Question

1. a. Environmental science is composed of several different fields of science, including life science (biology), which is the study of living things. Life science can then be broken down into several more specific fields. List four fields of life science that are important to environmental science, and briefly define each. (0.5 point)
Think about the different types of living things and the ways in which they are studied.






b. Some areas of study within environmental science deal with abiotic elements. List three fields within environmental science that focus on nonliving aspects of the environment, and briefly define each. (0.5 point)
Think about the abiotic portions of the environment and how they are studied.














c. Select a field of study within environmental science. Describe how a professional in that field would contribute to the environmental study of a lake. (0.5 point)
Think about the specific expertise that a professional in your field of choice would have.











2. a. The global positioning system (GPS) is a system of satellites that provides precise velocity and positional information for all locations on Earth. Describe how GPS data are used in the study of certain animals. (0.5 point)
Think about how wild animals can be tracked over great distances.








b. Explain what a geographic information system (GIS) is, and describe how a GIS is enabling scientists to assess the health of vegetation in the Amazon rain forest. (0.5 point)










c. Define the term remote sensing, and explain whether GPS and GIS are considered examples of remote sensing, and why. (0.5 point)
Think about ways in which satellite imagery can be used to track changes on Earth's surface.









3. A survey of animal life in a pond suggests that a native fish species no longer inhabits the pond. The biologist leading the survey hypothesizes that the pond has been made more acidic by acid precipitation. She thinks that this acidity has made the pond uninhabitable by this fish species. The biologist has enlisted a chemist to help her analyze the situation and decide whether her hypothesis is supportable.

a. What is the first chemical test the chemist should perform to help the biologist test her hypothesis? (0.5 point)
Think about the biologist’s assertions about a change in the pond water.








b. Suppose that the chemist does not find that the pH of the pond has changed significantly since the time when large numbers of the fish were found in the pond. After further research, the biologist discovers that the same fish species has been dying in large numbers in other bodies of water because of an infestation of a microscopic, parasitic protist. What type of expert should the biologist seek, and why? (1 point)
Think about the subspecialties of biology that are part of environmental science.







4. a. What is eDNA, and where can eDNA from fish be found? (0.5 point)
Think about the methods used to sample eDNA.






b. Why is eDNA of special interest to conservation scientists, particularly those who track invasive species? (0.5 point)
Think about the evidence provided by eDNA.














c. By its nature, eDNA is present in very small quantities in samples. How are these small sample quantities modified so they can be analyzed? (0.5 point)
Think about the amplification process most DNA samples go through before they are analyzed.











5. a. What technology produced the results illustrated here, and what is this technology used for? (1 point)
Think about the methods used to analyze DNA.

Sampling sites in greater Chicago for silver carp DNA








b. What inference can be drawn from the results shown in the diagram in 5a? (1 point)










c. What is a reasonable conclusion about the prevalence of the silver carp at the sampling sites in and around Chicago? (1 point)






d. Explain why you would expect to find silver carp DNA at Chicago site 2 if you find silver carp DNA at Chicago site 1 and North Shore sites 1 and 2. (1 point)

Answer 1

Four fields of life science that are important to environmental science are:

• Biology - It is the field that involves the study of living organisms.

• Physics - Physics is the study of matter, its motion, energy and forces and the way they interconnect with the world.

• Chemistry - Chemistry is the study of substance and its composition, its physical and chemical properties and the chemical reactions.

• Earth Science - it is the study of earth and the atmosphere it has.

All these fields are required for the detailed study in environmental science as it is a multidisciplinary study.