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| How does the Phosphorus cycle differ significantly from the Carbon and Nitrogen cycles regarding its reservoir locations? | Explain the relationship between the 10% Rule and the second law of thermodynamics in trophic levels. |
| According to the Theory of Island Biogeography, which two factors determine the equilibrium number of species on an island? | Distinguish between Net Primary Productivity (NPP) and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP). |
| Describe the physiological and reproductive characteristics of K-selected species compared to r-selected species. | Identify the phase of the Demographic Transition Model characterized by a rapidly falling death rate but a high birth rate, leading to the highest population growth. |
| How do convective cells (Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar) influence the distribution of global biomes? | Explain the 'Tragedy of the Commons' and provide a strategy to mitigate it. |
| The 10% Rule states that only approximately 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level. This aligns with the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics as energy is lost as high-quality heat during metabolic processes, increasing entropy. | The Phosphorus cycle lacks a significant atmospheric component; its primary reservoir is in sedimentary rock. It is released through weathering, making it often the limiting factor for primary productivity in ecosystems. |
| GPP is the total rate of photosynthesis in a given area. NPP is GPP minus the energy lost through cellular respiration by producers (NPP = GPP - R). NPP represents the actual biomass available to consumers. | Island size (larger islands have higher immigration and lower extinction) and distance from the mainland (islands closer to the mainland have higher colonization rates). |
| Stage 2: Transitional phase. Improved food production and sanitation lower death rates, while cultural norms maintain high birth rates. | K-selected species are generally large, have few offspring, provide high parental care, and mature slowly. r-selected species are small, produce many offspring, provide little parental care, and mature rapidly. |
| The tendency for individuals to over-exploit shared resources (e.g., fisheries, grazing land) for short-term gain, leading to long-term depletion. Mitigation includes privatization, government regulation, or community-based quotas. | Ascending moist air at 0° (Equator) creates tropical rainforests. Descending dry air at 30° N/S creates arid desert biomes. This cycle of rising and falling air determines global precipitation patterns. |
| Contrast the environmental impacts of surface mining versus deep shaft mining. | What are the three components of the 'Green Revolution' and what was a significant environmental trade-off? |
| Identify the primary air pollutants that react to form photochemical smog, and the environmental conditions required. | Under the Clean Air Act, identify the 'Criteria Air Pollutants' monitored by the EPA. |
| What is the primary mechanism of Ocean Acidification, and which compound is most affected in marine organisms? | Describe the process of Cultural Eutrophication in a body of water. |
| Define 'Biomagnification' and explain why it is particularly dangerous for top-tier predators. | How does the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) affect the fishing industry off the coast of South America? |
| Mechanization, synthetic fertilizers/pesticides, and high-yield crop varieties. Trade-offs include soil salinization due to over-irrigation, fertilizer runoff (eutrophication), and loss of genetic diversity. | Surface mining (e.g., mountaintop removal) causes massive habitat destruction and erosion. Deep mining is less disruptive to the surface but poses risks like acid mine drainage and methane leaks, and is more dangerous for workers. |
| Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Particulate Matter (PM), Ozone (O3), and Lead (Pb). | NOx (nitrogen oxides) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) react in the presence of sunlight and heat. This typically occurs in urban areas with high vehicle traffic and thermal inversions. |
| Nutrient runoff (N and P) leads to an algal bloom. When algae die, microbes decompose them, consuming vast amounts of dissolved oxygen (BOD increases), leading to hypoxia and fish kills. | Increased atmospheric CO2 is absorbed by the ocean, forming carbonic acid (H2CO3) and lowering pH. This reduces the availability of carbonate ions (CO3 2-), which organisms like corals and mollusks need for calcium carbonate shells. |
| Trade winds weaken or reverse, stopping the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water. This collapses the primary productivity (plankton), causing a crash in fish populations (like anchovies). | The increasing concentration of a persistent, fat-soluble toxin (like DDT or Mercury) at higher trophic levels. Because top predators eat many lower-level organisms, the accumulated toxins reach lethal or reproductive-disrupting levels. |
| Identify the soil horizon characterized by the most organic matter (humus) and the horizon characterized by leaching. | What is the primary environmental drawback of high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants? |
| Differentiate between Point Source and Non-Point Source pollution under the Clean Water Act. | Why is the tropospheric ozone considered 'bad' while stratospheric ozone is 'good'? |
| What is 'Energy Return on Investment' (EROI) and why is it decreasing for fossil fuels? | Explain how a thermal inversion traps air pollution near the ground. |
| Identify the chemical primarily responsible for stratospheric ozone depletion and the international treaty that phased it out. | What are the common sources of indoor air pollution in developing nations vs. developed nations? |
| It remains hazardous for thousands of years (long half-lives) and lacks a permanent, long-term underground storage facility in the U.S. (e.g., the Yucca Mountain controversy). | The O-horizon contains the most organic matter. The E-horizon (eluviation) is where leaching of minerals occurs most significantly. |
| Tropospheric ozone is a respiratory irritant and secondary pollutant in smog. Stratospheric ozone filters out harmful UV-B and UV-C radiation, protecting life from DNA damage and skin cancer. | Point source is a localized, identifiable source (e.g., a factory discharge pipe). Non-point source is diffuse runoff from large areas (e.g., agricultural fields, suburban lawns). |
| A layer of warm air sits above a layer of cooler, denser air. This 'cap' prevents convection, trapping pollutants like smog and particulate matter near the surface where people breathe. | EROI is the ratio of energy obtained to energy expended to get it. It is decreasing for fossil fuels because easily accessible deposits are depleted, requiring more energy to extract from tar sands or deep-sea wells. |
| Developing: Particulates from indoor biomass burning (wood/dung) for cooking. Developed: VOCs (from carpets/furniture), Radon (seeping from soil), and Mold. | Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and the Montreal Protocol (1987). |
| Describe the greenhouse effect and list three major greenhouse gases. | How does the Albedo Effect create a positive feedback loop in the Arctic? |
| What is the environmental significance of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)? | Contrast the environmental benefits and drawbacks of Hydroelectric Power. |
| What are the four 'Ecosystem Services' defined by the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment? | Describe the characteristics of an 'Invasive Species' that allow it to dominate a new environment. |
| Identify the primary cause of the 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Mexico. | How do tectonic plate boundaries (Divergent, Convergent, Transform) differ in their geological activity? |
| As ice melts, the surface changes from reflective (high albedo) to dark ocean water (low albedo). The dark water absorbs more heat, causing more ice to melt, further accelerating warming. | GHGs in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and re-radiate it, warming the lower atmosphere. Examples: CO2, CH4 (Methane), N2O (Nitrous Oxide), and H2O (water vapor). |
| Benefits: Renewable, no CO2 during operation. Drawbacks: Flooding of upstream habitats, disruption of fish migration (e.g., salmon), and methane release from decaying submerged vegetation. | It established 'cradle-to-grave' tracking of hazardous waste, ensuring its proper generation, transport, treatment, storage, and disposal. |
| They are usually generalists, r-selected, have no natural predators in the new area, and can outcompete native species for resources. | 1. Provisioning (food/water), 2. Regulating (climate/flood control), 3. Cultural (recreation/spiritual), 4. Supporting (nutrient cycling/soil formation). |
| Divergent: Plates move apart (seafloor spreading). Convergent: Plates collide (mountains or subduction zones/volcanoes). Transform: Plates slide past each other (earthquakes, no volcanoes). | Nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from the Mississippi River basin (largely from agricultural fertilizers) causing massive eutrophication and seasonal hypoxia. |
| Explain the concept of 'Sustainability' in the context of the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). | What is the function of an electrostatic precipitator in a coal-fired power plant? |
| What are the primary indicators of a species' risk of extinction according to the IUCN? | Explain why 'Integrated Pest Management' (IPM) is more sustainable than traditional pesticide use. |
| What is the 'Urban Heat Island' effect and what are two ways to mitigate it? | Identify the main goal of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). |
| What is the significance of the 'LD50' measurement in toxicology? | Contrast 'Passive Solar' versus 'Active Solar' energy systems. |
| It uses an electric charge to remove fine particulate matter (PM) from smoke stack emissions before they enter the atmosphere. | MSY is the maximum amount of a renewable resource that can be harvested without compromising its future availability; it is typically found at 50% of the carrying capacity (K). |
| IPM uses a combination of biological, cultural, and physical controls (e.g., introducing predators, crop rotation) and only uses chemicals as a last resort, reducing local toxicity and resistance. | Small population size, restricted geographic range, specialized niche requirements, and significant habitat fragmentation. |
| Commonly known as 'Superfund,' it provides for the cleanup of abandoned hazardous waste sites and holds responsible parties liable for the costs. | Urban areas are hotter than rural areas due to low-albedo surfaces (asphalt) and lack of transpiration. Mitigation: Roof gardens, planting trees, and using light-colored cool pavements. |
| Passive: Designs that capture sunlight without mechanical systems (e.g., south-facing windows). Active: Uses technology to convert/move energy (e.g., Photovoltaic cells or solar water heaters). | It is the 'Lethal Dose 50%'—the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of a test population. A lower LD50 indicates higher toxicity. |
| Identify two ecological consequences of deforestation. | Why is 'Overburden' a term associated with environmental impact in mining? |
| What is the difference between Primary and Secondary Succession? | How do 'Sanitary Landfills' differ from open dumps in terms of groundwater protection? |
| Explain 'Trophic Cascade' using an example of a keystone species. | |
| Overburden is the rock and soil removed to reach an ore deposit. Its disposal often leads to habitat destruction and potential leaching of heavy metals into groundwater. | Increased CO2 in the atmosphere (loss of carbon sink), increased soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of the local water cycle (less transpiration). |
| Sanitary landfills use plastic/clay liners to prevent leachate from entering groundwater and have systems to collect and treat leachate and methane gas. | Primary: Begins in a lifeless area with no soil (e.g., volcanic rock). Secondary: Occurs where an existing community has been cleared by a disturbance (fire/farming) but the soil remains. |
| If a keystone species (like the Grey Wolf) is removed, the secondary consumer population (deer) explodes, overgrazing the producers (willows/aspens), which then negatively impacts the rest of the ecosystem. | |