APES Vocab

abiotic

physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms

acid

a chemical substance (typically, a corrosive or sour-tasting liquid) that neutralizes alkalis, dissolves some metals, and turns litmus red

acid deposition

the accumulation of acids or acidic compounds on the surface of the Earth, in lakes or streams, or on objects or vegetation near the Earth’s surface, as a result of their separation from the atmosphere

acid rain

rainfall made sufficiently acidic by atmospheric pollution that is causes environmental harm, typically to forests and lakes

acidic solution

any aqueous solution which has a pH < 7.0

adaptation

something, such as a device or mechanism, that is changed or changes so as to become suitable to a new or special application or situation

adaptive radiation

the diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches

advanced sewage treatment

any treatment of sewage that goes beyond the secondary or biological water treatment stage and includes the removal of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen and a high percentage of suspended solids

aerobic respiration

a form of cellular respiration that requires oxygen in order to generate energy

affluenza

an unsustainable addiction to economic growth

age structure

categorization of the population of communities or countries by age groups, allowing demographers to make projections of the growth or decline of the particular population

agricultural revolution

the development of crop and animal raising as a food source among human communities to supplement hunting and gathering

agroforestry

agriculture incorporating the cultivation and conservation of trees

air pollution

the addition of harmful chemicals to the atmosphere

albedo

the proportion of the incident light or radiation reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon

alley cropping

the planting of rows of trees and/or shrubs (single or multiple) at wide spacing, creating alleyways within which agricultural crops or horticultural crops are produced

altitude

the height of an object or point in relation to sea level or ground level

anaerobic respiration

the process of generating energy by the oxidation of nutrients and using an external electron acceptor other than oxygen

ancient forest

a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological features and in some cases may be classified as a climax community

anthropocentric

regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence, especially as opposed to God or animals

aquaculture

the cultivation of aquatic animals or plants for food

aquatic life zones

zones under the water, whether it be sea, river or lakes, where aquatic life is present. These zones are characterized by aquatic ecosystem, where communities of organisms live

aquifer

a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater

arable land

being or capable of being tilled for the production of crops

area strip mining

an open mine, especially a coal mine, whose seams or outcrops run close to ground level and are exposed by the removal of overlying soil and rock

arid

having little or no rain; too dry or barren to support vegetation

artificial selection

a process in the breeding of animals and in the cultivation of plants by which the breeder chooses to perpetuate only those forms having certain desirable inheritable characteristics

atmosphere

the envelope of gasses surrounding the earth or another planet

atmospheric pressure

the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere

autotroph

an organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simples inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide

background extinction

the ongoing extinction of individual species due to environmental or ecological factors such as climate change, disease, loss of habitat, or competitive disadvantage in relation to other species

bacteria

a member of a large group of unicellular microorganisms lacking organelles and an organized nucleus, including some that can cause disease

barrier islands

a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that are parallel to the mainland coast

benthos

community of organisms which live on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone

biocentric

biology as the central driving science in the universe, and an understanding of the other sciences as reliant on a deeper understanding of biology

biodegradable

products that are capable of decomposing back into natural elements

biodiversity

degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or planet

biogeochemical cycle

pathway by which a chemical element or molecule moves through both biotic (biosphere) and abiotic (lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) compartments of Earth

biological community

a group of interdependent organisms living and interacting with each other in the same habitat

biological diversity

the number and variation of organisms ground within a specified geographic region

biological evolution

any genetic change in a population that is inherited over several generation

biological oxygen demand

amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time period

biomass

biological material from living, or recently living organisms, most often referring to plants or plant-derived materials

biome

climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems

biosphere

global sum of all ecosystems

biotic

of or having to do with life or living ecosystems

biotic pollution

the introduction of a foreign species into an area which it is not native to

biotic potential

the potential growth a population of living things can expect if it were living under ideal environmental circumstances

birth rate

the number of live births per thousand of population per year

bitumen

a black viscous mixture of hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as a residue from petroleum distillation

breeder nuclear fission reactor

a nuclear reactor capable of generating more fissile material than it consumes because its neutron economy is high enough to breed fissile fuel from fertile materials like uranium-238 or throium-232

broadleaf deciduous plants

plants such as oak and maple trees that survive drought and cold by shedding their leaves and becoming dormant

broadleaf evergreen plants

a plant that has leaves in all four seasons

buffer

a solution that resists changes in pH upon the addition of acid or base. Typically contains several species that react with added acid and base

calorie

the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1°C (now usually defined as 4.1868 joules)

carbon cycle

the combined processes, including photosynthesis, decomposition, and respiration, by which carbon as a component of various compounds cycles between its major reservoirs - the atmosphere, oceans, and living organsims

carbon oxides

a colorless, odorless, incombustible gas, CO2, formed during respiration, combustion, and organic decomposition

carnivore

an animal that feeds on flesh

carrying capacity

the number of people, other living organisms, or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation

chain reaction

a chemical reaction or other process in which the products themselves promote or spread the reaction

chemical evolution

the formation of complex organic molecules from simpler inorganic molecules through chemical reactions in the oceans during the early history of the Earth; the first step in the development of life on this planet

chemosynthesis

the synthesis of organic compounds by energy derived from chemical reactions, typically in the absence of sunlight

chronic undernutrition

the condition that develops when the body does not get the right amount of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function

clear-cutting

removal of all the trees in a stand of timber

climate

the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period

coal

a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits

coal gasification

the process of producing coal gas, a type of syngas - a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) gas

coal liquefication

coastal wetlands

an area

coastal zone

a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs

coevolution

the influence of closely associated species on each other in their evolution

cold front

the leading portion of a cold atmospheric air mass moving against and eventually replacing a warm air mass

commercial extinction

the decline in the population of a wild species, used as a resource, to a level where it is no longer profitable to harvest the species

commercial inorganic fertilizer

commercially prepared mixture of plant nutrients such as nitrates, phosphates, and potassium applied to the soil to restore fertility and increase crop yield

community

an ecological unit composed of a group of organisms or a population of different species occupying a particular area, usually interacting with each other and their environment

compost

a mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil

condensation nuclei

microscopic atmospheric particles, which attract water droplets, and which may then coalesce to form a raindrop

coniferous evergreen plants

any of the various mostly needle-leaves or scale-leaved, chiefly evergreen, cone-bearing gymnospermous trees or shrubs such as pines, spruces, and firs

coniferous trees

any gymnospermous tree or shrub bearing cones

conservation

the protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and of natural resources such as forests, soil, and water

conservation biology

the branch of biology that deals with the effects of humans on the environment and with the conservation of biological diversity

conservationist

one that practices or advocates conservation, especially of natural resources

conservation-tillage farming

a way of growing crops from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till is an agricultural technique which increases the amount of water and organic matter (nutrients) in the soil and decreases erosion

consumer

a heterotrophic organism that ingests other organisms or organic matter in a food chain

contour farming

the farming practice of plowing across a slope following its elevation contour lines. The rows formed slows water run-off during rainstorms to prevent soil erosion and allows the water time to settle into the soil

contour strip farming

a kind of contour farming in which row crops are planted in strips, between alternating strips of close-growing, erosion-resistant forage crops

controlled burning

a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for foresters. Controlled burning stimulates the germination of some desirable forest trees, thus renewing the forest

conventional-tillage farming

the traditional method of farming in which soil is prepared for planting by completely inverting it with a moldboard plow

coral reef

a reef consisting of coral consolidated into limestone

core

the interior structure of the Earth, similar to the outer, is layered

cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

a systematic process for calculating and comparing benefits and costs of a project, decision or government policy

crop rotation

the practice of growing a series of dissimilar/different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons

crown fire

a forest fire that advances with great speed jumping from crown to crown ahead of the ground fire

crude birth rate

statistical values that can be utilized to measure the growth or decline of a population

crude death rate

the total number of death to residents in a specified geographic area (country, state, county, etc.) divided by the total population for the same geographic area (for a specified time period, usually a calendar year) and multiplied by 100,000

crude oil

a naturally occurring flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth’s surface

eutrophication

the ecosystem response to the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system

death rate

the ratio of total deaths to total population in a specified community or area over a specified period of time

debt-for-nature swap

financial transactions in which a portion of a developing nation’s foreign debt is forgiven in exchange for local investments in environmental conservation measures

deciduous plants

a plant having foliage that is shed annually at the end of the growing season