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Biology 1110
Chapters 11,13, 15
54
Biology
Undergraduate 1
04/13/2012

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Term
Ecosystem Diversity
Definition
measures the different communities and habitats in an area
Term
Species Diversity
Definition
Measures number or variety of species
Term
Genetic Diversity
Definition
measures variations in genes among individual species
Term
taxonomy
Definition
practice of placing related organisms in hierarchical groups
Term
Taxon Categories
Definition
Contains fewer organisms that are more closely related
Do - Domain
Kings - Kingdom
Play - Phylum
Cards - Class
On - Order
Fat - Family
Green - Genus
Stools - Species
Term
Extinction
Definition
when all members of a species die - we have had five mass extinctions
Term
invasive species
Definition
species that invade other communities - humans are the worst
Term
latitudinal gradient
Definition
species diversity increases toward lower latitudes (near the equator) due to climate
Term
Living Planet Index
Definition
measures biodiversity in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater environments - index fell 28% b/w 1970 and 2005
Term
Causes of decrease in biodiversity
Definition
- habitat loss (greatest) - habitat fragmentation (land broken-up) roads etc.; praries have suffered the most loss (70%) - overharvesting - commercial grain overhunting/fishing - introduction of invasive species - global warming
Term
Urbanization
Definition
leads to habitat loss and fragmentation; developing nations show an increase; developed nations show a decrease
Term
new urbanism
Definition
pushes for communities to have resources on a walkable scale
Term
transit-oriented development
Definition
energy efficient, alternative to cars; the US is lagging behind in production of trains and buses
Term
greenbelts
Definition
long, wide corridors of parklands in urban areas - chicago is a leader in this
Term
Pollution in cities
Definition
light pollution; airborne pollutants (cars); noise pollution; decrease in wildlife; water pollution; pavement absorbs light and emmits it at night
Term
US Green Building Council
Definition
promotes buildings with low ecological footprints
Term
LEED
Definition
organization that certifies buildings as "green"
Term
Benefits of Dams
Definition
Renewable electricity; irrigation; flood control; recreation
Term
Drawbacks of Dams
Definition
habitat alteration; thermal pollution; block migrating fish; risk of catastrophes; slow down water so it gets warmer; China's gorges have submerged archeological sites
Term
Hoover Dam
Definition
created LAke Mead, which is the largest man - made resovoir in the US; Drought made Mead @ 41% capacity, which alters cost vs. benefit balance
Term
All American Canal
Definition
diverts water from Colorado River to irrigate crops; world's largest canal
Term
Freshwater
Definition
2.5% of all water on earth - 1% of this is in lakes/ponds; 20% of this is groundwater
Term
Lake and pond zones
Definition
Littoral, Limnetic, Profundal, Benthic
(Lizards Like Polkadot Bathingsuits)
Term
Littoral
Definition
top zone of pond/lake - shallow, plants
Term
Limnetic
Definition
Second zone of lakes/ponds - open water; sun; phytoplankton
Term
Profundal
Definition
third zone of lakes/ponds - deep water; no sun
Term
Benthic
Definition
bottom zone of lakes/ponds; rich in nutrients but low in oxygen
Term
Wetlands
Definition
categorized by vegetation; shallow freshwater pools; marshes, swamps, bogs, vernal
Term
Groundwater
Definition
20% freshwater - aquifers pumps and wells
Term
Unconfined aquifers
Definition
lie above impermeable clay
Term
Confined aquifers (artesian)
Definition
trapped between impermeable layers
Term
Water quality monitoring
Definition
chemical - nutrients, ph, taste
physical - color, temperature, turbidity
biological - fecal baceria, disese, algae
living - macroinvertebrate; biotic index
Term
desalination
Definition
saltwater turned into freshwater
Term
distilling
Definition
desalination - evaporates saltwater and condenses water vapor
Term
reverse osmosis
Definition
desalination - forces water through membranes to filter out salts
Term
water conservation
Definition
low-flow faucets; rain barrels; reuse waste water from showers or sinks; native landscaping (xeriscoping)
Term
Which activity can contribute to soil erosion?
Definition
excessive tilling, overgrazing rangelands, clearing forests,
Term
Which farming method involves planting different crops from one season to the next?
Definition
crop rotation
Term
Which soil erosion has the topsoil?
Definition
A
Term
Most plants are adapted to which type of soil?
Definition
loam
Term
Bt is a ______ derived from a ______.
Definition
pesticide; bacterium
Term
The idea that new actions should not be taken until all ramifications of that action are understood is called _____ principle.
Definition
precautionary
Term
Which animal product is the most resource intensive to produce?
Definition
beef
Term
Raising animals in feedlots has what environmental impacts?
Definition
pathogens have evolved drug resistance; release greenhouse gases; cause etrophication; reduce overgrazing
Term
The different communities and habitats in an area make up its______
Definition
ecosystem
Term
The greatest cause for the recent decline in biodiversity is ...
Definition
habitat loss
Term
In North America, overhunting has led to the extinction of the _______ pigeon.
Definition
passenger
Term
The LEED program seeks to certify...
Definition
green buildings
Term
The Colorado River drains into...
Definition
Gulf of California
Term
Groundwater is contained in porous formations of rock, sand, or gravel is called...
Definition
aquifers
Term
One cause for thermal pollution of a river is...
Definition
dams
Term
Most of the water on Earth is in _________.
Definition
oceans
Term
The _________ zone is the open water across the surface of a pond where sunlight allows phytoplankton to drift.
Definition
Limnetic
Term
Seasonal wetlands that serve as breeding grounds for amphibians are called _________.
Definition
vernal pools
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