Envi Sci Prelim Module
Envi Sci Prelim Module
Envi Sci Prelim Module
PAASCU Accredited
GEE 102
Environmental
Science
Name of Student:
Name of Teacher: Ms. Christine May A. Torres -Reyman
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Chapter 1
Objectives
Levels of Organization
Biosphere. It is the total portion of the planet where inhabit the living
beings. It includes all the communities and all the ecosystems on Earth.
Reasoning in Science
Deductive reasoning is the other side of the coin. Here one reasons
from the general to the specific. It is analyzing specific cases based upon a
pre-established general principle. One might deduce that brightly colored
parrots are poisonous because of the belief that all brightly colored animals
are poisonous. In this case, however, we know it is not true and we must
reconsider our original general statement, arrived at by induction.
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The Scientific Method
The statement that a rose plant does not bear any flower because of
lack of carbon dioxide and water is called a hypothesis, which is a tentative
solution or generalization to a problem. A big part of science is to attempt to
disprove hypothesis. If, over time, the hypothesis survives all attempts to
disprove it, it becomes accepted as a theory that is a general truth about the
natural world but not yet universally accepted. In biology, one example is
the Theory of Evolution. Once the theory is universally accepted, it becomes
a scientific law. Examples of scientific laws are the Law of Inertia, Law of
Gravity and Law of Interaction.
Mankind has never devised a better tool for solving the mysteries of
the universe than science. However, there are some kinds of questions for
which scientific problem solving is unsuited. In other words, science has
limitations.
There are three primary areas for which science can't help us answer
our questions. All of these have the same problem: The questions they
present don't have testable answers. Since testability is so vital to the
scientific process, these questions simply fall outside the venue of science
(Modified from Thompson, Originally published in Reason & Revelation, Revised 1990.).
I was trying to get people to see that you can't just grow
forever and hope that the environment will take care of
itself. (Timothy Flannery)
Reflect on THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Worksheet # 01
Name: Date:
1.Science
2.Scientific Method
3.Ecology
4.Hypothesis
5.Experimentation
6.Scientific Attitudes
7.Theory
8.Scientific Law
9.Generalization
10.Ecosystem
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II. Completion.
2. How could you repair an electric fan that is not working properly?
Apply the scientific method.
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Chapter 2
COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEMS
Objectives
Ecosystems are ecological units that include all the living or biotic
factors and non-living or abiotic factors in an area. Examples include regions
such as ponds, caves, or portions of a forest or desert.
Abiotic factors are those that relate physical, or nonliving, factors that
shape the ecosystem. These include the climatic conditions of terrestrial,
freshwater and marine ecosystems; including temperature, precipitation, and
humidity; wind; nutrients available; substrate (soil); atmospheric gasses,
currents and sunlight.
Together, biotic and abiotic factors determine the survival and growth
of an organism and the productivity of the ecosystem in which the organism
lives.
The biotic factors include the plants, animals, fungi, bacteria and any
other living things that live in an area. Categories include:
Photosynthesis
o carried out by plants (with chlorophyll)
o rate is influenced by light intensity, temperature, and
availability of water
Decomposition
o reverse of photosynthesis, with organic matter being
converted into inorganic compounds (like carbon
dioxide)
o accomplished by decomposers:
microorganisms like bacteria & fungi
larger organisms like earthworms
2. Water
o Effects of fire:
Plants - Many plants depend on fire to heat and scar
their seeds as a process for germination. Decaying
trees release nutrients into the soil and serve as a base
for new plants to sprout. Much of the plant life in the
United States has evolved to use fire directly as a
catalyst for reproduction or benefited by the
nourishment left in its path.
Animals - The specific effects of fire on animals
depends on what kind of fire, the type of vegetation,
and the individual animal.
Larger animals generally survive more often
than smaller ones; although a burrowed
animal can escape burning, usually it
suffocates in the meantime.
Many birds also thrive after a fire when the
seeds of many trees are dispersed. Birds, like
woodpeckers, take advantage of burned out
trees to make nests or forage for dead insects.
Insects usually do not survive fires well
because their escape range is too small. This
can affect birds if the specific insects are a
food source for the aviators. Trees can benefit
from the death of insects that reside in their
trunks.
4. Light
Reflect on THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Worksheet # 02
Name: Date:
1. Ecosystem
2. BioticFactors
3. AbioticFactors
4. Temperature
5. Photosynthesis
6. Producers
7. Heterotrophs
8. Decomposers
9. Decomposition
10. Endotherms
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II. Completion.
Objectives
Community Interactions.
So plants compete for water, light, minerals, and carbon dioxide for
example. Some plants are better able to compete than others in a given
portion of an ecosystem. These species exclude their competitors from that
part of the ecosystem; this is called competitive exclusion.
Pollination
Dispersal Mutualisms
Cleaning Mutualisms
Defense Mutualisms
Importance of Mutualisms
Examples:
1. "hit and run" parasites that live in their host for a brief period and
then move on to another with or without killing the first
to
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2. parasites that establish chronic infections. Both parasite and host
must evolve to ensure the survival of both because if the parasite kills
its host before it can move on, it destroys its own meal ticket.
Examples:
Parasitism in Plants
Parasitism in Animals
Reflect on THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Worksheet # 03
Name: Date:
1. Parasitism
2. Mutualism
3. Symbiosis
4. Predation
5. Competition
6. Pollination
7. Endoparasites
8. Ectoparasites
9. Predator
10. Parasites
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II. Completion.
III. Discussions
IV. Assignment.