Chapter 1: Studying the State of Our Earth

Environment

a sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life

Biotic

the living part of the earth (animals, plants)

Abiotic

the non-living part of the Earth (soil, air)

Environmental Science

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

System

a set of interacting components that influence one another by exchanging energy or materials

Environmentalism

a social movement that seeks to protect the environment through lobbying, activism, and education

Ecosystem Services

environments which provide life supporting services such as clean water, timber, fisheries, crops

Environmental Indicators

describes the current state of an environmental system

Sustainability

living on earth in a way that allows us to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources

Biodiversity

the diversity of life formed in an environment

Genetic Diversity

a measure of the genetic variation among individuals in a population

• high=better able to respond to environmental change

Species Diversity

the number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat

Resource Partitioning

each species minimizes competition with the other for food

Speciation

the evolution of new species

Background Extinction Rate

average rate of which species go extinct over the long term

Ecosystem Diversity

measure of the diversity in an ecosystem

Anthropogenic

derived from human activities

Resource Depletion

as the human population grows, the resources necessary for our survival become increasingly depleted

Development

improvement in human well being through economic advancement.

• as economies develop, resource consumption increases

Sustainable Development

balances current human well-being and economic advancement

Ecological Footprint

balances current human well-being and economic advancement