ENR 2100 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Polar Stratospheric Cloud, Endocrine Disruptor, Ozone Depletion
26 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Introduction and environmental literacy: today we have the same sense of superiority that humans before us had. This frequently prevents us from responding effectively to environmental changes. To survive, humans need a constant, dependable source of energy (coal, oil, methane, solar, wind, nuclear). A sustainable ecosystem is one that makes the most of renewable energy - energy that comes from an infinitely available or easily replenished source (wind, solar, geothermal). The sun is the energy source for most ecosystems on earth. Sustainable ecosystems depend on biodiversity (variety of species present) to harvest energy and recycle and use matter. This biodiversity includes primary producers (photosynthetic organisms), consumers, decomposers, predators, parasites, competitors to serve as natural population checks. Time delay good today but bad tomorrow (e. g. , overfishing of oceans). Sliding reinforcer actions that are beneficial today can change conditions such that benefit declines over time (e. g. , use of.
