Environmental Science Midterm Review

Natural resources Food, water, metals, minerals, coal, oil, natural gas

Ecology The study of the interaction between all life forms and the non-living components of Earth

Industrial revolution The invention of machines and energy to do man’s work. Added pollution, increased populations, climate change

Overconsumption Rich countries over consume natural resources at a rate where they cannot be replaced

Pollution Air, water, soil

Over population Too many people; not enough resources for all

Hypothesis A prediction to solve a problem

Scientific theory A hypothesis proved true many many times

Biosphere All air, water, and land on Earth

Atmosphere The air above earth and before outer space

Hydrosphere The water – fresh and salt on Earth

Lithosphere Outer solid part of the earth Site where plate tectonics occurs

Earth Crust What happens to temperature and pressure as you move towards the center of the Earth? Pressure and heat Increase as you move towards core

Outer core Molten Lava – liquid hot

Inner core Solid ball iron and nickel – magnetic; gravity

Pangaea All continents form one super continent

Weather Map Symbols (H, L)

Cold front Cold wind that replaces warm wind. Cold and dry

Interaction of CFC and Ozone CFC – come from refrigerators and aerosol spray cans Eats away at Ozone

Weathering and Erosion Break down of rocks; land, mountains due to wind and weather

Ecosystem Geographic area- all living and non-living components

Abiotic Not living – air, water, soil, sunlight, climate

Biotic Living – all life

Energy in an ecosystem Sun – moves through the food chain Much is lost

Habitat Place – environment an organism lives in

Niche Role or job in an ecosystem House fly: Decompose organic matter Honey bee: Pollinate flowering plants Worms are decomposers, therefore his niche would be to break down decaying carcasses and leaves. Wolves in Alaska are to control the caribou population, but the governor up there thinks that's her job Urban striped skunk. - Its niche is eating catfood, garbage, small rodents, bird eggs, anything else, denning under porches, spraying at dogs and children who chase them, dying or rabies or other diseases, getting hit by cars, and eaten by great horned owls.

Producer Make food from sunlight

Consumer Eat plants or animals

Secondary consumer Eat primary consumers

Decomposer Fungi, bacteria, or scavengers – eat dead organisms- break them down

Population Number of one type of organism in a very specific area of land

Evolution The change of life forms over time

Natural selection Nature selects the organisms with the best traits to survive and pass their genes

Adaptation A beneficial trait that helps an organism survive

Camouflage Blend in with environment

Warning colors Bright colors indicate they are poisonous to eat.

Mimicry Copy animals with warning colors, but are not poisonous Honeybee harmless fly

Succession Forest Gets destroyed – describe how new forest forms Grasses – shrubs - trees

Biome Places on Earth – specific geographic location, climate, plants, and animals

Tropical Rainforest Hot, rainy species of animals with specialized ways of surviving in order to avoid competition

Deciduous forest Trees grow lush green leaves in the spring, but lose their leaves in late summer.

Temperate Rain forest low rainfall in summer but abundant snow in winter.

Tundra tundra, then grasslands, then tropical rain forests

Equator Center of Earth that gets most sun….hot