ESS ALL INTHINKING TERMS

All terms from the Inthinking page for IB ESS Standard Level

environmental value system

a world view or paradigm that shapes the way an individual or group of people perceive and evaluate environmental issues, influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political contexts.

ecocentric

integrates social, spiritual and environmental dimensions into a holistic ideal

ecocentric

puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and emphasizing a less materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies

ecocentric

prioritises biorights and emphasizes the importance of education and encourages self-restraint in human behaviour

anthropocentric

argues that humans must sustainably manage the global system

anthropocentric

uses taxes, environmental regulation and legislation

anthropocentric

debate is encouraged to reach a consensual, pragmatic approach to solving environmental problems

technocentric

argues that technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems

technocentric

largely optimistic view of the role humans can play in improving the lot of humanity

technocentric

scientific research is encouraged in order to form policies and to understand how systems can be controlled, manipulated or changed to solve resource depletion

technocentric

a pro-growth agenda is deemed necessary for society's improvement

deep ecologist

place intrinsic importance on nature for the humanity of man and believe ecological laws should dictate human morality

cornucopian

believe that man will always find a way out of any difficulties, either political, scientific or technological and believe resource replacement will solve resource depletion

society

an arbitrary group of individuals who share some common characteristics such as geographical location, cultural background, historical timeframe, religious perspective, etc.

System Approach

a way of visualizing a complex set of interactions which may

be ecological or societal.

Store

Usually rectangles in a diagram and represent a temporary or permanent store of matter in a system, e.g. a glacier in the water system/cycle

Flow

a movement into or out of a system and between stores in a system (energy or matter)

Transfer

a flow with a change in location (water entering a lake)

Transformation

a flow with a change in the chemical nature or state of matter, e.g. condensation in the water cycle (water vapour to water liquid)

Open System

Exchanges both energy and matter across its boundary

Closed System

Exchanges only energy across its boundary

Isolated System

A hypothetical concept in which neither energy nor matter is exchanged across the boundary

Model

A simplified version of reality that can be used to understand how a system works and to predict how it will respond to change

Biosphere

The part of the Earth in habitated by organisms that extends from the upper parts of the atmosphere to deep within the Earth's crust.

First law of thermodynamics

the principle of conservation of energy, which states

that energy in an isolated system can be transformed but cannot be created or

destroyed.

Second law of thermodynamics

the entropy of a system increases over

time. Entropy is a measure of the amount of disorder in a system. An increase in

entropy arising from energy transformations reduces the energy available to do work.

Stable equilibrium

the condition of a system in which there is a tendency

for it to return to the previous equilibrium following disturbance

Steady-state equilibrium

the condition of an open system in which there

are no changes over the longer term, but in which there may be oscillations

in the very short term.

Tipping Point

the minimum amount of change within a system that will destabilize it, causing it to reach a new equilibrium or stable state

Negative feedback loop

Feedback which is stabilizing and occurs when the output of a process inhibits or

reverses the operation of the same process in such a way as to reduce change — it

counteracts deviation.

Postive Feedback loop

Destabilizing feedback which will tend to amplify changes and drive the system toward a tipping point where a new equilibrium is adopted.

Resilience (of a system)

The tendency of a system to avoid tipping points and maintain stability.

Time lag

The speed of response to a change in a system.

Natural Resources

Anything that the Earth supplies which can be used by humans, e.g. coal, iron ore, forests, water, air

Sustainability

the use and management of resources that allows full natural replacement of the resources exploited and full recovery of the ecosystems affected by their extraction and use

Natural Capital

natural resources that can supply a natural income of goods or services

Natural Income

is the yield obtained from natural resources (not financial)

Goods

They are physical items, e.g. timber, fibre, food, minerals. These may include renewable,such as timber or ozone and non-renewable resources such a fossil fuels or metal ores.

Services

Ecosystems may provide life-supporting services such as water replenishment, flood and erosion protection.

REDD+

a mechanism that has been under negotiation by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change since 2005, to mitigate climate change by enhancing forest management in developing countries.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Environmental Indicators

Environmental indicators are anything that you can define to describe and measure a component of the environment.

Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA)

The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment was a collaborative research project that measured 24 indicators of ecosystems and their services.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

An EIA is a process undertaken prior to a decision being made about a proposed new development. The aim is to ensure sustainable development. EIAs provide decision-makers with information in order to consider the environmental impact of a project.

Baseline Study

Ecological baseline studies include surveys to identify patterns in vegetation, special sites and unique habitats, important (keystone) species, rare (red-listed) species.

Socio-economic baseline studies will identify the communities that will be impacted by the development, their viewpoints and the economic impacts (both positive and negative) of the development.

Mitigation Strategy

Designed to limit the impact of the project and protect the environment.

Ecological Footprint

An ecological footprint (EF) is the area of land and water required to sustainably provide all resources at the rate at which they are being consumed and the assimilation of all wastes by a given human population. If the EF is greater than the area available to the population, this is an indication of unsustainability.

Non-point Source Pollution

Pollution which arises from numerous widely dispersed origins

Point Source Pollution

Pollution arising from a single clearly identifiable site

Biodegradable

capable of being broken down by natural biological processes

Pollution

the addition of a substance or an agent to an environment through human activity, at a rate greater than that at which it can be rendered harmless by the environment, and which has an appreciable effect on the organisms in the

environment.

Types of pollution

organic or inorganic substances, light, sound or

thermal energy, biological agents or invasive species, and may derive from a wide range of human activities including the combustion of fossil fuels.

persistent pollutant

one that is not biodegradable and continues to exist in the environment without intervention from humans

acute pollution

arising from a one off event such as an oil spill

chronic pollution

arising from the long lasting release of a pollutant with the effects lasting for a long time

Primary pollutants

active on emission / release e.g. CO2

Secondary pollutants

arising from primary pollutants undergoing physical or chemical change e.g. tropospheric ozone in photochemical smog

Ecology

The study of interactions among and between organisms in their abiotic environment.

Abiotic Factors

The non-living, physical factors that influence the organisms and ecosystem — such as temperature, sunlight, pH, salinity, and precipitation.

Biotic Factors

The interactions between the organisms—such as predation, herbivory, parasitism, mutualism, disease, and competition.

Species

A group of organisms that share common characteristics and that interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Habitat

A habitat is the environment in which a species normally lives

Niche

A niche describes the particular set of abiotic and biotic conditions and resources to which an organism or population responds

Fundamental niche

Describes the full range of conditions and resources in which a species could survive and reproduce

Realized niche

Describes the actual conditions and resources in which a species exists due to biotic interactions

Resource Partitioning

The fundamental niches of two species overlap and through competition develop a narrower realized niche

Mutualism

Symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other one is neither harmed nor helped

Parasitism

Symbiotic relationship in which one species is benefited and the other is adversely affected

Predation

The consumption of one species (the prey) by another (the predator).​

Herbivory

The consumption of a plant species by an animal

Competition

This is the interaction between organisms that are trying to attain the same resources. This might be food but it could also be for mates, territory, nesting sites, etc.

Decomposer

Feeds on dead and decaying material, thus recycling the nutrients.

J-Shaped Curve

A population growth curve showing exponential growth with no carrying capacity reached.

S-Shaped Curve

A population growth curve showing exponential growth followed by slowed growth until carrying capacity is reached.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size that a given area can support sustainably.

Limiting Factors

Biotic or abiotic factors which lead to a limit in the population growth.

Density-dependent Limiting Factors

Limiting factors related to how densely packed a population is, e.g. competition

Density-independent Limiting Factors

Limiting factors unrelated to population density such as natural disasters and weather change.

Symbiosis

individuals living on or in individuals of another species where one or both species use the others resources. Includes mutualism, commensalism and parasitism.

community

a group of populations living and interacting with each other in a common habitat

ecosystem

a community and the physical environment with which it interacts.

Respiration

the conversion of organic matter into carbon dioxide and water in all living organisms, releasing energy.

Aerobic

using oxygen

anaerobic

without oxygen (e.g. water logged soil)

primary producers

in most ecosystems convert light energy into chemical energy in the process of photosynthesis