APES Key Concepts

US National Parks

US National Parks were set aside specifically to protect ecosystems

Endangered Species Act

a 1973 US act that implements CITES, designed to protect species from extinction

Convention on Biological Diversity

a 1992 international treaty formed to help protect biodiversity

Lacey Act

a US act that prohibits interstate shipping of illegally harvested plants and animals

Environmental Protection Agency

a US government agency that creates federal policy and oversees enforcement of regulations related to the environment, including science, research, assessment, and education

Hubbert Curve

a bell-shaped curve representing oil use and projecting both when world oil production will reach a maximum and when we will run out of oil

Carbon monoxide

a colorless, odorless gas that is formed during incomplete combustion of most matter and therefore is a common emission in vehicle exhaust and most other combustion processes

Ozone (O3)

a colorless, unstable toxic gas with a pungent odor and powerful oxidizing properties, formed from oxygen by electrical discharges or UV light

Food Web

a complex model of how energy and matter between trophic levels interact

Sulfur Oxides (SOx)

a corrosive gas that comes primarily from combustion of fuels such as coal and oil

Pesticide Treamill

a cycle of pesticide development, followed by pest resistance, followed by new pesticide development

Bitumen

a degraded petroleum that forms when petroleum migrates to the surface of earth and is modified by bacteria

Individual Transferable Quotas

a fishery management program in which individual fishers are given a total allowable catch of fish in a season that they can either catch or sell

Water Logging

a form of soil degradation that occurs when a soil remains underwater

Salination

a form of soil degradation that occurs when the small amounts of salts on the soil surface through evaporation

Fossil Fuels

a fuel from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago

Survivorship Curve

a graph that represents distinct patterns of species survival as a function of age

Fecal Coliform Bacteria

a group of microorganisms in the human intestines that can serve as an indicator species for potentially harmful microorganism associated with contamination by sewage

World Health Organization

a group within the United Nations responsible for human health, including combating the spread of infectious diseases and health issues related to natural disasters

Theory

a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple groups of researchers and has reached wide acceptance

Septic Tank

a large container that receives wastewater from a house as part of a septic system

Turbine

a large device that resembles a fan or jet engine

Mass extinction

a large extinction of species in a relatively short period of time

hazardous waste

a liquid, solid, gaseous, or sludge waste material that is harmful to humans

Asbestos

a long, thin, fibrous silicate mineral with insulating properties

Human Poverty Index

a measure developed by the UN to investigate the proportion of a population suffering from deprivation in a country with a high HDI

Human Development Index

a measure of economic well-being that combines life expectancy, knowledge, education, and standard of living as shown in GDP per capita and purchasing power

Ecological Footprint

a measure of how much that a person consumes, expressed in area of land

Ecological Economics

a method of understanding and managing the economy as a subsystem of both natural and human systems

Ice Core Sampling

a method where scientists use samples of ice to determine the temperature of the Earth many years ago

Ecosystem

a particular location on Earth distinguished by its particular mix of interacting biotic and abiotic components

Precautionary Principle

a principal based on the philosophy that action should be taken against a plausible environmental hazard

Groundwater Recharge

a process by which water percolates through the soil and works its way into an quifer

Positive Feedback Loop

a process in which a change from the normal range of function elicits a response that amplifies or enhances that change

Cellular Respiration

a process that unlocks the chemical energy stored in the cells of organisms. Respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis: cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water

Biosphere Reserve

a protected area consisting of zones that vary in the amount of permissible human impact

Commensalism

a relationship between species in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor helped

Pyramid of Energy

a representation of the distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among trophic levels

Green Revolution

a shift in agricultural practices in the 20th century that included new management techniques, mechanization, fertilization, irrigation, and improved crop techniques; and resulted in in increased food output

Resource Partitioning

a situation in which two species divide a resource, based on differences in their behavior or morphology

Environmental Justice

a social movement and field of study that works toward equal enforcement of environmental laws and the elimination of disparities in how pollutants and other environmental harms are distributed among the various ethnic and socioeconomic groups within a society

Generalists

a species that can live in a variety of habitats or feed on a variety of species

R- Selected Species

a species that has a high intrinsic growth rate, which often leads to overpopulation overshoots and dies off

Keystone Species

a species that is far more important in its community than its relative abundance might suggest

Native Species

a species that lives in a historical range, where it has for thousands or millions of years

Invasive species

a species that spreads rapidly across large areas

K- Selected Species

a species with low intrinsic growth rate that cause the population to increase slowly until it reaches carrying capacity

Passive Solar design

a technique that takes advantage of solar radiation to maintain a comfortable temperature in the building

Island Biogeography

a theory that demonstrates the dual importance of habitat size and distance in determining species richness

Law

a theory to which there are no known exceptions and which has withstood rigorous testing

Adaptation

a trait that improves an individual's fitness

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

a type of battery with a key difference, electricity is generated by a reaction between two chemical reactants. this requires hydrogen

Hydrogen Bond

a weak chemical bond that forms when hydrogen atoms that are covalently bonded are attracted to another atom on another molecule

Environmental Worldviews

a worldview that encompasses how people think the world works, how they view their role in it, and what they believe to be proper behavior regarding the environment

Acid Depostion

acids deposited on Earth as rain and snow or as gases and particles that attach to the surfaces of plants, soil, and water

Carbon Neutral

an activity that does not change the atmosphere CO2 concentrations

Population Pyramid

an age structured diagram that is widest at the bottom and smallest at the top, typical of developing countries

Integrated Pest Management

an agricultural practice that uses a variety of techniques designed to minimize pesticide inputs

Biophilia

an appreciation for life

Carbon Sequestration

an approach that involves taking CO2 out of the atmosphere

Renewable Energy

an energy source that is either potentially renewable or nondepletable

Total Fertility Rate

an estimate of the number of children that each woman in a population will bear throughout her childbearing years

Bioaccumulation

an increased concentration of a chemical within an organism over time

United Nations

an institution dedicated to promoting dialogue among countries with the goal of maintaining world peace

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

an organism produced by copying genes from a species with a desirable trait and inserting them into another species

Genetically Modified Organisms

an organism produced by copying genes from a species with a desirable trait and inserting them into another species

Artesian Well

an underground body of water which requires little to no pumping because it has much pressure exerted on it

E Waste

any discarded electronic or electrical devices or their parts

Wetlands

aquatic biomes that are submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year

US National Wilderness

areas set aside with the intent of preserving large tracts of intact ecosystems or landscapes

Demographic Transition

as a country moves from a subsistence economy to industrialization and increased affluence, it undergoes a predictable shift in population

Endangered Species

at serious risk of extinction

Distillation (Desalinization)

boiling water to collect collect purified steam

toxic chemicals

carcinogens, neurotoxins, teratogens, allergens, and endocrine disruptors

Ogalala Aquifer

change in water levels from 1950-2005

Global Climate Change

changes in the climate of Earth- the average weather that occurs in an area over a period of years or decades

Endocrine Disruptors

chemicals that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones in an animal's body

Ores

concentrated accumulations of minerals from which economically valuable materials can be extracted

CITES

convention international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora- a 1973 treaty to control the international trade of threatened plants and animals

Sustainable Development

development that balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations

Infectious Diseases

diseases caused by infectious agents known as pathogens

Rangelands

dry, open grasslands

High-Quality Energy

energy has a convenient concentrated form so that it does not take too much energy to move it from one place to another

Sanitary Landfill

engineered ground facilities designed to hold Municipal Solid Waste with as little contamination of the surrounding environment as possible

Impact Equation

estimate the impact of human lifestyles on Earth

Clean Water Act

expanded the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and supports the protection of wildlife and restoring water

Dose Response studies

expose animals or plants to different amounts of a chemical and then observe a variety of possible responses including mortality or change in behavior

Coral Reefs

found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline, represent Earth's most diverse marine biome

Nuclear Fuel

fuel derived from radioactive materials that give off energy

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

governs the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste

Terrestrial Biomes

have a particular combination of annual temperature and annual precipitation and contain distinctive plant growth forms that are adapted to the climate

Malnourished

having a diet that lacks the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals

Inorganic Chemical Water Pollution

heavy metals and other substances that can pose environmental problems for organisms and humans

Synthetic Organic Chemical Water Pollution

human made compounds that can be toxic, cause genetic defects, and, in the case of compounds that resemble animal hormones, interfere with growths and sexual development

Superfund (CERCLA)

imposes a tax on chemical and petroleum companies. this is used to fund cleanup of hazardous waste cites

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

include nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide; an end result of all forms of combustion in the atmosphere

Multiple-use lands

lands that may be used for recreation, grazing, timber harvesting, and mineral extraction

LD-50

lethal doses that kill 50% of individuals

Biofuels

liquid fuels created from processed or refined biomass

Sustainability

living on Earth in a way that allows us to use its resources w/o depriving future generations of those resources

Three Gorges Dam

located on the Yangtze River in China, it is the world's largest dam

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

mandates an environmental assessment of all projects involving federal money or federal permits

Closed System

matter and energy exchange across a system, boundaries do not occur

High-Quality Matter

matter is more concentrated and easier to extract

Intrinsic value

meaning that it has worth independent of any benefit it may have for humans

Genuine Progress Indicator

measures personal consumption, income distribution, levels of higher education, resource depletion, pollution, and health of the population

El Nino Southern Oscilation

movement of warm water and air toward South America that suppresses upwelling of the coast of Peru and decreases productivity there, reducing fish populations near the coast.

Rain Shadow

occurs where humid winds blowing in rain from inland from the ocean meet a mountain range. on the windward side of the mountains, air rises and cools, and large amounts of water vapor condense to form clouds and precipitation. on the leeward side of the mountains, cold, dry air descends, warms via adiabatic heating, and causes much drier conditions

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

organic compounds that become vapors at typical atmospheric temperatures

Compost

organic mattter that has decomposed under controlled conditions to produce organic rich material that enhances soil structure, cation exchange capacity, and fertility

Urban Growth

percentage of people living in urban areas

Divergent Plates

plates that move away from each other

Transform Plates

plates that move sideways past each other

Convergent Plates

plates that move towards each other and collide

Carbon Cycle

process of moving carbon through the Earth. for more info see Ch 3

Stockholm Convention

produced a list of 12 chemicals that included pesticides such as DDT and chemicals such as PCB's that were to be banned in 127 countries

Photosynthesis

producers use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose

Saltwater Intrusion

pumping of groundwater adjacent to infiltrate the aquifer

Logistic Growth Model

rapid exponential growth followed by steady decrease until size levels off

Municipal Solid Waste

refuse collected by municipalities from households, small businesses, and institutions

Safe Drinking Water Act

sets national standards for safe drinking water. EPA responsible form Maximum Containment Levels (MCL)

Oil Spills

slow flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay

Photochemical Smog

smog that is dominated by oxidants such as ozone; also known as LA-type smog or brown smog

Coal Formation

solid fuel formed primarily from the remains of trees, ferns, and other plant materials preserved 280 million to 36 million years ago

Particulate Matter

solid or liquid particles suspended in air

Environmental Indicators

something that describes the current state of an environmental system

Specialists

species that can only live in a specific habitat or feed on a small group of species

Trophic Levels

successive levels of organism consuming one another

Water's Unique Properties

surface tension, capillary action, boiling point, freezing point, solids being less dense than liquids

Active Solar

technologies capture the energy of sunlight with the use of technology

Debt for Nature Swap

the US Gov and prominent environmental organizations provide cash to pay down a portion of a country's debt to the US. the debt is then transferred to environmental organizations within the country. the debtor Gov then makes payments to the environmental organizations rather than US

Cation Exchange Capacity

the ability of a particular soil to absorb and release soil

Greenhouse Effect

the absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases and re-radiation of the energy back toward Earth

Biological Chemical Oxygen

the amount of oxygen a quantity of water uses over a period of time at a specific temperature

Electrolysis

the application of an electric current to water molecules to split them into hydrogen and oxygen

Intertropical Convergence Zones

the area that receives the most intense sunlight, where the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells converge

Climate

the average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period, typically several decades

Chemical Weathering

the breakdown of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions, the dissolving of chemical elements from rocks, or both

Hadley Cells

the convection currents that cycle between the equator and 30 degrees N and S

Urban Sprawl

the creation of urbanized areas that spread into rural areas and remove clear boundaries between the two

Upwelling

the deep waters bring w/ them nutrients from the ocean bottom that support large populations of producers

Coriolis Effect

the deflection of an object's path due to Earth's rotation

Net Migration Rate

the difference between immigration and emigration in a given year per 1,000 people

Biodiversity

the diversity of life forms in an environment

Net Primary Production (NPP)

the energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire

Epicenter

the exact point on the surface of Earth directly above the location where rock ruptures during an earthquake

Environmental Science

the field that looks at interactions among human systems and those found in nature

Reverse Osmosis (Desalinization)

the filtering out of undesirable particles

Habitat Loss

the greatest cause of decline and extinction. human development that removes natural habitats and replaces them with homes, industries

Biomagnification

the increase in chemical concentrations in animal tissues as the chemical moves up the food chain

Carrying Capacity

the limit of how many individuals in a population the food supply can sustain

Range of Tolerance

the limits to the abiotic conditions that a species can tolerate

Maximum sustainable yield

the maximum amount that can be harvested without compromising the future availability of that resource

Physical Weathering

the mechanical breakdown of rocks and minerals

Specific cutting

the method of harvesting trees that involves the removal of single trees or a relatively small number of trees from among many in a forest

Habitat

the natural environment of an organism

pH

the number indicating the strength of acids and bases on a scale of 1-14. acidic < 7 < basic

Species Richness

the number of species in a given area

Doubling Time

the number of years it takes for a population to double

Ocean Acidification

the ongoing decrease in the PH of the Earth

US National Wildlife Refuges

the only federal public lands managed for the primary purpose of protecting wildlife

Acid Mine Drainage

the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines

Perceived Risk

the perception that certain activities carry high risk does not always match reality

Competition Exclusion Principle

the principle stating that two species competing for the same limited resource can't coexist

Nitrogen Cycle

the process by which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical forms.

Negative Feedback Loop

the process in which part of the output of a system is returned to its input in order to regulate its further output

Niche

the range of abiotic and biotic conditions under which a species lives

Fusion

the reaction that powers the sun and other stars; occurs when lighter nuclei are forced to produce heavier nuclei

Closed-Loop Recycling

the recycling of a product into the same product

Ash

the residual nonorganic material that does not combust during incineration

Demography

the study of human population and population trends

Secondary Succesion

the succession of plant life that occurs in areas that have been disturbed but have not lost their soil

Tragedy of the Commons

the tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted because people act from self- interest for short- term gain

Plate Techtonics

the theory that the lithosphere of Earth is divided into plates, most of which are in constant motion

Half-Life

the time it takes for one-half of an original radioactive parent atom to decay

Desertification

the transformation of arable productive land to desert or unproductive land due to climate change or destructive land use

Cogeneration

the use of a fuel to generate electricity and produce heat

Global Warming

the warming of the oceans, landmasses, and atmosphere of Earth

Gray Water

the wastewater from baths, showers, bathroom sinks, and washing machines

Sea Level Rise

the water from melting glaciers and ice sheets on land adds to the total volume of ocean water. As the water of the oceans becomes warmer, it expands

Leachate

there is always the possibility that leachate from a landfill will contaminate underlying and adjacent waterways

Synergistic Interactions

two risks together cause more harm than one would expect based on individual risk

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

typically outlines the scope or purpose of the projects, describes environmental contexts, suggests alternative approaches to the project and analyses the environmental impact of each alternative

Tailings

unwanted waste materials created during mining

Water Conservation

using the finite amount of water we have more efficiently

Aral Sea

was the 4th largest lake in the world before being drained 60% by water diversion

Non chemical Water Pollution

water pollution that comes from substances other than chemicals

Wastewater Treatment

water produced by human activities including human sewage from toilets and gray water from bathing and washing of clothes and dishes

Thermal Inversion

when a relatively warm layer of air at mid-altitude covers a layer of cold, dense air below. The warm inversion layer traps emissions that accumulate beneath it

2nd Law of Energy

when energy is transformed, the quantity of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work diminishes

Fission

when the nuclei of radioactive atoms are broken apart into smaller, lighter nuclei

Chesapeake Bay

272 million kg N2 and 14 million kg of P into the bay caused an algal bloom and then fish could not breathe properly

Natural Selection

A change in the genetic composition of a population over time as a result of the environment determining which individuals are most likely to survive and reproduce

Green Tax

A tax placed on environmentally harmful activities or emissions

Wind Energy

Energy generated from the Kinetic energy of moving air

Tidal Energy

Energy that comes from the movement of the water from the Moon's gravitational pull

Mono Lake

Example of how ecosystems are destroyed because of slight man-made changes to the environment. for more info see ch. 2

Kyoto Protocol

Global agreement where Global emissions of greenhouse gases from all industrialized countries will be reduced to 5.2% below their 1990 levels by 2012

The California Water Project

Having a $37 billion agricultural industry, California needs tons of water of water transported in order to grow the necessary crops. Diverts 8.6 trillion litres per year

Geothermal Energy

Heat energy that comes from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within the earth

Soil Horizons

Layers of organic matter in various stages of decomposition, organic material mixed with underlying mineral material, a zone of metals and nutrients, and the least weathered portion, similar to the parent material

Radioactive Waste

Nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful in a power plant but continues to emit radioactivity

Rock Cycle

Rock forms when magma from Earth's interior reaches the surface, cools, and hardens- Rock masses are moved through weathering and erosion- Eventually rock is sub ducted into the mantle and becomes magma