Environmental Science Semester 1 Review
Define environmental problems facing the world (overpopulation, pollution, resource depletion, technology
driven chemical pollution – pesticides, PCB’s, hormone disruptors) (Ch. 1,2)
ECOLOGY (Ch. 1, 4, 5, Ch. 10)
Identify the components of an ecosystem: biotic, abiotic, water cycle, species, populations, communities
Explain food relationships: producer, consumer, herbivore, predator, prey, omnivore, decomposer, food chain
food web, trophic level, photosynthesis, cellular respiration
Explain the relationship between energy and nutrients (energy flow and nutrient cycling: carbon cycle,
nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, biomass and energy pyramids, 10% rule)
Explain interspecific relationships: parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, predator prey, competition for
resources, herbivory, niche, habitat, keystone species
Define biodiversity, endangered species, threatened species, invasive species, extinction
WATER (Ch. 11)
Explain basic water chemistry, water cycle, sources of water, uses of water
Recognize water pollution sources: pathogens, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals, pollutants that cause
ecosystem disruption (sediments, plant nutrients, oxygen demanding wastes, thermal)
Recall water tests used at Wakarusa River and in water filtration experiment (turbidity, coliform, pH,
temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, phosphates)
Outline drinking water treatment process and wastewater treatment process (aeration, sedimentation,
filtration, disinfection)
Explain Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act, paraphrase EPA water quality standards. Explain timeline of clean water legislation.
Recognize worldwide water shortage crisis causes and potential solutions.
POPULATION (Ch. 1, 8, 9)
Comprehend population dynamics (e.g. population size (N), population density, population distribution,
population growth, carrying capacity, biotic potential, environmental resistance, limiting factor)
Outline human population growth characteristics (e.g. pattern over history, recent explosion, changes in birth
and death rates, fertility rate, survivorship, age structure)
Explain the importance of population demographics (e.g. population size, density, immigration, emigration)
Predict the environmental consequences of population explosion in developing countries. Recognizes
population structure, disease, environmental and cultural influences on population growth
Summarize how changes in food production have affected population growth (i.e. Early agriculture, 1 st
Agricultural Revolution, 2nd Agricultural Revolution
VOCABULARY
scientific method
Environmental science
renewable resources
nonrenewable resources
ecology
sustainability
Tragedy of the Commons
biodiversity
extinction
endangered species
threatened species
invasive species
closed system
open system
Industrial Revolution
Agricultural revolution
developed countries
developing countries
law of supply and demand
cost benefit analysis
risk assessment
ecological footprint
deforestation
pollution
nonbiodegradable pollutant
ecosystem
biotic factors
abiotic factors
organism
species
population
community
biome
habitat
photosynthesis
producer
consumer (primary, secondary, tertiary)
autotroph
heterotroph
decomposer
food chain
food web
trophic levels
energy pyramid
symbiosis
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
carbon cycle
water cycle
nitrogen cycle
phosphorous cycle
biodiversity
endangered species
threatened species
invasive (exotic) species
habitat destruction
precipitation
evaporation
condensation
transpiration
runoff
groundwater
percolation
aquifer
watershed
turbidity
pH
eutrophication
desalination
limiting factors
point source pollution
nonpoint source pollution
surface water
river system
watershed
groundwater
aquifer
porosity
permeability
recharge zone
potable
pathogen
dam
reservoir
desalination
water pollution
waste-water
artificial eutrophication
thermal pollution
inorganic chemicals
organic chemicals,
radioactive materials
dead zone (Poisoned Waters)
endocrine disruptors (Poisoned Waters)
legacy pollution (Poisoned Waters)
PCBs (Poisoned Waters)
biomagnification (Poisoned Waters)
dams
Clean Water Act