spread-out expansion of urban areas. |
| What is Smart Growth and how can it be implemented? | Smart Growth is an urban planning approach that encourages sustainable, efficient, and environmentally friendly development. Implementation includes mixed-use development, public transportation, green spaces, and compact building designs. |
| What are some examples of species that thrive in urban areas vs. those that decline? | Thrive: pigeons, rats, raccoons; Decline: songbirds, amphibians, large mammals. |
| How does biodiversity loss in cities affect ecosystem services? | Reduced pollination, seed dispersal, and natural pest control; ecosystems become less resilient. |
| How does habitat fragmentation affect species migration? | Limits movement between patches, isolates populations, reduces genetic diversity. |
| What is the difference between habitat loss and habitat fragmentation? | Habitat loss = complete destruction; fragmentation = habitat remains but is broken into smaller patches. |
| What materials contribute most to the heat island effect? | Asphalt, concrete, rooftops, other heat-absorbing surfaces. |
| How does heat island effect influence energy consumption and air quality? | Increases air conditioning use, raises energy demand; can worsen smog and ozone formation. |
| Give examples of invasive species in cities and the problems they cause. | Invasive: house sparrows, feral pigeons, Norway rats; Problems: compete with native species, damage infrastructure, spread disease. |
| Why are native species often less competitive in urban environments? | Native species are adapted to undisturbed habitats and may struggle with noise, pollution, and habitat fragmentation. |
| How does air pollution in cities affect human health? | - Causes respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and premature death. |
| What strategies can reduce vehicle-related air pollution? | Promote public transportation, electric vehicles, bike lanes, carpooling, stricter emission standards. |
| What are the environmental risks of poorly managed landfills? | Leachate contamination, methane emissions, odor, attraction of pests. |
| How does composting reduce urban waste? | Converts organic waste into nutrient-rich soil, reduces landfill volume, lowers methane emissions. |
| What materials are most commonly recycled and why? | Paper, cardboard, aluminum, glass, plastics; reduces raw material extraction and energy use. |
| How does recycling plastic differ from recycling metals in terms of environmental impact? | Plastics often downcycled and can release toxins; metals can be recycled repeatedly with less energy than producing new metal. |
| How does vertical growth impact infrastructure like water and energy systems? | Requires concentrated infrastructure (water pressure, electricity, elevators), can be more efficient than sprawling networks. |
| Can vertical growth reduce the urban heat island effect? Why or why not? | Partially; denser buildings can shade surfaces, but concentrated heat may persist without green roofs or reflective materials. |
| What are some social and environmental problems caused by urban sprawl? | Traffic congestion, increased emissions, loss of farmland, social isolation, higher infrastructure costs. |
| How does sprawl contribute to habitat fragmentation? | Expands city boundaries into natural areas, breaking continuous habitats into smaller, disconnected patches. |
| Give examples of cities that successfully implement Smart Growth. | Examples: Curitiba (Brazil), Vauban (Germany), Portland (USA) |
| How does Smart Growth improve quality of life in urban areas? | Reduces commute times, preserves green space, improves air quality, encourages walking and biking, promotes community interaction. |
| . Describe the relationship between the inputs, outputs, and environmental impacts of agricultural systems. | Inputs (fertilizers, water, labor, energy) lead to outputs (crops, livestock products). Excess inputs can cause environmental impacts such as nutrient runoff, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. |
| What is the environmental benefit of high-yield industrial agriculture? | Produces more food per unit of land, reducing the need to convert natural habitats into farmland. |
| How does industrial agriculture cause biodiversity loss? | Monocultures replace diverse ecosystems, and pesticides/herbicides kill non-target species. Habitat simplification reduces species richness. |
| How does industrial agriculture cause erosion? What can be done to prevent erosion? | Tilling removes protective plant cover, making soil vulnerable to wind and water erosion. Prevent with contour farming, cover crops, no-till farming, and windbreaks. |
| Difference between synthetic and organic fertilizer? | Synthetic: manufactured chemicals (N, P, K); Organic: compost/manure. |
| Which is better for the environment? Why? Synthetic or organic fertilizer? | Organic is better environmentally because it improves soil structure, reduces runoff, and recycles nutrients. |
| Problems caused by over-irrigation in arid regions? | Waterlogging, salinization (salt buildup), depletion of water sources. |
| . Environmental problems from pesticide use? | Kills non-target species, pollutes soil and water, bioaccumulation in food chains, pest resistance. |
| Alternative methods of pest control? | integrated Pest Management (IPM), crop rotation, biological control (predators, parasites), pheromone traps, resistant crop varieties. |
| . Environmental benefits of polycultures over monocultures? | Higher biodiversity, reduced pest outbreaks, improved soil fertility, better resilience to climate variability. |
| Environmental impacts of raising livestock in pastures/rangelands? | Overgrazing can cause soil erosion, loss of native vegetation, compaction, and desertification if unmanaged. |
| Environmental impacts of raising livestock in CAFOs? | High concentration of waste leading to water pollution, high methane emissions, antibiotic overuse, and local air pollution. |
| How might a dramatic decrease in meat consumption improve environmental quality? | Reduces greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use, deforestation, and pollution from livestock production. |
| What is artificial selection? | Humans selectively breed plants or animals for desirable traits over generations. |
| . What is a GMO? | Genetically Modified Organism; an organism whose DNA has been altered using biotechnology. |
| Most common type of genetic modification in crops? | Inserting genes for pest resistance (e.g., Bt crops) or herbicide tolerance. |
| Agricultural problems addressed by GMO technologies? | Pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought tolerance, improved nutrition, disease resistance. |
| . Why are some people against GMOs in agriculture? | Concerns about long-term health effects, environmental risks (gene transfer, resistance), corporate control, ethical reasons. |
| What can humans do to produce food more sustainably? | Use organic farming, polycultures, crop rotation, IPM, efficient irrigation, reduce meat consumption, minimize chemical inputs, and adopt GMOs responsibly. |
| How are old growth and second growth forests different? | Old-growth forests have never been logged and contain mature trees, rich biodiversity, and complex ecosystems. Second-growth forests regrow after logging or disturbance and are generally less diverse and younger. |
| What are the environmental impacts of clearcutting? | Clearcutting removes all trees, causing habitat loss, soil erosion, increased runoff, and loss of biodiversity. |
| Selective cutting? | removing only certain trees) |
| Strip cutting? | (removing narrow strips) reduces soil erosion, preserves habitats, and maintains some forest structure. |
| How can we reduce our need for harvested trees? | Use recycled paper and wood products, increase efficiency in timber use, use alternative materials (bamboo, hemp), and practice sustainable forestry |
| What is the difference between surface fires and crown fires? | Surface fires burn underbrush and leaf litter on the forest floor, typically causing less damage and can be beneficial. Crown fires burn the tops of trees, spread quickly, and are much more destructive. |
| What methods are used to suppress forest fires? | Firebreaks, controlled burns (backfires), firefighting crews, aerial water drops, and monitoring systems. |
| What techniques can forest managers use to prevent crown fires? | Remove excess fuel through controlled burns, thin dense forests, maintain firebreaks, and manage dead wood accumulation. |
| How is beef production causing tropical deforestation? | Forests are cleared for cattle ranching, including pasture creation and feed crop production, leading to habitat loss and carbon emissions. |
| How is the production of palm oil causing tropical deforestation? | Rainforests are cleared to plant palm oil plantations, resulting in loss of biodiversity, soil degradation, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. |
| How is poverty leading to tropical deforestation? | People in poverty often rely on subsistence farming, logging, or fuelwood harvesting to survive, which can accelerate forest clearing. |
| . How do government policies impact tropical deforestation? | Policies promoting logging, agriculture, or infrastructure development can increase deforestation. Conversely, enforcement of protected areas, sustainable forestry incentives, and conservation programs can reduce deforestation |
| What is the difference between conservation and restoration? | Conservation focuses on protecting and maintaining existing ecosystems and resources, while restoration aims to return degraded or destroyed ecosystems to their natural state. |
| What is the difference between restoration and rehabilitation? | Restoration attempts to fully return an ecosystem to its original state, whereas rehabilitation focuses on improving ecosystem function without necessarily recreating the original ecosystem completely. |
| What is a biodiversity hotspot? | A region with high species richness and endemism that is also threatened by human activities. Examples include the Amazon, Madagascar, and the Caribbean Islands. |
| How do debt-for-nature swaps work? | A portion of a developing country’s debt is forgiven in exchange for commitments to fund conservation programs, protecting forests, biodiversity, or other natural resources. |
| Common restoration techniques in grasslands and forests? | Replanting native vegetation, controlled burns, removing invasive species, soil erosion control, and habitat structure enhancement. |
| Common restoration techniques in freshwater ecosystems? | Removing pollutants, restoring natural flow regimes, replanting riparian vegetation, reintroducing native species, and wetland construction. |
| Restoration techniques for coastal wetlands and coral reefs? | Mangrove planting, salt marsh restoration, artificial reefs, coral transplantation, and protection from pollution and overfishing. |
| What is post-restoration monitoring and why is it important? | The ongoing assessment of restored ecosystems to determine if objectives are met, track ecosystem health, and adapt management strategies as needed. |
| How is the buffer zone concept applied in UN Biosphere Reserves? | Core protected areas are surrounded by buffer zones where limited sustainable activities occur, reducing human impact on the most sensitive ecosystems. |
| How can artificial ecosystems be used to enhance restoration and rehabilitation? | Constructed wetlands, artificial reefs, or green spaces can restore ecosystem functions, support biodiversity, and mitigate environmental degradation when natural systems are damaged. |
| Diversity of life? | one planet that contains many different ecosystems |
| Extant- | alive and reproducing |
| Extinct- | dead and non reproducing |
| Endangered species- | close to exctiniction |
| Threatended species | close to endangered |
| Characteristics of species to go extinct!! | Species are more likely to go extinct if they have small populations, small ranges, narrow niches, low reproduction, large size, high trophic levels, poor dispersal, special breeding needs, or high economic value. |
| Wide niche- | Uses many foods/habitats. Example: raccoon. |
| Narrow niche- | Needs specific food/habitat. Example: koala. |
| What is causing extinction rates to rise? | human activities |
| Wildlife populations are increasing or decreasing | decreasing |
| Separation rates are increasing or decreasing | decreasing |
| How are human activities causing biodiversity loss? | deforestation, degrading, grasslands to ag fields, urbanization, introducing invasive species |
| Island species- | endemic species found nowhere else on earth |
| Bush meat- | animals hunted for meat |
| Overexploitation- | killing animals for valuables |
| What is fueled by human population growth, made worse by climate change | overexploitation, bush meat |
| What can protect species? | international treaties and national laws |
| Parts of the endangered species act? | national fishing services, us fish and wildlife service |
| What does the endangered species act do? | agencies identify and list all endangered and threatened species, congress attempts to prevent exctinction |
| Environmental impacts of urbanization? | habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, heat island effect, water issues, air pollution, climate change, solid waters, solid waste management |
| Solid waste US law? | resource conservation and recovery act ( RCRA ) |
| what does the RCRA do | creates framework for proper management of landfills |
| Incinerator- | large volume of trash to a small volume of ash |
| Why can incinerators be a problem? | air pollution, generating electricity |
| Recycling- | prevents paper, plastic and glass from the landfill. reduces the need for virgin material. |
| Composting- | yard waste/organic materials to mulch/ fertilizer |
| Urban sprawl/ horizontal growth- | cities growing horizontally |
| Urban sprawl is different where? | less developed countries |
| Cities can also grow... | vertically |
| Smart growth- | plan for future urban growth to reduce environmental issues such as sprawl, traffic/air pollution and biodiversity loss |
| Biodiversity loss- | decline or disappearance of species, habitats, or genetic diversity in an ecosystem, reducing the variety of life and weakening how ecosystems function. |
| Eco cities- | apply "smart growth" concepts to big cities with millions of people |
| What percent land? | 29 percent |
| What percent ocean? | 71 percent |
| What percent agriculture? | 50 percent |
| What percent forests? | 37 percent |
| Low input agriculture systems- | low workers, low fertilizer, irrigation water |
| Yields- | how much food to grow in one acre |
| Low input... | low yield |
| High input... | high yield |
| Substinence agriculture- | intensive community, 70 percent of land is worked by agriculturlists |
| Industrial agriculture- | machinery, irrigation water, monoculture fields, one crop at a time, 30 percent land, 80 percent of world is crops |
| Industrial food production requires what? | huge amount of energy |
| Step 1 ag process- | clear the negative vegetation |
| Step 2 ag process- | plow the soil, increase the potential for erosion |
| Step 3 ag process- | fertilize the soil |
| Step 4 ag process- | sow the seeds |
| Step 5 ag process- | non native species, irrigate as needed |
| Step 6 ag process- | water, eliminate |
| Step 7 ag process- | crop competition |
| Step 8 ag process- | harvest |
| The soil erosion act? | Soil and Water resource conservation act |
| What does the soil and water conservation act do? | provide the United States to conserve, protect, and enhance water, and related natural resources |
| How do we reduce impact harvests? | cover crops |
| How do we reduce soil erosion? | terracing, alley cropping, contour planting, windbreaks, cover crops, no-till farming |
| What is the best way to maintain soil fertility? | topsoil conservation |
| Erosion prevention- | restoring some of the last plant nutrients |
| Synthetic fertilizers- | ammonia, nitrate, phosphate |
| Runoff becomes... | algae blooms |
| Organic fertilizer- | slow decomposition, provides macronutrients and micronutrients |
| Groundwater in dry place...! | Soil salinzation |
| Efficient irrigation- | getting water to the plant root zones/ drip irrigation |
| Pesticides has... | wildlife impacts and bio magnify the food chain |
| What US laws try to protect us from harmful pesticides...!!! | federal insectide, fungicide, rodentcide ( fifra ), food quality protection act ( to protect the children ) |
| Alternatives to synthetic pesticides? | cultural, biological, physical, chemical |
| Chemical- | Using pheromone traps to confuse insects and reduce mating. |
| Physical- | Using barriers or sticky traps to keep pests off plants. |
| Biological- | Releasing ladybugs to eat aphids. |
| Cultural | Practicing crop rotation to break pest life cycles. |
| Traditional agriculture relies on... | input polyculture |
| Polyculture- | many crops at once |
| Grasslands- | animals that eat grasses in forbes and pastures |
| Overgrazing- | livestock is left in an area for to long |
| A grassland to a desert is called... | Desertificiation |
| How do we manage a sustainable grassland? | rotational grazing, supplemental feed, invasive plant management |
| Cafo's- | Concentrated animal feeding operations, feds grains, produce immense amounts of waste |
| Open air lagoons- | common, leak and contaminate groundwater, contaminate soil from runoff, disease and parasites |
| Freshwater resources- | groundwater, aquifers, surface water, wetlands and lakes |
| Biggest freshwater uses? | agriculture, industries, mining/urban use |
| Overpumping groundwater can.. | lower water tables, dry out lakes and ponds, create dangerous sinkholes |
| Where is saltwater intrusion? | coastal areas |
| Major sources of groundwater pollution... | waste, sewage, leaking landfills, urban and agricultural runoff |
| Wetlands- | not used by humans as freshwater, bacteria |
| Ephermal- | unreliable |
| Wetlands are drained/ filled to increase... | drainage, convert into dryland for agriculture |
| Lakes and ponds- | not common, drinking water for urban areas |
| Small lakes.. | used for irrigation water |
| Rivers- | nearly half freshwater for humans, altered ecosystems |
| Chanel rivers/river channelization- | improve navigation for industrial shipping |
| Dams- | flood upstream, habitat fragmentation |
| Reservoirs- | larger body of water, drinking water and farming |
| Desalinization- | removes salt from ocean water to make drinking water |
| Virtual waters- | products that take allot of water to make- clothing, bread, coffee |
| Most freshwater we use, is used for what | irrigation, where 60 percent does not reach targeted crops |
| Irrigation efficiency- | utilizing systems to get water to the roots |
| Industrial water efficiency- | capturing, filtering, reusing industrial water |
| Urban water efficiency...!!! | fixing leaks in pipes |
| Raw sewage- | fats, oils, gasses, bacteria/pests |
| Dissolved oxygen..!! | decrease as BOP is up. oxygen goes down. !!!! |
| Biochemical oxygen demand- | BOP |
| When raw sewage BOD goes up...!!! | oxygen does down |
| Septic System- | backyard drain |
| Wastewater treatment plant- | breaks down raw sewage |
| Old growth forest- | hasn't been burned, trees spread |
| New growth forest- | recently burned, trees close |
| Clear cutting- | replant, repeat |
| Selective cutting- | 1/10 trees taken, harder |
| Strip cutting- | one strip cut, wait 5-10 years, repeat |
| What's the worst cutting method? | Clear cutting |
| What's the middle cutting method? | Strip cutting |
| What's the worst cutting method? | Selective cutting |
| Surface fire- !! | healthy, tree's don't burn, prevent a worse fire later on |
| Crown fire- !! | nothing survives, destructible |
| How do we preserve biodiversity? | protecting global biodiversity |
| Conservation- | protecting, saving nature and animals |
| Poverty is a huge part of... | deforestation and slash and burn farming |
| Slash and burn farming- | clearing the forest, growing crops |
| Internation conservation- | help other countries conserve nature programs |
| Grassland conservation- | used for agriculture and cattle livestock |
| Conservation of freshwater wetlands- | flood control, pollutants out |
| Swamp buster Act- | removes government incentives for farming covered wetlands |
| North American wetlands conservation act- | government funds for wetland conservation |
| Clean water act- | prevents discharge fill into wetlands |
| Biggest freshwater uses? | agriculture, industries, mining/urban use |
| Overpumping groundwater can.. | lower water tables, dry out lakes and ponds, create dangerous sinkholes |
| Where is saltwater intrusion? | coastal areas |
| Major sources of groundwater pollution... | waste, sewage, leaking landfills, urban and agricultural runoff |
| Wetlands- | not used by humans as freshwater, bacteria |
| Ephermal- | unreliable |
| Wetlands are drained/ filled to increase... | drainage, convert into dryland for agriculture |
| Lakes and ponds- | not common, drinking water for urban areas |
| Small lakes.. | used for irrigation water |
| Rivers- | nearly half freshwater for humans, altered ecosystems |
| Chanel rivers/river channelization- | improve navigation for industrial shipping |
| Dams- | flood upstream, habitat fragmentation |
| Reservoirs- | larger body of water, drinking water and farming |
| Desalinization- | removes salt from ocean water to make drinking water |
| Virtual waters- | products that take allot of water to make- clothing, bread, coffee |
| Most freshwater we use, is used for what | irrigation, where 60 percent does not reach targeted crops |
| Irrigation efficiency- | utilizing systems to get water to the roots |
| Industrial water efficiency- | capturing, filtering, reusing industrial water |
| Urban water efficiency...!!! | fixing leaks in pipes |
| Raw sewage- | fats, oils, gasses, bacteria/pests |
| Dissolved oxygen..!! | decrease as BOP is up. oxygen goes down. !!!! |
| Biochemical oxygen demand- | BOP |
| When raw sewage BOD goes up...!!! | oxygen does down |
| Septic System- | backyard drain |
| Wastewater treatment plant- | breaks down raw sewage |
| Old growth forest- | hasn't been burned, trees spread |
| New growth forest- | recently burned, trees close |
| Clear cutting- | replant, repeat |
| Selective cutting- | 1/10 trees taken, harder |
| Strip cutting- | one strip cut, wait 5-10 years, repeat |
| What's the worst cutting method? | Clear cutting |
| What's the middle cutting method? | Strip cutting |
| What's the worst cutting method? | Selective cutting |
| Surface fire- !! | healthy, tree's don't burn, prevent a worse fire later on |
| Crown fire- !! | nothing survives, destructible |
| How do we preserve biodiversity? | protecting global biodiversity |
| Conservation- | protecting, saving nature and animals |
| Poverty is a huge part of... | deforestation and slash and burn farming |
| Slash and burn farming- | clearing the forest, growing crops |
| Internation conservation- | help other countries conserve nature programs |
| Grassland conservation- | used for agriculture and cattle livestock |
| Conservation of freshwater wetlands- | flood control, pollutants out |
| Swamp buster Act- | removes government incentives for farming covered wetlands |
| North American wetlands conservation act- | government funds for wetland conservation |
| Clean water act- | prevents discharge fill into wetlands |
| Ecological restoration- | degraded ecosystem to a active natural state |
| Aquatic restoration- | erosion control, creating artificial riffles and pools |
| Coastal wetlands- | erosion control, coral reef restoration |
| Ecologic habitation- | degraded, can't come back- landfills, mines, war zones |
| Artificial ecosystems- | restoration ponds, artifical wetlands |
| Negative effects from over-pumping aquifers | It can cause land subsidence, sinkholes, drying of wells, and saltwater intrusion near coasts. |
| Potential sources of groundwater contamination | Landfills, septic tanks, fertilizers, pesticides, leaking storage tanks, and industrial waste. |
| Negative impacts of filling/draining wetlands | Leads to loss of biodiversity, reduced water purification, increased flooding, and loss of habitat. |
| Negative impacts of straightening/channelizing streams | Causes loss of habitat, increased erosion, faster flooding downstream, and reduced groundwater recharge. |
| Negative effects of dams | They disrupt fish migration, flood habitats, trap sediment, alter water flow, and can displace communities. |
| What caused the Aral Sea disaster? | Massive diversion of rivers for irrigation caused the sea to shrink, become salty, and collapse its ecosystem. |
| Difference: point-source vs nonpoint-source pollution | Point-source comes from a single, identifiable location (like a pipe); nonpoint-source comes from many diffuse sources (like runoff). |
| How organic waste affects DO and BOD | Organic waste raises BOD (more bacteria using oxygen) and lowers DO (less oxygen left for aquatic life). |
| How wastewater treatment facilities improve environmental quality | They remove solids, nutrients, and pathogens, releasing cleaner water into rivers and reducing pollution. |
| How the Clean Water Act improves environmental quality | It sets limits on water pollution, regulates discharges, and protects and restores U.S. water bodies. |
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