Environmental Science 1401

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Exam 1 Review Guide:
Exam 1 covers chapters 1, 2 and 3 and will consist of 50 multiple choices, fill in the blank, diagram

and true/false questions. The following topics could be on the Exam. You should read through the

textbook chapters and your class notes to prepare. Bring a scantron, pencil and calculator for the

exam. You cannot share calculators or use your cell phone calculator.

Chapter 1:
What is exponential growth? What are the results of exponential growth? What is the current world

population? rule of 70; doubling time equation; sustainability; IPAT model; environmental

science; Garrett Hardin and the tragedy of the commons; stewardship; renewable resources

(examples); nonrenewable resources (examples); sustainable yield; environmental degradation;

ecological footprint; steps to solving environmental problems.

Chapter 2:
utilitarian conservationist; biocentric preservationist; NEPA; Rachel Carson; DDT and impacts of

long-term exposure; Is DDT illegal in the United States? Why or why not? First Earth day;

CERCLA; northern spotted owl; John James Audubon; Dust Bowl; General Revision Act;

Theodore Roosevelt; Aldo Leopold; Wallace Stegner; Environmental Impact Statement; frontier

attitude; misperception of soil; environmental legislation after 1970 (NEPA; CAA; CWA; RCRA,

TSCA; CERCLA; SDWA; etc.); command and control solutions; Sierra Club and the Hetch

Hetchy Valley;

Chapter 3:
ecology; organisms; species; populations; habitats; community; biome; cell; Prokaryotes,

Eukaryotes; Stromatolites; components of the biosphere; Ecotone; Thermohaline circulation;

chemical and physical changes and types/examples; limiting factors for terrestrial and aquatic

environments; environments; abiotic; biotic; composition of the atmosphere and atmospheric

layers; energy: potential vs. kinetic; law of conservation of matter; 1st law of thermodynamics;

2nd law of thermodynamics; chemosynthesis; aurora borealis and Australis; lithosphere;

producers; consumers; herbivores; carnivores; omnivores; scavengers; Detritivores; biodiversity

and types of biodiversity; food web; food chain; range of tolerance; decline of the honeybee; Ernest

Haeckel and Aldo Leopold; parthenogenesis; genetic diversity; hydrologic cycle; what does

sunlight provide? Hydrothermal vents; ecotone;

Environment

Tenth Edition

Raven

Chapter 1

Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability

Overview of Chapter 1
Human Impacts on The Environment
Population, Resources and the Environment
Sustainability
Environmental Science
Addressing Environmental Problems

Food as a Lens for Our Relationship to the Environment
Chicken sandwich requires: wheat, chicken, other ingredients, pesticides, fertilizers, energy (petroleum) to manufacture, transport, treat generated wastes, and make packaging, landfills
Our individual choices affect the environment
How could we adapt our food-production practices for greater sustainability?

The Environment (Earth)
Life has existed on Earth for 3.8 billion yrs.
Earth well suited for life
Water over ¾ of the planet
Habitable temperature, moderate sunlight
Atmosphere provides oxygen and carbon dioxide
Soil with essential minerals for plants
Modern humans appeared in Africa only 100,000 years ago

Increasing Human Numbers
In 19 50, eight cities had populations > 5 million
N Y C – 12.3 million
In 2016, large urban agglomerations of cities
10 largest metropolitan areas, total of 200 million
Tokyo, Japan – 17.8 million, with 38.1 in greater metropolitan area

Human Population Growth
In 2017, human population is: 7.5 billion
Passed 7 billion in 2011
Growing exponentially
Estimates of 9.3 -10.5 billion by end of 21st century
In areas with fast growing populations, quality of life for many people may worsen considerably

Population and Extreme Poverty
More than 1 in 2 people live in extreme begin underline poverty end underline
Cannot meet basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, health
< $2.50 per U.S. dollars day Fertility rates worldwide children per family Expected to decline and stabilize by end of 21st century Difficult to meet population needs without exploiting Earth’s resources Countries Differentiated Based on Wealth Highly Developed Countries (H D C) Complex industrialized bases, low population growth, high per capita incomes Ex: U.S., Canada, Japan Less Developed Countries (L D C) Developing countries, low level of industrialization, high fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, low per capita income (relative to highly developed countries) Ex: Bangladesh, Kenya, and Nicaragua Income Disparity Between Rich and Poor Rising income disparity in many countries Large gap between wealthy and poor citizens Differential access to electricity, cars, modern medicine Recently, greater disparity between urban and rural citizens in L D C Ex: China, India, Brazil, Mexico Total wealth of country less accurate in describing well-being of citizens Population, Resources, and Environment: Needs for Survival Two useful generalizations: 1. Essential resources for individual survival are small However, rapidly increasing population can quickly overwhelm or deplete, especially locally Individual Resource Consumption 2. Individual resource consumption can far outweigh needs of survival Affluent nations use larger portions and can exhaust resources globally Types of Natural Resources Natural Resources Renewable Natural Resources Direct solar energy Energy of winds, tides, flowing water Fertile soil Clean air Fresh water Biological diversity (forests, food crops, fishes) Nonrenewable Natural Resources Metallic minerals (gold, tin) Nonmetallic minerals (salt, phosphates, stone) Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) Resource Consumption Human use of materials and energy Economic and social act People in H D Cs are big consumers Unsustainable Consumption When level of demand on resources damages or depletes resources enough to reduce the quality of life for future generations Caused by overpopulation and/or overconsumption Ecological Footprint The average amount of productive land, fresh water, and ocean required to continuously provide that person with all the resources they consume Earth’s Productive Land and Water 11.4 billion hectares Amount Each Person is Allotted (divide Productive Land & Water by Human Pop.) 1.5 hectares Current Average Global Ecological Footprint 2.7 hectares Ecological Overshoot Humans have a global ecological overshoot Ecological Footprint Comparison Large variation in footprints among countries I P A T Model Model - represents a system; describes the system as it exists and predicts how changes in one part of the system will affect the rest of the system. Average Fuel efficiency in U.S. Average fuel economy 22.1 mpg (19 88) 20.4 mpg (2000) S U V popularity 24.8 (2015) Hybrid popularity Passenger car efficiency increased by since 19 80 (left) Sustainability Requires Long-term Perspective Ability to meet current human economic and social needs without compromising the ability of the environment to support future generations Sustainability Requires Long-term Perspective Focus on Sustainability Stabilize human population Prevent pollution where possible Restore degraded environments Protect natural ecosystems Use resources efficiently Educate all boys and girls Prevent and reduce waste Eradicate hunger and poverty Sustainability and Human Behavior Not often operating sustainably because of behaviors: Extract resources as if they are unlimited Consume faster than resources are replenished Pollute at high rates Increase population despite finite resources Tragedy of the Commons Garrett Hardin (19 15–2003) Solving environmental problems is result of struggle between: Short-term welfare Long-term environmental stability and societal welfare Common-pool resources Garrett used common pastureland in medieval Europe to illustrate the struggle Sustainability works best with collaborative stewardship Sustainable Development- Systems Concept Economic development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Summits helping to form international approaches Environmental Science Interdisciplinary study of humanity’s relationship with other organisms and the nonliving physical environment Biology Ecology Begin underline Geography Chemistry Geology Physics Economics Sociology Demography Politics Earth’s System and Environmental Science System A set of components that interact and function as a whole Global Earth Systems Climate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones, oceans Ecosystem A natural system consisting of a community of organisms and its physical environment Systems in a dynamic equilibrium with feedback among components Negative Feedback Negative feedback Change in some condition triggers a response that counteracts (reverses) the changed condition Positive Feedback Positive feedback Change triggers a response that intensifies the changing condition Ex: polar and glacial ice melt, color change leading to more rapid melting Science is a Dynamic Process Science is a systematic way to investigate the natural world To manage and produce information Scientists collect objective data through observations and experiments, and make conclusions Published work is peer reviewed Process by which scientific findings are scrutinized and validated or rejected by other experts in the field Helps to self-correct errors Scientific Method The way a scientist approaches a problem by formulating a hypothesis and then testing it by means of an experiment Controls and Variables in Experiments Variable A factor that influences a process May be altered in an experiment to determine its effect on the outcome Experimental group Chosen variable is altered in known way Control group Variable is not altered Allows for comparison between the tests of when we alter the variable and when we do not alter the variable Scientific Knowledge and Theory Theory An integrated explanation of numerous hypotheses, each supported by a large body of observations and experiments and evaluated by the peer review process Simplifies, clarifies, and predicts our understanding of the natural world Absolute truth is not possible in science Varying degrees of uncertainty Knowledge evolves as new evidence is found Climate Change: Hypotheses and Theory C O2 and other gases from burning fossil fuels affect climate Unable to test or run large experiments globally Must acquire lots of data and adapt theories and understanding with new data Many parts of climate theory are tested C O2 and rise in atmosphere Impact of gases on solar radiation Addressing Environmental Problems Five steps represent ideal approach Scientific assessment Risk analysis Public engagement Political action Long-term evaluation Reality is untidy Often, public pushes for a solution Environmental Science in Practice: Lake Washington Large, deep freshwater lake Suburban sprawl in 19 40’s 10 new sewage treatment plants dumped treated effluent, high in nutrients, into lake Effect = excessive growth of cyanobacteria Bacterial decomposition of cyanobacteria depleted O2 Scientific Assessment of Lake Washington Scientists from University of Washington studied problem and collected data Study informed Washington Pollution Control Commission (19 55) Commission concluded that effluents added nutrients to Lake, particularly phosphorus Nutrients caused growth of cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria decomposed by bacteria depleted O2 Low O2 reduced fish and small invertebrates If pollution stopped, lake would recover Recovery Plan for Lake Washington Many political hurdles in passing a plan Accepted bill was most ambitious and expensive pollution control project in U.S. at the time Treated sewage was diverted into trunk sewer that ringed lake (starting in 19 63) Eventually discharged into Puget Sound, where it would have less effect By 19 75, lake was healthy and water was clear Today, work to reduce waste generation in view of greater population around lake Data on Recovery of Lake Washington ~3 ~50%

Environmental Laws, Economics and Ethics

Chapter 2

Case in Point…
The Northern Spotted Owl

The Northern Spotted Owl
Northwestern US within old-growth forests.
< 10% - 15% remain; biological habitats; 41 T&E species Environmental laws – Endangered Species Act (ESA) Logging suspended for 3 m acres Safeguard for watersheds Economics – jobs threatened by suspension; BUT ~12,000 jobs eliminated due to automation in the industry; industry not operating sustainably Ethics – more than jobs vs. the environment EIS not done? 2008 23% reduction in protected area due to pressure from timber industry on the FWS. How do we balance Environmental law, Economics and our Ethics? How do we balance Environmental law, Economics and our Ethics in a manner that will benefit both the environment and the human population? How has it been done in the past? Possible Solutions? A Brief Environmental History of the United States A Frontier Attitude During the 18th and 19th centuries, most Americans had a frontier attitude toward nature and resources. Conquering nature - manipulating the landscape Exploiting nature – overharvesting Then, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries mentality Changed from destruction to protection of some resources. Protecting the environment Utilitarian Conservationist A person who values natural resources because of their usefulness for practical purposes but uses them sensibly and carefully Biocentric Preservationist A person who believes in protecting nature because all forms of life deserve respect and consideration Protecting the Forests Numerous men contributed to the protection of American forests throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. They helped in arising widespread public interest in wildlife, ecology and environmental change. John James Audubon Henry David Thoreau George Perkins Marsh John Muir General Revision Act 1891 Gave the president authority to establish forest reserves on federally owned land. Harrison, Cleveland, T. Roosevelt removed 43 million acres from logging. Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919) designated 21 new national forests (16 million acres) before he signed the bill that rescinded GRA 1891. Establishing and Protecting National Parks and Monuments 1872 – Yellowstone National Park was established. The world’s first National Park. 1916 – Congress created the NPS (National Parks Service) to manage the national parks and monuments for the enjoyment of the public “without impairment”. Today – 58 national parks, 73 national monuments under the NPS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFYiEDJfRW0 Sierra Club and the Hetch Hetchy Valley Yosemite National Park Dammed in 1913 for San Francisco residential drinking water. 1934, water arrived. Controversy generated sentiments for better protection of the national parks system – 1916 National Parks Service created to manage for the public “without impairment”. Dinosaur National Monument, CO 1950’s. Conservationists won battle against a dam construction within area. Drowning 400ft would impair it, aesthetics, science. Established the use without impairment clause may aid in restoration of the Hetch Hetchy. CA est. 10 billion to repair Devastation of the Land Landscape Alteration: Wetlands drained Everglades, Florida 90% bird loss (2 million) Dredged rivers and built canals beginning 1883 “Eutrophication” excessive growth of plant life. Loss of forests and vegetation erosion/silt build-up. 1904 - Napoleon Bonaparte Broward elected Governor: promised to create "Empire of the Everglades" by wringing the last drop of water out of that "pestilence-ridden swamp" Misperception of soil 1909 – U.S. Bureau of Soils “. . . soil is the one indestructible, immutable asset that the nation possesses. It is the one resource that cannot be exhausted; that cannot be used-up.” Early stages of the Dust Bowl Biggest Ecological Disaster in the U.S. Setting the Stage for Disaster 1889 Oklahoma settled 40 m acres virgin land  drought-resistant wheat planted Great Plains land not suitable for intensive usage: Thin topsoil…Drought…Overuse… High Winds 1917 - Russian Revolution wheat imports to US ceased/US now biggest producer. American Farmers increased production 2.5 times the 1914 level Added 5 million acres 1925 to 1930 1932 – rains ceased, (<12 in that year) Conservation in the mid-20th Century Franklin Roosevelt – acted in response to the dust bowl by forming the Soil Conservation Service. Aldo Leopold – argued for a land ethic through his writings. Wallace Stegner – wrote an essay that helped create support for the passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Rachel Carson – wrote about the impacts of pesticides. Aldo Leopold (1886 – 1948) - Work with U.S. Forest Service in Southwest Preservationist LAND ETHIC - All forms of life have right to health existence Environment does not belong to people, must be shared “Father of modern Wildlife Ecology" His ideas & work pioneered the field of Ecology With Robert Marshall, founded The Wilderness Society Researcher with US F&W Service 1962, Silent Spring Effects of pesticides through food chain, esp. DDT DDT banned in U.S. in 1972 “…the speed of change in society was based not on natural factors, but on the impetuous pace of human inventiveness.” Most popular book of the 1960s Modern Environmental Movement Spurred debate Call for increased pollution control John Maddox (Theoretical Physicist) said Carson was “prophet of doom” 1960s Reaction - Rachel Carson DDT ILLEGAL?? - June 14, 1972, William D. Ruckelshaus, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency http://www.youtube.com/embed/DGV6NRCYgyg Long Term Effects of DDT Moderately hazardous (WHO), based on the rat oral LD50 of 113 mg/kg Organochlorine compound Diabetes Developmental and reproductive toxicity: endocrine disruptor Carcinogenic Breast cancer Bioaccumulation through the trophic levels. Species declining Still used after ban: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act in October 1972. EPA granted use under Act. Douglas fir moth epidemic in NW 1974 1979 CA, flea vectors of bubonic plague The Environmental Movement of the late 20th Century The First Earth Day! April 22nd, 1970 Senator Gaylord Nelson urged Dennis Hayes to organize an national day to address environmental concerns. Educated the US about issue associated with population growth, overuse of resources, and pollution and environmental degradation. Environmental Policy After 1970 1969 – NEPA (effective as of January 1 of 1970) 1970 – Clean Air Act 1973 – Endangered Species Act 1974 – Safe Drinking Water Act 1976 – Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 1976 – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 1977 – Clean Water Act 1980 - CERCLA William Ruckleshaus “command & control” of 6,000 employees & $1.3 B budget New Environmental Legislation 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Required environmental impact assessments Established EPA to enforce law Unified environmental authority National Air Pollution Control Bureau of Water Hygiene Bureau of Radiological Health from HEW Pesticides from USDA etc…. Summarizes potential/expected adverse impacts on the environment associated with a project and alternatives to the proposed project. Environmental Impact Statement The nature of the proposal and why it is needed. The environmental impacts of the proposal, including short-term and long-term effects and any adverse environmental effects if the proposal is implemented. Alternatives to lessen the adverse effects of the proposal, mitigating potential adverse impacts. Clean Air Act (1963 – enacted 1970, 1977, 1990) Law that defines EPA's responsibilities for protecting and improving the nation's air quality and the stratospheric ozone layer. Endangered Species Act of 1973 Authorizes the listing of species as endangered and threatened. Prohibits unauthorized taking, possession, sale, and transport of endangered species. Provides authority to acquire land for the conservation of listed species. Authorizes States t0 establish and maintain active and adequate programs for endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. Authorizes civil and criminal penalties for violating the Act or regulations. Authorizes the payment of rewards to anyone furnishing information leading to arrest and conviction for any violation of the Act. Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 EPA sets standards for drinking water quality to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply. Amended in 1986 and 1996 Requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells. SDWA does not regulate private wells which serve fewer than 25 individuals. Toxic Substances Control Act - 1976 Act granted EPA authority to collect data on chemicals in order to determine risks posed by their manufacture, processing, and use. TSCA standards may apply at any point during a chemical's life cycle. Among the chemicals EPA regulates under Section 6 authority are asbestos, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), lead, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). A large number of chemicals were grandfathered in, requiring no testing for risks. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act - 1976 RCRA created the framework for the management of non-hazardous solid wastes. RCRA gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from the "cradle-to-grave." Generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. The 1986 amendments to address environmental problems that could result from underground tanks storing petroleum and other hazardous substances. Clean Water Act - 1972 CWA establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. 1948 was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972 to become the CWA. NPDES permits 1980s --- CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, & Liability Act enacted Dec 11, 1980 “Superfund” closed & abandoned haz sites liability of persons responsible trust fund for cleanup Short-term removals Long-term remedial response actions NCP = National Contingency Plan = “how to fix it” NPL = National Priorities List How Does Being Green = $$$ Economics in the Environment Finite resources for infinite wants. Fossil Fuels vs. Alternative (Renewable) Energy Negative Externalities: Pollution due to??? Optimal amount of pollution? How do we decide? Cost-Benefit Analysis: Clean air vs. cheap gas; Aesthetic views vs. cheap electricity Command and Control Solutions? EPA placing limits on pollution Incentive based regulations Finland CO2 tax Sweden CO2 and SO2 tax, BUT decreases income taxes. Tradable pollution permits: AKA: Marketable waste-discharge permits Cap and Trade a bust!

Ch. 3
Ecosystems and Energy:

Basic ecological principles

Major components

Matter Cycles & Energy Flow

Ecosystem Studies

Abiotic vs. the Biotic World
Ecology – ‘eco’ – house
‘logy’ – study
Our house – The Environment consists of two parts:
Biotic: living environment
Abiotic: Nonliving, or physical world
What is Ecology?

Ecology
Study of relationships and interactions among organisms and their environment.

Organism = any form of life

Contributors to Ecology
Ernst Haeckel – developed concept of ecology and named the science discipline.

Aldo Leopold-
Naturalist, wild life ecologist

Decline of the Honey Bee
Exhibiting Colony Collapse Disorder.
US 90% decline in some areas.
Pollution?
Pesticides?
Diseases?
Neonicotinoids?
Key indicator species for eco-concerns.
1/3 US food supplies in danger.

How does Ecology fit into an organized biological world?
Life is highly organized:
Atoms organized into molecules
Molecules organized into cells
Multicellular organisms: cells organized into tissues,
Tissues to organs; Organs to body systems; to the individual organism

Organisms Classified According To Cell Structure
Cell = basic unit of life
Eukaryotic
– all organisms besides bacteria
– unicellular, plant, fungus, animal

Prokaryotic
– bacteria
Cyanobacteria
(blue-green algae)

Prokaryotic
– no distinct nucleus or other internal parts

Stromatolites
2.8 to 3.5 bya
Fossilized cyanobacteria
Single-celled colonies
Prokaryotic
Using photosynthesis produced O2 – AIR!
Nitrogen fixators
N2 NH3
Nitrogen to ammonia to biosynthesize cells into more complex life forms.
Geologic indicators

Eukaryotic: distinct nucleus

Organism to Species…
Zebra Mussels
Invasive Species from Eurasia
Damage to native vegetation
Clogs pipes
Filter pollen and nutrients out of water

Species
– groups of organisms that resemble one another in appearance, behavior, chemistry, and genetic endowment
Generally species will not interbreed with other species organisms BUT…
 under natural conditions, some actually / potentially breed with one another & produce live, fertile offspring

Sexual Reproduction
– Producing offspring by combining sex cells or gametes (ovum and sperm) from both parents

Asexual Reproduction
mother cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells (clones or replicas)
 common in single-cell organisms

Populations Genetic Diversity
Individuals of population vary slightly in genetic makeup
 variation in appearance or behavior
human eye/hair/skin color
snail shell color/banding

Habitat – place where a population or individual organism normally lives
Community – place co-occupied by two or more populations

ONE Global Ecosystem
Community of various species interacting with one another and with the abiotic environment.

EARTH ECOSYSTEM
Biosphere
Biomes – climatic similarities, ecosystems
Communities
Populations
Organisms

Earth Ecosystem = 4 “spheres”
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
+ Anthrosphere

Air
Atmosphere

Composition of the atmosphere
~78% nitrogen
~21% oxygen
< 1% argon < 1% trace gases, Including water vapor and green house gases Aurora: Borealis & Australis Collision of charged particles directed by the Earth's magnetic field Hydrosphere Liquid = surface and ground water Ice = caps, sheets, glaciers, bergs & permafrost Vapor = in atmosphere & soil Earth’s spheres cont. Biosphere All Life Forms Living & Dead in Air, Water & Lithosphere Lithosphere Crust + Upper Mantle Energy Drives Earth Systems Energy - capacity to do work & transfer heat Light energy Heat energy Electricity Nuclear energy Chemical energy = stored in coal, sugar… Mechanical energy of moving matter = flowing water, wind & ice Radiation - transmission of energy through space as particles or waves Potential energy - stored energy potentially available for use due to position Kinetic energy - energy in motion e.g.: wind, flowing water, heat, electricity, moving bodies, electromagnetic radiation Potential vs. Kinetic Energy Law of Conservation of Matter Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier (1743 – 1794) Anne-Marie Lavoisier (1758 – 1836) French nobleman; studied chemistry, biology; recognized/named O and H Helped construct metric system First list of elements Law of Conservation of Matter Matter is not consumed Matter only changes form do not create nor destroy atoms  Rearranged or recombined First Law of Thermodynamics Energy is neither created nor destroyed, changes through chemical & physical processes Energy only changes form Cannot get more energy out of a system than is present within it Second Law of Thermodynamics In every transformation, some energy is degraded to lower quality (usually Heat) Cannot “break even” in terms of energy quality Physical change - no change in composition change in size change in state Chemical change - chemical composition altered MAY include change of size and/or state Reactant(s)  Product(s) carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide + energy C + O2  CO2 + energy Physical & Chemical Changes Physical change Exfoliation, root wedging, frost wedging, thermal stress, biologic breakdowns, water alteration (erosion) Chemical change Oxidation Dissolution Precipitation Hydrolysis Important Limiting Factors for Aquatic Environments Temperature Sunlight – what if it cannot penetrate deep into the ocean? Salinity Water currents Dissolved oxygen content dependent on temp and pressure Availability of nutrients (N and P) Range of Tolerance of population to physical & chemical characteristics in environment Temperature/Saline density and circulation patterns Hydrothermal Vents Günter Wächtershäuser Iron-sulfur world theory life might have originated at hydrothermal vents. amino-acid synthesis at vents along with hydrothermal fluids into cooler waters, where lower temperatures and the presence of clay minerals could have fostered the formation of peptides (amino acid chains) - 37 Chemosynthesis Biological conversion of one or more carbon molecules (CO2 or methane) and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic molecules (hydrogen gas, hydrogen sulfide) or methane as a source of energy No photosynthesis required. Ecotone = transition zone between environments Ecological Boundaries Important Limiting Factors for Terrestrial Environments Temperature Oxygen Sunlight Precipitation Wind Soil Fire frequency Latitude – distance from equator Altitude – distance above/below sea level Sustaining Life on Earth Energy flow Cycles Gravity Sunlight Sustains Life on Earth Lights and warms the planet Supports photosynthesis Powers the cycling of matter Drives the climate and weather systems Producers  autotrophs = self-feeders green plants algae phytoplankton some bacteria Consumers  heterotrophs = depend directly or indirectly on producers Consumers Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores eat both plants and animals Bears…Turtles…Squirrels … Scavengers feed on dead organisms Vultures…Flies…Hyenas… Detritivores  “biodegradable” feed on & help decompose detritus Food Chain = trophic levels of energy flow Food Web = Interconnected Food Chains Ecological Pyramids = energy distributions Biodiversity Different species (life forms) and life-sustaining processes -- best suited to survive the variety of conditions on earth Diversity Genetic Diversity the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species Individuals of population vary slightly in genetic makeup  variation in appearance or behavior Species Diversity the number of species in an area and also their relative abundance, how relative the number of species compared to the number of other species within an area. Basic Principles of Ecosystem Services & Sustainability In Summary... Using solar energy as energy source Recycling reasonably efficiently the nutrients needed for survival, growth & reproduction