ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

The GE Environmental Science is designed to show connections

among variety of scientific discipline including:
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Earth and Science

INTERRELATIONSHIP AMONG COMPONENTS

Mutualism-association between organisms of two different species in which each

benefits.

Commensalism-a relationship between individuals of two species in which one species

obtains food or other benefits from the other without either harming or benefiting the latter.

Parasitism-a relationship between the two living species in which one organism is
benefitted at the expense of the other.

Predation-an interspecific interaction in which an individual of one animal species kills an

individual of another species for dietary use.

Prototypes-the ancestral or primitive form of a species or other group; an archetype.

Herbivores-an animal that mainly eats plants.

Carnivores- an organism that mostly eats meat, or the flesh of animals.

Omnivore- an animal that eats both plants and animals for their main food.

Organism- a living thing that can function on its own.

Organ system- a group of organs that work together in the body to perform a complex
function, such as pumping blood or processing and utilizing nutrients.

ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLE

Ecology- (from Greek: oikos “household”; and logos, “knowledge”) is the study of the
relationships between organisms and their environment.

Levels of Ecological Organization

Organism- It is the lowest level of organization, which includes both unicellular and
multicellular organisms. All the living species in this level exhibit all the characteristics
required for the existence of life.

Population- A population is a group of individuals of a single species living together within

a particular geographic area. They interbreed and compete with each other for resources.

Community- It refers to the several populations that interact and inhabit a common
environment and are interdependent.

Ecosystem-It is a set of all living species and abiotic components existing and interacting
in a given area. There is an interaction with both living and nonliving components of the
environment.

Biosphere-It is the highest level of organization. It is the global ecological system which
consists of all the living organisms and other factors which support life. The biosphere
mainly refers to the part of the earth’s crust.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Biotic factors are living things within an ecosystem; such as plants, animals, and bacteria,
while Abiotic are non-living components; such as water, soil and atmosphere. The way
these components interact is critical in an ecosystem

FOOD WEB- a complex network of interconnecting and overlapping food chains showing
feeding relationships within a community.

FOOD CHAIN- a series of organisms that eat one another so that energy and nutrients flow
from one to the next.

Grazing food chain (GFC) – This is the normal food chain that we observe in which plants
are the producers and the energy flows from the producers to the herbivores (primary
consumers), then to carnivores (secondary consumers) and so on.

Saprophytic or Detritus food chain (DFC) – In this type of food chain, the dead organic
matter occupies the lowermost level of the food chain, followed by the decomposers and
so on.

Parasitic food chain (PFC) – In this type of food chain, large organisms either the producer
or the consumer is exploited and therefore the food passes to the smaller organism.

DNA AND HEREDITY

DNA is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.
Heredity- the sum of all biological processes by which particular characteristics are
transmitted from parents to their offspring.

DNA-Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is the molecule that carries genetic information for the
development and functioning of an organism.

HYDROSPHERE-discontinuous layer of water at or near Earth’s surface.

Evaporation-the process that changes liquid water to gaseous water (water vapor).

Transpiration -the process by which plants give off water vapor through the stomata in
their leaves.

Condensation- a process by which a substance changes from a gaseous state to a liquid

state.

Precipitation-is water released from clouds in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or
hail.

Run-off- occurs when there is more water than land can absorb.

DIVERSITY –A measure of the range and distribution of specific features within a

population is crucial for understanding its diversity.

DOMINANCE- A trait that occurs more frequently than another is influenced by

interactions between gene alleles.

THE ATMOSPHERE

Composition of the Atmosphere

Gases of Atmosphere

Carbon Dioxide- a colorless and non-flammable gas at normal temperature and pressure.

Troposphere-is the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere in direct contact with the Earth’s
surface.

Stratosphere- is the second-lowest layer of the atmosphere of Earth, located above the
troposphere and below the mesosphere.
Ozone Gas- The ozone layer in the stratosphere absorbs a portion of the radiation from the
sun, preventing it from reaching the planet’s surface.

Water Vapor- water in a gaseous form especially when below boiling temperature and
spread through the atmosphere.

Mesosphere- plays a vital role in protecting us from incoming space debris by causing
most meteors to disintegrated upon entry.

Thermosphere- important for various reasons, including it’s role in helping satellite to keep
in orbit.

Dust Particle- are generally found in the lower layer of the atmosphere.

Structure of the Atmosphere

The structure is compromised of layers based on temperature. These layers are the
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.

Exosphere – marks the boundary between our planet and the vastness of space.

THE DYNAMIC BIOLOGICAL POPULATION

Population- refers to the total number of Inhabitant.

Dynamic- is the study of interaction between natural system and human activity.

Internal factors

• High death rate

• High birth rates
• Immigration rate
• Emigration rate

External Conditions

• Environmental change
• Human activities

10 FACTORS OF IMMIGRATION

• Economic Opportunities
• Education
• Safety and Security
 • Family Reunification
• Healthcare Access
• Political Stability
• Environmental Factors
• Social Factors
• Overpopulation
• Lifestyle Preferences

5 FACTORS OF HIGH BIRTH RATE

• Child Marriage
• Lack of Education
• Cultural Norms
• Infant Mortality Rates
• Limited Access to Family Planning

5 FACTORS OF DEATH RATE

• Chronic Diseases
• Infectious Diseases
• Accidents
• Economic Factors
• Aging Population

BACTERIA CAUSING RED TIDE

Is caused by microscopic organisms in the plankton, the drifting or weakly swimming sea
life, that are the foundation of the ocean food chain. Specifically, DINOFLAGELLATES, a
microscopic marine life form with two long slender appendages, are the organisms
responsible for red tide.

VOLCANO ERUPTION

Is the expulsion of gases, rock fragments, and/or molten lava from within the Earth through
a vent onto the Earth’s surface or into the atmosphere
VOLCANO ERROSION

The movement of gas, magma, and pyroclasts in a volcanic conduit causes erosion of its
walls through mechanisms such as the impact of pyroclasts, fluid shear stress, wall
collapse, and volcanic tremors.

PANGEA

Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed approximately 335 to 175 million years ago,
incorporating nearly all of Earth’s landmasses into a single landmass surrounded by the
ocean Panthalassa

BIOMES- refers to distinctive natural region on Earth’s with it’s own specific climate,
geography, and inhabitants.

FACTORS SHAPING BIOMES

Climate: Temperature and precipitation are crucial, determining vegetation types and
animal adaptations

Soil: Soil composition and health affect plant growth and biodiversity within biomes

Geographic Features: Latitude, elevation, and landforms influence local climate

conditions, impacting biome distribution

Human Activity: Urbanization, agriculture, and climate change can alter natural biomes
significantly

INVASIVE SPECIES

Invasive species are non-native organisms that significantly disrupt ecosystems, leading to
various ecological and economic impacts

7 CONTINENTS

• Africa
• Antarctica
• Asia
• Australia
• Europe
• North America
• South America