Josi Ocheltree
What is sustainable living? How could someone achieve sustainable living? Do you personally think you could reach sustainable living?
Fossil fuels vs Renewable energy- compare and contrast the two forms of energy. Look at the cost financially to humans and environmentally to the Earth. Convince someone to conserve energy.
Fossil fuel mining and oil production damages our environment. While mining for fossil fuels we destroy ecosystems. All things are interdependent on each other to live, grow and produce.
Renewable energy sources create their own energy such as sun, wind and water. The object is to capture the energy and convert it to electricity. There is more than enough renewable energy sources to supply all the world's energy needs forever. The development of how to capture, store and use the energy when needed is the challenge.
Everyone plays a part in conserving energy. Conserving energy will slow down our consumption of fossil fuels while developing the means to capture and use renewable sources of energy.
What does it mean to recycle?
Why should someone recycle?
How long does it take for these to decompose?
b. Glass Bottle - 1- 2 million years
c. Disposable Diaper - 500-800 years
d. Wood - 200-300 years
e. Paper - 1 month
f. Plastic Grocery Bag - 500-1000 years
g. Styrofoam Cup - 1+ million years
h. Aluminum Can - 200 years
What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? What can we do here in Iowa to help decrease it, is it even possible?
Define 2 Biomes of the world, define an ecosystem found in each and explain the Biotic and Abiotic factors involved.
Tropical Rain Forest- is an ecosystem that covers about 70% of the earths surface
Choose any biome and define the list below
primary producer- organisms in an ecosystem that produce biomass from inorganic compounds.
primary consumer- are usually herbivores, feeding on plants and fungus.
secondary consumer- are mainly carnivores, and prey on other animals
tertiary consumer- a carnivore at the topmost level in a food chain that feeds on other carnivores
quaternary consumer- eat tertiary consumers
herbivore- an animal that feeds on plants
omnivore- an animal or person that eats food of both plant and animal origin
carnivore- an animal that feeds on flesh
scavenger- an animal that feeds on carrion, dead plant material, or refuse.
decomposer- an organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that decomposes organic materials.
What are Dead Zones in the Gulf of Mexico? What causes this situation? What can be done to help stop them?
Define Keystone Species, give 2 examples; one a top predator and one not a top predator. Explain how their absence would affect the ecosystem
A mountain lion is a top predator keystone species. A mountain lion partly controls the number of deer, rabbits, and bird species in the ecosystem.
Competitive Exclusion- define it and give an example.
Define the following terms and give 2 examples of each
a. Coexistence- the awareness that individuals and groups differ in numerous ways including class, ethnicity, religion, gender, and political inclination.
b. Parasites- an organism that lives in or on another organism and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense.
c. Mimicry- the action or art of imitating someone or something
d. Mutualism- the doctrine that mutual dependence is necessary to social well-being
e. Commensalism- an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derived neither benefit nor harm.
Explain the Carbon Cycle and how do humans affect this cycle?
What is global dimming? Where does it usually affect and why is it a problem?
Explain the Greenhouse Effect. How do the carbon cycle and the greenhouse effect go together?
There is a natural carbon cycle on Earth. All living things are made of carbon. Carbon is a part of the ocean, air and even rocks. In the atmosphere, carbon is attached to oxygen in the gas carbon dioxide. Plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to make food and grow. Plants that die are buried and may become fossil fuel over millions of years. When humans burn fossil fuels, most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. The greenhouse effect is caused by carbon dioxide trapping heat in the atmosphere. Humans have burned so much fuel since the industrial revolution that the earth is becoming a warmer place with a 30% increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than 150 years ago.