Random Notes and Stuff Environmental Systems Unit 1

Scavenger: scavengers are animals that find dead animals or plants and eat them. While they eat them they break them into small bits. Examples: flies, wasps, cockroaches, vultures Once the scavenger is done, the decomposers take over Decomposer: decomposers break things down to their ELEMENTAL level and return them to the atmosphere or soil What is the difference between a decomposer and a scavenger???

Once the scavenger is done, the decomposers take over Decomposer: decomposers break things down to their ELEMENTAL level and return them to the atmosphere or soil. Examples are bacteria and fungi Another important example: Bacteria in the soil break down materials and return nitrogen to the atmosphere. Scavengers vs. decomposers

 Aquifer: An aquifer is a body of saturated rock through which water can easily move.  Much of our underground water is stored in aquifers.  Groundwater recharge: a process where water moves down from surface water (such as what accumulates from rainfall) to groundwater. Some additional definitions…

 Environmental chemist: a person who studies the chemical and biochemical processes that occur in natural places.  an environmental chemist is concerned with the interaction of chemicals on our environment, such as smoke coming from a smokestack and how it changes the atmosphere or chemicals deposited into a river. Another random definition…

 A systematic process for comparing benefits and costs ( not just the monetary costs) of a project, decision, or policy.  Total expected costs (monetary and otherwise) are weighed against the total expected benefit Cost/benefit analysis:

 Reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park (1995)  Opinions of many stakeholders had to be considered and options weighed before a decision was made as to whether or not to reintroduce the Grey Wolf.  Stakeholders: Ranchers, government, biologists, National Park Service, hunters, and tourists Example Cost/benefit analysis:

 Xeriscaping : landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have easily accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water.landscapinggardeningirrigation fresh water  Usually involves the use of native plants because plants that are native to a region can generally survive on the amount of rainfall that is average for that region. Xeriscaping