Environmental Science Unit 2 Study Guide

Flashcards covering key vocabulary, concepts, and terms from the Environmental Science Unit 2 study guide to aid in exam preparation.

Forest

A large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth.

Grassland

An area where grass is the dominant plant cover.

Ecotourism

Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.

Food security

Having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

Carrying capacity

The maximum number of individuals an environment can support without significant negative impacts.

Green Revolution

A period marked by the introduction of high-yield crops and new agricultural techniques.

Industrialized agriculture

A form of modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops.

Primary pollutants

Pollutants that are emitted directly from a source.

Secondary pollutants

Pollutants that are not emitted directly, but form when primary pollutants react in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse effect

The warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.

Hydrologic cycle

The continuous cycle of water movement through the environment involving evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.

Subsidensce

The gradual sinking of an area of land.

Thermal inversion

A weather phenomenon where a layer of warm air traps cooler air at the surface.

Biotic index

A scale for measuring the health of an ecosystem by assessing the presence or absence of specific indicator species.

Soil erosion

The removal of the topsoil layer from the land, often caused by wind, water, and human activity.

Nutrients (Soil Testing)

Essential elements that plants need to grow, often limited in availability in soil.

Biomagnification

The increase in concentration of toxic substances in organisms at each successive level of the food chain.