Environmental Systems and Societies Flashcards

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to environmental systems, sustainability, ecosystems, and human impact.

Environmental Value Systems (EVS)

A worldview that shapes how individuals or groups perceive and evaluate environmental issues.

Ecocentric

A viewpoint that prioritizes ecology and nature, emphasizing non-materialistic approaches and biorights.

Anthropocentric

A viewpoint that argues humans must sustainably manage the global system and encourages debate to solve environmental problems.

Technocentric

A viewpoint that believes technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals that an environment can sustainably support.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, encompassing species diversity, habitat diversity, and genetic diversity.

Biomagnification

The increase in concentration of persistent or non-biodegradable pollutants along food chains.

Natural Capital

Natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income of goods or services.

Ecosystem Resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to resist change and maintain its functions and structure in the face of disturbances.

Primary Productivity

The rate at which energy is converted by photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs to organic substances.

Eutrophication

The process by which water bodies become overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model that describes the transition of a population from high birth and death rates to lower birth and death rates.

Ecological Footprint (EF)

A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, representing the amount of land and water area required to support a defined population.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Acid Deposition

The falling of acids from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, contributing to environmental degradation.

Biotic Index

A scale used to assess the health of an ecosystem by evaluating the presence and abundance of indicator species.

Pollutants

Substances added to the environment that can cause harm, often exceeding the capacity of natural systems to cleanse.

System Diagram

A graphical representation illustrating the relationships and interactions within a system, showing inputs, processes, and outputs.