Environmental Science Midterm Review

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the Environmental Science lecture notes, useful for exam preparation.

Sustainability

The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

Per Capita

Literally meaning 'per person', often used to describe statistics that are averaged per person.

Environmental Worldview

A set of beliefs about how the environment works and how humans should interact with the environment.

Planetary Management

An environmental worldview that holds that humans are in charge of nature and should manage the Earth's resources wisely.

Stewardship

The responsible management and care for the environment and its resources.

Environmental Wisdom

An environmental worldview that emphasizes the need to understand ecological systems and work within their limits.

Stakeholder

An individual or group that has an interest in the outcome of a project or decision, particularly in environmental contexts.

Lifetime Cost

The total cost of a product over its entire lifespan, including purchase price, maintenance, and disposal costs.

Life-Cycle

A product's progression from the raw materials stage through the manufacturing, use, and disposal or recycling stages.

IPAT Equation

The formula that calculates environmental impact as a function of population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T).

Developed World Country

Nations with a high level of industrialization, high standards of living, and strong infrastructure.

Developing World Country

Nations with a lower level of industrialization, lower standards of living, and weaker infrastructure.

Shannon-Wiener Index

A mathematical formula used to calculate the diversity of a habitat based on species richness and evenness.

Calorimetry

A method used to measure the energy content of food by observing the heat produced during combustion.

Biomass

The total mass of all living matter in a specific area or volume.

Trophic Levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, etc.

10% Rule

A biological rule stating that only about 10\% of the energy at one trophic level is passed on to the next level.

Respiration

The process by which cells convert food into usable energy, producing water and carbon dioxide (CO_{2}) as byproducts.

Nutrient Cycle

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

Biogeochemical Cycle

The global circulation of elements through biological, geological, and chemical processes, synonymous with nutrient cycling.

Carbon Cycle

The movement of carbon (C) between the atmosphere, oceans, and living organisms, primarily driven by photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Nitrogen Fixation

The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen (N{2}) into nitrogen-containing compounds like ammonia (NH{3}) by specialized bacteria.

Nitrification

The biological transformation of ammonium (NH{4}^{+}) into nitrites (NO{2}^{-}) and subsequently into nitrates (NO_{3}^{-}).

Denitrification

The conversion of nitrates (NO{3}^{-}) back into nitrogen gas (N{2}) by anaerobic bacteria, returning it to the atmosphere.

Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus (P) through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, notably lacking a gaseous atmospheric phase.

Assimilation

The process by which plants and animals incorporate inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus into organic compounds like amino acids and nucleic acids.

HIPPCO

Habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, population growth, climate change, overexploitation