FinalExamReviewSheetF23

Tragedy of the Commons

Concept that humans are selfish and self-serving.

Hardin's Solutions

Property rights and regulation to address the tragedy of the commons.

Ostrom's Ideas

Community management as a solution to managing the commons.

Science

A way of knowing and discovering how nature works.

Hypothesis

A testable explanation for an observation.

Scientific Method

Steps include observation, question, hypothesis or prediction, experiment or observation, conclusion, and reporting findings.

Reliable Science

Peer-reviewed, scholars agree, well-documented methods.

Peer Review Process

Assessment by experts in the field to judge validity, significance, and originality of work.

Atomic Number

Total number of protons in an atom.

Mass Number

Total number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus.

Trophic Levels

Producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, and tertiary consumer.

Evolution

Genetic change over time.

Natural Selection

Process where individuals with certain genetic traits are more likely to survive and reproduce under specific environmental conditions.

Species Interactions

Interspecific (-,-), predation (+/-), mutualism (+/+), commensalism (+/o), parasitism (+/-).

Primary Productivity

Rate at which producers convert solar energy into organic compounds through photosynthesis.

Ecological Succession

Gradual change in species/habitat composition.

Density Dependent Factors

Environmental factors whose impact changes based on population density or size.

Density Independent Factors

Factors that affect population size but are not dependent on the number of individuals.

Bioaccumulation

Increased concentration of contaminants in specific animal tissues.

Biomagnification

Concentration of toxins from ingesting contaminated organisms.

Global Population Size

Increasing.

Growth Rate

Decreasing.

Macronutrients

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fibers.

Micronutrients

Vitamins and minerals.

CAFOs

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.

Soil Texture

Determined by particle size.

Loam

Well-suited for plant growth, allows water to pass through.

Pesticides

Substances meant to control pests.

Crossbreeding

Breeding to get existing desirable traits into one plant variety.

Transgenesis

Making a trait from another organism available in a plant variety.

Gene Editing

Combining existing genes in desirable ways within a plant.

Biological Controls

Natural predators, parasites, and disease-causing bacteria and viruses.

Hydroponics

Growing plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water.

Biodiversity

Research funding, surveys, inspection of imported goods, public education.

Invasive Species

Nonnative species that outcompete native species, disrupt ecosystems, transmit disease, and cause economic losses.

International Treaties

UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

Endangered Species Act

Protecting endangered, threatened, and vulnerable species.

Harvesting Techniques

Clearcutting, shelterwood, group selection.

Restoration of Degraded Sites

Dredging, removing chemical stressors, controlling invasive species, replanting, captive breeding, monitoring, erosion control, bioremediation.

Geology

Study of dynamic processes on Earth's surface and interior.

Zones of Earth

Core, mantle, crust.

Types of Rock

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Sedimentary rock

Rock made of sediments, tiny particles of weathered and transported rocks, including limestone and shale.

Metamorphic rock

Existing rock subjected to high temperature, pressure, fluids, or a combination, resulting in rocks like sedimentary and igneous being squeezed, folded, and heated.

Igneous rock

Rock that forms under intense heat and pressure and then cools.

Greenhouse gases

CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor that can trap heat in the atmosphere, acting like a blanket.

Effects of climate change

Increasing temperatures, ice reduction, sea level rise (including thermal expansion).

Acid rain

Caused by human activities, such as fossil fuel emissions reacting with water and oxygen to form sulfuric and nitric acid, leading to runoff that enters water systems and harms aquatic animals and soil.

Water conservation methods

Cloud seeding, desalination, reclaimed water (treated sewage water), sponge cities (increasing vegetation and wetlands, reducing pavement).

Water scarcity in the West

Overdraw of water in states like Arizona, solutions include upcycling water, conservation, and moving water to where it is needed.

Dead zones

Caused by nitrogen and phosphorous from fertilizers running into the Gulf of Mexico, leading to oxygen depletion and death of aquatic organisms. Prevention includes controlling point source pollution and addressing nonpoint source pollution.

Water pollution

Any physical, biological, or chemical change in water quality that adversely affects living organisms or makes water unsuitable for desired uses. Point source pollution comes from specific sites, while nonpoint source pollution comes from multiple sources.

Energy sources

Coal, oil, geothermal, wind, solar, hydropower, and nuclear power, each with their own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.

Waste management hierarchy

Source reduction and reuse, recycling/composting, energy recovery, treatment and disposal, outlining preferred methods for managing waste to minimize environmental impact.

Waste disposal methods

Waste incinerators (burning waste materials at high temperatures), sanitary landfills (carefully designed trash areas), each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Trends in waste management by country

Some countries prefer recycling or composting/incineration, while the US tends to prefer landfills over incineration.

China and waste

China banned e-waste imports and extended the ban to include more types of trash, implementing stricter guidelines. This has affected businesses in the US and led to exporting to other countries.

Recycling

Reprocessing discarded materials into new, useful products.

Composting

Type of recycling that converts organic waste to soil-enriching organic fertilizer.

Anaerobic digesters

Facilities that break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen, producing methane for renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Characteristics of hazardous waste

Contains substances known to be fatal, toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or explosive/reactive.

Love Canal

A site where chemicals were dumped, causing health issues for residents. Led to the creation of the Love Canal Homeowner Association and the enactment of superfund legislation for toxic site cleanup.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Enacted in 1976, it addresses the management and disposal of hazardous waste, with the primary objectives of protecting human health and the environment, conserving energy and natural resources, and reducing the generation of hazardous waste.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)

Enacted in 1980, also known as the Superfund law, it addresses the cleanup of hazardous waste sites that pose a threat to human health and the environment. It establishes a fund to finance the cleanup of contaminated sites and holds responsible parties liable for the costs.

Superfund sites

Locations identified by the EPA as contaminated with hazardous substances and designated for cleanup under the Superfund program. These sites are added to the National Priorities List (NPL) based on criteria outlined in CERCLA.

Phytoremediation

A process that uses plants to remove, stabilize, or degrade contaminants in soil, water, or air. It is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to remediate polluted environments.

Genetically modified poplars

Poplar trees that have been genetically modified to enhance their ability to remove contaminants from the environment.

Urbanization

The process of people moving from rural to urban areas.

Urban sprawl

The unlimited outward extension of city boundaries that lowers population density, consumes open space, generates freeway congestion, and causes decay in central cities.

Air pollution

The presence of harmful substances in the air, often caused by vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and burning of fossil fuels.

Wastewater treatment

The process of removing contaminants from wastewater before it is released back into the environment.

Water shortages

The lack of sufficient water resources to meet the needs of a population.

Rising sea levels

The increase in the average level of the Earth's oceans, primarily caused by the melting of glaciers and ice caps due to climate change.

Informal settlements

Unplanned and unauthorized housing developments, often lacking basic infrastructure and services.

Smart growth

Strategies for well-planned developments that make efficient and effective use of land resources and existing infrastructure.

Conservation development

Building homes while being mindful of nature and preserving open spaces.

Cluster development

Putting houses close together in one part of an area, like a group or cluster.

Open-space zoning

A rule or plan in a city or town that designates certain areas to be kept as open and undeveloped spaces, such as parks, green belts, or natural landscapes.

Neoclassical economics

Views the earth's natural capital as a part of the human economic system, with the potential for unlimited economic growth and the ability to find substitutes for depleted or degraded resources.

Ecological economics

Recognizes that there are no substitutes for many natural resources and emphasizes the importance of valuing and preserving ecological services.

Natural capital

Any sort of wealth that natural resources and ecosystem services provided by our natural environment.

Human capital

The physical and mental tasks contributed by people.

Built/Manufactured capital

Infrastructure such as buildings, roads, tools, and materials.

Social capital

The overall connections and relationships individuals have with others, which can potentially turn into financial capital.

Market pricing

The direct price of a product or service, including raw materials, labor, shipping, and markup.

Full pricing

Considers not only the market price but also includes indirect costs such as environmental, social, or long-term impacts associated with the products.

Lobbying

The act of influencing or attempting to influence the decisions and actions of government officials, often through financial contributions or other means of persuasion.

Policy lifecycle

The stages involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, including problem recognition, research, formulation, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, adjustment, and evaluation.

Media influence on the policy cycle

The role of the media in shaping public opinion and influencing the policy cycle, as seen in the case of pollution and the Clean Water Act following the Cuyahoga River fire in Cleveland in 1969.

Three branches of government

The executive branch (proposes ideas for new laws and puts policies into action), the judicial branch (interprets laws and ensures they are in line with the constitution), and the legislative branch (where laws are made through debate and voting).

Standing

The right to take part in legal proceedings, requiring a valid interest in the case.

Environmental indicators

Measures used to assess environmental performance, such as GDP (the market value of all goods and services produced) and the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) that considers beneficial transactions and harmful environmental effects.

Taxes on carbon

Taxes imposed on carbon emissions to discourage their release into the atmosphere and incentivize the use of cleaner energy sources.

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Executive branch

The branch of government headed by the president.

Executive order

A rule or regulation issued by the president that bypasses Congress in cases of gridlock or when action is taking too long.

Antiquities Act

A law that allows presidents to protect certain areas in the US for development, such as national parks and national monuments.

Earth Day

An annual event celebrated on April 22nd to demonstrate support for environmental protection, first celebrated in 1970.

NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act)

A law that requires federal agencies to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before any development project or action, forcing them to consider the environmental impacts.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

A detailed and time-consuming report required by NEPA, which assesses the environmental impacts of a proposed project and considers alternatives and positive/negative impacts.