This article discusses how current lawmakers are implementing active management practices... a little too fervently. It says that lawmakers are using this as a way to make it seem as if they are combating rising situations with passing these policies, but have no accountability attached to them. The coal ash ponds and their failures are a perfect … [Read more...]
Hundred Millions (of fish) Dead from Algal Blooms
Non-Point source water pollution is a serious issue facing Eastern North Carolina. Although many experts believe that excess nitrates in runoff have caused the recent fish kills in the Neuse River, officials continue to speculate on other potential sources. Hundreds of millions of fish, primarily small bait fish (menhaden), have been killed in almost yearly fish kills along … [Read more...]
Appalachian Mountain Air – Is It Really Clean?
Long famed for it's struggles with the extraction industry, Appalachia is well known for water pollution and general environmental degradation brought about as a result of mining. However, recently, the region has come into the spotlight again for a different problem - air quality. Cities are especially known for air pollution, and Appalachia has few - so where does the … [Read more...]
Biological Hierarchy/Evolution
Biological hierarchy: This concept refers to the organization of biological systems, with each larger level emerging from the level below (e.g., individuals make up populations). The scaling from smallest to largest is as follows: molecule ->cell -> tissue -> organ -> organ system -> individual -> population -> community ->ecological … [Read more...]
Competition/Competitive Exclusion Principle
Competition is an interaction between two organisms in which both could potentially be harmed. Competition can occur within or amongst species, and generally occurs when natural resources are limited. Interspecific competition generally results in lower survival and reproduction rates, and lower population sizes of both species. Environmental factors other than the resource … [Read more...]