EVS 1

Environmental Science

The interdisciplinary study of interactions between the environment and human systems, integrating biology, chemistry, and social sciences.

Ecology

A branch of biology that studies the relationships between organisms and their environment.

Sustainability

Meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Natural Capital

Earth's resources (ecosystems, resources, and services) that provide essential goods and services for life.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of the land and resources used by a population, reflecting its environmental demand.

Carbon Footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases (primarily CO2) emitted by human activity.

Ecological Deficit

When the resources consumed by a population exceed the Earth’s ability to regenerate them.

Ecological Reserve

When a population uses fewer resources than the environment can regenerate.

Hypothetico-Deductive Science

A scientific method involving forming hypotheses and testing them to potentially disprove them.

Falsification

The process of testing a hypothesis to potentially disprove it.

Corroboration

Confirming a hypothesis or finding through additional evidence and tests.

Theory

A well-supported and widely accepted explanation of natural phenomena, based on repeated testing and evidence.

Reproducibility

The ability for other researchers to replicate an experiment and obtain the same results.

Peer Review

The process by which scientific work is evaluated by experts in the field before publication.

Energy Flow

The movement of energy through ecosystems, typically from producers to consumers.

Matter Cycling

The recycling of matter, such as carbon, nitrogen, and water, through ecosystems.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The total amount of energy captured by plants through photosynthesis.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The energy available to consumers after plant respiration is accounted for (GPP minus plant respiration).

Positive Feedback Loop

A feedback mechanism that amplifies changes, often leading to system instability.

Negative Feedback Loop

A feedback mechanism that counteracts changes, promoting system stability.

Tipping Point

A threshold beyond which significant, irreversible changes may occur in an ecosystem.

Biodiversity

The variety of life forms in a given area, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity.

Species Richness

The number of different species in a given area.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionate effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance.

Conservation Hotspots

Areas with high biodiversity that are under threat, requiring focused conservation efforts.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

Cascade Effect

The domino effect where the introduction of an invasive species leads to significant changes in an ecosystem.

Closed Cycle

A cycle that has no external inputs or outputs.

Open Cycle

A cycle that exchanges matter or energy with the surroundings.

Carbon Cycle Pools

Reservoirs where carbon is stored, including the atmosphere, oceans, and soils.

Nitrogen Fixation

The process of converting nitrogen from inert form (N2) into a usable form for plants (e.g., NH3).

Anthropogenic Nitrogen

Nitrogen compounds introduced into the environment through human activities like agriculture and industry.

Eutrophication

The process by which water bodies become overly enriched with nutrients, causing excessive plant growth and oxygen depletion.

Phosphorus Cycle

The cycling of phosphorus through ecosystems, involving both short-term and long-term sources.

Acid Rain

Rainfall made acidic by pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, leading to environmental harm.

Inert Carbon Pools

Long-term storage of carbon, such as in fossil fuels or deep ocean sediments.

Species Abundance

The number of individuals of each species in a given area.

Endemic Species

Species found only in a specific geographic location, often vulnerable to extinction.

CITES

An international agreement to ensure that trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

Convention on Biological Diversity

A global agreement aimed at conserving biodiversity and using it sustainably.

Species-Centered Conservation

Conservation strategies that focus on protecting individual threatened or endangered species.

Ecosystem-Centered Conservation

Approaches that preserve entire ecosystems to maintain ecosystem services.

Non-Native Species

Species not originally from a specific area, introduced either intentionally or accidentally.

White-Tailed Deer

A species that has become overabundant in the U.S., causing ecological imbalances.

Guam Brown Snake

An invasive species that disrupted Guam's ecosystem, leading to a decline in native bird populations.