ES 1 UCSB Peter Alagona Final Key Terms

Fermi Paradox

the apparent contradiction between the lack of evidence for extraterrestrial civilizations elsewhere in the Milky Way galaxy and various high estimates for their probability.

Enrico Fermi

An Italian-born American physicist, Nobel Prize winner, and member of the Manhattan project who designed the world's first nuclear reactor.

"Rare Earth"

holds that our planet is either unique or so unusual that there just aren't many other opportunities in the universe to produce complex life.

Habitable Zone

range of distances from a star where liquid water might pool on the surface of an orbiting planet.

Selection Bias

bias introduced by the selection of individuals, groups or data for analysis in such a way that proper randomization is not achieved

Anthropic Principle

If the universe is being observed, then there must be an observer present to observe it. But just because we're here doesn't mean that anyone else is. Maybe we ARE alone.

Drake Equation

a probabilistic argument used to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy.

The Great Filter

filters for why we have not seen or experienced any life outside of earth

Existential Threats

Nuclear war • Extraterrestrial impacts • Geologic hazards • Technological • Environmental destruction

Anthropocene

The geological epoch during which human behavior became one of the earth's major geomorphological and geological processes

Balance of Nature

a theory that proposes that ecological systems are usually in a stable equilibrium or homeostasis. Used until the 18th century

Great Chain of Being

a hierarchical model of God's plan for life on Earth

Carl Linnaeus

father of the binomial taxonomic system, argued for a divinely ordered nature

The Peaceable Kingdom

by Edward Hicks (ca. 1840-45). An example of the balance of nature idea.

Charles Lyell

Coined the term Uniformitarianism - The same slow processes that have always shaped life on earth continue to do so today

George Cuvier

Developed the theory of catastrophism

Alfred Russel Wallace

Wallace was the coauthor, along with Charles Darwin, of the first paper that introduced the theory of evolution by natural selection.

phyletic gradualism

Species evolve by the accumulation of many small changes over a long time period

punctuated equilibrium

Pattern of evolution in which long stable periods are interrupted by brief periods of more rapid change

Charles Darwin

-Evolution by "natural selection" (the weaker die out) wrote On the Origin of Species

Stephen J. Gould (1941-2002)

created term punctuated equilibrium

Gaia Hypothesis

Earths atmosphere and biosphere are stable and self regulating; negative feedbacks tend toward convergence and equilibrium

James Lovelock

Gaia hypothesis

Negative Feedbacks

Tend toward convergence and equilibrium

Chaos Theory

Future outcomes depend on conditions today; the climate is prone to unpredictable changes

positive feedback

tend toward divergence and change

Edward Lorenz

chaos theory

Succession

Disturbed ecosystems pass through predictable stages, reaching a final "climax" state determined by climate and soils

Frederick Clements

succession

Disturbance

the norm in most ecosystems, and can result in unpredictable, even irreversible shifts at certain tipping points.

Triangulation

the idea that using 2 or more methods can render a more robust and reliable result than can any single method

Uncertainty

can serve as a political resource for ppl who want to exploit gaps in knowledge to advance a political agenda

proxy sources

small-scale processes that affect change

indicator species

Species that serve as early warnings that a community or ecosystem is being degraded.

Delta Smelt

indicator species

Qualitative

Data in the form of words

Quantitative

Data that is in numbers

cyclical change

some patterns of change that repeat over time (seasons)

correlation

An apparent relationship between two or more variables

Causation

an actual relationship where changes in 1 variable affect the other

type 1 error

a false positive

type 2 error

false negative; fails to perceive an effect that is there

driving forces

large scale processes that create the conditions for change

scale

extent and resolution in an environmental study

What are some natural causes of env change?

- Extraterrestrial impacts

- Planetary orbital cycles

- Geologic (tectonic) processes - Evolutionary change

- Climatic cycles

- Random weather events

- Population dynamics

Anthropogenic

derived from human activities

IPAT

Impact, Population, Affluence, and Technology

Malthusians

Population growth will outpace food production and resource availability; will lead to conflict, hunger, disease

carrying capacity

the largest population that an environment can support at any given time

affluence

IPAT says YES: environmental impact increases with more wealth and consumption

Some economic models say NO: increases in wealth lead to reductions in environmental damage

Environmental Kuznets Curve

following an initial period of increased impacts, total environmental impacts decrease with increasing affluence

Technology

big force of change

can be used to exploit large scale emissions of fossil fuels

2nd law of thermodynamics

the total entropy of an isolated system always increases in a closed system

entropy

disorder

proto-planetary disk

a rotating circumstellar disk of dense gas surrounding a young newly formed star

Hadean

hellish period devoid of life with constant volcanic activity. moon formed here

"The big thwack"

how the moon formed

Archean

saw first life made up of prokaryotes. Slime ball earth

Proterozoic

saw emergence of multi-cellular life, including primitive plants and animals. Snowball Earth

Phanerozoic

started with "Cambrian Explosion", explosion of life

"The Great Dying"

occured at the end of the Permian period around 292 MYA. Around 83% of all genera, and 96 percent of marine species, disappeared.

Mesozoic Period

dominated by reptiles and relatives. killed by meteorite

Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

life was rebounding. Mammals, bats, etc. emerging in hothouse climate

Pleistocene

featured at least 11 major ice ages and interglacial periods

Largely caused by patterns in the earths orbit around the sun (Milankovitch Cycles)

6th mass extinction

We are now considered to be in the 6th mass extinction, an inter-glacial period. The sixth mass extinction is likely being caused by human-induced events which destroy species habitats.

Paleolithic

The period of the Stone Age associated with the evolution of humans. It predates the Neolithic period.

Holocene

The current interglaciation period, extending from 10,000 years ago to the present on the geologic time scale.

Great Acceleration

refers to the period after World War II, during which human population and economic activities grew at a greater rate than in the past.

Global Climate Change

Increase in temperature and change in weather patterns all around the planet, due mostly to increasing atmospheric CO2 levels from the burning of fossil fuels. The increase in temperature, called global warming, is a major aspect of global climate change.

multi-scalar

global in extent, but they arise from local policies and practices

inextricably linked

one is a major cause of the other

Biodiversity

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Species-area curve

shows the total number of species per unit area

endemic species

species that occur nowhere else

Species richness

total number of species in an area

Background Rate of Extinction

Extinction—like speciation, the emergence of new species—is a natural process. Over the past 65 million years, the background rate, or average rate of extinctions in the absence of human action, has been .1-1 species worldwide per year.

Speciation

the evolution of new species

Mass Extinction

A large extinction of species in a relatively short period of time

Keeling Curve

tracks the rise in global atmospheric CO2 concentration from the late 1950s to the present

greenhouse effect

warming that results when solar radiation and CO2 is trapped by the atmosphere

Carbon Budget

The surplus or deficit of carbon once carbon output is subtracted from carbon input. Needs to stay below 2 degrees celsius

Knowledge is essential

Environmental systems are complex and dynamic • Even in areas where we think we know a lot, there is still a lot to be learned • Most people agree that environmental policy should be based, at least in part, on knowledge • Knowledge is gained through study • We have learned more about the environment in the past few decades than in all of history before

Knowledge is contingent

Because environmental systems are complex and dynamic, understanding them is an ever-evolving challenge • Context, method, scale, and interpretation all matter; uncertainty is ubiquitous • Decisions must often be made with incomplete or uncertain knowledge, and without knowing their full consequences

Knowledge is contested

competing claims about what constitutes the truth

Knowledge doesn't necessarily change behavior

depends on factors like group identity, social context, personality

Prior Knowledge

prior knowledge on science is low

deficit model

a lack of knowledge is the main problem when attempting to address complex technical issues, such as climate change

Scientific literacy

The ability to understand, analyze, and apply scientific information

ability to understand numerical data

Understanding numeric data is challenging for many people

ways of interpreting new information

People approach new information using preexisting "mental models" of how the world works • Often, these models involve simple "heuristics," or cognitive shortcuts

cognitive dissonance

an unpleasant state that arises when a person recognizes the inconsistency of his or her actions, attitudes, or beliefs

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence

Engagement

can be effective, but it is difficult to do well, and tough to achieve at a scale that reaches large numbers of diverse people

Framing

the way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments.

Narratives

interpretive story lines that flow from the frame, communicating what is at stake in a complex policy debate, why the issue matters, and to whom

Aggregator and translator

bringing together and interpreting information

Broker

serving as an intermediary

partner

working with diverse audiences in a collaborative manner

exposure

How often, through what methods, and over what period of time should a message be disseminated and who are the intended audiences?

Timing

provide good strong info before they form their opinions