APES Notes

Biogeochemical Cycle

Movements of matter within and between ecosystems involving biological, geological, and chemical processes.

Nitrogen Fixation

The process of converting nitrogen gas (N2) into a form usable by plants, often done by bacteria.

Denitrification

The process of converting nitrates into nitrogen gas, reducing nitrogen levels in the soil.

Carbon Cycle

The cycle in which carbon is exchanged between the earth's biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

Primary Productivity

The rate at which solar energy is converted to organic compounds in an ecosystem.

Niche

The role or function of an organism within its ecosystem.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into rural areas.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of the amount of land and water area required to support the resource consumption and waste of a particular population.

Sustainable Forestry

Managed forests that aim to meet current human needs without compromising the health of forest ecosystems for future generations.

Aquaculture

The breeding, raising, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, and plants in all types of water environments.

IPM (Integrated Pest Management)

An ecological approach to controlling pests that combines biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.

Tragedy of the Commons

The overuse and depletion of shared resources without regulation.

Peak Oil

The theoretical point at which global oil production reaches its maximum rate, after which production will decline.

Thermohaline Circulation

A large-scale ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and freshwater fluxes.

Energy Return on Investment (EROEI)

A ratio comparing the amount of energy obtained from a fuel to the amount of energy invested in obtaining that fuel.

Demographic Transition Model

A model that describes the stages of population growth and decline as a society transitions from pre-industrial to industrialized.