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BSC 160: EXAM 4 STUDY GUIDE DECK
What is ACID DEPOSITION
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-Acidic form of precipitation
-Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides react w/ sunlight, OH, water vapor that comes back to either dry acid or mixes with water to form acid rain
-Primary sources are coal burning power plants and motor vehicles
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Explain effects of acid rain
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--Leach nutrients in the ground
--Kill Nitrogen-fixing microorganisms that nourish plants
--Kill Fish
--Release toxic metals
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What are acid rain controls?
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--Fuel switching (wind, solar, etc)
--Coal washing (costly)
--Scrubbers (spray smoke to remove 95% pollutants)
--Fluidized bed combustion (burn coal w/ sand and lime)
--Reduced consumption of energy (conservation best solution)
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Describe the "Greenhouse effect"
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Normally sun rays are absorbed some are converted to infrared radiation that is transmitted back into space
--Some of the infrared absorbed by green house gasses insulating earth
--More accumulations of greenhouse gases traps more heat, causing global warming
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What are the greenhouse gases
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Carbon Dioxide
Water Vapor
Methane
Nitrous oxide
CFC's
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What role of CO2 in greenhouse effect
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Moderates earth's temperature
W/O CO2, temp would be 90 degrees cooler
Increase will have major impact on global climate conditions
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Describe major impacts of global warming
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Diminishing crop yields
--Human illness/death
--Rising sea levels
--Loss of biodiversity |
What was the Kyoto Protocol
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In 1997, 161 nations met to discuss global warming
--Required developed countries to cut GH gas emissions >5%
--Exempted developing countries
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Are there feasible alternatives to address global warming concerns? What are they?
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YES!!!
--Energy efficiency
--Alternative energy solutions like wind/solar power
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What is the ozone layer..where is it…is this good ozone or bad ozone
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Ozone generated in stratosphere from UV on O2
--MOST UV absorbed by ozone layer
--Unabsorbed UV can cause skin damage, cataracts, an harm to plants and aquatic organisms
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Explain effects of destruction of ozone
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As CFC's are released in sky, chlorine/bromine atoms convert ozone to oxygen, reducing amount of ozone in the atmosphere
--Allows more UV to penetrate Earth
--Causes health effects, damage crops, more smog produced
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What are UV health effects
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--Skin cancer
--Premature skin aging
--Eye damage
--Mutations
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Discuss problem with the "hole in the sky"
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Direct link between ozone later destruction & CFC emissions
-- Ozone depletion is worst at N / S poles
--Ozone loss continues, but situation has stabilized b/c of Montreal Protocol
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What was the policy response-montreal protocol
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Aimed at controlling chemicals most responsible for ozone layer depletion
--Mostly dealt w/ CFC reduction, halting CFC's entirely by 1999
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What are air pollutants
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Substances in atmosphere that have harmful effects on the environment & on animals, plants, and microbes
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Difference between primary and secondary pollutants
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Primary: produced by natural, stationary, non-stationary sources
Secondary: once they get into air, they may change (combine or break down)
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Which source of air pollution is easiest to control
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Stationary
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What is an inversion (be able to describe)
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Layer of warm air trapped between 2 layers of cold air
--Pollutants get trapped in warm air close to earth, causing problems
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Clean air act 1970 and amendments in 1990
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1970 - EPA administered, foundation of air pollution control efforts in US
--Identifying most widespread pollutants by setting ambient air standards
1990 amendments
--Tighten emission standards even more
--encourage development and use cleaner burning fossil fuels
--encourage people to drive less
--Identified 189 toxic pollutants
--EPA acknowledged need to pay more attention to problem of accidental releases of such chemicals
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Ambient Air standards
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Set levels of air contaminants that is okay
--Guidelines can be changed base on needs
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Two kinds of smog
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Industrial smog
Photochemical smog
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List some major air pollutants
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Sulfur oxides
Particulates (PM2.5, PM10)
VOC's (volatile organic compounds)
Nitrogen oxides
Ozone and other photochemical oxidants
Lead, mercury, other heavy metals
Air toxics and radon
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Major sources of pollution emissions in the US
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--Sulfur dioxide: burning fuel, coal for electricity
--Particulates: burning fuels, dust from agr & construction, factory emissions
--Volatile organic compounds; fuel burning and transportation
--Nitrogen oxides: fuel burning, transportation
--Carbon monoxide: transportation
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Describe air pollution effects on humans
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???
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Describe effects of air pollution on environment
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Plants sensitive to gaseous air pollutants, mostly effected by exposure to ozone and other photochemical oxidants
Damage can occur directly when pollutants destroy leaves or tree bark or indirectly when toxic substances enter the soil, destroying roots and soil microorganisms
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Describe process in limiting pollutants from motor vehicles
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-90% reduction of vehicle exhausts emissions by 1975
--New cars today emit 75% less pollutants than pre-1970
--The catalytic converter is major reason for success
MAIN REASON FOR LACK OF PROGRESS RECENTLY
cars are emitting less pollution, number of cars is drastically increasing
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Best ways to prevent air pollution
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Make smoke stacks taller
Remove contaminants after combustion
Tax each pound of pollution produced
Catalytic converters on vehicle exhausts
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Describe problem w/ indoor air pollutants
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Air inside home/workplace often contains more hazardous pollutants then outdoors
Many sources of indoor air pollution are common household products like cigarettes, air, disinfectants, etc
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What is RADON
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Comes from breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, water; gets into air we breathe
Odorless, invisible, tasteless so cannot be detected by human senses
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Radon health risks
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Lung cancer
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What is asbestos
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Collective term for group of six fibrous silicate minerals found almost worldwide
No safe level of asbestos
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Describe asbestos abatement methods and which are considered best
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Encapsulation
Enclosure
Removal
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Discuss lead as toxic hazard
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Widely used for many levels, alloy, ingredients in paint and glazes, cosmetics, gutters, piping
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Some sources of lead exposure in humans/home
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Glazed pottery and foods
Drinking water
Lead pipes and lead solder
House paint
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What are some emerging problems w/ game animals
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Number of roadkills outnumber hunter kills
Thriving in urbanized areas (hazards for humans)
No predators for animals besides hunters
Urbanization encroaches on the wild
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Describe relationship between human/animal populations
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As number of humans increase, number of species left in world DECREASES
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What is an ENDANGERED SPECIES
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Species that has been reduced to point where it is in imminent danger of becoming extinct if protection is not provided
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Threatened species
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Species judged to be in jeopardy, but not on brink of extinction
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Three major causes of animal extinction
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Species introduction
Habitat destruction
Hunting
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Habitat destruction important factor for species destruction due to 4 problems
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1. Conversion-change from natural to cultivated, residential or commercial
2. Fragmentation: Remaining wild areas are to small
3. Simplification: managing forests by removing dead tress, straightened streams
4. Pollution of habitat
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What was the Lacey Act of 1900
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1886, Audubon Society attempted to shame public into protecting wild species
Prohibits transporting live or dead animals or their parts across boarders w/o federal permit
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Endangered Species Act of 1973
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Illegal for americans to import/trade any product made from endangered or threatened species
Use may be approved if used for scientific purpose or to enhance survival of species
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What is role of US fish & WILDLIFE services
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Lists endangered/threatened species
protection for habitat of endangered species
Certain species cannot be hunted, killed, collected, or injured in US
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What is role of National Marine Fisheries Service
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Identifies and lists endangered and threatened ocean species
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What is the value of wild species
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Utilitarian value
drugs and other scientific value, agriculture, recreation, other commercial value
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What was CITIES (International conference on trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora)
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Lists 675 species that cannot be commercially traded as live specimens or wildlife products
--Governing body that regulates international trade in/shipments of specified animal and plant products
--Flatly prohibits trade in products from endangered species
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What is a renewable resource
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--Replenish self through reproduction despite certain quantities being taken from source
--Renewal can be indefinite
-Replenished at a rate that is comparable/faster than its rate of consumption by humans
--Solar radiation, tides, winds, and hydroelectricity are in no danger of long-term availability
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Define term CONSERVATION
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Manage/regulate use so that it does not exceed capacity of species or system that renew itself
--AKA managed use
--Political, social, scientific movement that seeks to protect natural resources including plant an animal species as well as their habitat for their future
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Define term PRESERVATION
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Ensure continuity of species and ecosystems regardless of their potential utility
AKA NO USE
--Strict setting aside of natural resources for their aesthetic value rather than letting them be modified for economic gain
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